Stray Cats

[so lucky]

Some "kind" soul dumped off 4 kittens at our house last weekend. They are very wild, so we can't catch them to even take to the humane society. They discovered a hole under our front porch (concrete) and have been apparently hiding in there. Well, of course I can't stand to let them slowly die so I have been feeding and watering them. All we see is a streak of white as one of them dashes by, generally. Today the chickens discovered them, and are very curious. I don't fear for the cats or the chickens, not considering either prey for the other. It is funny to watch the chickens watching the weeds where the cats are hiding in the field. EE Dovie gives her alarm growl, and sometimes all 4 of them start cackling. I wouldn't mind keeping one cat, for mole patrol and such. We had such an awful experience with two house cats several years ago, that we swore we would never have another, but things change, right?

 

[secuono]

One hole to go in and out? You can set up a live trap by the hole and bait it with the food you give the cats and see if you can catch any that way.

 

[desertlady]

its sad when people dont spay their pets. It happen once with a friend of ours , someone left her with 6 kittens! she keep them all ,but got out of control with more kittens, Last I heard she had 30.

 

[so lucky]

One hole to go in and out? You can set up a live trap by the hole and bait it with the food you give the cats and see if you can catch any that way.

Two holes--one on each side of the slab. We will probably have to do that. I bet I would be surprized to know what all has taken up residence in those holes over the past few years.

 

[journey11]

They are easy to catch in a trap. Give 'em some tuna!

 

[catjac1975]

My cat left me a huge rat today. Cats are killing machines. One unfortunately killed two of my young chickens. The chicks were just a the point I thought they were big enough to be safe from the cats and finally let them out into the pen. My mistake. Cats do a lot of good with mice, rats, moles, squirrels, and bunnies. The cost for spaying, shots and the occasional injury has almost put me off getting any more cats. I have 3 that live primarily in the barn. I certainly could rescue a few more if the vet costs were not just so out of sight.

 

[so lucky]

I think our humane society gives a 50% off coupon for spaying or neutering. I checked on it for some clients once, not too long ago. You may want to check with yours. It didn't have to be a critter from them, to qualify.

 

[digitS']

The local animal shelter may have a live trap to lend you.

"The cost of spaying or neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising puppies or kittens for a year." ASPCA

I only pet-sit the grandpuppy and haven't owned a dog or cat in over 20 years. It sometimes seems to me that a great many pet owners dump their pets. Certainly not a majority but - a great many. Believe it or not, it was actually reassuring to read the American Humane Association estimates that only 5% end up that way.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

Wouldn't you know it--I was putting some food out for the wild kittens this evening, and found a scruffy full grown (nearly) cat lurking around. I kinda doubt if the kittens are going to get any of that food. One thing I don't want is to turn our property into stray cat central!

 

[897tgigvib]

Here in Lake and Mendocino counties of northern california, we are truly blessed to have a whole system of cat and dog rescuers, volunteers, foster caregivers for pets, pet sales of well loved rescues at local stores, concerned vets who will do the neutering and spaying at discounts, volunteers who care for feral colonies, and those hardcore feral cats are trapped, given annual vet checkups, ears lightly clipped for marking, the ferals neutered and spayed...I can go on and on about them, especially anderson valley animal rescue. They run on donations and volunteers. Their methods are spreading, and I understand there are some others like it nationwide. It takes a commited network of love.

It started at the local animal shelter, where they decided, no, we will not kill a healthy animal. So they enlisted foster caregivers for the cats and dogs, turned a nearby house into a shelter extension, and began running a no kill, super healthy clean rescue center, got a system going, got super volunteers, mobile pet adoptions(!), newspapers donating free classified ad space.

It is not easy, and sometimes there are terrible heartbreaks, but they plug along, keep the word spread.

Ask if your local animal shelter is a no kill shelter. Shelters do not need to kill healthyanimals. There indeed are alternatives. The first obstacle is to know there are alternatives.