General Chat

Too busy kitten watching! The stray cat we have been feeding since FEB, turned up with her kittens on the doorstep. We knew she had them but hadnt known where they were, they are about 8wks old, all five of them! We have been busy feeding, watering and just watching most of the day! I have asked acats protection to help, but they havent a trap to spare yet. In the meantime have to keep one of my cats from attacking them! Will also try to get them used to humans. Off to buy cat food in the morning!

Just spotted this.
I'll keep looking in see how they get on.
My cat was found in a garden with 4 bros and sisters. They were all pretty hissy/spitty. Now mine is just a wee sook, but pretty jumpy. Thats why I keep her as a house cat.

Marion

Hi Jean, glad they have come out of hiding and all seem well. I hope you can get them taken away soon to be domesticated so they can find good new homes and the mother can be speyed so she doesn't go on producing kittens.
Our local RSPCA is having a problem, they are overrun with cats needing homes, mostly those who have been found with health problems and nursed back to health. One had it's foot caught in a trap so it had to be amputated, another one's elderly owner died, and another was shot in the mouth by an airgun pellet, now removed so well enough to be rehoused.
Yet all I see on gumtree are kittens and more kittens needing homes, why don't people get their cats speyed or neutered.

Lizx

That's brilliant Jean!
If the mum has actually brought them to you, she obviously trusts you - and wants the kits to trust humans! (well you, at least!)


Liz,
Our local cat's protection is inundated with kittens too - and one of my (neutered) cats has been 'beaten up' - probably by an un-neutered male!

I've had many cats over the years and have noticed that neutered males will shriek a lot - but rarely attack. Un- neutered males will attack, can be very vicious and cause quite serious injuries.
So don't be selfish - get your male cats neutered - they smell nicer too!!!

My neighbour wqs complaining this morning about the noise of plates rattling in the night! Now The plates we use are plastic, and on the doormat and the kittens were in bed by tenpm. She has complained before about noises in the area and had people out to investigate, and they have all turned out to be imaginary, or Tinnitus, which she forgets she has got. I dont want to fall out with her, but the kittens are not affecting anyone but us as yet. Why do people have this nasty streak? She put food out to the mother herself when she was starving.

The kittens father came last evening and you would have sworn he said to her, you didnt say you were moving, I've been looking allover for you!
The kittens chased after him at once, so they had seen him before, then he shared a dish of milk and water with them. They dont seem to need as much feeding as I thought. We have so far only fed them twice today and they are now all asleep in the shade. Mother actually came down the steps when we were talking to a neighbour, walked round my OH and sat in the shade waiting for us to move off so that she could get on the window sill and indicate that she was hungry. Thats the closest she has been so far, but I am sure she thinks that this is home!

Mum brought them a dead pidgeon this morning and they have been at it on and off all day. Hope they dont take the carcase under the shed where we cant get at it to dump it!. They do NOT like this rain!
OH fitted up some perforated ping-pong balls with string and tied them to the fence. They were really well played with and fought over. Keeps them occupied and away from other peoples gardens.

Hello Jean....they sound adorable:o)) what a good mum she is. Brilliant idea putting the ping pong balls up:o) Lets hope the cats protection get in touch soon, wonder if the vets know if there is anywhere else to get trap from??
Surely the mother will be ready for mating again soon or is she now, what with dad on the scene again...not good!!
l'd have then like a shot, but Madoc and Vic might not agree:o((

You're doing a brilliant job both of you:o))

jude :o) x

I hope they get caught and 'done' soon . As Jude said she will be pregnant before you know it.
If you can get them to trust you that would be good.

*if I was near I'd help lol*

Tried the RSPCA this morning. NO help at all, other than to tell me to stop feeding them and she would eventually take them away."WWhich would mean we had another 5 cats roaming the area and increasing. Not a sensible attitude. We will keep waiting for cats protection to do something about them. They at least have a neutering policy.

Hi Jean I've sent a pm to you,hope it will help in some way
Mau

Hello Jean....l rang them as well, you got more help than l did, apart from the recorded messages. As you say l thought they wanted to keep numbers down.
l would'nt want to ignore them now after all this time, you've helped keep them alive.
Lets hope cat protection have a trap free soon??

jude

Its not the cost, it wont break us, but the area cant support this number of un=neutered cats. We will be inundated with them. It is beginning to make me feel ill. They are such a lovely bunch too.

Cats protection lady is coming here tomorrow afternoon to try and catch MUm and take her to be neutered. The kittens will have to be left until they have somewhere to take them We cant keep them in one place much longer so we are going to be very unpopular soon.

Hi Jean.
Been watching your thread.
At least thats a start. I hope they catch her soon.

Are the kittens wild or able to be picked up and stroked, cos if so maybe you could advertise them on Gumtree, lots of people sell or give away pets on there.
Hope all goes well with the mother and the kittens.

Lizx

Awwww fingers crossed Jean, it will be the best thing for all of them, lets hope mum is'nt already preggies again!!

Take care
jude

Well, the ladies came at lunchtime and spent over two hours trying to entice her out from her hiding place. Unfortunately she has taught the kittens to hide at the approach of a human. We keep trying to get near her and she will sit beside us on the windowsill, but put a hand out and she's gone. The kittens come out for food, but not until we arewell away from the plates. The catching cage has been left with us to try her tomorrow morning when she will be hungrier. If caught she will only be away the day as they do not keep them in long and release them near their base. We are happy for that to happen, but we do need the kittens to go, adorable as they are!

Well, the problem has faded away! Mum and kittens were gone this morning and they have been seen in the oil-seed rape in the nearby field. Mumobviously didnt like the number of people here yesterday. She turned up on her own at 1pm, and had a bite to eat, and then this evening while our cats were sleeping we managed to entice her inside the kitchen door for some food and drink. I have to close my mind to worrying about the kittens, she obviously feels they can manage.

Hello Jean....

Lets hope she knows exactly where they are and is still feeding them, bet she is:o)))
Its a shame so many people were around to set the trap up, might have been a good idea for your OH to do it and keep everyone indoors.
But welldone to get her indoors for a feed, you may still have some luck you never know.

Got your email earlier, but had to tyrn pc off its so hot up here....phewww, off to bed now!

jude x