As I'm typing this, I've just become concerned about whether the momma we caught might not be the momma to the older kittens. What if she has tinnies out there that won't make it through the night without her? Her breasts definitely had milk in them, not firm or, full. What else should I have looked for to determine how old her kittens might be? I'm thinking we should bring her back and release her just in case. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to catch her again, she's so tame. Aaaahhhhh! Rescue is not for sissies!
Nina
Nina wrote:
Thank you for your advise. Contacting the media sounds like a good idea. I don't know if we'll be able to find the homeless guy again. He may have already had to move on. I wrote an email to the feralcats.com website. Chris, I couldn't find the list "feralcats" on Yahoo. I'm not very savvy at this Internet thing, so I'll try again when I get home. I'll also try to contact Alley Cat Allies.
Jill's deceased mom has a very crowded garage and I'm going over to help her consolidate the junk to make room for "holding" crates that we're scrounging together. Her mom's house is being renovated and we can't house them there. Jill told me why we can't bring them to her house, but I can't remember why just now. I don't know what we're going to do after we catch them, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it. Sorry about rambling on and on.
Barbara, I wish you were closer too! Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks for caring,
Nina
Barbara Lowe wrote:
get a large dog cage and cover it(three sides-top, bottom and sides just not
the front opening) with an old blanket--perhaps something of this guy who's
been feeding them as they recognize his "smell" as friendly. put their food
in there and perhaps can get them to go into it. or can anyone be there the
day it's getting torn down to put out food to get the cats away from this
hovel? such a heartbreaking story. did you try contacting any media to get
attention to this plight? sometimes then the rescue groups will step in to
help when they stand to gain something like free, good will publicity--(sad
to say but fact of life). I'm here in NY so can't help physically. but if
you need money to buy the large dog carrier/or wire cage--I can help with
that- what's the name of that one group-Alley Cat Allies--perhaps they have
a link to local groups that might help. (oh also if you can get it, try
spraying the inside of the cage with that Feliway spray or Rescue Remedy and
try sprinkling some catnip in there also--anything to tempt the wild ones
into it...) can the homeless guy catch the kittens? do you have a large
fishing net? I wish I was closer! (can someone keep the kittens in the
large cage then so they don't use the same litter box or eat from the
felv+'s bowls? sad thing to say but they could be felv+ anyway....)
barbara
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nina" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 2:19 PM
Subject: Is there a list for feral lovers?
Hi Everyone,
I just got a call from an acquaintance of mine with a sad and desperate
tale. Her name is Jill. She was rescuing a sea gull covered in oil in
a parking lot in Camarillo, CA. A homeless man (mentally disabled as
well), approached her in tears. He told her the house he's been
squatting in is about to be torn down (within a day or two), and he has
to find somewhere else to live. He's been feeding stray or feral cats,
Jill couldn't determine which. After Jill got the sea gull off to a
rehabilitation, she went to the address he had given her. The house is
a hovel, broken windows, fallen in roof, there is sewage from a backed
up septic tank mixed with flood waters from the storm we've been having,
just a mess. She spotted a couple of the adults running for cover, and
two of the three kittens, she's guessing they're about 8 weeks old.
There are no other houses in the area that these guys might get a
handout from and if they're taking refuge in this abandoned house,
there's a good chance that they will be caught in there when they
demolish it.
She's called all the rescue groups in the area looking for a feral colony that she might be able to relocate these cats to, once they're caught and neutered. Everyone has turned her down. I'm going to help her trap and I've called everyone I know that might be able to give me ideas about how to help them. If these kittens are indeed that young, and have been handled by the kind homeless man, there is a chance that they can be adopted out and find homes.
I need some ideas on how to help these guys. I'm going to get out there
and help her trap, but what do we do with them after that? I can't
foster anyone here, I can't expose them to FeLV! I already have four
dogs and seven cats living with me and there isn't a room where I can
segregate them, even the garage has a stray, who hates cats, living in
it. Does anyone know of a sanctuary that will take ferals that we could
relocate them to? Does anyone know of a email list that is interested
in helping ferals?
I know this is off topic, but I also know how much you guys love cats. If you can think of anything that might help, please email me back. Thank you for caring, Nina
