Cute Innocent Feral Kittens came to my house

Posted Saturday, June 13, 2009, at 11:12 AM

I wrote a blog titled "Stray Cats" and posted it May 2nd if you want to go back and read that blog since it relates to this one.

Last fall a Feral Momma cat had 4 kittens, 2 boys and 2 girls. We were able to catch all 4 kittens. We still have them and we fixed up an extra bedroom for them. We put a gate across the doorway to keep our pets out of their space. They do sometimes jump over the gate, however if something spooks them they can jump back over the gate for safety. We are keeping 2 (boy and a girl) and still have 2 to find homes for. We got the boy's neutered, one were keeping the other one is free to a good home, however he still is skittish, but once you get him picked up he is ok with that. The girl we arent' keeping we are going to get her spayed and then put her out. She is very very skittish and I think she would be happier living back out on the street with her colony of cats.

Now Momma cat has had another litter at least 4-5 kittens. She brought them to our house Thursday night. We were able to capture 2 of them, a boy and a girl. Now the sad part we took them to the shelter( I hate doing this) we cannot take in anymore cat's and we can't afford to keep getting cat's fixed. The kittens I think are around 6-8 wks old. I hope someone adopts them, and they get to have a chance at life.

We were told by the shelter that there is a wonderful veterinarian who will come to your house and spay or neuter your pet's and his prices are very reasonable. So we decided when we have the extra money were going to try and catch Momma and have him come and spay her along with the other female we want to put back out. Once we get these 2 females fixed maybe that will be the end of the cat problem and maybe the boy cat's will go elsewhere. Ha!

Below is a little information I found about Feral cats

Feral cats are the offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats who are not spayed or neutered. Females can reproduce two to three times a year, and their kittens, if they survive, will become feral without early contact with people. Cats can become pregnant as early as 4-5 months of age, and the number of cats rapidly increases without intervention by caring people.

Feral cats typically live with a group of related cats known as a colony. The colony occupies and defends a specific territory where food (a restaurant dumpster, a person who feeds them) and shelter (beneath a porch, in an abandoned building) are available.

Since feral cats typically fear strangers, it is likely that people may not realize that feral cats are living nearby because the cats are rarely seen. !

Many don't survive. If they do survive, their lives aren't easy without human caretakers.

Females may become pregnant as young as 4 to 5 months of age and may have 2 to 3 litters a year. Being pregnant so young and so often, and having and nursing kittens, is even more stressful on female cats who are struggling to survive. More than half of the kittens are likely to die.

Males who roam and fight to find mates and defend their territories may be injured and transmit diseases to one another through bite wounds.

Feral cats may find food in a restaurant dumpster or someone may feed them. They may find shelter from the elements beneath a porch or in an abandoned building. But often they are without food and shelter.

Trap-Neuter-Return is a strategy to help improve the health and quality of life for feral cats and to prevent more cats from being born into this dangerous and difficult existence.

Your Friend

Marilyn (MsMarylin)

Comments
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You are my friend? If you were my friend you would not persist in attracting then abandoning or re-abandoning your unwanted pets outdoors so they can spray urine and poop in my grand children's sand box and my garden.

My garden was my hobby from which I shared nourishing food with family and friends until the cats took it over. Now it would endanger anyone's health to eat from it so I plowed it under.

Another enjoyable hobby of mine was watching and listening to the song birds attracted to my feeder and fountain. They would drop in from exhausting migrations to refresh themselves and repay me with their beautiful songs! The cats ended that too. After finding the remains of two pairs of song birds I stopped providing them with food and water, knowing your pets considered them good sport.

You can wave at me and call me your friend, but I won't be smiling and waving back!

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Sun, Jun 14, 2009, at 1:07 AM

BirdAdvocate

I am not aware that I live in your neighborhood and the abandoned and feral cat's I am trying to take care of were not my cat's. Their previous owner/owners lacked the responsibility of owning a pet by moving away and abandoning them. I am only doing what I think is right to do for these cat's. If you know of a better way please advise me.

Oh and by the way where I live I have seen a hawk take a rabbit off my property and take up in the air for the kill... Then dropping it.

It is also known that hawks and other big birds will do the same to cats or small dogs.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Jun 14, 2009, at 4:01 PM

"I am not aware that I live in your neighborhood and the abandoned and feral cat's I am trying to take care of were not my cat's. Their previous owner/owners lacked the responsibility of owning a pet by moving away and abandoning them. I am only doing what I think is right to do for these cat's. If you know of a better way please advise me."

They become your pets and your responsibility when you choose to take over their feeding. After that it is your decision they will stay in the area and consider your neighbor's property their hunting ground and cat box. Do I know a better way? Yes, I do. I responsibly control my pets in an adult manner, respecting my neighbor's property rights and privacy.

"Oh and by the way where I live I have seen a hawk take a rabbit off my property and take up in the air for the kill... Then dropping it."

That MsMarilyn, is nature. Nature can be cruel. If a hawk drops its prey it is probably a young one still learning to feed itself. However, there is nothing natural about your pet or anyone else's eviscerating a litter of bunnies or clutch of song bird fledglings for their amusement!

"It is also known that hawks and other big birds will do the same to cats or small dogs."

Yes, that does happen sometimes when careless and irresponsible pet owners subject their vulnerable domestic animals to danger outdoors.

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Mon, Jun 15, 2009, at 1:33 AM

BirdAdvocate

I got to thinking about what you had to say and you are correct I shouldn't turn out a cat that we trapped and been keeping in our house now for a few months. We will keep her as we will all the others that we have unless we can get her tamed and then find her a nice family who will take care of her. She most likely wouldn't survive very long if I put her out because she doesn't know how to live in the outside world. I'm not even sure if the cat colony she came from would even accept her back.

We still are feeding the ones we didn't trap and I believe by us feeding them we are saving birds.

I have not seen a dead bird around here for a very long time and we have at least 400-500 Quail living in our trees and we also feed the little Hummingbirds. The Quail we don't feed, I don't have any idea what they eat. lol ! Theres not much I can do about cat's pooping in your yard, however I know it's not my cat's.

What do you think about us trapping the Momma Cat and getting her fixed so she can't bring more baby's into the neighborhood, or should we leave her alone to produce more kitty's?

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Jun 15, 2009, at 4:09 PM

My thoughts on the matter is there is no, (0), zilch, nada, niche for alien predator species of the pet variety or otherwise in our ecology. Yes, I know it is all human's fault, and most of our bird loss is due to habitat destruction and chemicals, but how does that make it any less vital we be responsible for the killing done by our own pets? Does it matter if it is a cat or bull dog that rips a wild animal to pieces in my or your yard? Neither should be allowed to.

Forget the vacuum effect, it was invented. Cats will continue to reproduce (or be dumped) outdoors where ever they are fed and welcomed.

The next time my grand children cry to play in their sand box with their little cars and trucks I'll be sure to tell them it's not MsMarylin's cats pooping in it, it's someone elses.

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Mon, Jun 15, 2009, at 6:31 PM

BirdAdvocate

Have you thought about making a top for your grand childrens sand box it will keep bird droppings and cat poop out? My daughters husband built a sand box with a lid on it when my grandson was sand box size. lol !

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 10:27 AM

Why should I have to? It's on my own property, right? Okay, so I can go to the hardware store, buy a piece of plywood, cut it to size, paint it, spray it with a disinfectant in case the cats piss on it, and scrub it down every few days... Why can't the neighbor keep his pets indoors and quit attracting more?

Now solve the problem of my garden and my birds. Oh, wait a minute. I'm slowly doing that each time I catch a cat in my trusty Havahart trap. I drive them ten miles to the nearest animal control. I gave the neighbor a chance to take responsibility for the first few I caught, but he denied owning them even while accusing me of shooting cats.

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 10:52 AM

That's up to you if you want to make a cover for your grand children's sand box or leave it the way it is. It was only an Idea, and you take it or leave it.

Besides having a cat problem do you have a problem with squirrels coming into your yard or birds pooping on your car? I'm only curious because there is more then cat's that can be annoying to a person.

Like birds pooping on car's lol !

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 11:24 AM

I own a cat and two dogs. I keep them all inside and pick up after them, even when I take the dogs out for a walk. I also don't let them bark at all times of the day and night. Those of you that don't I detest. I have a neighboor that has an outside cat and it poops in my yard. I plan on trapping it and turning it in to the pound, in Boise, not here so they won't get it back. Its rude. Same for you people that let their dogs poop in others yards when out for a walk. I would love to cram your dogs poop all over your door handles of your house.

-- Posted by Paul Revere on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 12:46 PM

Nature, MsMarylin, nature causes the blue blobs of mullberry crap, on our cars and trucks each spring. Cat crap and urine in our flower beds and gardens, and bird entrails on our porches is a choice made by neighbors who inflict their choice of pets on us.

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 12:48 PM

Paulrevere

I think its really rude when a person walking their dog, stops to let it go poop in your yard....... That really irritates the heck out of me, they are there watching there dog do this and they don't have a clue that it is wrong. What is wrong with these people? Do they think we like the extra yard clean up?

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 1:52 PM

My MsM...your blog sure has been nasty the last few days huh? Funny how a nice thing can turn into such a nasty thing. Keep sharing. Not all of us feel the way the other 2 do. You take care.

-- Posted by OpinionMissy on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 2:43 PM

So, Missy, you let your cats run the neighboorhood tearing up peoples landscaping and causing damage and disgusting feces on other people's property ? You support that ? Thats my stance. I find it rude and dissrespectfull to let YOUR animals crap on my property.

-- Posted by Paul Revere on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 3:29 PM

Paul, I do not have animals that run the streets. I did however have local goats walk on our cars (not ours), cows (not mine) loose in my front yard for hours pooping in my bushes and walking on my solar lights (many times) and horses that were not mine eating my hay stacks and doing damage to my lawn/trees. While not the best things in life at that moment...it was better than a person pooping or using my front yard as their own personal toilet. Things happen. I would rather have 10 cows and 10 horses in my yard than 20 people any day. I can only hope you do not own any animals as you do not seem to be a very nice person. You take care and work on going to the ER to get that stick out. You enjoy MH now.

-- Posted by OpinionMissy on Thu, Jun 18, 2009, at 11:58 AM

I don't think Birdadvocate or Paul Revere got the point of my story. The story is about feral and abandoned cats. As an animal lover I cannot see any animal go hungry. It's not their fault that the owners of these cats abandoned them. I know I am not the only one in MH that has this problem. I hate taking them to the shelter however I cannot keep feeding all the cats that come to my house nor can I afford to get them all fixed. It's a sad situation

As for Paul I will be happy for him when he get's stationed some place else. He can't adapted very well to small town living.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Thu, Jun 18, 2009, at 12:30 PM

Small town living is great. Idaho city for example or crouch. This place is not the Norman Rockwell picture your trying to paint,not even close. I agree, the animals are npt to blame. Its idiots that have no bussiness owning pets that tick me off.

-- Posted by Paul Revere on Thu, Jun 18, 2009, at 1:43 PM

Missy,

For being in your late 30's do you know how childish you sound ? You said ;

"it was better than a person pooping or using my front yard as their own personal toilet." What ?

Wow, now that is some retarded rationilazation.

Give me a break. Then you say ;

"I would rather have 10 cows and 10 horses in my yard than 20 people any day"

OK, we don't all live on acreage here, and we are not all anti-social either....then your rant continues...."I can only hope you do not own any animals as you do not seem to be a very nice person" Lets see, I don't like other peoples cats crapping in my garden and dogs barking all night long, now I am mean. I am a responsible pet owner and have been since I was a child. My parents instilled in me how to take care of pets, and that it was a RESPONSABILITY ! Then you top it off with.."You take care and work on going to the ER to get that stick out. Well Opinion Missy, I guess same could be said about your views on Nuclear Energy huh ? You have no class. Like I told peter, I do at times come across as caustic, but I admit it , whats your excuss ?

-- Posted by Paul Revere on Fri, Jun 19, 2009, at 11:38 AM

Paul I came to this town 31 yrs ago and my first year here I hated it! After awhile the town grew on me and kept me here. However like most seniors I am dreaming about a new place to live where its warm all year around. I don't know if it will ever happen and I don't know where that dream retirement place will be. lol !

Paul the next time you catch your neighbor's cat in your yard why don't you tell them you don't appreciate their cat in your yard. Let them know why you don't want their cat in your yard.

If that don't work then you can always call the police as there is a leash law for cat's in the city of MH. $68.00 fine

If you do decide to take them to a shelter I hope you will take the cat to Mountain Home's shelter and not the one in Boise. And Birdadvocate you might take this same advice.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Fri, Jun 19, 2009, at 12:46 PM

perhaps instead of keeping the feral cats you should offer to take all of them to that bitch BirdAdvocates yard and drop them off

-- Posted by lisa2 on Fri, Jun 19, 2009, at 7:13 PM

I am so with you MsMarylin,

I just found 3 new kittens under my deck last night....they are not the cutest I have seen and they are wild; at least a few months old....I have a havaheart trap, hopefully I can get them fixed..I don't mind feeding them, I am thinking they might like the mice around the house also. wishfull thinking....

Was a busy Friday night, rounding up the neighbors cows off of Hwy 51.. heading to Bruneau.. all turned out well.... I really appreciated the guy that saw us on the side of road making sure everyone knew there was something up.... he actualy stopped and checked to see if we needed help. He had a horse trailer on the back of his truck.... funny he stopped because our 8 month pregnant daughter had a flat tire last month on Air Base rd and stopped at the Jackson's to change the tire.... she parked right out front of the store, got the jack out and changed the tire herself (called dad and did it while she was waiting for him to arrive).... ironically many went in and out of the Jacksons store.....NO ONE stopped or asked if she needed help.......it's no wonder we love animals so much

-- Posted by workingbee on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 12:41 AM

Posted by MsMarylin: "I don't think Birdadvocate or Paul Revere got the point of my story. The story is about feral and abandoned cats. As an animal lover I cannot see any animal go hungry."

Oh, we got it alright! Superficially, it sounds like a wonderful philosophy, and if you were to take each of those pets indoors, I would send you a check to help defray your expenses. As it is though, you are choosing to subsidize their unnatural predation on OUR wildlife! You are enabling the murder of fauna that do not belong to you, they belong to each and every citizen and our descendants.

You call yourself an animal lover? In choosing to enable those killer pets you show yourself to be a cat lover, not an animal lover!

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 4:48 AM

WB...from what I recall, you do not ride do you (I thought you had stated you were afraid of horses or something like that)? If I am wrong, I am sorry. So, how did you like the cow round up? Cows are not always very smart and that makes them hard to work with. I am glad that it all turned out. If you were on a horse...how did you like it? Have a great weekend.

-- Posted by OpinionMissy on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 12:58 PM

BirdAdvocate

Guess What I have owned birds and they lived in my house. I don't have any now, I had a Cockatoo for 17 yrs and now he is living with my sister because of having to make room for an ailing parent to live with us.

My sister by the way is into bird rescue she fosters birds that are in poor condition weaning them back to good health. If you don't do bird rescue now maybe its something you should look at closely.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 1:25 PM

I once bought out three aviaries within a few weeks of each other and have owned literally thousands of exotic birds. It was a matter of a rescue mission, and I found good homes for them all. Your having owned exotics is beside the point, You choose cats over the survival of our wildlife every time you allow one outside. Cats are domestic pets!

I'm certain she has seen dozens, perhaps hundreds, of birds murdered by cats. A scratch is almost always fatal. We did wildlife rehabilitation for over twenty years, which is one reason I hate the needless killing you enable. One of the Mockingbirds nesting in our yard was so tame he must have been one we raised. The cats murdered his family and left some of his entrails and wings on my porch.

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 4:16 PM

BirdAdvocate.

You said: You choose cats over the survival of our wildlife every time you allow one outside. Cats are domestic pets!

My cat's don't go outside including the wild ones that are still living in my house. My cat's are very spoiled and live up until they are around 20 yrs old. We have only one cat we let out occasionally and that is with our supervision, he never leaves our yard and if he tries to we take him back inside. He has never killed any thing, he's a scary cat.

I do not enable cats to kill!! Cats are born with the instinct to hunt, they are prey driven and with that said I am not responsible for cats killing birds. Nor am I responsible for hawks and other bigger type birds killing small animals like cats and dogs.

How do you know its cat that are doing the killings?

I have seen dogs kill birds and we all know there are bird dogs !

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 4:57 PM

"How do you know its cat that are doing the killings?"

Doh! Because I've run them out of my yard countless times as they tried to get to my Mockingbirds. There are no (0) stray dogs on this block because if I see one I call Animal Control and they pick them up. Dogs could not get into my back yard with the six foot fence. I've had dozens of dogs including a Great Dane and a Doberman who never got out.

You would not believe the number of roaming cats I've taken out of my yard to Animal Control. I offered them back to the neighbor at first. He was too busy cursing me and calling me a cat hater to listen.

-- Posted by BirdAdvocate on Sat, Jun 20, 2009, at 6:56 PM