I found 4 stray kittens and their mother...

[carried]

I found 4 kittens and a mother cat in front of my window tonight. I live in a apartment complex and there are stray cats that live here but people feed them so they hang around. I want to call a shelter but the shelter that I usually call changed their policy apparently and its not a no kill shelter anymore. I think they may have a better chance here than in a shelter but I don't know what to do. They've moved across the street somewhere now and i'm not sure where they are or where they will be in the morning if I try to find them. I tried calling shelters around here but the numbers aren't working for some reason, I want to take it as a sign that they have a better chance where people are feeding them. I wanted to give them water but my parents say that they will never leave if I do. I don't want them to leave though but they may have cat dieases, I just don't know what to do. I hope they are ok now, people drive so fast here at night. :help: :cry: :sick:
What should I do?

[Moechalatte]

I found 4 kittens and a mother cat in front of my window tonight. I live in a apartment complex and there are stray cats that live here but people feed them so they hang around. I want to call a shelter but the shelter that I usually call changed their policy apparently and its not a no kill shelter anymore. I think they may have a better chance here than in a shelter but I don't know what to do. They've moved across the street somewhere now and i'm not sure where they are or where they will be in the morning if I try to find them. I tried calling shelters around here but the numbers aren't working for some reason, I want to take it as a sign that they have a better chance where people are feeding them. I wanted to give them water but my parents say that they will never leave if I do. I don't want them to leave though but they may have cat dieases, I just don't know what to do. I hope they are ok now, people drive so fast here at night. :help: :cry: :sick:
What should I do?


Well first of all, as far as I know, the cats cannot harm you if they are diseased, unless they have rabies (and you would know...) or unless you eat after them or don't wash your hands after touching them. I think these are things most people wouldn't do anyway...

As much as I hate to say it, I'd rather an animal be euthanized humanely than run around the streets and get killed by a car or insensitive human, etc. BUT, with that being said, you can find these kitties a good home. I think it'd be worth it to ask around, put out a classifieds ad, something.

I recently took in a cat who was living in my boyfriend's apartment complex. We watched her grow up from a tiny kitty, and finally had to bring her to my place, I just couldn't watch her run around the parking lot anymore. She is one of the best cats I've ever taken in. Cats who live in apartment complexes around a lot of people are (often) very friendly to humans - because humans are the ones who feed them and bring them inside occasionally. I think you could find families for these kittens who would really love them. The kitties will be forever grateful to their new guardians - I know Sage (my parking lot kitty) is so thankful and so happy with her new life. I can see it in her eyes every time she curls up with me :)

[Moechalatte]

Oh, I should have mentioned - the kitties won't harm you, but if you have other pets you don't want them to be around one another. Your pets can contract diseases from the stray kitties, such as feline lukemia.

[Irizary]

Jesus Christ, bring them in and take them to a shelter, even if it's a kill shelter. You're letting 4 little kittens and their mom run around a busy street and there's something you can do about it? And you think they're thirsty but you don't even want to give them water because your parents told you it was bad? You're an adult. You're 23 years old. Where is your compassion for these little creatures.

And what's with the "taking it as a sign" crap? God did not make the phones not work to send you a sign that the kittens are fine. They might be smashed on the street for all you know. Superstition might make you feel better, but it has nothing to do with reality.

[Misty]

I think you are being hard on the OP.. She is unsure.. that's why she asked for advice.

I have a ****load of cats here that I don't know what to do with. Any suggestions there?

[Ethos]

It is tough to be compassionate and humane I feel for you, maybe you should phone around a couple of humane agencies and animal rights groups in your area and ask for some help and advice, they will appreciate your compassion and concern and try to help you out.

Good Luck...

[Misty]

The cats aren't mine to give up. They belong to my mother and she is reluctant to give them to a shelter that doesn't have the "no kill" policy.

[Ethos]

I see your problem.... is you mother willing to give some to worthy homes? What I mean is maybe if you speak to the groups in your area they may know people who have willing homes to help spread the burden?
My previous reply was also more meant for the first post so sorry for the confusion. But I think it is always helpful to people like the humane agencies and animal rights support groups in your area, people are always willing to help.

b

[carried]

I think you are being hard on the OP.. She is unsure.. that's why she asked for advice.

I have a ****load of cats here that I don't know what to do with. Any suggestions there?
Thank you, I don't know what to do really. I think the shelter is out of the question as far as i'm concerned. I don't want them to be killed and they've only got a week there for someone to take them. I'd rather keep an eye on them myself until I find something else. I did give them water this morning and I would have last night if my parents weren't watching every move. People here will take care of them and I haven't seen them in them running around at in the street today. Thanks for your help everyone

[Ethos]

Here's hoping all goes well.

[Alfiedog]

The cats aren't mine to give up. They belong to my mother and she is reluctant to give them to a shelter that doesn't have the "no kill" policy.


You said in your original post that you found a cat and four kittens and now they are your mother's? Your mom is reluctant to send them to a kill shelter but is okay that they might get hit by a car and suffer? And if the mom cat is your mom's cat why was the cat fixed?

It's incredibly irresponsible for you to not do anything about this if you do care. Send a mass email out to every possible cat rescue you can find. If you can't get any help that way, they should go to a shelter - they have the facilities to care for the kittens. That gives you a week to find them homes.

[lady senora]

I found 4 kittens and a mother cat in front of my window tonight. I live in a apartment complex and there are stray cats that live here but people feed them so they hang around. I want to call a shelter but the shelter that I usually call changed their policy apparently and its not a no kill shelter anymore. I think they may have a better chance here than in a shelter but I don't know what to do. They've moved across the street somewhere now and i'm not sure where they are or where they will be in the morning if I try to find them. I tried calling shelters around here but the numbers aren't working for some reason, I want to take it as a sign that they have a better chance where people are feeding them. I wanted to give them water but my parents say that they will never leave if I do. I don't want them to leave though but they may have cat dieases, I just don't know what to do. I hope they are ok now, people drive so fast here at night. :help: :cry: :sick:
What should I do?

alley cat allies (i'm apparently still too new to post a link, but google it) is a group that may be able to help you. even if they don't have a group in your area, they could advise. fact is, if these are in fact strays they are likely feral & would not be happy living indoors with people. :( depending on how old the kittens are, it's very possible they could be tamed, but the mom probably not. good luck, & thank's for caring about these little guys! :up:

[Tom]

The cats aren't mine to give up. They belong to my mother and she is reluctant to give them to a shelter that doesn't have the "no kill" policy.

And "no kill" shelters are almost always reluctant to accept animals- the flip side of "no kill" is usually "limited admission".

I've adopted from the local "kill" shelter, but volunteered in a local "no-kill" because I couldn't deal with animals I was helping to take care of being killed for lack of a home. (I'm not blaming shelters that euthanize for the problem- I just couldn't deal with it). Practically the first thing you heard when you called this no-kill shelter was, "If you're trying to find a home for an animal, we're full- so don't bother us" (not their exact words, but that was the jist). However, they would take back any animal that had been adopted from them originally.


You said in your original post that you found a cat and four kittens and now they are your mother's? Your mom is reluctant to send them to a kill shelter but is okay that they might get hit by a car and suffer? And if the mom cat is your mom's cat why was the cat fixed? No, Carried mentioned in the original post that she found a family of 5 possibly feral cats who could use homes. Misty mentioned further down that her mother also wants to find homes for some cats she has.

[Alfiedog]

Thanks Tom!

[carried]

Here's hoping all goes well.
Thank you, i've been feeding them and they seem to love it. They aren't afraid of me any more and i see them during the day hiding under a tree to keep cool and they come out at night for food and to play i guess. No one around here has complained about them, they aren't loud or disruptive so I think its better for them to stay here where people can keep an eye on them and feed them. Thanks for all your help :)

[thebelovedtree]

see if there is a low-cost spay neuter program in your area so maybe you can spay and release them.

We've currently got 3 kittens we found abandoned by a feral mother so we're keeping them and we're getting hooked up with a spay and release program to get the rest of their family taken care of. it's going to cost us about $30 a cat, so we're planning on each doing one a month (my b/f and I) until the colony is all altered. They live out at my boyfriend's parent's farm so his parents are going to feed them, etc.

[Moechalatte]

alley cat allies (i'm apparently still too new to post a link, but google it) is a group that may be able to help you. even if they don't have a group in your area, they could advise. fact is, if these are in fact strays they are likely feral & would not be happy living indoors with people. :( depending on how old the kittens are, it's very possible they could be tamed, but the mom probably not. good luck, & thank's for caring about these little guys! :up:

Even the mom may be just great in a home... She's been living in a parking lot with her kittens, and the only creatures to help her and her kitties out have been humans (I'm assuming here, but really..). I've taken in a couple stray cats, the most recent being around 6 months. She didn't have a support system like these other cats did, and she's been just great. She absolutely loves humans and would do nothing to ever harm us, because she knows we're the only ones who have ever cared for her. I think you should bring them ASAP. They'll make wonderful companions once they're cleaned up and disease-free!

Also... this seems strange (it was to me too) but my most recent parking lot kitty (Sage) LOVES being inside. I take her out occasionally because I'm afraid she misses it, but the second I open the door she's running inside. I guess it depends on their individual personalities, but I think they'll be very grateful for the shelter and support of a loving - indoor - home. :)

[Kiz]

Thank you, i've been feeding them and they seem to love it. They aren't afraid of me any more and i see them during the day hiding under a tree to keep cool and they come out at night for food and to play i guess. No one around here has complained about them, they aren't loud or disruptive so I think its better for them to stay here where people can keep an eye on them and feed them. Thanks for all your help :)


Just.. take them to a shelter, or find homes for them, please. Leaving them dumped on the street is really no better than dumping them yourself. Or at the very least, if you can't be bothered trying to re-home them take them to a vet, get them all neutered and vaccinated. At the very least. Yeah... it's best they run around wild on the street until they are poisoned or run over. :rolleyes: And breed another generation to be poisoned, neglected and run over. People who see a problem with an animal in their district and don't bother doing the right thing annoy the crap out of me.

[Kiz]

I think you are being hard on the OP.. She is unsure.. that's why she asked for advice.



Obviously not. She's listened to advice and decided she can't be arsed finding homes for them.

[Irizary]

Just.. take them to a shelter, or find homes for them, please. Leaving them dumped on the street is really no better than dumping them yourself. Or at the very least, if you can't be bothered trying to re-home them take them to a vet, get them all neutered and vaccinated. At the very least. Yeah... it's best they run around wild on the street until they are poisoned or run over. :rolleyes: And breed another generation to be poisoned, neglected and run over. People who see a problem with an animal in their district and don't bother doing the right thing annoy the crap out of me.

Absolutely agree with this. They may need to be wormed, they may have other medical issues, and this is not a safe place for them. Soon enough, they will be breeding with each other too, and then there will be many times this number. They are possibly adoptable now, while they are young, but the older they get, it will be harder. Just take them all to a shelter or try like hell to get them adopted. It's even possible that all these vulnerable kitties will be picked up by a class B dealer and taken to a research lab. Or someone in the area will decide these obvious strays need to be poisoned - this happens all the time. This is not being protected.