Feral kittens... I entail HELP?
Okay, I'll explain a little... there are these two kittens who were sagging around my house all summer; mostly because my neighbor had a outdoor cat, and they seemed to close to him. So for a time, the mom cat, her 2 kittens and my neighbors cat all would hang around at my house on the front porch, back yard... you name it. After deciding that the kittens and Mom had no domestic or owner I started putting a little food out each day. At the time the Mom be nursing and was VERY thin!
Now the problem I have is this... my neighbors cat get hit by a car and the Mom has basically solitary the kittens.. they are REALLY mean, won't let us near them and they hiss whether we come near them. I don't understand why, but I thought to myself that I'd feed them besides, didn't want them to starve. Keep in mind, I can NOT keep them. We hold three dogs, and a cat, all fixed... and can't afford any more pets. Plus I don't believe in outdoor pets, so mine are all indoors. Anyway, the kittens are getting really be determined and agressive, one charged me the other day hissing when I was setting food out. I don't think they'll return with adopted if I take them to a shelter, and I can't hang on to them. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do with them? It's getting colder and I don't know what they'll do in the winter... Any relief would be appreciated!! Thanks!!
Please hold them to a no kill shelter! If you cant take them then they will die surrounded by the cold. I know you think they cant be adopted but atleast at the shelter they can get food and temperature and who knows maybe they might become friendly and get adopt. good luck.
short of asking any friends if they want to come on over and wrangle themselves up a cat, the best option is to call a shelter or animal control to pick up the strays. whether they don't get fixed they will have more feral kittens and the vicious cycle will continue.
If the no-kill shelter will not accept them and they are not acting socialized, after your area may have a spay/neuter release program. Usually is costs less later $20 per animal, they get neutered, tested for FIV and FLK, and one ear is tipped. If they test positive the levy covers their euthanasia. Otherwise you release them after surgery, knowing they won't pass on any diseases or have more kittens. They will be able to survive capably on their own at that point. It is kinder IMO then taking them to a shelter where they will be caged and possibly euthanised without impose (such as potential disease spreading, etc)
You need to call an animal rescue meat. They will know how to deal with it. They can be tamed, and could possibly be re homed
Answers: Well I think it was a great thing to do to minister to keep them alive and feeding them, but since you can't keep the kittens it's best you try to gain their trust. It might cart some time and effort, but if they are feral and the Humane Society they will either try to win them to a social state or they would eventually euthanize them.
You can be a foster mom to them and search for people to adopt them to until they are more social or you can just steal them to the Humane Society in hopes they will get a good domestic. Since they are young, they can be socialized much easier than older cats and kittens adopt much quicker as well so time is of the essence.
As for making them more social, you can find some gelatinous gloves and grab them, put them in a box and stick around them for some hours every day. Petting them and putting a moment or two food on your finger for them to eat it off can help.
I hope this help.
First, stop feeding them! That is how they started hanging around in the first place. Cats are in fact pretty self sufficient, and the wild ones are mean, and often pass diseases. I would absolutely not touch them, they could have a disease, like rabies-yes, it IS a problem within America!
Call Animal Control or find a no-kill shelter that will come and get them. There are also places, like www.thesterileferal.org, which will gather them, sterilize them, and afterwards release them again. As I said, they do okay on their own, the biggest problem is their continuing to have babies b/c people don't have their pets fixed. Please be cautious whatever you do.
Resources will depend on where you live. The Sterile Feral is in NW Georgia, but I am certain there may be other places. It is a great website to tell you about the best means of access to handle your problem. Also, the Human society is always a great resource: http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affectin...
