7 posts tagged “feral cats”

Two more girls spayed and re-released:

Another girl makes SIX GIRLS, ONE BOY.

One more girl spayed

I am trapping a local feral colony lately.  We got four cats TNR'ed last week, and we're hoping for another four this week.   Anyway, I thought I would post a little photo journal of what it's like to trap-neuter-return feral cats.

I've got four appointments at the Richmond SPCA tomorrow at 8am.  They, like many SPCAs across the country, offer free spay-neuter appointments and rabies shots for feral cats.  They are essentially the only reason I'm able to do TNR.  Without free surgeries, TNR is too cost-prohibitive.  I can't afford to pay for surgeries for these cats.  I donate annually to the SPCA as a thank-you for this awesome free service they provide.

So tonight I'll set out my traps.  Here are the traps loaded in my borrowed pickup truck, and then another shot of one of the cages with the cover I made for it:  a quarter of a sheet with a hole cut in the top for the handle.

Traps with cover

Cat trappin' at your back door!

Well, momcat is doing well, I let her free on Saturday and she took off like a gunshot, she couldn't have been happier to be free.  I saw her Sunday, and I've been feeding her in the same old location, hoping she brings the black kitten back to that spot, so I can trap the black kitten and work on taming it.  Momcat is staying well-fed, at least, so that'll help her heal from her surgery.  I hope she is keeping a low-profile, but who knows.  I am probably foolish to think that she would bring her kitten to be trapped.  She eats next to that trap but won't fall for MY tricksy human ways again!

The kittehs are doing pretty well.  They still hiss a little bit at me, but they have stopped spitting at me and trying to swat my hands.  They realize that the hands bring the delicious spoonfuls of all-meat pureed baby food, which they LOOOOOVE, so they tolerate my presence.  They are even venturing out into the other parts of the cage when I am not looking---they even ate a whole bowl of kitten kibble last night.  They are very skinny so I am encouraging them to eat as much as possible.   Today I picked them both up for a few minutes and held them in my lap and tried to get them to eat some baby food.  Gray tabby went for it, but orange wasn't having my bullshit.  They both were glad to get back into the cage, huddled in their corner.  Baby steps with the feral kittens, baby steps.  It is hard, because I want to cuddle them and kiss their (de-wormed) bellies, but obviously that will be a while.

Anyway, I set the trap again today for the last kitteh, I hope I catch him/her, but if not, I'll keep moving the trap around that area and hope that I just luck out.  Persistence (and wet food) is the key.

Thank you all for the generous donations! 

A few of you have asked if I was going to accept donations to help the stray kitties I'm rescuing.  I don't personaly need the money, but I thought about it, and you know who does?  The rescue organization who is placing these kittehs for me. 

The Richmond Animal League has been placing these kittehs for me, and they are super awesome (even if their website leaves a little to be desired).   These people LOVE animals, and they have been awesome to me when nobody else would help. One day I was there visiting Gus, and a woman was picking up a kitten she was adopting, and the adoption staff was all crying, saying goodbye.  They LOVE kittehs.  They are Good People.

YOUR GENEROSITY IS BOUNDLESS.  Donations closed.  You can still donate to the shelter on their website, if you wish.  Thank you so much for your help, the shelter and the kittens are so grateful.  I am in awe of your generosity and kindness.  Thank you.

You people are Good People.  The kitties, and RAL, are grateful.  I am bowled over by your love and generosity.  The kindness of you internet friends always touches my heart.  We all send our love.  Photos will be posted of kittens as soon as possible.

EDIT:  update, two of three kittens trapped and safely at home.  Name suggestions?

Well, she's back from the vet, and the vet, being awesome and herself understanding the kitty rescue plight, only charged me $75 for the spay and the shots.  I love you, Dr. Jack!  They gave me the cat's rabies certificate with the little rabies tag, and I laughed.  What am I going to do with paperwork for a cat that I am releasing back to her natural habitat? So funny.  I can't wait until three years from now when I get a reminder in the mail that "Torti Feral" is up for her rabies renewal.  Ha ha ha.  Sure, I'll bring her right in.  ;)

Mommacat is in the basement again, this time with plenty of food and water.  She did NOT like me opening the cage door and she kept trying to make a run for it, but she wasn't sure which way to run, so she just ran in circles in the back of the cage.  Dr. Jack also loaned me another cage to try to trap the kittens but said I might have better luck with a cat carrier and leather gloves.  Uh, no thanks, these are a little big for that, I think.  I'll try the trap route.  I will probably set the traps and just wait.  I'm going to have to have Robert, the guy who helped me find them, and probably Allen, come help me lift the metal grates to get down into the window well where the kittens are living.  I also need to go buy some wormer, I keep forgetting that.  I should've bought some at the vet, but I guess the OTC stuff will work in a pinch like this.

I'm feeling relieved that this saga is almost over.  Momcat is spayed, she's alive and bright eyed and fine.  I know where the kittens are, and how many she's had.  I went from feeling really sad about this whole endeavor to feeling pretty confident and reassured, which is, I guess, ultimately why I keep doing this.

Quoth the A-Team, I love it when a plan comes together.

Cat rescue is such a heartbreaking job.  Especially if you love kittycats like I do.  It is very physically hard work, there is a lot involved with finding the colony, setting the trap, and most importantly, checking it really frequently to see if it worked.  Then, it's emotionally difficult when you do trap anybody, because the reality is:  you still have to find a rescue organization who will take the babies, and you have to find a vet who has an early morning spay appointment, or who is kind and caring enough to make room for you.  If I can't find a spay appointment for Friday, I'm not sure what I'll do.  Try to make an appointment for saturday?  Take her to (don't say it) Animal Control and have her euthanized?  Let her loose again, unspayed?  She'll never get in a trap again if I do the latter, so it's almost more humane to have her euthanized, although... none of the solutions are great.  I have to hope for pity and kindness and understanding.  And then I will probably have to shell out a hundred and fifty bucks or so.

I caught the momma cat tonight, but she is wild and full of fear.  I feel sad for her babies, because I have no idea where they are, and I'm sure they are terrified and alone and ... alone.  I have to catch them too, or the feral cat colony will keep growing.  I feel sad for momma cat; in a terrible cage, no food or water (in case they can spay her tomorrow, no food or water before surgery), unfamiliar place, terrifying car ride, awful human carrying her in the cage, setting her up on two chairs in the basement.  More of a crawlspace, really, but keeping her off the floor keeps her dry and out of her own poo if she has to go, and there is a door to the space so she is safe from any predators, and it is dark and cool and mercifully quiet down there.

I feel like a monster, doing this.  It is so heartwrenching every time.  The cats don't understand.  I AM THE ENEMY!   I know that having her spayed and releasing her is not a happy-fuzzy-feel-good ending, but it is the best life she can have at this point.  Better than having endless litters of kittens and being hungry all the time. Or dead.

I know I am doing the right thing, but man, it breaks my heart. I weep for the feral cats of the world.  I do my best, my friends, and I know my best is not enough.  I love kitties too much.  I hope momma cat forgives me. 

Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me.

Remember when I rescued Fatbutt and her brothers, Coal and Gus, AKA the "Gutter Gang?"