[Nora B]

Got our first litter of the season in from another shelter last week and my first litter with a mother. As a person who is used to orphans it is great to have a mom to help - had a person use to having a mom raise kittens taken this one in things would not have gone well.

Mama is not exactly feral - but she isn't really a stray. She wasn't at the other county shelter for too long, at best she would probably be dscribed as a wild farm cat. she doesn't bite - but she doesn't meow, she sometimes purrs when babies nurse but never when petted or fed. She will allow a pet or a soft scratch with the presentation of food but not a close up cuddle & she is young so she is a bit half way with kitten care as well. AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF SHE IS A TORTIE WITH AN ATTITUDE! Does anybody know where THAT comes from?!?

Kittens now have open eyes, reponding well to antibiotic ointment and gaing nicely (there are 5) not looking for any real answers just needed a chance to gripe a bit to those who get it.


On top of all that I got the sweetest black and white kitty - had to be under a year in 2 days ago - actually tempted to keep her she was so sweet - palpated her tummy - felt kittens - off to the vet she went today, vet said she was only 4 weeks in and wanted to spay and maybe even keep the cat (plz, plz, plz,) kinda makes me sad that miss maladjusted had her litter and miss wonderful won't - sounds stupid I know but well just yikes.
N

 

[Greenport ferals]

Babies to nurture!
Just what you've been waiting for!
Thank goodness for people like you.

 

[Nora B]

Babies to nurture!
Just what you've been waiting for!
Thank goodness for people like you.

Yeah, I love it and it breaks my heart all at the same time.


I had no idea that things had changed so much in my county from a year ago at this time. Back then a healthy pregnant cat turned in to animal control would have been spayed then put up for adoption with either the humane society or one of the local groups who took overflow - now every unclaimed cat is being pts within a short period of time. Everybody is full and overfull. And I live in Illinois where supposedly we have money set aside for this.....


I have a feeling things will be playing out differently this year and we may wind up fostering a lot more cats - not just the kittens but actual cats, my husband shocked me the other night at the table when he said that he would rather spend a month with a different cat in each bathroom and closet than see them pts just because there is noplace else for them to go for quarentine - this from my man who 'hates' cats.

Fingers crossed good thoughts and prayers going out to everyone fighting the battles to save lives this kitten season - I fear it's going to be tough all over.
N

 

[KittehLuv'n]

Thank you for taking in the Momma and kitties.
Yes, it is sad thatthe nicer cat had to lose her babies
Unfortunately, in rescue we see a lot of unhappiness.
We are expecting a wild "kitten season" here with the warm winter we had. Two sets of kittens in our rescue already.

 

[Mitts & Tess]

That is kinda the situation everywhere. But a lot more proactive group have come on to the scene to take up the slack. I had two cat which needed homes in one month. the elderly lady had to move back to the midwest to live with her daughter. I networked thru Raython, with an animal group there, which are proactive to find animals homes and fund medical care. One of the cats found a home thru emailings from this group and the other was adopted out thru Petfinder to a young couple who saw the photos I took and like the description.

Several shelters are pulling out cats and dogs from Pima Animal control. PAC puts down cats in 3-5 days of pulling them off the streets. Its a bad situation. So many people dumping their pets. We are by the border of Mexico and they have a different view of animals which translate in to being dumped on the streets or in the deserts.

So all these new type of groups are important in getting these animals placed into new homes.

 

[Nora B]

That is kinda the situation everywhere. But a lot more proactive group have come on to the scene to take up the slack. I had two cat which needed homes in one month. the elderly lady had to move back to the midwest to live with her daughter. I networked thru Raython, with an animal group there, which are proactive to find animals homes and fund medical care. One of the cats found a home thru emailings from this group and the other was adopted out thru Petfinder to a young couple who saw the photos I took and like the description.

Several shelters are pulling out cats and dogs from Pima Animal control. PAC puts down cats in 3-5 days of pulling them off the streets. Its a bad situation. So many people dumping their pets. We are by the border of Mexico and they have a different view of animals which translate in to being dumped on the streets or in the deserts.

So all these new type of groups are important in getting these animals placed into new homes.

You're exactly right. In terms of this perspective I am a part of one of these new more grassroots sort of groups, we have no building we're run by a few people who draw no salary and we really are just a loosely connected group of foster homes who show at a local petsmart every other month.

 

[Nora B]

Update

Lost the smallest of the litter. Mama turned out to be quite a feral biter once she got healthy, and the remaing 4 kittens are socializing beautifully.

 

[Mitts & Tess]

Great job Nora B! You provide such a needed service to the cat community.