lol. My vet said she was thinking of putting in a counter/clicker to mark how many she gets this year, but that last year she couldn't keep up with how many went through. Yeah we all think they are soo cute when we have them, we just all also try to NOT be the ones contributing to it.
My Short Sighted Dirty Little Secret
I'm looking forward to kitten season. There I said it.
I know it is a terribly difficult time, I know we do not have the resources.....but I love kitten season, especially when I get crews of orphans from the programs I work with that need bottle feeding.
My kids are teenagers, I miss babies and human ones aren't possible but come kitten season they get dumped on us like they came down with the rain.
The logical rational portion of my brain knows more displaced kittens is a really bad thing - my mommy instincts crave it.
BTW: all 3 of our cats are fixed - I work toward s/n with every animal I see - I do get how big the problem is - hence my dirty little secret - I'm looking forward to kitten season and having kitty babies in my house again.:2kitties:2kitties:2kitties
I know it is a terribly difficult time, I know we do not have the resources.....but I love kitten season, especially when I get crews of orphans from the programs I work with that need bottle feeding.
My kids are teenagers, I miss babies and human ones aren't possible but come kitten season they get dumped on us like they came down with the rain.
The logical rational portion of my brain knows more displaced kittens is a really bad thing - my mommy instincts crave it.
BTW: all 3 of our cats are fixed - I work toward s/n with every animal I see - I do get how big the problem is - hence my dirty little secret - I'm looking forward to kitten season and having kitty babies in my house again.:2kitties:2kitties:2kitties
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
Yeah I'm kinda looking forward to the random kittens too. I miss bottle raising kittens. A lot of work, but just sooooooo worth it!
i gotta say that i am on the opposite end of the spectrum. i am very happy that all my crew are finally altered so that i wont have any more kittens:smile:
i gotta say that i am on the opposite end of the spectrum. i am very happy that all my crew are finally altered so that i wont have any more kittens:smile:
Oh please don't misunderstand, all 3 of my girls are altered. I work with a TNR group, I believe all pets should be altered unless they are part of a well organized structured breeding program - which means they likely aren't pets....
I bottle raise orphans, unplanned for, usually not very healthy, rescue kittens - I care for the random babies dumped on the local rescues or the vet med school - it's those little ones I'm looking forward to -I hope they don't happen, I pray for their sakes I'm not needed....but deep down inside I love having babies around. hereI lay in bed having 'gone to sleep 4 hours ago - 2 hour feedings are right up my alley - I actually get more sleep with little ones in the house, and I just miss them being around.
ALL mine are altered. cats and dogs.. I don not want to be part of those contributing. But I do like to take care of the little ones when they have no one else until they have someone. I just always hope I don't have to be needed. I only took in 3 fosters last year. ALL 3 were spayed before I even allowed them out of my house, I ended up keeping one after my heart kitty died. I always hope not many kittens are dumped, but I will help the ones I can when it does happen. And wanted or not kittens are just so darn CUTE!i gotta say that i am on the opposite end of the spectrum. i am very happy that all my crew are finally altered so that i wont have any more kittens:smile:
Because of my health issues, I have to get at least a full 6 hours of sleep (8 or 9 is even better).
I did try taking care of kittens that could wait 6 hours through the night. But they were sick, and it was my first time doing this, and they got worse in 3 days...so I panicked and gave them back to the group, who gave them to a vet tech.
Yes they're adorable, but I didn't like the stress of always worrying if I was doing the right thing (or when I did the right thing, they would ruin it! One kit had an infected rear, but kept licking off the Desitin...aurgh!)
However, I found a way to not get attached! I named them "Big Boy" and "Little Boy", figuring when they got adopted they could get -real- names then!
I did try taking care of kittens that could wait 6 hours through the night. But they were sick, and it was my first time doing this, and they got worse in 3 days...so I panicked and gave them back to the group, who gave them to a vet tech.
Yes they're adorable, but I didn't like the stress of always worrying if I was doing the right thing (or when I did the right thing, they would ruin it! One kit had an infected rear, but kept licking off the Desitin...aurgh!)
However, I found a way to not get attached! I named them "Big Boy" and "Little Boy", figuring when they got adopted they could get -real- names then!
I do that too.However, I found a way to not get attached! I named them "Big Boy" and "Little Boy", figuring when they got adopted they could get -real- names then!
The orpnas usually just get description names until they hit about 2 pounds, then we name them and they are off to be spayed/neutered. I work with a really good group and they are tied in to the local university vet med school so I know that every single orphan gets full meds s/n and and a good adoption contract before it leaves the program and goes home with someone.
I love babies of any kind - right up until they can look you in the face and say no.
TMI - Warning:
For me the bottle babies are just a good match. I really miss having babies around since I've already been spayed as well 8O
thiswanted or not kittens are just so darn CUTE!
Well, I did name the first litter of ferals I rescued. Our group has a habit of naming litters after themes... like cars "Mercedes, Chevy, Royce, Beamer, etc." Greek or Roman gods, actors, and such.
I decided to name mine after minerals/rocks, as their play area was a patch of dirt. Also, their mother I had named Cynthia, which means "lady of the moon", and the moon is just a big rock!
So, there was Agate, a brown tabby...but I renamed him Zircon, because nobody liked Agate. I don't know if the adoptive family renamed him again. Tourmaline was also adopted out and maybe changed. Disco used to be Topaz and Zinny used to be Chert. But I renamed them because I kept them and liked the new names better.
Cynthia's second litter I didn't name, because they were taken as soon as I found out where she hid them, and they were only 3 weeks old. Of course THEN I finally trapped Cynthia, after trying for 2 years! LOL
I decided to name mine after minerals/rocks, as their play area was a patch of dirt. Also, their mother I had named Cynthia, which means "lady of the moon", and the moon is just a big rock!
So, there was Agate, a brown tabby...but I renamed him Zircon, because nobody liked Agate. I don't know if the adoptive family renamed him again. Tourmaline was also adopted out and maybe changed. Disco used to be Topaz and Zinny used to be Chert. But I renamed them because I kept them and liked the new names better.
Cynthia's second litter I didn't name, because they were taken as soon as I found out where she hid them, and they were only 3 weeks old. Of course THEN I finally trapped Cynthia, after trying for 2 years! LOL
Oh please don't misunderstand, all 3 of my girls are altered. I work with a TNR group, I believe all pets should be altered unless they are part of a well organized structured breeding program - which means they likely aren't pets....
I bottle raise orphans, unplanned for, usually not very healthy, rescue kittens - I care for the random babies dumped on the local rescues or the vet med school - it's those little ones I'm looking forward to -I hope they don't happen, I pray for their sakes I'm not needed....but deep down inside I love having babies around. hereI lay in bed having 'gone to sleep 4 hours ago - 2 hour feedings are right up my alley - I actually get more sleep with little ones in the house, and I just miss them being around.
no, i understand what you are saying. i don't think my post relayed my feelings accurately. what i meant is that for me, since my work is solely with ferals, any more kittens would make me even more depressed since there is nothing to be done as far as socializing them and trying to find them a home. all of the shelters in my area are overflowing and due to working 70 hours a week i could not try to care for them myself. knowing that there are even more cats that will never get to experience all of the things that they deserve just breaks my heart. i guess that is just one of the "facts of life" in regards to dealing with feral cats.
I'm not quite sure what that means, I'm a registered breeder, many of my friends are too (met at shows) and all our cats are pets first.unless they are part of a well organized structured breeding program - which means they likely aren't pets....
I understand - it is a constant uphill battle and the question often comes up if raising more is the 'right' thing to do - no easy answers.no, i understand what you are saying. i don't think my post relayed my feelings accurately. what i meant is that for me, since my work is solely with ferals, any more kittens would make me even more depressed since there is nothing to be done as far as socializing them and trying to find them a home. all of the shelters in my area are overflowing and due to working 70 hours a week i could not try to care for them myself. knowing that there are even more cats that will never get to experience all of the things that they deserve just breaks my heart. i guess that is just one of the "facts of life" in regards to dealing with feral cats.
I'm not quite sure what that means, I'm a registered breeder, many of my friends are too (met at shows) and all our cats are pets first.
Poorly organized choice of words on my part. I live in a relatively rural area, and the reality around here is that cash producing animals (cows, pigs, goats, sheep, hunting dogs, etc.) get far far better food and medical care than animals that are 'just pets'. We consider our group efforts successful when people will keep up with what those on this board would consider routine medical care. No offense intended. my apologies.
Nora
Ah I see, thank you I appreciate the explanationPoorly organized choice of words on my part. I live in a relatively rural area, and the reality around here is that cash producing animals (cows, pigs, goats, sheep, hunting dogs, etc.) get far far better food and medical care than animals that are 'just pets'. We consider our group efforts successful when people will keep up with what those on this board would consider routine medical care. No offense intended. my apologies.
Nora
Gosh! I dread kitten season because we never have enough people like you that will take bottle babies. I hope the rescue group you work with appreciates you, big time!
Gosh! I dread kitten season because we never have enough people like you that will take bottle babies. I hope the rescue group you work with appreciates you, big time!
:wiggle You always say the nicest things to me. I so very often feel like I cannot do enough and whenever this topic pops up somewhere you make me sound so much more useful than I feel - thank you.
N
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