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Cat Rescuers - What To Do With Stray Kittens


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Someone gave my number to a lady who keeps finding stray cats and kittens, from what I understand they are being bred continuously by a neighbour of hers and left to fend for themselves as this person regularly goes away sometimes for months at a time.

This person wants my help - I'm a dog rescuer, not a cat rescuer although I've helped a few cats find homes this year, I simply cannot bring cats or kittens home, nor do I want to.

I suggested she ring her local council, the RSPCA, the Welfare League etc. She says no one will come and take them, nor will anyone stop this person breeding indiscriminately.

What to do? I rang my vet and they don't take cats/kittens. They suggested I ring another vet and confirmed that pounds won't take them.

How do pounds get all the cats and kittens in there? I know they aren't all surrendered.

I'm mystified, I don't know how to advise this person on what to do with the latest batch of kittens. Should she just take them to a vet?

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Erm...

what my friend did. got into trouble for it...

she lured the cats over a period of weeks into her home where she could trap them in a confined area (the laundry - eventually).

Then she got me to borrow some crates from the vet... and we set one that was most covered as a sort of bolt hole from one side of the washing machine (they'd gone behind it), and encouraged them to bolt by saying hello from the other side - and four kittens piled into a tiny crate. We spent ages looking for the fourth kitten and eventually gave up - but it was in the crate under the other kittens.

My friend drove the kittens to the AWL who took them - but scolded her for feeding them - apparently if you feed the cats you own the cats... according to them (AWL wingfield SA).

Keep the cats/kittens covered up as much as possible...

The neighbour obviously doesn't care. And she'd have a hard time claiming ownership without being done for neglect and animal cruelty.

Good luck. You can't lure cats directly into traps - I've tried that.

You might be able to set up small crates or boxes in a shed and then put food in the shed and eventually if the cats go in the shed for food and you surprise them - they might bolt for cover (ie crates and boxes) and then you just need to close the crates up (with a stick and leather rigging gloves) - might work.

Don't forget the rigger gloves.

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Guest crazydoglady99

Is it at all possible to catch the mumma cat and have her desexed?

I feel for you to be stuck in the middle- that would send me bonkers trying to help them all.

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Is it at all possible to catch the mumma cat and have her desexed?

I feel for you to be stuck in the middle- that would send me bonkers trying to help them all.

I agree with this post. Also get the kittens desexed if possible. It sounds as if the owner wouldn't miss them for a few weeks.

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Years ago i had a neighbor who had 15 odd cats all breeding away . I was told by the young boy who lived there that his sister would drown the kittens and bury them,

:mad

My dog got into her yard and would dig them up and bring them to our back door. Other neighbors and i called the RSPCA ;Meanwhile one mother cat was in our yard and ran off from me leaving behind a tiny kitten.I took the kitten to the Vet and they said it was in a bad way and advised PTS but i took her home and with lots of TLC she came good.

I told my neighbor i had the kitten and was not about to give her back and she said i could keep her.

The RSPCA came and took all her cats and thankfully she did not get any more .

Speak to the RSPCA.You may be able to help some but the rest will keep breeding unless someone can step in and stop her..

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If any trapping is done and subsequent vet work then I'd be paying for it, I rescue old dogs so I don't have spare cash for cats as well, as much as I'd like to help.

I'd really like to see a solution - there's a lot more to this situation than I can explain here but none of the parties involved are at all easy to deal with and I honestly don't have much spare time with everything else I have going on.

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Maybe try the dpi? I know in Vic they've colluded with cat protection society to trap and remove cat colonies.

The thing is, cats, once trapped, rarely can be trapped again. You also need to establish their trust with the trap over a long time before attempting to trap or you won't get enough and will clue the other cats in. Quite hard. Carol Webb is very good at trapping cats, I think she gave a talk on it a couple if years ago for councils in Vic. Even if you're not in Vic it may be worth trying her for info? She's a very busy woman but passionate about cats and their ethical treatment - which to her does not ever include leaving them out to fend for themselves.

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Guest crazydoglady99

Dol user Wildthing is very experienced trapping cats. She does run a cat rescue but I'm sure she would know where to surrender them too.

Humans can be so cruel. Mindless breeding of domestic animals with little regard for their well-being. Infuriates me it does.

If there is any possible way you can catch mumma cat I would be happy to pay for her to be desexed. By the sounds if it mumma cat would be better of surrendered to an organization that would find her a loving home.

Good luck HMD, it's a hard situation to be in.

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Dol user Wildthing is very experienced trapping cats. She does run a cat rescue but I'm sure she would know where to surrender them too.

Humans can be so cruel. Mindless breeding of domestic animals with little regard for their well-being. Infuriates me it does.

If there is any possible way you can catch mumma cat I would be happy to pay for her to be desexed. By the sounds if it mumma cat would be better of surrendered to an organization that would find her a loving home.

Good luck HMD, it's a hard situation to be in.

The sad thing is that this is not HMD's area. I know she is super busy with her wee dogs.

What is needed is a cat organisation to try to step in and help.

I'll contribute too.

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Our council pound lends out cat cages for residents to trap cats and does take them into the pound. It depends how wild the cats/kittens are but they do get adopted or go to rescue groups where possible. The best solution is to get them desexed but not always possible. Hope you find someone to help, Dogmad, I know you are very committed already.

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I too can understand the problems with cats breeding unchecked. I have a neighbour who over the years has had many cats and kittens come and go. Sometimes they will have a cat a few months, maybe a year, they may have kittens, the cats and kittens seem to hang around until they "run away" or just disappear. Desexing or veterinary care is not on their radar. I recently found one of their latest cats, who had given birth to 3 tiny kittens in my dog kennel overnight. I am so thankful that I noticed the tiny bundles before I let the dog out! I have never been even close to this mother cat, as she was extremely nervous and would dart away as soon as she saw me. But, she was obviously starving and grateful to have some food from anyone. I managed to grab her while she was eating, and move the kittens inside.... away from the dog. Over the last 10 weeks I have had the joy of watching those kittens grow, they have moved on to beautiful homes, where their new families keep me updated. Mother cat has turned out to be very sooky and now loves my company. She is staying with me and is booked in for desexing this week. Neighbours were glad to be rid of mother cat. They have one more cat I believe to be male. I have spoken to them and their adult children about the cat situation, and they have said there will be no more cats...... I can only wait and see.

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The only solution is to catch mother cats & desex them. Trust me in saying the person who feeds them sometimes wont even notice :mad

Most feral kittens taken to AWL are pts. They often have cat flu & are not well handled either. There are private cat rescues that may take them. Internet search for them in your state.

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Sorry everyone, this is a very complex situation, I really cannot get involved more than pointing the person in the right direction. I've done that.

The person ringing me has issues and gets angry when I won't go and pick up whatever she wants picked up and according to her it has to be under cover of darkness etc etc.

I've called the local council and they are aware of the situation, they gave me advice which I passed on to the person.

Thanks for all the advice and feedback, if it was up to me in this country, we'd have compulsory desexing and these situations would not be happening. The laws need to change.

Edited by Her Majesty Dogmad
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