Feral Family (updated 05/27/16)

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JWR
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Feral Family (updated 05/27/16)

Post by JWR »

April 2012
Last week a neighborhood cat we have seen a lot of showed up in my front yard with 3 little balls of fluff she must have had behind bushes. Since we were going to have a big rainstorm in the next day I setup a shelter of a cardboard box wrapped in wax paper along with some food and water. They made it thru the rain and were out playing in the yard this morning.


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Last edited by JWR on Sat Nov 30, 2013 3:42 pm, edited 7 times in total.
"Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment." Harlan Ellison
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by 90sKid »

Aww they're so adorable! I hate seeing homeless animals outside (especially in the rain), so it's really great that you've set up a little shelter for them. :)
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by teggacat »

awww they're so sweet! You have a heart of gold.
Thanks for sharing, simply wonderful.
:cheers
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by sensei »

Do you have a feral cat organization in your area who could help out? While the kittens are cute, what often happens to such cats when they mature can be troublesome. And at the same time feral cats are often difficult to capture and place into domestic homes because of the wild habits they have already learned. In my area there is an active organization that observes and maintains a number of feral cat communities, providing shelter, vaccination, and birth-control to keep populations from outgrowing what the food supply can maintain.

Here's a place on the Humane Society of the United States's website where you can find and contact a local feral cat protection group. Or link to the existing ones for information on how you can keep these cuties safe and healthy in the long run. And here's a page for a group in the San Diego area with lots of resources and links.

Good luck to you and to your new neighbors!
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by JWR »

sensei wrote:Do you have a feral cat organization in your area who could help out? While the kittens are cute, what often happens to such cats when they mature can be troublesome. And at the same time feral cats are often difficult to capture and place into domestic homes because of the wild habits they have already learned. In my area there is an active organization that observes and maintains a number of feral cat communities, providing shelter, vaccination, and birth-control to keep populations from outgrowing what the food supply can maintain.

Here's a place on the Humane Society of the United States's website where you can find and contact a local feral cat protection group. Or link to the existing ones for information on how you can keep these cuties safe and healthy in the long run. And here's a page for a group in the San Diego area with lots of resources and links.

Good luck to you and to your new neighbors!
Yes we do have organizations that trap, fix & release. Main problem with this one is I do believe the mother cat does belong to an irresponcible neighbor up the street that lets their cats run outside unfixed. I would most likely could be sued if I trapped her and the kittens (though the kittens can be classified as feral) even if they might never notice. So I'm doing just a small bit to help ensure their survival.
"Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment." Harlan Ellison
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by sensei »

Yes, I wouldn't advise you to take unilateral action. But it would be good to let the group know of the situation, and take their advice on what to do to keep the mother and kittens healthy and safe. They doubtless know the issues involved and how to address them in the animals' best interest.

Doubtless your neighbor might have legal issues of his own if he claimed ownership of the animals and simultaneously neglected to care for their basic shelter and food needs. That's a civil crime in most regions. If he disclaimed ownership, then he has no legal problems but the feral cat rescue people are entitled to trap, vaccinate, and spay/neuter them to protect their health and that of the humans who live in their territory.
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by graymouser »

sensei wrote:Do you have a feral cat organization in your area who could help out? While the kittens are cute, what often happens to such cats when they mature can be troublesome. And at the same time feral cats are often difficult to capture and place into domestic homes because of the wild habits they have already learned. In my area there is an active organization that observes and maintains a number of feral cat communities, providing shelter, vaccination, and birth-control to keep populations from outgrowing what the food supply can maintain.

Here's a place on the Humane Society of the United States's website where you can find and contact a local feral cat protection group. Or link to the existing ones for information on how you can keep these cuties safe and healthy in the long run. And here's a page for a group in the San Diego area with lots of resources and links.

Good luck to you and to your new neighbors!
OMG. I am amazed at the coincidence. You mentioned the FCC in San DIego. I am the veterinary liason for the San Diego FCC and am on their board of directors. I didn't know that very many people were aware of our website. Sorry it is a little out of date. The information is correct, but some of the photos and names are old.

Back to the main topic. Those guys are adorable. I hope they can be trapped and fixed. It will help them a lot in the long term - less fights over territory and avoiding the health problems of having litter after litter. At the FCC we also deworm, deflea, vaccinate against rabies and perform minor medical treatments (as needed) on the feral cats we trap. I would not be surprised if your local group does the same thing.
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by ReiTheJelly »

I would most likely could be sued if I trapped her and the kittens (though the kittens can be classified as feral) even if they might never notice.
If they're on your property, you can basically do what you want. If the cat isn't wearing a collar and isn't microchipped, you can basically treat it as a stray. I imagine your local area has an ordinance against pets roaming freely, too. If the owners are as irresponsible as you believe, I doubt they'd even notice if their cat went missing for a few days if you took it in to be fixed. Many branches of the Humane Society offer free or low-cost neuter/spay services. Unless you want the feral cat population in your neighborhood to skyrocket, I'd suggest doing this (at least for all the kittens).

I never thought my area had a cat problem. Once in awhile, we'd see a feral cat - no big deal. Then I saw a group of kittens a few months back. I wanted to trap them and take them in to the Humane Society, so I set a series of live traps in my yard. Lo and behold, I was catching about 3-5 feral cats per night!. And, much to my surprise, my local Humane Society is run by morons, so I ended up having to drive 40 miles away to the next closest Humane Society to deal with them. Although I'm not setting traps every night now, it has been a few months since I started, and I'm pretty sure I haven't even begun to catch them all, yet...

TL;DR - feral cats are a huge problem, even in places where you don't suspect it. And they can be big health and emotional hazards to your own pet cats, so it is best to deal with the feral cats immediately.
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by JWR »

sensei wrote:Yes, I wouldn't advise you to take unilateral action. But it would be good to let the group know of the situation, and take their advice on what to do to keep the mother and kittens healthy and safe. They doubtless know the issues involved and how to address them in the animals' best interest.

Doubtless your neighbor might have legal issues of his own if he claimed ownership of the animals and simultaneously neglected to care for their basic shelter and food needs. That's a civil crime in most regions. If he disclaimed ownership, then he has no legal problems but the feral cat rescue people are entitled to trap, vaccinate, and spay/neuter them to protect their health and that of the humans who live in their territory.
I have already email the Kitten Rescue org I got Moose from but am waiting to hear back from them, in the meantime I will continue to let them live on my front porch that is covered and provide food and water. My yard is one of the few "safe" yards IE: no dogs in our neighborhood. Over the years I have seen at least 20 or more cats (several generations) tied into this neighbor. More than half are no longer around and I expect they are dead (most likely cars or other animals). I would love to see these kittens have the chance to grow up in loving enviroment.
"Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment." Harlan Ellison
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by sensei »

graymouser wrote: You mentioned the FCC in San DIego. I am the veterinary liason for the San Diego FCC and am on their board of directors. I didn't know that very many people were aware of our website.
Actually, all I did was Google "feral cats" and your site popped right up. We have a group (Town Cats) nearby that looks after local populations, and they publicize their work at local fairs and in the papers, so I'm aware of the TNR (Trap, neuter, release) strategy of maintaining feral cats. Good luck, JWR. I think with people feeling passionately about the subject and passing on good information on how to help that the situation can change for the better.

We have always adopted pets from shelters or from inappropriate homes, and always with good results. But feral cats have their own ways and needs.
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Re: Feral Family (cuteness overload)

Post by theultimatebrucelee »

very cute little bunch. wish I had kitties like that as pets instead(types while petting my dogs :D

your area looks extremely familiar and I get this gut feeling my uncle lives pretty near you :)
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Re: Feral Family (updated)

Post by JWR »

Ok a bit of an update, I have attemped to contact a couple of different rescue orgs but so far I have not heard back a responce to my email or message left on their answering machine. My local "animal shelter" is not an option for it is rated as one of the highest kill ones in the city of Los Angeles.

Mom cat is looking a lot better now that she is getting fed. The kittens are seeming to be doing well, full of energy.

here are the latest pics


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"Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment." Harlan Ellison
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Re: Feral Family (updated 5/1)

Post by Promethium »

OMG, they are too cute!! :love: :love: :love:

I used to volunteer at a NYC animal shelter (it was a kill shelter) in the Cat & Kitten Rooms, and kittens never got put to sleep as they were ALWAYS the first to get adopted. (the only times they were euthanized is when they were too sick to be adopted or were dying) The younger they are, the higher the chances of them getting adopted, so I wouldn't be discouraged from bringing them to a public shelter, even if they euthanize their animals. Their chances of getting adopted into a loving home are extremely high.

Looking at their fur, they also "look" very desirable as well. At the shelter I volunteered at, a disproportionate number of adult black cats were euthanized as no one adopted them due to ignorance and just dumb superstition - i.e. black cats are bad luck nonsense. Adult cats with less common fur colors (calicos, orange, fluffy fur, interesting fur patterns) were usually the first to get adopted. (The animal's personality was second for most ppl)

Also, at least in NYC, all the local no-kill rescue groups get a lot of their animals from city-run shelters, like the one I volunteered at. Obviously, they'd only take the most desirable cats and dogs (pure-breds, puppies, kittens), so these little guys may get taken in by a no-kill rescue group that way too, if LA shelters have the same kind of system.

Even if it means separating mommy cat and her kittens, I definitely would not bring Mommy Cat in because they will most certainly get separated at the shelter, and the chances of her getting euthanized is sadly high, since she is an adult cat.

With kittens, a few weeks can make a big difference (the smaller they are, the better the chances of them getting adopted - at nyc shelters, kittens are put on adoption display at 6wks old) Also, if they have some kind of illness that will delay their adoption display, that will decrease their adoption chances as well, so I'd bring them to a shelter that will take them as soon as possible. Not sure if any of this is new knowledge, but hope it helps and a huge thumbs up to you for taking them under your wing. :)
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Re: Feral Family (updated 5/1)

Post by JWR »

5/27 update
The kids have about doubled in size though scale is off since momcal is quite small.
Good news is I have cleared all legal hurdles if I choose to trap them I can, main problem is that all the cat rescue orgs in my area are overflowing and would not be able to take them. I did find an org that offers free spay and nuter for them if I catch them.
I know that if I do catch them and attempt to foster them myself I will not be able to let them go and will go from 2 to 5 which we are not prepaired to do.

Momcat has put back on some weight now that she is getting good food. The gray and orange ones are definately males and the white one if a female. I swear the white one could easily make the cover of kitten fancy magazine she is that photogenic and cute. I have gotten to the point that momcat and the kittens trust us enough to come up to the screen door looking to get some play time after they have eaten their fill. I am attaching a video my daughter made.


http://s1048.photobucket.com/albums/s36 ... G_0372.mp4
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Re: Feral Family (updated 5/27) Video link added

Post by teggacat »

oh my goodness!!! my how they have grown, they look very healthy.
Whatever fate has in store for this kitty family, they certainly lucked out
by starting their young lives under the watchful eye of this caring human.
Thank You JWR
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