View Full Version : Kitten...
Tell all then Moli! :lol:
dinahsmum
21-01-2008, 02:49 PM
Really!????? :)
Better tell us more ................
The CPL have asked me to foster a feral kitten, mainly to tame it down, so it can be rehomed into a family unit, and as I have hand reared kittens in the past, have said I am prepared to do that also...
They are very short of fosters for ferals, as they have to go one at a time....Impossible to tame more than one at once...
dinahsmum
21-01-2008, 03:02 PM
What a lucky kitten, getting a chance with you and your calm boys. Good luck.
Do you know how old it will be when you get it?
She has said between 5 & 6 weeks....
Wow, Moli . . . good for you!!! Hopefully the kitten, being that young will tame relatively easily. I do hope so!
What a cool thing to be doing :-D :-D :-D MANY rep points for you my girl!
angieh
21-01-2008, 03:58 PM
Sorry to change the subject just now Moli BUT who is the little darling on your avatar?????
Good luck by the way with the feral kit - lucky it will be so young. I think it's charming when such a little thing hisses at you!!!!
Awww, well done Moli!!! Can't wait to hear all about him/ her :D
Moli thats a lovely thing to do. I wonder if I could do that....interesting idea I may look more into Thanks Karen
Sorry to change the subject just now Moli BUT who is the little darling on your avatar?????
Good luck by the way with the feral kit - lucky it will be so young. I think it's charming when such a little thing hisses at you!!!!
Its not one of mine unfortunately, just a picture I found..;)
I am loooking forward to getting him or her...will be a challenge.....and I am not keeping any of them!!
I am loooking forward to getting him or her...will be a challenge.....and I am not keeping any of them!!
Yeh yeh:D glad we have it in writing:-D
Elaine
21-01-2008, 09:14 PM
Brilliant Moli, a little hissy spitty feral kitty Yay!!!:D
babycakes
21-01-2008, 10:49 PM
Excellent I can't wait how exciting. My baby was feral sooo much fun. Hissy spitty bitting wailing little bundle of fun.
smudgley
21-01-2008, 11:31 PM
I'm glad you said this baby is just 5-6 weeks old, ;) just the right age to hopefully turn him around.
Don't forget....still got sharp teeth though at that age. :-D
alexgirl73
21-01-2008, 11:32 PM
how fab!! Lots of fun and thick gloves lol!
I'm glad you said this baby is just 5-6 weeks old, ;) just the right age to hopefully turn him around.
Don't forget....still got sharp teeth though at that age. :-D
They try to get them at that age, as they do not have as much success if they are older...You know that of course Smudgley..;)
smudgley
22-01-2008, 12:21 AM
They try to get them at that age, as they do not have as much success if they are older...You know that of course Smudgley..;)
Yes, but unfortunately some rescues will try & rehabilitate older kittens & even young adults, I don't like that. :evil: I think up to 7 weeks is ok, 7-10 weeks is hard work - over that is not nice for the kittens, and over 12 weeks.....you've had it!:roll:
EDA - 5-6 weeks is a perfect age, just old enough to leave mommy, still young enough to accept people.... PERFECT!
Yes, but unfortunately some rescues will try & rehabilitate older kittens & even young adults, I don't like that. :evil: I think up to 7 weeks is ok, 7-10 weeks is hard work - over that is not nice for the kittens, and over 12 weeks.....you've had it!:roll:She said they think the two week period from 6-8weeks is the crucial time to try to turn them around....
I will no doubt be looking for advice from you Smudgley when this little one arrives...;)
smudgley
22-01-2008, 12:31 AM
She said they think the two week period from 6-8weeks is the crucial time to try to turn them around....
I will no doubt be looking for advice from you Smudgley when this little one arrives...;)
100% agree on that!
The ideal thing IMO is to trap the pregnant ferals if the space is available & bring them into a safe place with the mittens, then you can handle the mittens from really young, but put them back with mom for most of the time. I've done this with several litters in fact - I'll just go & find a photo of the first 2 feral kittens I reared with their mom.
They re at the mo, trying to trap a lot of the adults and have them neutered, some go back to where they came from..
smudgley
22-01-2008, 12:50 AM
Here's mom, 7 months old feral with one of the kittens.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/smudgley2/1e9aead0.jpg
Here's the same kitten prior to rehoming
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/smudgley2/45ddad94.jpg
here's the other one
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/smudgley2/77390b4c.jpg
Thanks Smudgley, fantastic to see the difference in them, how old were they when you rehomed them, and did you rehome mum too???
angieh
22-01-2008, 12:55 AM
Its not one of mine unfortunately, just a picture I found..;)
What a pity Moli - never mind, perhaps the little feral kit will be as photogenic. Maybe he/she will have those little tufts on the top of his/her ears???? I LOVE those! Look forward to pics!!!
smudgley
22-01-2008, 01:03 AM
Thanks Smudgley, fantastic to see the difference in them, how old were they when you rehomed them, and did you rehome mum too???
They were 9 weeks when they went. As friendly as they come as they'd been well handled.;)
Mom went back to the feral colony she came from, I didn't attempt to try & bring her round, it's not fair. She was 7 months & really frightened. But I fed her & that's it, no eye contact, just a gentle voice as I popped my hand in to steal the babes for some handling, she never moved. It's not nice for them to be in such an unfamiliar set up when they are feral, that's why I don't try & do anything with them, just leave them in peace & socialise their babes.
The day I released her, she was so happy, she looked round at me and I swear she smiled at me (ok, tears filling up now in my eyes... I think I've got something in my eye ;) ) but honestly I let her out the basket & she looked back at me & stopped for a few seconds & said "thankyou Smudgley, I'm home & I'm happy"
ETA - Just read this & thought I better clarify. She came in the day she gave birth, she reared her babies as any mom would and was with them all the time. But I took them away from her for handling sessions each day from a young age, then popped them back with her. She was spayed & returned home.
I can understand how you felt Smudgley, thats what they do here return the mother to where they came from...after she is spayed of course...
smudgley
22-01-2008, 01:08 AM
I can understand how you felt Smudgley, thats what they do here return the mother to where they came from...after she is spayed of course...
Really mixed feelings, it felt wrong, but it felt so right too :roll:
Have done it many times since & they are always happy to go home again. :)
Luckily we don't have too many feral colonies to deal with & when we do, they are never very big. There is a big one near here that the CAT77 group are dealing with & we are financing the neutering for them. There are at least 50 cats there. But more like 60 / 70.
You've got me welling up now :( But what a lovely story Smudgley :-)
Its their way of life, and as you say, she would not have been happy any other way.....Although its still very sad to see them go...
Not meaning to change course here but isn't it amazing how qicly cats go feral so to speak closer to nature/orginal intent maybe than dogs......who are distanced from their original "starting point"
dandysmom
22-01-2008, 05:41 PM
Somehow I missed this before! Moli, that's so great; when will the little one be coming?
Somehow I missed this before! Moli, that's so great; when will the little one be coming?
Not sure yet DM, there are none at the moment..;)
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