2 day old kittens

Whispered

Hi, was on a while ago about my friend and a cat who has been hanging around her house after being abandoned by the neighbours. Well the cat had 6 kittens 2 days ago in the neighbours garden. (there is nobody in that house now). 4 of the kittens have already been taken by kids!!! :mad: (WTF are parents thinking when their little darlings bring home newborn animals and they dont make them bring them back??). Mamma cat is still around, but obviously cannot be expected to protect her kittens in the face of kids climbing in and out of her home. So, are the kittens better off being taken from mother cat, and would they survive if I took them?

Ideally she would trap mother cat too, but she is away for a week from this evening, and is understandably worried that all the kittens will be gone when she gets back.

While I'm here I have to say, WTF use are the SPCA's??? Her brother in law rang yesterday to say that there are kittens there and they are in danger and he was told that there is nothing they can do. They will fend for themselves apparently. Seriously, what the hell is going on in this country when it comes to animal welfare!

mary123

could someone not trap the mummy and then get the 2 remainning kittens. I know i would take them if someone did. As for the other babies i doubt they will survie without mummy,as ive seen here without mummy and even if u hand feed every 2 hrs do the necessary for them to go to the toilet which is very important , its a 50-50 if they will survive

Whispered

Local shelter is not answering the phone, kilkenny spca say there is nothing that can be done, my friend is going away today, I can't get to kilkenny to do anything and her sister has washed her hands of the whole thing. All I can do is get her to drop kittens to me on her way to the airport and get kitten formula from the vet.

Do you know of any agencies who will go out and trap? Mamma cat needs to be neutered soon anyway, it's her second litter in a short space of time. I really don't have a clue what to do!

MsFifers

Hi Helena - sorry to hear that situation has not improved. A friend of mine also rang around all Kilkenny animal rescue places recently looking for help with a small kitten they found wandering on a busy road, and got no assistance at all.

I would actually think that the remaining kittens would be better off left with their mum. Cats would usually move their kittens after a day or two especially if they are disturbed, so hopefully she can find a new hiding place for them. If your friend could set up a shelter for them, and leave out food for the mother cat, that might be helpful.

Maybe when the kittens are older and start scampering about, it would be possible to rescue them.

Where are they in Kilkenny? If no one else can help while your friend is away I can feed the cat. Unfortunately, I dont have room to take the little cat family in though.

Whispered

I was thinking that the mother would move them, but there is nowhere for her to go, unless my friends sister lets her set up in the garden, and she wont because she's worried that she will be stuck with them then. A rescue in waterford said they would take them, but again, the sister wont drive down and my friend is out of the country for a week. They are somewhere within walking distance from the city, not sure exactly where. But they wont let her in the garden so there is no point in you going out to feed. Thanks so much for the offer though.

Best bet would probably be to trap the mother, how is this done? Is there much work in it? Once my friend goes on hol, the cat and kittens are going to be ignored, other people in the house do not want to know. Are there charities who will go out and trap too?

MsFifers

Usually a local SPCA would have a cat trap available to borrow - I dont know what the situation is in Kilkenny or where one could be obtained. I know a vet in Carlow that can loan one out if you pay a deposit - but there is usually a waiting list for it.

Basically you leave the trap in the garden with food in it and eventually the cat goes in and the gate closes so that you can then pick up the kittens.

When you say - they won't let her in the garden - do you mean the cats won't or the friends? If you can't get access to the garden, then basically there is not very much that can be done.

Just to add - I have no problem helping in any way, including bringing them to Waterford as I really love cats, but obviously your friends will have to play a part and allow access etc. BTW - cats are v. wiley, the mother will most likely survive for a week on her own devices, so when your friend gets back and if they are still around, you could try again to persuade them to help trap the cat.

Whispered

The sister wont set a trap in the garden herself. I don't think she has a problem with it being set in the garden but wants nothing to do with it herself. House with the kittens in it is empty so nobody to stop people going in and picking up the kittens, but it's a case of the only person I know who can do this is not interested in doing it. My mate would do it, but cant for a week unless it's done this morning, which means kittens will have to be taken without mother.

MsFifers

OK - I can't make any phone calls as I'm in work (lucky my computer monitor is turned away from everyone else!), but if you can find a rescue place or local vet that will loan a cat trap, I think I know someone to help me set it (as long as the people in the house are ok about us going in and can show us where the kittens are etc).

I'm on a half day tomorrow, so if the cat goes in today or tonight, I can bring them down to waterford tomorrow afternoon. I'm supposed to be going away this weekend though, so otherwise it'll have to wait till next week.

Send me a PM with all details (address of house, contact no. of someone living there, details of the rescue place in Waterford).

Whispered

OMG you're so good. I'll be back in a min with details.

She's ringing her local vet now. But wants to know what to do it the mother gets trapped during the night, kittens will be alone all night. Again, she can't depend on her sister to help out and she wont be there. ARgh, just a bit of help from the sister and this would be sorted so much easier.

MsFifers

Cats are usually hungry at dusk and dawn, so if the trap is checked last thing and early in the morning the kittens wouldn't be without their mother for v. long so they shouldn't come to any harm.

Whispered

it appears mother cat has moved the kittens. they were there late last night, not this morning. Hopefully it was the mother and not kids. So when my friend gets back from holiday she's going to look for the kittens and see about trapping them, to get the mother neutered, and hopefully the kittens homed. She will have to wait a few weeks before doing that though wont she? Can you neuter a lactating mother?

MsFifers

That sounds like a better plan. I'm sure the cat will be fine for the week.

I don't know about the neutering q. but whatever vet she brings them to will be able to advise.

BlackCat2008

Hi, only just read whats going on can't believe that the spca are not helping ring them back and tell them you's just seen mammy cat hit by a car and she CRAWLED of under a bush before you's could get her, to may knowledge the SPCA will only help sick and injured cats not ones they think can fend for them selfs. If that doesn't work try calling cat protection or cat aid explain the hole situation to them and see if they can't help not sure what parts of the country there willing to help out in and tell them they just need to be trapped and that you have another girl(Msfifers) who is willing to try to get them to waterford if they can help or put you onto someone who can. If mammy is friendly there is no reason your friend can't just walk in and put mammy in a cage first then the kittens. If she rings up local vets they may hold them for her until you can get them to waterford, if mammy is not to friendly you could try putting the kittens in a carrier were they were left by mammy and see if she'll go in after them and think it is a safe place to keep them giving you's a chance to close the gate.If your friend has time before she go's get her to go to were these kids live and see if she can't get the other kitten back she my be able to get one of the vet nurses to hand rear them' they will not survive with out being reared by someone who knows what there doing. If she doesn't have any luck with this she can ring back the vet and ask if they could give her the no.s of people who rescue animals and help them from their own homes .I've had several calls from my vets to go and help other people. If they are afraid to go into the garden call the local police first and inform them of your plans and that you's are there with only the cats best intentions in mind incase they get any calls.

Sorry it's so long but whated to give you all the info I had before your friend go's and see if she can't do anything with it. Sorry I can't help myself but I live in Dublin and can't drive at the moment.Good luck!

Whispered

Thanks blackcat, mother cat is not approachable, she runs off. She does eat when they leave food out for her so there shouldn't be too much of a problem catching her. I advised my friend not to catch her yet, because she doesn't know where the kittens are so it would only seperate the mother from the babies. When she gets back next week though she will go looking for them, once she knows where they are she will try to catch the mother.

TBH I don't think she will call the spca again, they were not helpful and were very blunt, almost as if she was bothering them. I'm really disgusted by the way this, and other cases like it are handled. Before the mother had the kittens she rang to say that there was a stray cat who looks like she's about to give birth and was told not to feed her, she would hang around if she's getting fed!!! Absolutely ridic. I have lost all respect for the spca. Are they government or volunteer run, does anybody know?

I can't drive at the moment either - silly new law :rolleyes:

BlackCat2008

The spca are volunteer, payed workers which receive a huge grant from the government and are one of only two who get grants that I am aware of, cat protection got a grant for the first time this year only 50k big deal!!! Hope they get more next year.

If mammy is some what ferrel and only has to kitties to look after she stands a good chance of survival. I tuck in a mammy and babies two years ago from a house three doors down and the babies were to weeks old well looked after by her and she wasn't farrel but had two big tom cats looking after her as well they were very nice toms.They must of kept the foxes at bay as well.(Know I'll get a bollicking from someone for saying that but I've never seen a tom attack kittens just heard of it)All my seragates are males?

All that can be done at present is to keep feeding her if it's possible same time same place ever day and she will begin to realize that the food comes from the hand of kindness and might even let you get close mammy will need to be neutered when the kittens are six weeks old, coming up on five weeks the kittens ill be harder to catch so the sooner the better you's get them and if you can't get a trap I'll send you a lend of one down on the train.traps are like gold dust to get but I'll trust anyone with a good heart to return it.

Anyway fare play to you's for doing what you can.
Best of luck.