Four Stray Cats - New chihuahua pup... Dilemma.

Xcellor

Hi,

Just looking for some advice on how to handle stray cats. We have a mother cat and her now more mature kittens. (two boys + one girl). They have been hanging around our estate for the past couple of months. I give them food now and again but they obviously don't have a home.

Unfortunately our situation has changed and we have a new chihuahua pup. Obviously he is small and looks like a rabbit with pointy ears and it's clear that the cats see him as prey. I'm at a loss as to what to do. They are friendly enough cats, but obviously a bit timid/shy... I'm sure with a bit of socializing they would be able to be "homed" outdoor cats. They would never take to staying indoors (apart from perhaps the female kitten). When I would go out in the evenings to star gaze,(one of my hobbies) they would come around and over time they have become familiar with me. I can handle them to a point.

I'm worried that if I bring them to the ISPCA they will be put to sleep because they are not immediately rehomable... I've grown somewhat attached to these strays but could not forgive myself if something happened to the pup. I can't relax when I take the pup in the garden especially at night because one of the cats is jet black and when it comes you don't see it until the last moment.

If I stop feeding them I assume they will move on but I was hoping there was another option that I hadn't considered...

Thanks,
X

Crafty-Chel

hi, i tink if you contact the ISPCA they should be able take them and rehome them (if there any good) we (LSPCA) never put an animal to sleep unless there really sick or injured, but we have an ISPCA shelter outside our town who wont take strays?? not much addition some of them. if you want to keep them and your new pup safe maybe you could borrow a cage (maybe from your vet they usuall have large ones) and put them in it take some pics and put them on the rehoming section here, i rehomed all my friends kittens here...

what area area you in?

Xcellor

I'm in Longford. We have an ISPCA out in Keenagh which is a few miles from me.

My other concern is that the "kittens" are not really kittens anymore. I didn't recognise one of them the other day. They are growing like weeds!! The two males will come of age soon and I suppose their sister/mother could end up being victims...

With some time and attention all cats could be sociable enough, they are just a bit scittish. They are not immediately like your typical playful kittens they are streetwise and prior to me starting to give them food must have been surviving on whatever they could get! I've seen the mother cat catch rabbit and the youngsters eating worms and other bugs!!

Xcellor

No luck at ISPCA. Full to capacity. Took my details but didn't expect any change for 2 weeks.

Don't suppose anyone wants a cat(s)? Ideal for farm with mice/rat problems. 1 ginger (male gorgeous colour), 1 tortoise(female - shy but with some time will be social enough), 1 black with white spot ( female - really sweet cat), tabby (female mother - friendly too)

I wouldn't say they are older than 3-4 months. They are nearly the same size as their mother now.

I'll try and get some pictures of them...

Xcellor

Here are some pics.. Not great. The one outside is the mother who is a tabby, the other one is the black and tortoise...

The black one is quite comfortable being inside the others tend to get a bit desperate. They are clean and have never messed inside when I have had them in.

star-pants

Pop your pics and details in the Rehoming thread in Welfare - might get some luck there too

Crafty-Chel

hiya im in longford to, as i sed above the Ispca is not very good with taking strays, keenagh are always saying there full when there not... where on the market square, the charity shop, go into the shop and get a rehoming docket, then take the kittens down to james victory and we'll take care of rehoming them from there... if you can get the mother aswell we'll try our best to get her a home, and they will not be put to sleep, ill tame them myself if i have to.

hope this helps:D

Sigma Force

If possible are you able to borrow a humane trap to trap and neuter them so that at least there will only be that many until you can find a place for them.

If you log on to irishanimals.ie and petsireland you can post their photos and details and info. on there too. Do homecheck the news homes though or find someone reliable to help you with homechecks if in another county.

On the plus side the cats won't see him as prey for long, chis are pretty fiesty won't be long before he's chasing them or even playing with them. Although there's sometimes the worry of an eye getting scratched. One idea would be to have a bowl of ham or chicken lying in the fridge and every time you go out with the pup take a small handful and place it high up in the garden, on a wall or something so the cat goes there instead of bothering the pup. Or keep a small jug of watered down cat milk to hand and put some high up out on the other side of the garden and they will take a short while to drink it while your waiting for the pup to wee.

Chiaki

trap, neuter, release is one option until someone can take the cats. ash rescue in wicklow are really good you should try them? try different no-kill shelters im sure there is a place out there for them. dont stop feeding the cats, it might drive them away or else they might just get weak and thin.