View Single Post
  #24  
Old April 5th 04, 05:38 PM
Robyn
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



Robyn wrote:
Hi,
This is more of a vent than anything else, and this group seems
like the right place for it. Who knows, maybe you guys can offer
suggestions. I've just spent my entire morning trying to get trapping
and spay/neuter information for the 4 feral cats (all one litter)
that came along with the house we just bought. I don't mind feeding
the cats and having them around, but the females just had their first
heat, and are most likely already pregnant. The mother of this group,
after disappearing for a long time, has also reappeared and is
obviously nursing a new litter. (Whole other problem, but one thing
at a time.)

Called the Humane Society, they said to call Wildlife Care,
Wildlife Care said to call the Humane Society, who then said it just
wasn't their problem because the cats weren't pets and to call Animal
control. Animal Control said it wasn't their problem unless I wanted
to trap the cats myself, which I can't do. They then offered to rent
me a trap for a $100 deposit + rent, which I don't have. (Even if I
did trap them, they just wanted to haul them off to be euthanized,
which isn't an option.) I flat out asked the guy at Animal Control if
no one cared if these 4 cats just bred themselves into the hundreds,
and he said no. (NOT kidding.)

So the long and short of it is, no one will even discuss the matter
unless I pay a fee and deliver the cats to them. These things are
totally wild. Even if I could afford the $250 or so the entire
undertaking would cost, and manage to trap them, what do I do with
them until the vet appointment? No one I've asked seems to have
answers. I've already adopted the runt from this group. He's pretty
wild, but likes living in the house and gets along well with my other
3 cats. I wish I could take them all in, but they're just too wild,
and I don't have any more room. The 4 I have now are a bit much at
times. :-)

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I guess I need to get back on
the phone and try a few more places. It's just unreal that all these
organizations that talk about how much they want to help unwanted
animals lose interest when you actually ask them for assistance. But
there's got to be some place that helps with these things. Suggestions
welcome. Wish me luck. :-)

Robyn


OK, I just wanted to follow up and let you guys know what was
happening, since everyone was so helpful. :-) I was able to borrow a
couple of traps from a *very* helpful person, and found a low cost vet
that didn't require appointments for ferals. So I put the traps out
Saturday morning, and as soon as I stepped away from the traps, there
were cats in them. (yay!) So away they went, and they're playing in the
yard today, a little more wary than before, but none the worse for the
experience, the poor things.

Of the remaining two females, I haven't seen one in several days now,
I'm afraid something may have happened to her. :-( The other one will
not go anywhere near the trap. She comes twice a day and cries to be
fed, but will not go to the trap. We've tried wet food, dry food,
catnip, you name it, she ignores it and just cries at the door for food
as if the trap wasn't there. Any ideas would be helpful.

I had only been seeing the nursing mother a couple times a week. She
looked fed, so I thought someone was looking after her, but now all of a
sudden she's here asking for food as well. At what point after she
brings the kittens out can she be trapped and spayed to stop this damned
cycle? (I have no idea what to do about the kittens. Hopefully she'll
just have a couple...)

Anyway, I just wanted to post a followup, since several people had
asked. I'll post if anything else happens. I'd appreciate any
suggestions on getting that female into the trap, as well as when I can
trap the mother cat.

Thanks!
Robyn
--
To avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers
to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch
for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries;
grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper.