kittens

My Sebbie put up a great front, too, but when it came down to it, he was
unwilling to actually hurt me. The worst he ever did was punch me with a
velvet paw, claws pulled in. Such a sweetie, all hiss and no bite. :-)

However, one cannot *count* on that!


Oh, I've learned that lesson! Part of my standard equipment is a pair of
welder's gloves, along with the plastic spoon full of babyfood. At least
until the kitten and I are better acquainted.

Mostly the hisses are nerves. I call them "pink hisses."

Sharon
Campus Cats

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 19:42:24 UTC, Priscilla H Ballou
wrote:

Wendy quoth:

I've got them in the cat playpen at the moment. They'll be staying there
until I can get them up to the vet to be FIV FeLV tested. I imagine the vet
would appreciate it if I waited until they will tolerate being handled.

I was able to reach in and pet all but one of them this evening after
sitting and talking to them for a while so that's encouraging.

That is *very* encouraging! When I socialized Sebastian (who was about 3
months when I got him from his rescuer), it took 16 days before he'd let
me pet him.

Keep going!

Priscilla


--I once found 5 kittens in our back yard. Tame abandoned Mom was
keeping
them in our garden hose terra cotta bowl. They were stumbling out one
day while
I was out there and I saw the movement. Thought it was a mouse. Then
I went over and
found 5 adorable kittens, about 4-5 weeks old. silly me, I gathered
them up in my
arms and brought them into show to my husband. Thought to take them
in but they
still needed mom and she came by, yowling pitifully. She'd evidently
had them out there
and stayed there.

She ran off, but kept coming back so I out the kittens back in the
bowl. Thing is, the kittens
never spat or got nervous -- they just though I was the most marvelous
ride. Mom moved
them of course, to a spce between our chain-link fence and the
neighbor's privacy fence.
There they stayed. She took them away once, and I couldn't find them.
Then they showded up
between the fences again. I put food out and they scarffed it down
like they'd always been
eating canned food.

We finally did take them in a week later because we worrked about the
coyotes that were around,
and that they'd just become street ferals and be killed. So I took
them in and fostered them.
Finally even trapped Mom. The kittens just adored our bathroom and
the box we set up
for them with towels. They would come spilling out whenever we came
in. Even took to the
litter box. Yet these were kittens born in our back yard and rarely
saw a person.

So, the kittens were people friendly but Mom was nutso. We calmed her
a lot then took
the lot to Second Chance for Strays.

Been fostering ever since.

LT

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 19:42:24 UTC, Priscilla H Ballou
wrote:

Wendy quoth:

I've got them in the cat playpen at the moment. They'll be staying there
until I can get them up to the vet to be FIV FeLV tested. I imagine the vet
would appreciate it if I waited until they will tolerate being handled.

I was able to reach in and pet all but one of them this evening after
sitting and talking to them for a while so that's encouraging.

That is *very* encouraging! When I socialized Sebastian (who was about 3
months when I got him from his rescuer), it took 16 days before he'd let
me pet him.

Keep going!

Priscilla


--I once found 5 kittens in our back yard. Tame abandoned Mom was
keeping
them in our garden hose terra cotta bowl. They were stumbling out one
day while
I was out there and I saw the movement. Thought it was a mouse. Then
I went over and
found 5 adorable kittens, about 4-5 weeks old. silly me, I gathered
them up in my
arms and brought them into show to my husband. Thought to take them
in but they
still needed mom and she came by, yowling pitifully. She'd evidently
had them out there
and stayed there.

She ran off, but kept coming back so I out the kittens back in the
bowl. Thing is, the kittens
never spat or got nervous -- they just though I was the most marvelous
ride. Mom moved
them of course, to a spce between our chain-link fence and the
neighbor's privacy fence.
There they stayed. She took them away once, and I couldn't find them.
Then they showded up
between the fences again. I put food out and they scarffed it down
like they'd always been
eating canned food.

We finally did take them in a week later because we worrked about the
coyotes that were around,
and that they'd just become street ferals and be killed. So I took
them in and fostered them.
Finally even trapped Mom. The kittens just adored our bathroom and
the box we set up
for them with towels. They would come spilling out whenever we came
in. Even took to the
litter box. Yet these were kittens born in our back yard and rarely
saw a person.

So, the kittens were people friendly but Mom was nutso. We calmed her
a lot then took
the lot to Second Chance for Strays.

Been fostering ever since.

LT

"Sharon Talbert" wrote in message
. washington.edu...

Wendy, the Campus Cats website has a blurb on socializing that might help
you. You've taken on a real project, though, with so many kittens! Are
they all from the same litter?

Step one, is get the kittens to a vet who is comfortable in dealing with
fraidycats. They should be vaccinated and wormed at least, tested for
FeLV if possible. If they are of sound health and weigh at least 2
pounds, they are old enough to be sterilized as well.

Step two, is catch the momcat and get her spayed. If she is also feral, I
hope she can be returned to the backyard as a mouser. Food and shelter is
the only compensation she would require.

A vet visit for the kittens will also determine their age. A kitten as
old as 12 weeks generally takes much more time to socialize (though we've
had good luck with kittens as old as 4 months). An 8-week kitten is more
likely to quickly turn around.

Right now, Campus Cats has a 7-week kitten in foster care who put up a
great front, hissing and spitting and trying to escape. She came in on
Sunday and today she is snuggling in my arms, purring her brains out.
She is going to her foster mother tonight, to continue her studies as a
housecat, and I expect her to be ready for her new home in 1-2 weeks.
Each animal is different, though, and must be evaluated as such.

Read the article, Taming the Tiger, posted to the Campus Cats website. It
may help. You can also contact me at home:

Good luck!

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats
www.campuscats.org

Well I guess these guys must be closer to 8 wks than 12 because they are
coming along pretty well. The dh and I were away for the weekend and kitties
were left with my 24 yr. old son (still lives at home) to feed water and pet
them if they seemed inclined otherwise just talk to them and hang out around
them when he was home. We got home this morning and I needed to clean their
cage out. I was able to pick them up under their tummies to relocate them in
the cage while I swept out the bottom with no hissing and just a few "hey
what's this lady doing" looks. Once I got the cage back into tip top shape I
decided to try picking them up and holding them if they didn't put up too
much of a fuss. They all cooperated well enough to at least establish that
we have three boys and three girls. One of them is super laid back and ended
up draped over my hand while I pet him. This is the same guy whose purr
motor turned on while I was petting him under the chin on Friday. The gray
and white little girl who took a few chunks out the dh when he caught them
is the other one who is most relaxed being handled. There are two girls who
would prefer I bug off but are putting up with being handled. A few growls
and a half baked hiss but my skin is intact. At this point I should be able
to get them into a carrier for the trip to the vet though. Of course I
expect they will look on me with a little less favor after that trip but it
has to be done.

W

"Sharon Talbert" wrote in message
. washington.edu...

Wendy, the Campus Cats website has a blurb on socializing that might help
you. You've taken on a real project, though, with so many kittens! Are
they all from the same litter?

Step one, is get the kittens to a vet who is comfortable in dealing with
fraidycats. They should be vaccinated and wormed at least, tested for
FeLV if possible. If they are of sound health and weigh at least 2
pounds, they are old enough to be sterilized as well.

Step two, is catch the momcat and get her spayed. If she is also feral, I
hope she can be returned to the backyard as a mouser. Food and shelter is
the only compensation she would require.

A vet visit for the kittens will also determine their age. A kitten as
old as 12 weeks generally takes much more time to socialize (though we've
had good luck with kittens as old as 4 months). An 8-week kitten is more
likely to quickly turn around.

Right now, Campus Cats has a 7-week kitten in foster care who put up a
great front, hissing and spitting and trying to escape. She came in on
Sunday and today she is snuggling in my arms, purring her brains out.
She is going to her foster mother tonight, to continue her studies as a
housecat, and I expect her to be ready for her new home in 1-2 weeks.
Each animal is different, though, and must be evaluated as such.

Read the article, Taming the Tiger, posted to the Campus Cats website. It
may help. You can also contact me at home:

Good luck!

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats
www.campuscats.org

Well I guess these guys must be closer to 8 wks than 12 because they are
coming along pretty well. The dh and I were away for the weekend and kitties
were left with my 24 yr. old son (still lives at home) to feed water and pet
them if they seemed inclined otherwise just talk to them and hang out around
them when he was home. We got home this morning and I needed to clean their
cage out. I was able to pick them up under their tummies to relocate them in
the cage while I swept out the bottom with no hissing and just a few "hey
what's this lady doing" looks. Once I got the cage back into tip top shape I
decided to try picking them up and holding them if they didn't put up too
much of a fuss. They all cooperated well enough to at least establish that
we have three boys and three girls. One of them is super laid back and ended
up draped over my hand while I pet him. This is the same guy whose purr
motor turned on while I was petting him under the chin on Friday. The gray
and white little girl who took a few chunks out the dh when he caught them
is the other one who is most relaxed being handled. There are two girls who
would prefer I bug off but are putting up with being handled. A few growls
and a half baked hiss but my skin is intact. At this point I should be able
to get them into a carrier for the trip to the vet though. Of course I
expect they will look on me with a little less favor after that trip but it
has to be done.

W

I am glad the kittens are coming around. I've been pleasantly surprised
by many an older kitten and even the occasional feral-born adult. Looking
forward to a report after their vet visit.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

I am glad the kittens are coming around. I've been pleasantly surprised
by many an older kitten and even the occasional feral-born adult. Looking
forward to a report after their vet visit.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

"Sharon Talbert" wrote in message
. washington.edu...

I am glad the kittens are coming around. I've been pleasantly surprised
by many an older kitten and even the occasional feral-born adult. Looking
forward to a report after their vet visit.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

They went to the vet last night. They all tested negative - YAY!

They were very calm in the carriers and didn't make a fuss for the vet.
Didn't even seem mad at me when they got back home.

I'm finding waiting for the test result is the hardest part of rescuing
these litters. I don't know how I'd handle it if they tested positive. The
rescue group's policy is to put them down then. (

W

"Sharon Talbert" wrote in message
. washington.edu...

I am glad the kittens are coming around. I've been pleasantly surprised
by many an older kitten and even the occasional feral-born adult. Looking
forward to a report after their vet visit.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

They went to the vet last night. They all tested negative - YAY!

They were very calm in the carriers and didn't make a fuss for the vet.
Didn't even seem mad at me when they got back home.

I'm finding waiting for the test result is the hardest part of rescuing
these litters. I don't know how I'd handle it if they tested positive. The
rescue group's policy is to put them down then. (

W

I'm finding waiting for the test result is the hardest part of rescuing
these litters. I don't know how I'd handle it if they tested positive. The
rescue group's policy is to put them down then. (


Euthanizing an animal that clearly tests positive for FIV/FeLV is also our
policy, but we always test at least once again before making that decision
unless the animal is already symptommatic. We also test each animal, not
just mom or a sample kitten from the litter. Expensive, but worth it.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats