A couple of weeks ago, we noticed a small gray and white kitten was hanging around the feral colony at our church. My husband noticed a large (1" x 2") abrasion on his back (it looks to me like he got caught in the fan belt of a car engine). He was so friendly that we didn't have to "trap" him, just pick him up and put him in the cage. He has since been neutered, received all of his shots, and been checked by the vet and given penicillin to help prevent infection. He is currently convalescing in our guest bedroom (aka, the cat room), where we are currently treating his wound (Neosporin and bandaging), which should be healed in a few weeks.
My husband wants to let him begin to socialize with our cats (our big boy and the two one-year old kittens - Casper and Abby - play with him under the door), but I'm afraid that would just lead to my husband wanting to keep him inside with us for good. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN! First, we already have five inside babies, which is technically two over the limit for our city. Second, we are still renovating our house (something my husband is procrastinating about), so we basically live in a two-bedroom house ... with five cats. Third, our two big girls are increasingly stressed by the kitten's presence, and they are taking their stress out on Casper and Abby. Fourth, I am the one who does most of the work with the cats. I'm the one who scoops all the boxes twice a day, cleans the boxes completely once a month, cleans up most of the messes. I'm the one who has to change the little guy's bandages every day. I work full-time and go to school half-time and don't have the time or energy to deal with one more cat.
I've contacted the local rescue organizations, but they are pretty much all full and cannot take him. What are we going to do with this kitten in 2-3 weeks when his wound has healed??? I feel so guilty about returning him outside to be "feral" again. He is so trusting of us (and probably all humans) that I'm afraid someone might do something bad if we return him to the church colony. I wouldn't mind him staying around here and being one of our "outside kitties", but I'm not sure how the established colony cats would accept him.
What should we do with this little guy???
(video from his second day in our home)
My husband wants to let him begin to socialize with our cats (our big boy and the two one-year old kittens - Casper and Abby - play with him under the door), but I'm afraid that would just lead to my husband wanting to keep him inside with us for good. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN! First, we already have five inside babies, which is technically two over the limit for our city. Second, we are still renovating our house (something my husband is procrastinating about), so we basically live in a two-bedroom house ... with five cats. Third, our two big girls are increasingly stressed by the kitten's presence, and they are taking their stress out on Casper and Abby. Fourth, I am the one who does most of the work with the cats. I'm the one who scoops all the boxes twice a day, cleans the boxes completely once a month, cleans up most of the messes. I'm the one who has to change the little guy's bandages every day. I work full-time and go to school half-time and don't have the time or energy to deal with one more cat.
I've contacted the local rescue organizations, but they are pretty much all full and cannot take him. What are we going to do with this kitten in 2-3 weeks when his wound has healed??? I feel so guilty about returning him outside to be "feral" again. He is so trusting of us (and probably all humans) that I'm afraid someone might do something bad if we return him to the church colony. I wouldn't mind him staying around here and being one of our "outside kitties", but I'm not sure how the established colony cats would accept him.
What should we do with this little guy???
(video from his second day in our home)