Andy And The Feral Cat Shelter

[Q2U]

Two (2) new kittens have suddenly appeared. I'm guessing each is approximately 3-months old, but I really am uncertain of their age. Below is video of one (1) of these new kittens. How old do you think this little one might be? I'll be breaking out the trap this weekend and hopefully we'll get these two new kittens TNR'd within the next couple of weeks.

 

[Kflowers]

I can't tell from looking but s/he moves as though s/he's used to his body and what it can do.

Suggestion, because you know, you built this amazing feral cat world and I didn't. For the platform in your video could you mark in large numbers feet across it? It would make it easier to get the cats' sizes in the future when I still won't know how old they are.

AND Look at that! I've got a post in this thread so I'll know when you post without me searching for your thread. I love what you're doing for the guys and sit amazed at your carpentry skills.

 

[Kflowers]

S/he looks like s/he's coming up on two pounds if not there already. I know you're in a cold place. Are there MCs in your colony?

 

[Q2U]

S/he looks like s/he's coming up on two pounds if not there already. I know you're in a cold place. Are there MCs in your colony?

K Kflowers : If "MC" = "Male Cat" then, yes, we have five (5) males in our colony but all have been neutered; why do you ask?

How old do you believe this kitten may be K Kflowers ?

 

[Q2U]

I can't tell from looking but s/he moves as though s/he's used to his body and what it can do.

So the interesting thing about these two (2) new kittens is that they look EXACTLY like the kittens in Midnight and Dwight's previous litter. AND...the kittens from that previous litter look EXACTLY like my feral adoption "Andy" who is now 16-months old.
Here's a picture of Midnight with that previous litter (last Spring)…

And here a video of Midnight warning those same kittens away on August 8, 2018. In this video you can really see how much the previous kittens resemble the 2 newest kittens...

 

[Q2U]

Now, let's see...Dwight (the dad) was TNR'ed on August 2, 2018 and Midnight (the baby producing machine) was TNR'ed on August 22, 2018. Midnight had disappeared back in the very beginning of August and -- at that time -- Mrs. Q and I thought she might be off having another litter, so when we TNR'd Midnight we released her after 24 hours (worried that there were new kittens languishing somewhere). The odd thing is that the vet who spayed her said that Midnight wasn't lactating (we asked). In any event, if these 2 new kittens are Midnight's then they would be almost exactly 3-months old.

Do these 2 new kittens look like they might be 3-months old?

 

[Kflowers]

giggle.

Midnight must be where the fluff comes from. Maybe one of her grandparents was a Maine Coon. I'm pretty sure two of them were male cats.

Midnight is the goods. I remember the video of her explaining to the raccoon that he was off his turf.

 

[Norachan]

Yep, I 'd say they're about 3 months old.

I can't remember who's kittens they were now, but didn't you mention that your neighbour had seen kittens in their yard and the dog had chased them?

These look like they could be the last litter of kittens produced by your colony. It's always a bitter-sweet moment when you get to that last litter, but once you get them TNR'd colony under control!

 

[Q2U]

It's always a bitter-sweet moment when you get to that last litter, but once you get them TNR'd colony under control!

Only I thought we had already reached that milestone!

 

[Q2U]

I can't remember who's kittens they were now, but didn't you mention that your neighbour had seen kittens in their yard and the dog had chased them?

Yes. Back in September (?) a neighbor said that their retreived a kitten and in doing so killed it. Then TygerGyrl was sheparding 2 kittens which subsequently disappeared. Perhaps these 2 new kittens are them?

 

[Norachan]

That makes sense. If one of the kittens was killed by a dog Tyger probably moved the others further away until they were big enough to avoid predators.

These kittens really look a lot like the rest of the colony, they must be from the same family.

Well, it's good to know the kittens survived, even if you are reaching your milestones a little later than you thought.

 

[Q2U]

Today I installed the optional Remote Controlled Feral Kitten Katcher onto the Feral Kat Kitchen

...

 

[Norachan]

 

[Q2U]

Bought a self-warming pad for the Feral Qat Shelter and feral Ohdee apparently loves it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041D8PCW

 

[Q2U]

I think Dwight may have entered the Feral Qat Shelter and peed on the self-warming pad...now Ohdee won't sleep on it. Grrrrr...

 

[Norachan]

I think Dwight may have entered the Feral Qat Shelter and peed on the self-warming pad

Yeah, they do that. I've caught my boys pointing their weapons towards the shelter doors several times before.



It looks like it hit the straw rather than the heating pad. Does it smell bad in there? You can compost the straw and clean the heating pad with an enzyme cleaner.

My boys mark less if I spray with Felliway.

https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Spray

 

[Q2U]

Showdown at the Feral Feeding Station!

 

[Norachan]

Awww, cute little.....thing. What was that anyway? A possum?

 

[Q2U]

It is a youny possum...possibly Walter The Possum's baby. Here he is on another night looking for a meal. Sometimes he gets lucky and gets a full tummy. He sure it cute!

 

[Kflowers]

Aside from being really cute, possums are our friends. They eat snails, slugs, beetles, cockroaches and rats. COCKROACHES!!! I didn't think anything killed them except geckos which are hard to keep alive and find once you let one loose to hunt.

Here's the article

We're not playing: Here's how possums can help your household

and

"They are far less of a health risk to you or your children or pets than nearly any other wild animal," according to The National Opossum Society