Abandoned Cat And A Kitten - Advice?

[Kflowers]

Depending on where your head is, hugs for the good try. Or you could put some fish food in the yard and make your own advances to Young Cat and Baby.

The neighbor who yelled at you is not trying to be helpful, but is ego tripping.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Are you giving up on taking the girl to be spayed?

Thanks. She is 'skulking' (running across the back of my yard, with the low belly run), so since she has been friendly with me in the past, I assume this is part of the instinct to protect her upcoming babies. At this point, the only thing I know to do is ask the one neighbor who loaned the crate to me, is that if I could catch her what will happen to her if she is pregnant. I can't keep her, but would be willing to pay for someone to take her in during the process. If I do so, I can't worry about the 'baby' cat that is left behind.

I am so conflicted and confused...

 

[Kflowers]

I'd say trap her. By trapping her you may at least be saving her from a horrible death in giving birth, at most you could be saving 5 cats - her and the kittens. Once she is at the shelter, Baby may come into your yard tracking her. I stand by what I said, it's possible, but it's also possible Baby will move into survival mode.

The world is a dark and horrible place. You can only do the best you can.

Of course you could tell neighbor who wouldn't put the door on the carrier that your mother is pining for a cat like either or both of them and her birthday is coming up...

 

[rubysmama]

Not sure if this would be an option, but seeing that you're in Florida, is it warm enough for a cat to stay outside and nurse kittens? If so, if you could trap her, maybe keeping her and the kittens in a crate would work. Here's a TCS thread where a member did just that: Help! Have To Keep Pregnant Stray Safe In Outside Crate

 

[FeebysOwner]

Not sure if this would be an option, but seeing that you're in Florida, is it warm enough for a cat to stay outside and nurse kittens? If so, if you could trap her, maybe keeping her and the kittens in a crate would work. Here's a TCS thread where a member did just that: Help! Have To Keep Pregnant Stray Safe In Outside Crate

Right now, the lowest we have been getting is in the low 40s, and that is a night here and there. Assuming, the crate I gave my next door neighbor, has been 'accepted' by the purported pregnant cat, and assuming she doesn't go elsewhere to have the kittens I suspect are coming, then yes it would work. It is protected from the elements with a tarp, and has blankets in it. Then, assuming all that would be feasible, AND assuming my neighbor would put the door on, we could contain them all. But, look at all the 'assuming' I am doing...

 

[rubysmama]

It is a LOT of assuming, but it is something that might be do-able, assuming everything falls into place. Sometimes feral mama cats even become less fearful once they have their kittens and are confined with them for months.

It would be so much more helpful, if your neighbours were weren't being so difficult.

 

[FeebysOwner]

It is a LOT of assuming, but it is something that might be do-able, assuming everything falls into place. Sometimes feral mama cats even become less fearful once they have their kittens and are confined with them for months.

It would be so much more helpful, if your neighbours were weren't being so difficult.

I don't know if pregnant cats get more leery with being pregnant, but she is not as approachable as she once was; she used to come to me and I could pick her up, etc. Now not so much. How she is responding to my next door neighbor - who knows, since my neighbor stopped talking to me a week ago. This young cat was never really a feral, tbh. I believe she was abandoned. The 'baby' cat - who is no longer a baby, that is with her - maybe.

 

[Kflowers]

Which ever one you get. I suspect will still be in the shelter when you get the other one, unless the silent neighbor hides one, which probably won't last long. Not everyone is able to deal with the window and wall climbing.

Silent neighbor may change her mind when she sees just how many cats 5 cats are. Too late and then again not too late.

 

[catsknowme]

I am just now catching up on this thread.....what a challenging time! I agree with doing the TNR. My vet spays pregnant ferals - she assures me that the general anesthesia causes the kittens to slip away peacefully (which is a much better scenario than dying of diseases or getting attacked by predators). I often release the next day (it costs an extra $15 for the vet to keep them overnight). Cats are territorial and will find it difficult to move on. They seemingly vanish after TNR, yet they almost always reappear months later.
I am really sorry to read that the humans around you are causing you such grief. It sounds like everyone cares for the cats (as opposed to hating them) so that is a plus. I hope that they realize that it is possible, though, to "kill them with kindness", by not getting them spayed in time.
Thank you for not giving up! We are still behind you, cheering you on Please keep providing these updates - your fellow cat rescuers are a sturdy lot & prefer closure, be it good or bad, to the "not knowing".

 

[FeebysOwner]

Thanks. Hopefully future updates won't all be 'bitch' sessions by me. Lol.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I got to visit and pet the young cat today! And, also saw the baby (from about 3-4 feet away). The baby got as close to me as she is now doing with the neighbor. So, I think as things stand now, another week or two maybe the baby will allow my neighbor to actually touch her. So, get the touching part over, and we are another step closer to trapping them!

My neighbor has done another 180 degree turn and decides it is best if we trap them and give them to the no-kill shelter. Let's hope she doesn't change her mind again.

After getting that close to them, it doesn't appear either are pregnant. Or, if they are, neither could be very far along. (Sure hope I am not jinxing them.) Tbh, after them being around here for what I think is at least 3 months now, maybe we are lucky in that they are not wandering far off and/or where ever they have roamed to doesn't include any un-neutered males. There are a lot of cats that are indoor/outdoor, but perhaps their owners are at least responsible enough to spay/neuter them - apparently including the black cat that roams all over the place.

Still, I asked my neighbor to check next time she is playing with the young cat to check her belly for a spay scar. I would have done it today, but would have scared the baby away.

At least this post is not bitching or whining. Yeah, yeah, I know all the pitfalls, just let me have my brief moment of 'peace'.

 

[Kflowers]

Maybe she'll put the door on the carrier. Fingers crossed.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Maybe she'll put the door on the carrier. Fingers crossed.

Yeah - didn't go there today. Figured I might be pushing my luck. Maybe next time I am invited over...

 

[Kflowers]

You're such a good patient person. I threw my luck into a wheelbarrow and shove it along. You think it works better if it's touching the ground?

I know that's why your luck works better than mine, that and not growling at people.

 

[FeebysOwner]

My neighbor has now let both cats in 'her room' (of the B&B she operates), for a couple of short spells anyway. The young cat has been in there before, and the 'baby' was in there once before but freaked out trying to figure out how to get out. Not last night!! As long as 'baby' can see the young cat in there, she's good to go!

And, the neighbor was able to apply Advantage to the young cat. Next up, as soon as possible is the baby - who for the first time let my neighbor pat her nose today!!

Some cold nights coming up (on Sunday, after rain), and I think my neighbor is thinking of a way to maybe let them stay inside for a while that night.

She is not ready to trap them yet, but at least we talked about making a plan to do so in the not so distant future. She's at least thinking about it now!!!

 

[catsknowme]

Hooray!! Your persistence wrapped in patience, understanding & kind words has truly helped those kitties more than we could have imagined. Thank you for not giving up & for remaining approachable so that your neighbor still keeps you in the loop. It may not be the fastest road but it is proving to be productive.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Here I am trying to play 'anticipatory referee' - Feeby is taking an afternoon nap on the bed, and the young cat is outside my patio door. My neighbor is gone for the day, so I can only assume she generally spends bits and pieces of time with the cats during the day. And, now that she is gone today, the young cat came over here for some company (and food, btw). She was also here this morning, coincidentally while Feeby was looking out the front window. Although, Feeby was actually outside on the patio when the young cat walked by to go home this morning, and didn't even seem to realize she was there!! Go figure. Young cat is still just hanging out - oblivious to the 'demon' cat just a small distance away!!

First confrontation averted!! Feeby woke up, and was about to go out on the patio - I gave her the daily hairball treat (with Glyco Flex) and opened up the front door. She ate it and immediately went to look out the front door. Meanwhile, young cat is still sitting by my patio door. Geez...

Glad it's a Saturday afternoon, and I had nothing else planned. Not to mention the squirrels who I feed that are not getting fed yet (close to the patio). Do I have a life? Apparently not!!

 

[catsknowme]

FeebysOwner : ahhhh.....utter BLISS!!!! and yes, you have a peaceful niche but plenty of people drama.

 

[FeebysOwner]

As it turns out, I think the young cat was out and about yesterday looking for the baby (who I should now call the 'teenage brat cat'). Later I found both in my yard, and then the baby brat took off to another neighbor's yard over a fence. The young cat jumped up on the fence and just watched after the baby, but would not leave my yard. I really think the only time the young cat leaves her 'home base' is when she is out trying to find the baby, who unfortunately is out venturing now that she is older (Great - NOT).

Much later, after my husband & returned from dinner, both were in my back yard, and I swear the young cat was trying to corral baby brat back to their home base. The young cat was at my patio door again and baby brat came over but the very second I moved, it backed away. So, I left. I peeked out later and the young cat must have given up and went 'home', while baby was still out there frolicking around. I looked one more time a few minutes later and the baby was gone. I am going with the idea that she must have decided to go home as well. That's my story, I am sticking to it!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Ok, the peace has been replaced - again - with anxiety. 2nd night in a row, baby brat was in the back of my yard - at 10pm at night. I didn't see the young cat but maybe she gave up on her belligerent teen and went home, hoping the little imp would follow. It dropped to about 37 degrees last night, so it wasn't the least bit warm...

I do think the baby brat did go over the fence to the home base eventually, but I decided I couldn't continue to peer out repeatedly to find out. Besides, if the young cat was out there as well (I couldn't see her), she would have come to greet me - not the direction I wanted either of them to head in.

I will update my neighbor because I think she is still blissfully thinking the baby brat is not out carousing. And, I will have to rethink going out on my patio after dark...