Adventures With The Felv Fosters And Three Feral Mamas Updates

[SheriB]

Hello dear, wonderful people on this site. You were all so kind when I posted my previous threads! I am back after what I thought would only be a summertime commitment to foster kittens. I got in way over my head and am taking today, Christmas Eve, to assess and evaluate. So many things have happened, mostly good. I will update the old threads with individual happenings. My beautiful FeLV fosters continue to occupy my basement and their various outdoor enclosures. Two new personalities have joined us, I will post them in the FeLV fosters thread. Of the Three Feral Mamas kittens, all were adopted out except sweet Tomo. Too shy for adoption events, I ended up adopting him. He is my buddy who wants to lie next to me, kneading and suckling his soft, squishy blanket. Nothing has been seen of the mamas since they were released. I hope they found a safe colony to be part of. I count them among the many lessons I learned this year which came with a price for the cats involved . I’m sitting now with two semi-ferals, hoping to bring them to an adoptable state. They, like me, are caught in a difficult place. They cannot go back to where they came from, and may never get comfortable with where they are. Going forward I will not be working with the shelter any more, too many philosophical differences, so am exploring the TNR community in my area. Maybe Norachan , you can advise me on reviving my old thread and or creating something new.

 

[Furballsmom]

Merry Christmas to you and sweet baby Tomo!

 

[Norachan]

Hello Sheri.

It sounds like you've been really busy. I'm glad you got to keep one of the kittens, Tomo sounds like he's very happy with you.

Don't worry too much about the feral mother cats. You did everything you could for them and they were well fed, healthy and spayed when they were released, so they stand a very good chance of living a long life as an outdoor cat.

Caring for feral cats is an exercise in letting go. We want to keep them close by so we can take care of them, but they're often happier as they are. With the younger ones like Little Tomo, or some of the very friendly ferals it's possible to do more and make them indoor cats. Not always though. Sometimes you just have to accept that you've done all you can and leave the final decision up to them.

Tell us more about the two new semi-ferals, where did they come form?

Glad to have you back on TCS.

 

[di and bob]

I send prayers your way, I extend my wishes for you to find strength to carry on what you are doing. To find great satisfaction in helping those beautiful creatures that we all love so much, you are an angel here on earth!

 

[catsknowme]

So glad to know that the feral moms got spayed. I have had TNRd ferals go stealth for quite a long time then reappear.

 

[SheriB]

Merry Christmas to you and sweet baby Tomo!

Hi Furballsmom !

 

[SheriB]

I send prayers your way, I extend my wishes for you to find strength to carry on what you are doing. To find great satisfaction in helping those beautiful creatures that we all love so much, you are an angel here on earth!

I send prayers your way, I extend my wishes for you to find strength to carry on what you are doing. To find great satisfaction in helping those beautiful creatures that we all love so much, you are an angel here on earth!

Hi di and bob ! Thank you for your prayers!

 

[SheriB]

So glad to know that the feral moms got spayed. I have had TNRd ferals go stealth for quite a long time then reappear.

Hi catsknowme !

 

[SheriB]

PJ

Tulip

tomo

Hi Norachan ! Here’s a picture of sweet Tomo, with one of his brothers who has since been adopted. He’s such a beautiful Tabby boy!

PJ and Tulip are the two semi feral kitties. All I know is that they were surrendered to the shelter at five months of age. They spent a couple of months with another foster. She worked with them in a cage and got them to where they could be touched. PJ likes to be petted and she was able to hold them both. She doesn’t have room to bring them in to her house so we decided that I would take them to get them used to living in a house. I put them in the “chandelier room”, a 6x8 enclosure big enough for me to sit in but small enough that they can’t hide from me.
They seem happy enough, meowing for food and flirting with me. Pj comes for pets, Tulip will only let me pet her with the wand toy, but she loves that. They just are very skittish and rocket around the room if I make any unexpected moves. They were old enough to have learned feral ways before their surrender. I believe they will come around but it will be on their terms and may take a long time.
I don’t know if they will ever be tame enough to go to an adoption fair, I think it unlikely. The shelter will put them on their website as “working cats” or barn cats but gets very little response in that area. I’ve decided to get them vaccinated for feline Leukemia and then let them out into that community, I can’t see keeping them in that little room for ever.

 

[Norachan]

So pretty! Are they your new semi-ferals? They look very relaxed and happy there.

 

[SheriB]

So pretty! Are they your new semi-ferals? They look very relaxed and happy there.

Hi! Sorry, I tried to edit that post and just buggered it up. The Tabby is Tomo with one of his siblings who has now been adopted. I added pictures of my semi ferals. Not so comfortable to be sure!

 

[catsknowme]

Beautiful kitties! I love the concept of the chandelier room - it gives them a chance to slowly establish territory while building confidence and trust. And I love seeing pictures - PJ looks like my cat Silver

 

[Norachan]

Ah, OK. PJ and Tulip do look a little wary. But being able to pet them, even if it's only with a wand toy, is a great first step.

I've brought in feral born kittens older than 5 months and they're much friendlier now. It does take a long time, but they'll get used to their new people and new surroundings eventually.

So you're happy for them to join the rest of your indoor feral cats if they don't get adopted by anyone else? That sounds like a good solution, at least they will be well cared for that way.

Keep us posted.