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- Aug 10, 2023
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Please refer to my other post and thread about missing feral kittens..3 of them. They came back with mom and we tried to catch them with someone's help. The situation is urgent because of coyote(s), one of which already tried to attack them. Also some hostile neighbors, busy streets, lots of dogs..etc too much danger. Everything seemed fine yesterday and I had the cooperation of my very nice next door neighbor since they sought shelter on and under his back deck/porch (they would eat and play on my steps in the adjacent yard). The first day a drop trap was being tried to catch all 3 at once. But they never went under it, just played behind it. So the person helping to trap them (who retired, worked with shelters and rescues, etc..but decided to help one last time) said they would try again today.
I thought the same drop trap was what would be used and happening the second day too since the kittens got very close but needed to be hungrier. I followed all instructions to keep them and mom hungry. However the person came today and brought a bunch of different traps, not just the drop trap this time. A bunch of "have a heart" types too and spread them everywhere, food everywhere just dropped all over the yard through the traps. I was very confused. I saw no plan..just a mess of confusion and grasping at straws..and I did not understand why when they got so close yesterday with the drop trap. The person also seemed like they were about to pass out. I tried to say something and make better suggestions many times but they (the person helping to trap) weren't really responsive, like they were not registering anything I was saying or any of my concerns..or the scared look in my eyes. I did not have any support with me today so I was just forced to go along with it. None of it made any sense versus the day before. And I don't know why they would try to trap them on the deck, their safe space..unless they planned, like yesterday, to catch all 3 at once..and then mom later.
So today one kitten went into one of the auto-close traps on the deck and mom was right next to it when it shut, she went running. So now only one kitten was caught. I never saw where other two went..they stayed under the deck for awhile and thenidk where..the person helping wasn't really fully aware. I did not know what to say..I was sobbing and pacing and sweating in my kitchen while trying to see through an obscured window because only one person could sit out there at once. I wanted the kittens to stay under the deck but I saw one go along the fence and maybe towards the trees where mom was all the way on the opposite side. No idea if the second one left the deck or went out the other side into another yard..or if either one of them is even with mom now. I am distraught and I feel I have made a huge mistake in how and who I have chosen to go about this with. I am typing this so fast and I have barely slept 16 hours total in the last 9 days at this point.
Please help me. This becomes a bigger nightmare by the second. I am already overwhelmed in my life in general but kittens and cats are the only thing that get my traumatized, avoidant, asocial self to work and interact with others and go out of my restrictive zone...now I wish I ONLY talked to my next door neighbor and just caught the kittens and mom myself.. I wish I just opened my kitchen door and put food down so they would all walk in, then shut it..THEN trap inside. I have so much regret.
Will the mother come back to the deck?? What will she think happened?? Could the other babies be lost now?? Does anyone have any experience with catching 6-8 week old feral kittens and their mom?? What happens when only one is caught in the area where all of them used to feel safe and sleep and eat??? I am losing my mind.
I thought the same drop trap was what would be used and happening the second day too since the kittens got very close but needed to be hungrier. I followed all instructions to keep them and mom hungry. However the person came today and brought a bunch of different traps, not just the drop trap this time. A bunch of "have a heart" types too and spread them everywhere, food everywhere just dropped all over the yard through the traps. I was very confused. I saw no plan..just a mess of confusion and grasping at straws..and I did not understand why when they got so close yesterday with the drop trap. The person also seemed like they were about to pass out. I tried to say something and make better suggestions many times but they (the person helping to trap) weren't really responsive, like they were not registering anything I was saying or any of my concerns..or the scared look in my eyes. I did not have any support with me today so I was just forced to go along with it. None of it made any sense versus the day before. And I don't know why they would try to trap them on the deck, their safe space..unless they planned, like yesterday, to catch all 3 at once..and then mom later.
So today one kitten went into one of the auto-close traps on the deck and mom was right next to it when it shut, she went running. So now only one kitten was caught. I never saw where other two went..they stayed under the deck for awhile and thenidk where..the person helping wasn't really fully aware. I did not know what to say..I was sobbing and pacing and sweating in my kitchen while trying to see through an obscured window because only one person could sit out there at once. I wanted the kittens to stay under the deck but I saw one go along the fence and maybe towards the trees where mom was all the way on the opposite side. No idea if the second one left the deck or went out the other side into another yard..or if either one of them is even with mom now. I am distraught and I feel I have made a huge mistake in how and who I have chosen to go about this with. I am typing this so fast and I have barely slept 16 hours total in the last 9 days at this point.
Please help me. This becomes a bigger nightmare by the second. I am already overwhelmed in my life in general but kittens and cats are the only thing that get my traumatized, avoidant, asocial self to work and interact with others and go out of my restrictive zone...now I wish I ONLY talked to my next door neighbor and just caught the kittens and mom myself.. I wish I just opened my kitchen door and put food down so they would all walk in, then shut it..THEN trap inside. I have so much regret.
Will the mother come back to the deck?? What will she think happened?? Could the other babies be lost now?? Does anyone have any experience with catching 6-8 week old feral kittens and their mom?? What happens when only one is caught in the area where all of them used to feel safe and sleep and eat??? I am losing my mind.