Feral Kitten

[CatsRit]

I live out in the country and seem we are the dumping grounds for people. They always seem to dump at the roadside which the cats stay close to this area. I recently trapped a kitten, most likely born last spring. Very wild. I put in my well utility room, stupid move, should of put in a large dog crate. I made an appointment to be fixed, but will have to pick up and release at my place. Anyway, I have had the kitten for over a week and went to catch the cat and was not successful. I had a heavy Carhart jacket on and leather gloves. Still managed to get sliced up pretty bad. The kitten was climbing walls etc.. Well now it is going to hate me. I have the appointment Oct. 5, so have to figure out how to catch this extremely viscous kitten, about 3 to 4 months old. It is now hiding down in my well backflow pit in the dirt. Is coming out at night and eating and drinking and using the litter box. Well to add to my issues, I am trying to catch the mother as well and another large black cat, which I assume belong to someone. These cats will not make it thru the winter, as we have a lot of coyotes and birds of prey, around and being by the road. I guess I can stop trapping cats and let mother nature take its course. The sad thing the older cats dumped here is someone pets. Anyway, now I am scared of this kitten, not sure if I should let it out at my property that is fenced, with lots of trees and shrubs on seven acres, confined area away from the road. Not to get spayed, if I can't catch it? I have a kitty door opening in there, that is blocked now. Hoping the other two cats, I am trying to catch are somewhat tame. Our animal control won't take feral cats only tame cats. They do have a program you bring in they fix for $30. and you take back and release. At this point I am thinking keeping the cat in the room, for another week and open the kitty door to go off on its own. Unless I can catch it and get fixed first. I want to add, a lady whose cats were trapped by a neighbor in the city and was dumped by our house. She got one back but still has the other one missing. I do have a feral cat that adopted me that lives by my chicken coop and managed to survive for a few years here. Gosh I do have to add I have two GSD, that do not like cats on our property, which sucks. But the one by our chicken coop managed to survive. What I understand feral cats only go out at night.

 

[gitabooks]

I remember when we lived out on a farm we had some cats dumped too and I knew someone who had over 30 cats on her property due to dumping! She worked so hard to get them spayed and neutered. It is a lot of work! Thank you for putting in the effort!

My suggestion would be to try your best to get the kitten spayed/neutered. Being part of the rescue community, I've seen that while it can take weeks, months, or even years feral cats can be tamed. But even if they never tame down avoiding having excess kittens (which usually die in a few months) is totally worth it. Watching kittens die while trying to trap/neuter/return is heart breaking. Over population is a real issue.
Keep the kitten inside if you can until the appointment. Feed it in a trap that is set not to close. Then, the evening before the appointment, set it to close. Shelters will often loan out live traps. Feral cat community programs may as well. These programs can offer help catching the cats, getting them fixed, feeding them, and giving them warm boxes to sleep in during the winter.

As far as feral cats coming out only at night, if they learn that is the only safe time they may do this, but most feral cats are active on and off throughout the day and night.

Thank you again for helping!