Marking A Feral Kitten With A Paint Dot

[Q2U]

Two (2) new kittens have shown themselves in our existing colony of nine (9) existing feral colony members. We have previously TNR'd the existing 9 colony members. These two new kittens look absolutely identical; it is impossible to tell them apart. I trapped one this evening and he/she will be going to the vet tomorrow morning for a spay/neuter, rabies vaccine, and ear tip. However, even with an ear tip it is going to be difficult to tell these kittens apart. I was thinking of putting a dot of white paint on the trapped kitten's side to make identification and trapping the remaining kitten easier. What do you think of this idea? Please be gentle, it's just an idea.

 

[Willowy]

Idk. The ear tip is probably all you'll have to go on. I've had cats who "helped" when I was painting something (regular interior latex paint), and it doesn't seem to hurt them, but most cats will pull and bite the painted fur out fairly quickly. Maybe if you put it on top of the kitten's head? But if she's young enough to be with mom cat it still might get groomed out.

I wonder if there's such a thing as a collar that biodegrades or falls off on its own after a while?

 

[kittypa]

I reckon that kitty will stay away from the trap after this adventure so the other one should be easy enough to get.

 

[Q2U]

I reckon that kitty will stay away from the trap after this adventure so the other one should be easy enough to get.

One would think so. However, I’ve found that it really depends on the cat. Some will never go back into th trap, yet some find the lure of food irresistible and go back in after several days.

 

[jcat]

I'd worry about the toxicity of paint. How about food coloring?

 

[TobiDaDog]

Okay, strange idea but...if you're going to have then both tipped, can you get the vet to tip an opposite ear on each? One left, one right?

 

[Wile]

Maybe you could use a non-toxic water-based paint? I know some researchers will spray-paint animals to help track individuals in a colony.

 

[tabbytom]

Okay, strange idea but...if you're going to have then both tipped, can you get the vet to tip an opposite ear on each? One left, one right?

This may not work as it is a universal sign that left ear tipped cats are males and right ear tipped cats are females. Unless these two kittens are of the opposite sex then it's possible.

 

[msaimee]

The ear tip should be enough to tell them apart. Your main concern is not re-trapping the same one, right? Even apart from the ear tip, you'll be able to tell if a cat has recently been spayed or neutered, the area on a female will be shaved, and the male will no longer have balls. I wouldn't mark a cat with paint or food coloring, or any substance. They will lick it off and may become sick, and when it rains it will come off anyway. No two cats are exactly identical. Take pictures of the two cats and study them, I'm sure you will find some difference.

 

[kittychick]

I agree with msaimee - - I do know people who'd tried to use non-toxic paint, and some who've tried food-coloring, and even special coloring that groomers use (this was what worked best for our friend who was in your situation.) It's special coloring made SPECIFICALLY for animals - - and is considered extremely safe. But -- it WILL come off eventually - between the animal growing, getting groomed by others in the colony, grooming themselves, and weather (rain/snow/etc).

And I get your issue - we've TNR'd alot of kitties, and five - now four as we lost one last year () of these kitties that we TNR'd now live basically 99% of the time on our property, mainly in our garage (where they have heated shelters, matts to keep their tootsies from getting cold on the concrete floor while they eat their two meals of canned food and tuna treats - can you tell I have guilt bc I'd LOVE to bring them inside!?!?). And one of them is black ("Crosby") - but the other three are solid grey! (Aspen, Sookie and Brady). They're easier to tell apart in the summer, before the winter coats and generally puffiness (I hate to say "fat" ) kicks in. Particularly as Sookie is a "curvy girl," Aspen is smaller and dainty-boned, and Brady is in between. In the winter -- it's tough though! We talked initially about doing things to tell them apart - - but finally came down to just taking LOTS of pics (as suggested by msaimee !) and studying faces. We now know Sookie has a few white hairs on the bridge of her nose, Aspen's ear tip has a tiny notch, etc. We can now even relay that so that when friends come cat sit that they can tell the difference! It does work. Just take a little time to get good pics, and then to study them. But it's not really homework when you're staring at your adorable furry charges.

Good luck - let us know what you do!

 

[Kflowers]

Instead of paint you might use beet juice, get the kind canned or in a jar that doesn't have onions. I just checked with the ASPCA site and they say that beets aren't toxic to cats. That was their entire post, no makes them feel odd or anything.

It wouldn't last forever, but it might last long enough to be able to tell if you retrapped the same one for fixing.

 

[tabbytom]

I agree with what msaimee and kittychick mentioned. All kittens though look alike but they do have their own characteristics as in the way of their gait, run, sit, play, the way their fur grows and shades and special markings like a spot, paw colors and so on.

One may be more shy than the other which is one way to tell them apart.

If you hang around them often and long enough, it should be no problem identifying them. No need to put a special marking on them.

 

[Q2U]

Thank you so much all of you! However, all of this great energy is for naught...we trapped the sibling today while kitten #1 (she) was in spay recovery!

Here is #1 in her private recovery room...

 

[kittychick]

She's gorgeous!!!! (I'm a SUCKER for long-haired brown tigers!!!!! One of my "best" - I know, they're like children and all different and we love them all equally and differently, but who are we kidding? I loved KK, my first long-haired brown tiger SO much, I was SO poor that I walked him around the block on a shoestrings tied together - - creating lots of neighborhood enjoyment!).

Glad problem solved - - and all is well!!! Yeah!!!!

 

[Q2U]

She's tough...and because she's so small and cute I got careless...

 

[Q2U]

(I'm a SUCKER for long-haired brown tigers!

My Andy was a feral kitten. Andy is this little one's brother (but from 3 litters ago)...

 

[Q2U]

Andy is a bit of a character...

 

[kittychick]

Oh my god - - - it's a good thing neither wandered into our neighborhood - -- - I'd have been begging my husband even more. What a gorgeous lineage!!!! Such stunning faces! Andy is BEYOND adorable! The super striking white around Andy's eyes...wow! And that video had me laughing WAY too loud (as I woke my husband up....who was asleep on a completely different floor!).....that video had it all....slo-mo....great soundtrack....a gorgeous lion cut with the best pom tail ever....I'm in love. We lost our last 2 long-hair brown tiger rescues less than a year apart, just about two years ago (one was about 20, the other right around 19....but I still wish they had lived longer. Phoebe (below - - in her 16th year!) was quite scrappy too - -- my hubby's hands often resembled your bandage photo after getting Phoebe into her cat carrier for vet visits.

 

[Q2U]

Andy is BEYOND adorable!