Rescue Momma and Kittens... Advice Needed Please!

[ashade1]

They are here!

The tortie baby does not have white on her paws, but she does have orange mittens!
All of them need a good bit of socializing. I had to take their carrier because I couldn't get the mom out- she was climbing the top of the cage spitting at me lol. The kittens have tiny little hisses. Both tabbies are boys. Tortie is obviously a girl! Need a naming theme!
I have them all in an XL dog crate in my cool garage (it stays around 70 degrees) just so I can work with them a little more than I can with them hiding in my room. They have a little cat tower in the crate to hide in. Mom was STARVING. I am hoping we can get her in for a spay ASAP because there is a strong chance she might be pregnant again- she said there are strays EVERYWHERE there and asked if I could help with some more later.

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh, poor starving mom. I do hope you can help with more of those strays. It breaks my heart to hear about them.

 

[ashade1]

I am hoping to be able to help with them as well. I am working on getting some resources together and at least maybe get them spayed/neutered and provide them food and shelters. The only problem is that they are a little over a half hour away from me, so there is no way that I can go out there every day. I am hoping to work with the people who initially contacted me. I am just too full to take any at this time. We are getting the calico mom tomorrow and two of her babies. These are from the cats that are at a construction site. I think its likely she could be pregnant again as well since she also is outside. Her kittens are 9 weeks old apparently.
THEN I was contacted by one of the shelters that we work with... yesterday they took in 23 SENIOR CATS from one house! Oh my, where will I put them?? There is a beautiful tortie in that bunch as well! Looking for fosters.

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh my word! 23 senior cats!

How old are the cats?

Did someone pass away or go to a nursing home? Or what?

Also, why are you only getting 2 of the construction kittens?

 

[ashade1]

I haven't gotten the full story on these senior cats. I just received a panicked message from the rescue coordinator a bit ago!
As for the construction kittens- there apparently are only two left? I am not sure how many there was in the beginning, but I think they were finding homes for them. So we are getting the momma and the remaining two babies!

 

[ashade1]

These are the pictures I have gotten of some of the 23 senior cats that they desperately need help with. Their shelter was already full and now this. She said most are spayed/neutered, so I feel like it probably isn't a hoarder case? I am not sure- she hasn't messaged me yet. Love that tortie though It almost looks like there is something wrong with her one ear? But that might just be how she is holding her head... one of the white ones has funny ears too but I think he is just holding them weird because he is scared... Oh my... I wonder how many I can take in... I hate thinking of them spending their final days/months/years in a cage at the shelter. I haven't fostered too many senior kitties.. any special advice?

 

[ashade1]

So the owner went to a nursing home... here is the story in the news!
Owner of Abandoned Pets Gets Help
I told her we can definitely take the tortie if she doesn't already have a committed rescue. I am hoping to be able to take more but that will depend on if we can get some foster homes!

 

[Sarthur2]

Wow! If you could take a couple and find a few foster homes it would be great.

They look very healthy!

The cat with the folded down ears has what we call "cauliflower" ears. It occurs when a usually stray tom experiences injuries due to fighting, and/or has ear mites. Without treatment, the ears fold down and stay that way:

https://animalwellnessmagazine.com/cauliflower-ear-in-cats/

He looks healthy now!

The cats just need a good diet, regular medical care, and love!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It isn't actually a link, just stuff I know about cats. OK...so. We know that toms have stiff hairs on their boybits. There is a reason for that. When the female goes into heat, she has not yet released her ovum (eggs). The hairs scrape the walls of the vagina, which triggers the release of the ovum. HOWEVER, it takes multiple times, I've read both two and three, and am inclined to think three is correct. SO...since the sperm lives inside the female's body for UP TO SIX WEEKS after mating, this means that there is live sperm present from any and all toms who mate with her. The eggs are fertilized individually, so each egg could theoretically be fertilized by a different tom. In fact, due to the rapid cycling of heat, IF the female only mated ONCE in her prior heat without triggering the release of the ovum, then comes into heat again within that six weeks with the release of the ovum, there could be kittens from a tom she mated with six weeks prior.

And THAT, my Darlings, is why litters of kittens can look so very different from each other.

 

[ashade1]

The calico mom and her two remaining babies are here! They currently are being quarantined to a crate in the garage for tonight while they are being flea treated, they were infested! I think mom has a high chance of being pregnant again but I guess time will tell! Kittens are around 9 weeks I believe.

 

[Sarthur2]

Aww, is mom showing already?

 

[ashade1]

It is hard to say... She is pretty scrawny but has a belly... once she comes inside tomorrow I will get a better look at her. She is also still nursing the remaining babies so her nipples are full.

 

[ashade1]

I told the rescue coordinator that I could commit to two. The tortie and the one that looks like he has cauliflower ears. Adults are just so hard to place and we already have so many adults here already that I really cannot take any more than that. I am not sure just yet when we are getting them but fingers crossed some of our other adults here are adopted before then!

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, hopefully your adults will get forever homes soon!

Are you still holding Sadie and Sabrina?

Even taking two seniors is helping out quite a bit!

 

[ashade1]

Unfortunately Sadie and Sabrina's home fell through due to medical problems of the adopters It is always something- I usually try not to get excited about potential homes for the adults.

 

[Lyzzie]

Oh no, I'm sorry for them.

 

[Sarthur2]

Aww, my girls! I wish I could take them. They are so sweet!

I know it's hard. The right home will come up.

Some day you need an outdoor catio!

 

[ashade1]

Ok more information about the two senior cats we are getting! Both are spayed and combo tested negative! The tortie's name is Cupcake. She is about 9-10 years old. The black and white girl is Abby and she is about 16! They said her ears are folded down! I was thinking it might just be how she was holding them in the picture. We are working on transport now!

 

[Sarthur2]

Great! Yep, the cauliflower ears.

 

[daisyd]

daisyd That's because it isn't unusual for a litter to have two or more fathers. I can PM you with all the whys and wherefores if you are interested in stuff like that.

Those kittens are PRECIOUS! And, of course, I am entirely smitten with mama and tortiegirl. Whoever gets mama won't have to worry about a fire in their home, and I THINK I saw a white paw on the kit, as well, so there's another who protects from fire! I posted the legend about that some time ago, if anyone is interested, let me know and I'll link it.

Yes pm me about both !! I'd be interested !