HELP

[Sarah]

There are at least 2 kittens by the dumpster inthe Industrial Park where I work. They're living behind an old carbumper it looks like. They're old enough to be running around, butstill pretty small.

I called various "cat rescues" but they don't rescue stray cats. Onetold me to call D.C. Animal Control. When I asked this so-called animalrescuer if Animal Control would kill them she said "I don't know whatthey do." I even tried the humane society, but they said they wouldkill the kittens if they're under 8 wks old. Should I try to take them?How should I catch them? I know they'll die out there. We're backed upto the woods so I'm sure a fox or an owl or something would get them.

Please help.

 

[m.e.]

I would suggest setting a Have-A-Heart trap. Iflocal rescues won't take stray cats, ask them what you can do to carefor them. Be careful, they are probably crawling with fleas and willneed to be de-wormed and vaccinated.

If you still cannot find a rescue that will take them, try placing thekittens in good homes yourself (have the new owners sign a contractsaying they will be spayed/neutered and kept indoors)

Those are just a few ideas, let me know if I can be of any more help.

~M

 

[Sarah]

Can I buy one at Petco? Where do I get a trap? Is there a way to do it without a trap?

I don't know anything about cats really. In fact I'm sort ofallergic to them, so I've never owned one. I would be willing to takethem in and get them vet care for the fleas and worms and that sort ofthing and place them in a home myself as you said M.E. If I could justget them.

Thanks for the help M.E. My heart is bleeding all over the place& I really need theadvice.

 

[m.e.]

Well, Have-a-Heart (aka Havahart) is the easiest.Here is a list of the retail stores they sell in:http://www.havahart.com/sales/retail_sales.asp I say theyare the easiest, because they enable you to leave the trap there andcome back later to check on it.

Unless you think the kittens might just come to you, in which case Iwould recommend getting a can of food and a carrier, and trying to coaxthem in. You don't want to scare them too much, or they might not cometo you at all.

Hope this helps. Here if you need me.

~M

 

[Sarah]

It looks like there are at least 3 now. They havebig, beautiful eyes. One is black, one is white with some othermarkings and one is orange. The orange one wants to come over, but isstill too skeptical.We have some catfood here at work, soI've been trying to tempt them with it. I don't have a carrier but Ihave a nice big cardboard box. My insanely lofty hope is that I cancoax them all into the box and get them out of the disgusting placethey're trying to live. I would feel terrible if I could only get oneand not the rest. I'd feel even worse if I couldn't rescue any of them.

 

[bluebird]

Sadly were i live if the animal shelter is full,the animal control picks them up and they keep them for like 24 hoursthen they put them to sleep.The shelter used to take them but then theybecame no kill so when they are full if the animal control cant find ashelter they dont even get a chance to be adopted.You can get thosetraps at tractor supply or if you feed them a couple of days you may beable to catch them.I would loan you my trap if you lived close enoughto get it.good luck bluebird

 

[Sarah]

It's not looking good. This morning when myco-worker and I went to see the kittens, a man at aneighboring business told us they were gone. We noticed a big sticknear their hole, and we're worried. It's 1:00 and I haven't seen themall day. I hope they're OK. I'm going to go down and look for them asoften as I can.

 

[panacrent]

did you see them at all yesterday? i hope they are alright. i lovekittens.

 

[Sarah]

No, I didn't. I brought a carrier with meyesterday and cat food. We walked down to the dumpster where they'reusually running around, and they weren't there. We left the food outfor them and checked hourly. The food wasn't touched and we never sawthem. I know that the people in the office closest to the dumpstersknew about the kittens and may have been feeding them. I'm hopingdeeply that someone had been planning to take them, had noticed myinterest, and decided to scoop them up before I could. My fear is thatsomething bad happened to them. I feel like it would be unlikely forsomething to happen to all of them. I don't know if I'm just tellingmyself that because I want them to be safe. I really cared so much forthem and wanted in the worst way to save them.