Kittens-please help! Updated

A stray has placed her kittens in one of our sheds. I initially thought she gave birth to the babies in there but it looks like they are about 4 weeks old. So I think she actually brought them here. There are two kittens. I called our vet who told me to not disturb them but to give mom water and kitten food as she will need extra calories to BF the babies. So I did that and she has been eating and so have the babies! So it looks like they are weaned from mommy. So my question, is there anywhere I can take them or is there an org that will come pick them up? We have actually not gone near them when they're out b/c I'm afraid of mom (I have never had a cat in my life). Or do you know of anyone who would like a kitten or two?

Here are some pics: Kittens

Thank you

Message edited 5/5/2011 12:06:22 PM.

Re: Kittens-please help!

Sorry if this is long, just want to give you info and choices
At this point they are probably feral. Kittens need to be handled at a very young age and these look 2 months old at least. If you were to try to go near them you would risk getting bit or having them run away and potentially getting injured.
You can call a rescue group and see if they can TNR them to avoid more babies, and so long as you don't mind you might want to just let them live in your yard. If they are TNR'd they will be calmer and won't go into heat or anything.
If you can't find a rescue, you can get traps, trap them and bring them into a shelter to have them fixed, but try not to leave them at a shelter unless it is a no kill. The numbers of animals in shelters is sky rocketing and they would probably just be euthanized

Re: Kittens-please help!

Thanks so much for the info! I can't believe that they are that old and probably feral the first time we saw them was Monday or else I would've acted sooner. I would definitely only take them to a non kill shelter. We just got a new puppy, have two young kids so no I would rather they not live in our yard. But I don't want them to get hurt either. I guess I will call around to see who can do the trap if we are unsuccessful. We live in Franklin square. Do you know of place close by? Thanks again!

Re: Kittens-please help!

Posted by pnm1654

Thanks so much for the info! I can't believe that they are that old and probably feral the first time we saw them was Monday or else I would've acted sooner. I would definitely only take them to a non kill shelter. We just got a new puppy, have two young kids so no I would rather they not live in our yard. But I don't want them to get hurt either. I guess I will call around to see who can do the trap if we are unsuccessful. We live in Franklin square. Do you know of place close by? Thanks again!

Re: Kittens-please help!

Hey, thanks for the reply. I never updated this, but kittens have been adopted.
On Sunday we were able to trap the kittens in a carrier and were going to take them to a no kill shelter when my neighbor happened to see my husband walking out of the backyard with the carrier. She asked what was in there and my husband told her two kittens. She saw them and fell in love and took them BOTH! She took them to the vet, they are about 8 weeks old, in great health and not feral. They are also both girls and have been named Faith and Hope. Spoke to her a few days ago and she said they are doing great. They sit with her on the couch and wrap themselves around her or her husband's neck and love the attention they're getting. I am beyond happy and excited that they have found an amazing home and since they are right next door I will be able to watch them grow.
As for mom, the town of hempstead animal shelter is going to TNR her. They came to my house yesterday and set the trap but mommy saw them and didn't return until the evening (after they picked the trap back up). They are going to come back today to set it again, but we haven't seen her all morning. I really hope she comes back so she can be spayed. All the orgs that I contacted over the weekend told me she might very well be pg again and not to wait.

Message edited 5/5/2011 12:09:04 PM.

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

Yay glad the kittens were adopted! I hope they trap the mom soon.

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

Posted by pnm1654

Hey, thanks for the reply. I never updated this, but kittens have been adopted.
On Sunday we were able to trap the kittens in a carrier and were going to take them to a no kill shelter when my neighbor happened to see my husband walking out of the backyard with the carrier. She asked what was in there and my husband told her two kittens. She saw them and fell in love and took them BOTH! She took them to the vet, they are about 8 weeks old, in great health and not feral. They are also both girls and have been named Faith and Hope. Spoke to her a few days ago and she said they are doing great. They sit with her on the couch and wrap themselves around her or her husband's neck and love the attention they're getting. I am beyond happy and excited that they have found an amazing home and since they are right next door I will be able to watch them grow.
As for mom, the town of hempstead animal shelter is going to TNR her. They came to my house yesterday and set the trap but mommy saw them and didn't return until the evening (after they picked the trap back up). They are going to come back today to set it again, but we haven't seen her all morning. I really hope she comes back so she can be spayed. All the orgs that I contacted over the weekend told me she might very well be pg again and not to wait.

Message edited 5/5/2011 9:27:39 PM.

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

wow!! thanks so much for the heads up. They will spay her, keep her for two days and bring her back to me. I actually spoke to someone in their TNR department. By law the man told me they must release her back in my yard. The man told me right off the bat that they will not keep her. Plus knowing that an older feral cat would never be adopted, there is no way in hell that I would let anyone take her w/o guaranteeing her return to me. I actually got the idea of calling TOH from various rescue groups that I found on the long island cat project website.

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, right now, is under a microscope as they are scrambling and running in 20 different directions. IMO I would micromanage this situation to make sure that this cat gets returened, as I said, they are being watched by thousands animal lovers daily.

As far as a TNR department, they do not have one,despite what they may tell you, yet they refuse to contract these services out to TNR experts who would have trapped the cat the first time and given you thorough directions as to how to help make that caputure successful.

Once they fail to trap a cat, it is increasingly difficult as the cat is forwarned (in a sense) and far more hesitant to enter the trap

This is an example of one cat, there are thousands and if anyone is interested in seeing how the town deals with these kinds of situations, overall, I encourage you to attend upcoming Town of Hempstead Board Meetings.

In fact at the last Town Board Meeting (May 3rd) it was brought to the boards attention that a Hempstead resident was living with 28 cats, due to her son's love of homeless cats. She called the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and they refused to help her, not once but twice. Where was she to go with 28 cats, if her town shelter couldn't help her?

Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter helps those that can and will speak out against them, in their attempt to save face. Franklin Square is a much different community than Hempstead. It was very easy for the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter to tell the low income woman from Hempstead that they can't help her with 28 cats, knowing that she would have no resources to speak out or find those who could speak for her.

Town of Hempstead Animal "Shelter" is playing a cruel game of decieving the public and duping the taxpayers, all while animals lives hang in the balance. Please do not be fooled. Continue to be a voice for our homeless shelter animals and visit www.hopeforhempsteadshelter.com or on Facebook Hope for Hempstead Shelter

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

thinkinglikemommy: thanks for the info. I will definitely keep on top of them re: the neutering. Will the next meeting be posted on that website? I would like to go if I can make it.

Goobster: My husband did sign a piece of paper stating all of this. However, he did not get a copy I'm getting home early from work today so I'll be sure to ask the man for a copy of the paper. Thank you This is my first encounter with this stuff and I've really learned a lot. I feel so bad for all these cats roaming the streets. I'm just trying my best to do my part to help this mommy live a better life.

Re: Kittens-please help! Updated

Sounfds

Posted by pnm1654

thinkinglikemommy: thanks for the info. I will definitely keep on top of them re: the neutering. Will the next meeting be posted on that website? I would like to go if I can make it.

Goobster: My husband did sign a piece of paper stating all of this. However, he did not get a copy I'm getting home early from work today so I'll be sure to ask the man for a copy of the paper. Thank you This is my first encounter with this stuff and I've really learned a lot. I feel so bad for all these cats roaming the streets. I'm just trying my best to do my part to help this mommy live a better life.