// And Then There Were Six (!!!) More...

Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Yep... six! While Mike and I were away on our North Carolina trip, my mom called to tell me that we had kittens. We had no idea where they came from or how they got there, but they were taking up residence on our carport. She said my stepdad claimed he saw three or four, but they were too fast to get a good idea. I was a little dumbfounded to be honest. There are some (seemingly?) feral cats in our wooded neighborhood, but we've managed to keep our brood down to only two. Our first order of business when we got home was to figure out what my parents were talking about.

Well, as soon as we pulled into the driveway we saw two kittens scurry away. They looked to be a few weeks old, but we didn't know where the mama cat was. We finally found the mama cat lounging on our carport the next morning. To my surprise she was incredibly sweet and friendly. It's obvious that she's been domesticated. The heartbreaking part was how incredibly skinny she seemed. We gave her some food and she crawled right up into my lap for some petting. We started noticing more of the kittens, too. I was able to pick up two of them, but they didn't like it. (Not one bit!) I realized that I was only making them more scared so I've since kept my distance. One bit me 4 times and left my fingers swollen and bloody, but I still try to approach them with treats. The orange one is starting to warm up to me a little bit. We came to an agreement that there were only 3 kittens - a grey-ish version of the mom, a black-speckled kitten, and then a bright orange one just like Tater Tot. A few days later we noticed them all nursing on the carport... this time there were five kittens! There just so happened to be three versions of the little grey one. Oh boy...

Mike was not stoked on me feeding and petting the mama cat. I've resisted the urge to name her because I know once I do I'll never be able to let her go. I'm not trying to earn a spot on Animal Hoarders, okay?! I just don't have it in me to see a hungry cat with kittens go without. I've been trying to let the kittens warm up to me so we can round them all up and send them to new homes, and I don't want to use a trap. I want them to be able to trust me. Ideally I'd love for them to all go to the same home together, but I know that's just wishful thinking.

Our little town doesn't have a proper humane society or anything like that, so I refuse to just drop them off somewhere. We've been keeping Enid and Tater Tot inside most of the time just because the new cat hasn't been properly checked out by the vet or anything. The kittens are old enough that they're eating solid food, but they also still like to nurse. I really don't know anything about cats but I'm hoping some friends (or friends of friends) might want to take one or two of these little guys home. They're all really beautiful kittens, and the mama cat is the sweetest thing ever. We simply can't be "those" people in the neighborhood... you know, the one with seven cats and two dogs?! Yeah...

So with that being said, if you have any words of wisdom or anything about how to rehome these kittens, I'm all ears. I'm so out of my element here haha Also, if you're in/around Nashville or Middle Tennessee and you want a cat/kitten of your own, get in touch! Our Animal Control just kills them all and I can't stomach that thought. I'd love for them to go to homes that will actually care for them. The last thing our small neighborhood needs is more feral cats.

edited to add: The orange kitten just let me hold him for about 5 minutes. Progress! Slow, but steady progress! // Judging by this, they're around 3 or 4 weeks old. (In that case, we'll keep them until they're fully weaned, then assess our options. Or if someone is interested in all 6, then we'd rehome them together). They're eating solid food, but still also nursing. // We also called our vet and while there's nowhere we can take the cat or kittens, we've been given the number to a (sorta) local organization that will help spay the mama cat.

23 comments:

  1. Awwwwwww - bless! Mama-cat is absolutely stunning, and it's great that you're taking care of her... as the babies are still nursing she needs a lot of nutrition to take care of both herself and the wee ones.

    However... unless mama-cat gets spayed she will very soon (if not already) be pregnant again. Re-homing cute little kittens shouldn't be a problem (put up a poster at a local store), but since mama-cat has chosen you as her guardian... what about keeping her? I got two kitties and two dogs... dogs loves the cats! One cat loves the dogs, and my other kitty hates everyone - including the dogs, me, and the other cat. Hahahahah.

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    1. Ah, I didn't know that (about getting pregnant immediately after)! Maybe I can take her to a local vet or something and see what our options are as far as spaying her. Mike really just does *not* want another cat. Understandable since we just took in Tater Tot less than 6 months ago. 3 cats, 2 bulldogs and 1 kid is *a lot* haha She's really sweet and I'm not opposed to the idea of keeping her, but I also need to respect Mike's wishes ya know? I know he'd warm up to her (he was loving on her this morning) but we really have no business owning 3 cats! haha

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    2. :D - of course you got business having three cats! You never own a cat - they own you! She's so adorable, I'm sure she'd fit right in. :D

      My plan was always just the one kitty... but then we spotted a poor starving stay being kicked about by two men - and suddenly there was two kitties! And then a dog... and then another. :D

      Sadly my female (the rescue) kitty died last year... but after a few months it felt right to give some love to another kitty, and thus we ended up with one more cat. :D I got a tiny little house with a tiny little garden... the dream would be to one day live in the country side... I'd be the mad cat-dog-goat-cow woman! Hahahahaha!

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  2. The first order of business is to call some local cat rescues, explain the situation and have them picked up. No animal should be rehomed without vaccinations, being fixed and being vet checked. A good cat rescue should be able to take in the whole litter and make sure they are safe to be adopted out.

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    1. We found a local rescue here in Nashville but their information is unclear about whether or not they'd take in the mama cat, but I'll definitely give them a call! Thanks!

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  3. I'm pretty sure kittens should stay with their mothers for a good eight weeks until they are completely weaned. Like, it's not the end of the world, but that way they learn good cat behaviour and get all the nutrition they need (I believe my cat was taken away early because she's a chewer).

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    1. Yeah I actually wrote this well before we had *any* idea of their approximate age. Judging by their size, ability to eat solid food, and quick reactions we had assumed they were easily at least 6 or 7 weeks old. We're still not 100% sure, but we're going to take them into our vet next week if we can catch them all. Even if we can only take in one, they'll be able to tell us more.

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  4. I literally just found a kitty in our back forest 2 days ago and fell in love with him. He came around again yesterday and seemed to have claimed me as his owner so I decided to take him in. He is so young and so skinny and had a hurt paw :( That's kitty number 4 and our second forest rescue haha. four!!! We never expected this many kitties either but sometimes they just find you ;) He'll be off to the vet next week to get checked out to make sure he's safe to be around our others. Currently he's quarantined to one room and has already made himself right at home :) If you can't find a friend to take her, I'd take your girl in... three cats really isn't a huge extra responsibility especially if you already have all of the kitty supplies :). That's the great thing about cats, they're pretty independent haha... they just want food, a warm home, and love :D

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  5. I'm sure Nashville has an SPCA, check it out. And since its a big city google "no kill shelters". Here's what I found: http://www.nokillnetwork.org/d/Tennessee/ has an already organized list of no kill shelters in TN (do I remember that you are in Marysville? There's an org that). Additionally, the whole google page was filled with options. It looks like Nashville has a Humane Society at least. I would call the places first so that they know you are coming and have room (and make sure to double-triple check they are no kill - ask - "What do you do if the animals are no adopted?" and "How long do you keep them?"). Hopefully you'd be willing to drive a few towns over to give these kitties a safe place to be!

    As far as taming the kittens, food is always key to a ktties' heart!

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  6. Is Nashville Cat Rescue one of the local groups you've contacted? A friend does a lot of work with them, and they're usually great at taking kitties in if it's at all possible. I foster pups for Freedom Farm out of Hendersonville, I don't know if there are any open fosters for kitties right now but it's another rescue to check out if you guys need to.

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  7. I live in Rutherford County and I WISH I could have a kitten :( Unfortunately my landlord says no. I'm sure you'll find good homes for them!

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  8. The Dainty Squid has experience with giving strays forever homes, maybe ask her for some tips?

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  9. I can totally come pick up the orange one when they are ready! I'm only a few hours from there!

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  10. One thing I know for sure is that it's super important to handle them as much as you can when they're as young as possible, they need that socialization or they will be nervous and skittish their whole lives and find it difficult to ever bond with people (of course that is a generalization). So while they may hate it you should try as much as you can to hold them, maybe wear some gardening gloves until they tolerate it a little better!

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  11. This has happened to me three times in the last year. I just have relied on cl. One time the kittens were only a week or so old and the nicest lady offered to bottle feed then spay them when old enough and find them homes etc. she still sends me pics and all have found homes.

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  12. I don't know if that actually sent or not but I have relied on craigslist every time this has happened to me. Three times in the last year. The last batch were only a week old. A ton of people reached out. The lady I sent them too bottle fed them, when old enough gt them fixed then found them new homes. She even kept me updated

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  13. I seriously have the weakest heart for animals. That could be why I have 3 dogs and a cat and still almost adopted another cat... Not crazy, I swear, just loving!

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  14. I want a kitty! I'm coming to TN this weekend (our friend is getting hitched there, we're Ohioians) :)~

    The husband wouldn't be too thrilled and we just got some birds. I'm one of those crazy cat ladies. Hey that's what you need! Find a crazy cat lady... she won't be able to say no :)

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  15. !!! Look at those cuties! Poor scared little things. So glad there are wonderful people like you to look after these critters!

    -Becca
    Ladyface Blog

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  16. Haha! I can totes relate to this post. About a month ago my family found an abandoned mother cat and her last surviving kitten living under our neighbors house. They've since been moved into our house. Watching a kitten is so much fun! Ours is so super hyper - it's hillarious!

    Our kitten was about three or four weeks when we found her, too, and that's a great age to start them getting used to people! Ours still jumps and runs away when we walk by her, but she also lets us pick her up and hold her and she sleeps in our arms. Lol! She's so finicky. xD

    Hope you find the kittens good homes! In my experience, stay kittens make the best pets. My first cat was a stray we found as a kitten and we had her 16 till she passed and she was the best cat I've ever seen (and I'm not biased at all!).

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  17. kitties! you are so kind to take care of them [and momma] until they have a home. I wish more people would get their pets juddered or spayed. It does these poor stray animals such an injustice. :(

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  18. oh my gosh what sweet little creatures. i'm a cat person all the way and i love that you've adopted some into your life ^.^ these babies look about 6 weeks and i think your best bet is to try and find a foster mom/dad for them. they'll usually board them and take care of them and to me, it's important to find someone who isn't already fostering a bunch of animals. it's important for kittens to get a lot of attention if they'll be domesticated cause it serves them a better chance to grow into friendly little pets and they'll be able to develop their personalities without the fears of being around too many animals they don't know. i got my cat from a foster mom who dealt with Angel Paws...and i'm not sure if that is a national organization or what (i'm in NJ) but i'm sure there are similar ones near you! i think by being fostered too people might be more inclined to keep some of them together. we almost adopted my cat's brother as well but he was sick at the time and i found out later he didn't make it :'(. best of luck though and you're amazing for taking care of them. i'd take em all if i could <3

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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB