# Feral Kittens & Fun story



## Jennz (Jun 9, 2009)

Alright, so I admit I do not know alot about cats, I am a first time cat owner and had actually joined this forum orginally for advice, and I recieved it, applied it, and now me and my newly adopted tortie kitty named Keenala are doing wonderful ! 

Anyways though, it seems alot of people have trouble with feral kittens, but I caught them all my life growing up at my Grandparents farm. Whenever my dad would take us up there the first thing I would do is ask my Grandpa if there was any wild kitties around. He'd tell me he had seen a few and where they would hang out. Alot of the time I went on these quests alone, othertimes I rounded up my younger cousins to help me. I would find where they we're located by sneaking up to each place and peaking in. Alot of the time I found them in the same barn every year or few months I went. Once I located them, I was always just very queit, and would only catch one at a time each day. I'd slowly sneek up to one and grab it (gently) in whichever way I could, and despite the fact these kittens we're chewing and clawing my arm up to no end, I wouldn't let go, I would alot of the time get hold of their scruff, because this way they went limp and stopped hurting me, then I would sit down somewhere queit and lay the kitten down in my lap, letting go of the scruff but restraining them from running or clawing me, and i'd very softly talk to them and pet them. Once they would calm down, I would head back up to the house and receive the usual lecture from my grandma "Jennifer if you bring that kitten in here it's gonna get loose and hide under a couch or something" but she'd always have a small heated bowl of milk ready for me to give them. After cuddling with the kitten a while, I would return it to it's mother and siblings and call it a day.

Every morning I would go back out there to catch another one, and each day I went into the barns the new ones I caught would just lay there and let me come to them. There was actually one year that 7 kittens had survived and we're growing up, and I had caught and tamed them all and they would all come out of the barn in a group when I called them, running through the tall grass chasing after me. I think for me taming these feral kittens was alot of bravery, because despite everytime we went to go back home from my grandparents, i'd leave with cuts and bites everywhere on my arms and hands and even face and chest sometimes, along with my extreme cat allergies (Which I am over now due to this rigerous cycle of cat exposure) I would also always try and take my favorite kitten (Which I had named since I caught it) but my parents always caught me and said no, I could have a cat when I moved out. Well here I am, after 21 years I am moved out, and I got my cat, and I couldn't be happier. Hopefully some of this was useful or atleast maybe the story entertained you. Goodluck with those feral kitties!


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

What a great job you did taming those kittens! I hope, after all of your effort, that these babies found homes. After childhood, I had to wait until I was married to get my own cats. Friends of mine brought me two barn cats, and I was thrilled. There was one black and one white, and that was a tradition I kept all of my married life....until I got Siamese cats. I won't be satisfied until I have another black cat, though. I think they're beautiful! Keep posting! I enjoyed your story.


----------



## Jennz (Jun 9, 2009)

Thanks ! Glad you liked it! I love my tortie kitten now, I can see myself getting more in the future 

Unfortunately as for the majority of those kittens, they did not find homes. My family all live on farms and sadly they don't have the same interest in cats as I do. My Grandpa always fed the feral cats at his barn, but sadly many of them die in the cold or because of coyotes and other wild animals getting to them, or they just wander off to wherever. Thats why I always wanted so badly to bring them home, I knew what their fate most likely was if I didn't. I try not to think about that though. There was 2 that I had tamed as kittens, orange and white twins, except boy & girl and their coloring is backwards on seperate sides of the body. My aunt took them to her farm outside my city and named them Lefty and Righty. Not the names I had tamed them with  But oh well, their her kitties and they grew up wonderfully.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Jennz, there are great, easy ideas for warm winter homes at the top of this forum. Perhaps the family would be interested. It's heartbreaking to think of the kittens dying from the cold.


----------



## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

I enjoyed reading about your passion for kittens since childhood! Sounds like this is where you should devote your time~ making a difference for ferals. Are there any TNR groups in your area?

My sister and I were laughing the other night. When we were kids she take her allowance and go buy books and candy. Id go collect the stray dogs and take my allowance and buy food and feed them! Some things never change. Its the core of who we are. We just need to tap into it.

Its nice to hear you now have your own kitty now. Glad you are on Cat Forum.


----------

