# How do I adopt wild cats?



## Soleil (Jan 14, 2005)

There are three kittens who live in my garden that I've been feeding since they were really small. They're about 6 months or 7 months now. I want to go further and give them their shots and do something for them. Their mother who still comes here every evening for a meal has abandoned them and hisses at them and pounces at them now..but she was an amazing mother while it lasted.

So, how do I go about it? They do let me pick them up if I'm standing close by but they squirm a lot and wriggle out. How on earth do I capture all three of them?

Also I already own a cat so before I integrate them these have to have their shots and all that.

Also, the mother cat scratched me yesterday and drew blood. I haven't had any anti-rabies or anything like that. Am I at any risk of getting anything serious?

Please help!


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## spittles (Oct 24, 2003)

You can buy humane cat traps and trap them. Alley Cat Allies(www.alleycat.org) has information on how to do TNR(trap-neuter-return) with wild cats.

Take Care  
Abhay


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

Happy to hear you care about these kittens  ..like Abhay told you check out the links on advise about trapping ferals.
You're right, they should be seen by your vet before you let them in your house.
As for the scracht you got from their mother; ferals/strays carry many diseases so I'd say ask your doctor. I don't know if anti-rabies or tetanus(sp) vaccine. If there have been rabies cases recently in your area you'll probably have to have anti-rabies vaccination but not sure. 
Keep us updated how the trapping goes..good luck!


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## Soleil (Jan 14, 2005)

Thanks a lot to both of you for your suggestions and I will look at these sites. I guess a HUGE problem for me would be the fact that I live in India. It's not really very cat oriented. Most people go in for dogs. Even the vets here, so many of them are completely unaccustomed to treating small animals. I have a pet cat inside and he really suffers when I take him in for his booster shots every year. They just don't know.
The thing is I've read about feline hiv and how male cats esp could easily pick them up as they wander so much.
I just want to do whatever I can for them. I will try really hard though, inspite of the never ending obstacles that stand in my way.


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Soleil, I'm glad to hear you want to help the kittens . I would also suggest that you buy a safe trapping cage. I bought a Have A Heart trapping cage and I was able to catch three orange Tabby brothers who I kept . I also have a cat inside. She is 17 teen years old and all four get along just fine. I started out to catch and keep just one but I could not stand to break up their family. I never did see a mother for them so I really felt I had to get them all. They were about 2 months old when I caught them .Please, when you catch them get them all checked out at your vet before you introduce them to your other cat. If you do buy a trapping cage please don't give up if you do not catch them all right away. Sometimes it takes longer then you would think. I was lucky and caught all of mine in about 2-3 weeks from catching the first one. Good luck and keep us posted!!!! I sure hope you will be as lucky as I was.


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## Soleil (Jan 14, 2005)

That's really great that you caught all three at one time...I am envious! Not just because you were able to catch them all but because you could keep them. I'm facing major opposition here esp from my mum who doesn't want her furniture shredded and all that.
But tell me honestly, is 7 months and over too late? My sister keeps saying it is too late and it's impossible at this stage. Can wild cats still be rehabilitated at this age? I noticed all the kittens you caught were two months old at the time.


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Soleil, I will tell you that whatever I learned and know now about feral cats I learned from this forum. I know when I had questions everyone was very helpful and I was told that sometimes it is alittle bit harder or I should say sometimes it takes alittle bit longer when they are older. Don't forget 7 months really isn't that old. I would have gladly kept trying for the other kittens even though they are older now ( their about 7 months also ) but when I saw the three kittens without a mother and with the cold weather coming I thought I should help them with a home. I wish I could keep them all! I was told that you can tame them down . You seem like a very kind hearted and caring person so I am sure you can do it! I wish you all the best! Take care and good luck!


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Soleil said:


> Their mother who still comes here every evening for a meal has abandoned them and hisses at them and pounces at them now..but she was an amazing mother while it lasted
> quote]
> 
> I just wanted to mention about the mother cat hissing at her kittens. I also saw that with the mother cat of the kittens that I wanted to get. She was so protective of them and then when they got older and came with her for food she would hiss and paw at them. Someone on the forum told me that they do that to teach them to fend for themselves. I didn't know that then but it does make sense to me now. When they are eating together now she is just fine with them being there when she eats. Its amazing how smart they are! I just wanted to mention that to you in case you were wondering about it the way I was.


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## Soleil (Jan 14, 2005)

Thanks for that info Cameocat. Yeah, I did wonder actually...because she was so loving and went out of her way to provide and look after them. One of the kittens especially, a white one whom we call 'Precious' was the most attached to her Mum. The other kittens got the message pretty quick but Precious never would. She would keep going after her and keep getting pounced on or scratched. But I'm glad that she finally has accepted it now.
It's amazing...just how much I've learnt about their habits just by observing them. Cats are just so amazing, everything about them! Cats are magical creatures


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Soleil, I'm glad to have helped you. You know the mother cat had three kittens and there was always this one kitten that just kept coming up to her and rubbing her while she ate. She would hiss and growl at him all the time. The other two kittens would always back away. But not Socks (thats what I call him ). And do you know now that their older and she doesn't do that anymore that is the kitten that she always seems to come with. Then the other two usually show up together. I used to get so upset to watch when she did that and now they could not be any closer to each other. I had cats all my life but during the last three years that I have been doing this I find that they amaze me evey day. They are such wonderful animals. They are caring and giving without wanting anything in reurn. I wish more people could be more like our cats. The world would be a better place. Keep me posted! Good luck with the kitties!


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## Soleil (Jan 14, 2005)

Here's an update on the three kittens. Well, it's not working out. Yesterday I caught Ginger. Well, not really 'caught' as they let me pick them up if I'm close by...so I picked him up and put him inside a wicker basket. It's airy and huge. But obviously he must have been terrified. I took him into the house and opened the basket to let him out. He didn't come out immediately, he jumped out a few moments later and headed straight for the windows. (Maybe because he could see the sky and lawn there?)
Anyway he started climbing the netlon and the windows are extremely high. Right upto the ceiling. He cried a lot too. Like he was really distressed. Not his normal meow. 
Anyway, he went right up and wouldn't come down or didn't know how to. I got him down somehow and put him out again.
I hope I haven't caused any damage...he seems himself...I mean, he doesn't run away from me after that.
Well, I don't know...maybe I have left it too late...maybe they can't be rehabilitated...they're too wild.....maybe they can never be inside cats.
I got into real trouble over the torn netlon and blamed it on our cat


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## Celeste_Eden (Jan 18, 2005)

the rabies virus is passed through saliva and blood contact. and tetnus requires a puncture wound. tenus is dormant and will remain so if exposed to oxygen. when it's in a puncture wound, free of oxygen, then it wakes up and starts to spread and attack your bodies cells. i'd just disinfect the scratch with some peroxide or rubbing alcohol and call it good.


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