# Two feral babies saved.



## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

These are kittens that were in the back with 2 slightly older kittens. Those that know me know I HATE going in to the back of the shelter - that is were the hard decisions are made about who is adoptable and who is not. 4 feral kittens were brought in - these 2 are the smallest. I convinced the caretakers to PLEASE let us just try and get them to come around. Two weeks I begged for. "oh no they are much too feral" they said. She opened the door to the cage and they were pretty nasty, but these two just cowered and cringed until picked up THEN the true fear came out! They zipped and tried like crazy to get away but when caught again they did not try to bite. "See!!??" I said, we can work with that!

My friend (a fellow foster volunteer) took them home where she has 2 young children that are working with them and after 2 days they are starting to purr :thumb


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Oh Marcia, you are their angel to have given them a second chance. Come on Babies show them you can make it as domestic furbabies


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## Artiesmom1 (Jan 28, 2014)

Awww---Marcia, you are truly a Guardian Angel....


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## Smaughunter (Feb 14, 2014)

That's amazing Marcia! Thank you for advocating for these kitties.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

Aww it is always a hard decision. I have had fully non feral terrified kittens try to bite before. fear just overrides the mind! poor things. I know you hate going back there, but at least you do try to see the potential when some won't try because it is easier to just push them on through.

((hugs))


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Thank you for giving these babies a chance. Please let us know how they do!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Marcia,
I can visualize you, steeling yourself, to go into THAT area...
You're a Warrior! :thumbup::thumbup:
Bless you for advocating, for two little spirits, that couldn't, for themselves...
Now they have a chance!
You ROCK Lady!!


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

I did forget to mention, they are adorable!


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## Marmoset (Feb 18, 2014)

My Matty was like that too. He came around faster than I could have imagined. I'm so glad someone is giving them a chance. They are far to little to write off as unadoptable imo.


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## TranquilityBlue (Nov 13, 2014)

They're SO CUTE! The little long haired guy or gal is going to be a looker for sure


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## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you for rescuing them, Marcia!! <3

It really bothers me that so many kill shelters don't even bother trying to socialize feral kittens like this! Kittens this young pretty much always come around, and it doesn't tend to take very long either. Heck, I don't feel like it takes the adult semi-ferals I socialize all that long to warm up to people--2 - 6 months of angry, fearful cat is nothing when you consider the 15 - 20 years of loving house kitty that follows! And, that's a lot longer than it should take to socialize any 10 week old kitten! 

I'm so glad Toronto has a municipal TNR program--I'm like you, Marcia: I just _can't_ go into some of the rooms at the local Animal Services shelter, knowing that the majority of the cats in those rooms aren't going to make it out.  It's still terrible that so many are put down, but at least the feral cats that end up TAS and have no hope of ever being adopted are now fixed and released back to the colonies they've come from.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

The only way I found out about it was overhearing a caretaker talking about feral babies. "How old?" I asked. "Young" she said. "I wanna see" I said. "No" she said. I'm not allowed in Feral room so I said "PLEEEZZZEEE??? Pretty Please???". It was all over after that. I really did plead for them. 

It is a hard decision for caretakers. It is kitten season and we only have so many foster moms. Only so many can be saved and there is no shortage of friendly babies - the younger non feral babies that make their way to us. I really do understand the shelter's predicament. I've been there long enough they will respect my pleading. I also promised just 2 weeks of our time. If they can't show a sweet side by then they will come back. Sad. Pray for sweetness to exude in a short time. I think it will, judging by what I'm hearing already.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

dt8thd said:


> Thank you for rescuing them, Marcia!! <3
> 
> It really bothers me that *so many kill shelters don't even bother trying to socialize feral kittens like this*! Kittens this young pretty much always come around, and it doesn't tend to take very long either.


 dt8thd, it's not that they WON'T, they can't. We just don't have the resources. We have so few fosters willing to take them in (I think only 3 or 4 of us) and the caretakers have a whopping big job to do there as it is. I wish I could explain it better but we just don't have the manpower to care for them all. We take in 300 cats a month and only adopt out 150 on a good month as it is. It's a very, very sad situation but I am proud and honored to be able to do a small part to help.


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## kbear (May 12, 2013)

both kittens are beautiful. I hope they come around because I know they will be adopted!


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## kbear (May 12, 2013)

TranquilityBlue said:


> They're SO CUTE! The little long haired guy or gal is going to be a looker for sure


I bet jasper would like that one--they would make quite a beautiful couple


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

How the babies doing? Socializing I hope?


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Thanks for asking BB! The white one is a sweetheart they say - cuddles with them and is a happy camper. The black and white is still a work in progress. We decided to split them up so they are not co-dependent. It has helped the white one tremendously. 

Another foster friend took the other 2 long haired calicos that were with these 2 so it's not 2 anymore, it's 4 saved! He tells me that the larger of the 2 is a sweetie after a few days but the smaller of the two is a hissing snarling little demon. He is going to separate them also. We can only hope for the best at this point! All of these babies were slated for euthanasia.


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh, Marcia, that is wonderful! I kept thinking about the fate of the other two babies! So happy now!


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

Great! split them up and put them with more socialized cats. that is brilliant! Give them role models. Maybe if these do well and get adopted, the shelter will take a chance on others?


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