# Feral kitten caught-- am I being crazy?



## khannonnd (Jan 31, 2010)

Hey guys--

It has been awhile since I have posted here. About 18 months ago I wrote about a siamese cat that had been abandonned in my parking garage and how I tried/eventually caught him. My wife and I adopted him and named him Herbie. Herbie had a great 18 months. Living the life of a pampered king. He really bonded with my wife and I.

Unfortunately a month or so ago, Herbie suddenly died at the groomers. He went into respiratory arrest while he was being dried off with a towel and then died while the worker tried to resuscitate him. My wife and I were sad, but we are trying to remind ourselves that we gave him teh best life with the time he had once we found him.


Fast forward. Last week my wife and I adopted an adult snowshoe siamese that had been in the local shelter for 4 months because she didn't handle the shelter environment well. She is a big love.

But she is not the reason I am writing: the ferals just keep finding me.

Today, I saw a family of 5 kittens (c. 6-8 weeks old) and a mom. The mom is very feral. The kittens, well, aren't yet. I put out some food and sat next to it with a big fishing pole-net. When one came to eat, I caught it. See picture: http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/283290_907832329627_5601266_42701701_7904137_n.jpg

Now, I have three questions:

(1) I have instituted certain "quarantine" procedures. The kitten is being kept in the guest bathroom in our apartment and my cat is being kept in the master bedroom. I have a change of clothes for seeing the kitten (change into/out of them whenever I go in). My other cat has all her shots. Is there anything else I should do in terms of making sure the kitten doesn't spread anything to my cat before I can have him/her seen by the vet?

(2) The mom is angry. She now growls at me whenever she sees me and I can see her stalking around the general area where I caught her kitten. It kind of breaks my heart... I know the kitten is better off caught than outside, but I can't help feeling sad that the kitten is terrified and the mom is distraught. There is a part of me that feels like I should go let the kitten be with his mom until a feral group can come capture the lot... 

(3) If you guys think I should keep him/her and try to get her socialized, what tips do you have?

Thanks, as usual, for all of your help.


RIP Herbie: http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/267576_907836621027_5601266_42701742_680411_n.jpg


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm so sorry about Herbie, what a gorgeous cat, and you're right, he had a great life with you.

As heartbreaking as it is to have taken the kitten from Mom, that's the best thing you could have done. If you could trap the Mom and get her fixed, that would be great, but....easier said than done. 

I think keeping the kitten quarantined is good and you're taking all the right precautions. I think.... More experienced "feral" people will have better advice. The more kittens you can trap and get fixed, the better, even if you re-release them. The kitten is ADORABLE!!!!! 

We have some members who will have great advice about taming feral kittens (Merry - Mitts n Tess).


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

By all means keep the kitten. Socializing takes time but by the time he's tame I'll bet you won't be able to part with him. 

Catching ferals with a humane trap is a lot easier on you and the cat than a net - but I will say you did a great job managing to get one that way. 

Don't worry about the mother cat's reactions - that is one less baby she has to feed and care for. 

Start feeding them outside every day and they will begin to accept you - especially the kittens. Wet food is the ticket. Once they are comfortable around you, things will go easier. 

Mother cat needs to be fixed first, otherwise she'll be pregnant again in no time. Call around for a low-cost spay/neuter option in your area, because this will be an expensive project. Ask if you can have them vaccinated and tested at the same time. Good luck!


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## Rebbie (Jul 11, 2011)

Oh my gosh, that view IS familiar!

My friend snatched a feral kitten off the street during the first snow about a year ago. The first time I saw that kitten was it hiding behind the toilet like that. XD

It definitely sounds like you are doing the right thing, and the baby is adorable! I wish you the best of luck.


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

beautiful kitten, you can see all his emotions in his eyes. Very sorry about Herbie, I remember that whole adventure, he was a beauty too.


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## Lenkolas (Jan 18, 2011)

Oh My! Your Herbie looks just like my girl Sun...I lost her too 8 months ago. He was gorgeous, I am very very sorry... 

I'm so happy you caught that kitten. He is beautiful! I love tabbies. 
Mom will continue having kittens. It is just how it will be. Unless you trap her and fix her...

Last summer (_my_ hemisphere summer, February) I caught a feral mom with one of his sons (a 5 months old cat). I had already rescued one of her kittens, who became my second cat Chikis...
When I finally trapped them to get them fixed, I discovered 4 tiny little kittens. I had to rescue them all. I took all four kittens home to save them (they were only 3 weeks old, cold, flea infested and hungry) and I took mom and brother to be fixed. I ended up releasing mom and brother again: all efforts to socialize them were impossible. 
But those four kittens I fostered for 1 month and got them nice families. One of them I kept...he became my third cat named Rulos.

I built my own trap. Lots of people helped here (you are all wonderful). Here's the thread in case you wanna take a look (lots of pics of the building process and the trapped cats and the surprise-kittens  http://www.catforum.com/forum/56-feral-cats/140876-catching-two-ferals-top-roof-please-advice.html

Good luck with everything, you are doing great!


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## FancysMom (May 27, 2011)

cute Herbie. sorry for your loss. Cute baby feral too. Good luck! you have a big heart.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

NDLaw2009 said:


> (2) The mom is angry. She now growls at me whenever she sees me and I can see her stalking around the general area where I caught her kitten. It kind of breaks my heart... I know the kitten is better off caught than outside, but I can't help feeling sad that the kitten is terrified and the mom is distraught. There is a part of me that feels like I should go let the kitten be with his mom until a feral group can come capture the lot...
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, as usual, for all of your help.


Let her see you with the kitten so that she knows you haven't harmed it, and that it's OK.


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## AmberH (Jul 20, 2011)

That baby is so cute! It won't be long until he's as tame as your Herbie was. I'm sorry for your loss. Lots of handling every day will assure you a tame kitten. At least, that's how I've always done it.


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## khannonnd (Jan 31, 2010)

So the kitten is purring/rubbing now. Still gets skiddish but he comes around with some handling. He seems healthy- eats a half can of wet food twice a day (like a hoover vacuum). Stool looks fine.

I am taking him into the vet tomorrow to get him tested for FeLV/FIV and to have him de-wormed. If he gets a clean bill of health, I am going to begin the process of seeing if I can get my cat to like him.

Is there anything else I should ask the vet to test him for?


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Lots of outdoor cats have fleas this time of year. You might not have noticed any, but if the mom cat had them, the baby will have them.


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## khannonnd (Jan 31, 2010)

UPDATE:

So feral kitten isn't very feral anymore. My wife and I decided to keep him. The FeLV/FIV test was negative, and he has now been vaccinated and dewormed.

He seems pretty happy:











Our other cat, Sadie, doesn't know what to think yet. Toby (the kitten) tried to play, but he plays rough and Sadie is kind of like "what?":


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I can't help with feral issues but wanted to say he is a doll baby!!!!

Is he warming up to you guys?


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## kittywitty (Jun 19, 2010)

I'm so sorry to hear about Herbie's passing. It looks like the feral kitten found you. Have you named him yet?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Yes, I remember Herbie and you trying to catch him, I believe, in a parking garage. Im so sorry he passed. That had to be heart breaking. Sounds like he may have had a heart problem. Your new little man is adorable. Older cats are tolerant of kittens. They will hiss and bat them showing them the cat rules and boundaries. This sounds like a good mix. 8 weeks is a good age to get a feral kitten. 12 weeks is our cut off point. Usually by 12 weeks the moms have instilled feral behavior in them for their own survival. Go over to the Feral section and watch the 3 utube videos by the Urban Cat League. They are the best I've run across for tips in socializing kittens from feral moms. Try to find a local TNR group to work with you to trap the mom and kittens. They have resources for getting low cost s/n and vaccinations. Testing a kitten for felv/ fiv is a waste of money at this age. Wait till he is over a year. Get him all the initial rounds of shots. He will develops a natural immunity to carry with him the rest of his life. Im not a believer in continuing shots the rest of their lives. Do some research on the controversy about vaccinations and form your own informed decisions. Also read thru Heidi's Kitty Boot Camp in the same "Taming Ferals" in the Feral section of this forum. If you can't locate a TNR group locally we can walk you thru trapping and trying to find a low cost s/n clinic. Good luck on your newest addition. You are a cat magnet!!!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

jusjim said:


> Let her see you with the kitten so that she knows you haven't harmed it, and that it's OK.


 the feral mother will not recognize this kitten. Cats don't go by looks. They go by scent. This kitten has been handled, to a vet, vaccinated. It now doesn't have the familiar smell the mother would associate that this is one of her kittens. That is why cats who have been together for years and if one of them taken to a vet, can end end up in an altercation when brought back home. Its all about smell.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Toby is a cutie, and he is going to be gorgeous when fully grown. Hopefully he kittenness soon capture Miss Sadie's heart.

So sorry to hear about Herbie's passing. He lived a wonderful life with you.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

Mitts & Tess said:


> the feral mother will not recognize this kitten. Cats don't go by looks. They go by scent. This kitten has been handled, to a vet, vaccinated. It now doesn't have the familiar smell the mother would associate that this is one of her kittens. That is why cats who have been together for years and if one of them taken to a vet, can end end up in an altercation when brought back home. Its all about smell.


I was thinking early on. It's probably far too late now.


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

Ohhh Herbie is beautiful! I hope Sadie accepts him - and they get to be best friends!


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