What to do with stray newborn kittens in the Queens/Nassau border area (home, move)
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No I haven't contacted them yet since they are still only three days old, not yet opening their eyes. I am going to wait until they get a bit older and see how they are doing. I read on a message board that NSAL is very selective on what animals they accept so I don't have a lot of hope they will be an option.
North Shore will take them, trust me. Not the mother though, because she's mostly feral and wouldn't make a good pet. Have you ever gone there during kitten season? I've gone so many times--they have mother cats with kittens or just the kittens. They were always strays. In fact, when we got our cat from there, they had no history on her because someone just left her on the steps in a box.
And they do adopt out kittens and puppies that have minor infections, minor health issues or heart murmurs so I don't think they're overly selective. Each time we went when we were interested in a kitten or puppy, there was always one or 2 that had heart murmurs. I've seen several cats there there that had serious health issues and only the vet was allowed to feed them. I've seen wounded kitties with one eye, too. Would be bad for business if they turned animals away.
What about family, friends or neighbors? Would they be interested? I think I'd get too attached and end up keeping them LOL
No I don't know anyone that might want a kitten, at least that I can think of. I have two young pet cats already so at best I could think of keeping one. Six cats would put me in cat hoarder territory though.
No I don't know anyone that might want a kitten, at least that I can think of. I have two young pet cats already so at best I could think of keeping one. Six cats would put me in cat hoarder territory though.
The young cats are ok with the stray and her babies? I tried a few years ago to adopt another kitten from NS (he had a heart murmur and the spunkiest personality) but my cat was very aggressive with him. Had to give him up.
The young cats are ok with the stray and her babies? I tried a few years ago to adopt another kitten from NS (he had a heart murmur and the spunkiest personality) but my cat was very aggressive with him. Had to give him up.
yeah, 6 cats is a bit much.
The are OK with her as they got used to her coming around to eat when they were kittens. The feral cat will growl and swat them if they get too close but they don't fight.
I'm glad to hear NSAL would probably take the new kittens. I assume I would have to get them vaccinated and whatever else is needed before NSAL would take them or do they do that?
The are OK with her as they got used to her coming around to eat when they were kittens. The feral cat will growl and swat them if they get too close but they don't fight.
I'm glad to hear NSAL would probably take the new kittens. I assume I would have to get them vaccinated and whatever else is needed before NSAL would take them or do they do that?
You honestly need to make contacts now, so that you aren't stuck in a bind when the time comes they are ready to go and no shelter will take them. Because once they reach a certain age, and that's shortly after they aren't so tiny and cute, they are MUCH MUCH less likely to get adopted quickly. KWIM? Please contact North Shore now to see if they will take them and when, explain the situation and let them guide you. I beg you to make your contacts now to find a place that will guarantee you to take them. You don't want to have to scramble last minute when the time comes and waste time, b/c their chances of begin adopted SEVERELY diminish the larger they get.
This happened to someone I know. Waited too long, missed the window of opportunity to get a spot in a shelter, and once they grew too large the shelters did not want them. She never found a shelter to take them, it wasn't a good senario.
Please make the calls now to secure a spot somewhere! Unless you of course want to keep them. Also start thinking about having the stray (Which really doesnt sound that feral to me), spayed when the time is right (again has to be a certain amt of time after having babies, since she is healing inside, hormones are producing milk to feed her babies, etc).
You honestly need to make contacts now, so that you aren't stuck in a bind when the time comes they are ready to go and no shelter will take them. Because once they reach a certain age, and that's shortly after they aren't so tiny and cute, they are MUCH MUCH less likely to get adopted quickly. KWIM? Please contact North Shore now to see if they will take them and when, explain the situation and let them guide you. I beg you to make your contacts now to find a place that will guarantee you to take them. You don't want to have to scramble last minute when the time comes and waste time, b/c their chances of begin adopted SEVERELY diminish the larger they get.
This happened to someone I know. Waited too long, missed the window of opportunity to get a spot in a shelter, and once they grew too large the shelters did not want them. She never found a shelter to take them, it wasn't a good senario.
Please make the calls now to secure a spot somewhere! Unless you of course want to keep them. Also start thinking about having the stray (Which really doesnt sound that feral to me), spayed when the time is right (again has to be a certain amt of time after having babies, since she is healing inside, hormones are producing milk to feed her babies, etc).
Also don't touch the kittens. Sometimes the mother cat will reject them if she picks up a humans scent.
The are OK with her as they got used to her coming around to eat when they were kittens. The feral cat will growl and swat them if they get too close but they don't fight.
I'm glad to hear NSAL would probably take the new kittens. I assume I would have to get them vaccinated and whatever else is needed before NSAL would take them or do they do that?
I'm not really sure. I would think that they handle all of that but give them a call and let them know about the kittens.
You honestly need to make contacts now, so that you aren't stuck in a bind when the time comes they are ready to go and no shelter will take them. Because once they reach a certain age, and that's shortly after they aren't so tiny and cute, they are MUCH MUCH less likely to get adopted quickly. KWIM? Please contact North Shore now to see if they will take them and when, explain the situation and let them guide you. I beg you to make your contacts now to find a place that will guarantee you to take them. You don't want to have to scramble last minute when the time comes and waste time, b/c their chances of begin adopted SEVERELY diminish the larger they get.
This happened to someone I know. Waited too long, missed the window of opportunity to get a spot in a shelter, and once they grew too large the shelters did not want them. She never found a shelter to take them, it wasn't a good senario.
Please make the calls now to secure a spot somewhere! Unless you of course want to keep them. Also start thinking about having the stray (Which really doesnt sound that feral to me), spayed when the time is right (again has to be a certain amt of time after having babies, since she is healing inside, hormones are producing milk to feed her babies, etc).
I don't think NS will turn them away. We got our cat from there and she was about a year and a half old. I've also seen many animals there will sicknesses or disabilities. OP can just bring them there and say he found them abandoned. They won't be turned away at NS, especially since they have the cat habitat dedicated just to cats. I know smaller shelters get full quickly.
I'll call NSAL once the kittens at least open their eyes. I doubt they would make any commitment as to whether they would take them but at least I'll know if they say no.
The mother cat is feral but she trusts me to a certain extent. She grew up as a kitten outdoors with no human handling until she was over a year old. It took her a year before she would get close to me when she ate and the first few times I tried to pet/touch her she reacted like she was shot. She still runs away from me when she is outside but she recently starting coming in if she was hungry and the weather was bad. I'd say she is now part feral/part stray in terms of temperment at this point, not that it really makes a difference.
I'll call NSAL once the kittens at least open their eyes. I doubt they would make any commitment as to whether they would take them but at least I'll know if they say no.
The mother cat is feral but she trusts me to a certain extent. She grew up as a kitten outdoors with no human handling until she was over a year old. It took her a year before she would get close to me when she ate and the first few times I tried to pet/touch her she reacted like she was shot. She still runs away from me when she is outside but she recently starting coming in if she was hungry and the weather was bad. I'd say she is now part feral/part stray in terms of temperment at this point, not that it really makes a difference.
I didn't realize you had such a history with the mom. That's great news. Maybe after this is all settled and she isn't nursing you can trap spay and neuter? Again, that can't be done for a certain period after she has had the kittens and is nursing. But she can get pregnant very quickly again. This is where I would talk to a vet again about what your timeframes are.
Definitely call North Shore. I have dealt with them years ago, and I am surprised they take kittens in so easily. I hope for your sake they do. But again, they may NEED to be fairly small so they know they have a quick chance at adoption. Just call and see so you know what you'll be dealing with when the time is right.
Again, thank you for being a caring member of society.
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That's great news. Maybe after this is all settled and she isn't nursing you can trap spay and neuter? Again, that can't be done for a certain period after she has had the kittens and is nursing. But she can get pregnant very quickly again. This is where I would talk to a vet again about what your timeframes are.
