My Straybies (stray babies!)

My Straybies (stray babies!)

by Georgina
(Yorkshire. U.K)

I have five cats of my own (four male, one female, all neutered) so a few years ago when I realised there was a female feral cat living in the field across the road I started to put her a bit of food down now and again.

One day I saw her coming to eat with 4 little kittys in tow. After this I started to put food out every day.

The mother disappeared but the kittens kept coming, it was as if she’d left them in my care! Unfortunately one disappeared but the remaining three came to trust me more and more as the months went on.

I named them Albert, Peaches and No-name (which we ended up shortening to “Noony”). They all started coming in the house and I’ve ended up keeping Albert (who is the most loving cat ever, it’s as if he knows I rescued him from a life in the wild and appreciates it so much) and the other 2 I re-homed with friends.

About 8 months ago I again saw the female cat with another litter, so again I fed them and again she left them with me. There are only 2 this time (Ronnie & Clyde) and although they won’t let me stroke them much they trust me enough to rub up against me when I’m feeding them.

They know that Albert is their brother and one of them sometimes follows him into the house. I’m happy to carry on feeding them as long as they come and maybe one day they’ll be tame enough to be re-homed (with people of my choice).

I haven’t seen the mother since she left this litter in my care but she’s probably out there, it’s just a shame that she is too wild to be caught and neutered, although at least she knows her babies are well looked after. My straybies!

Georgina

Feral

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My Straybies (stray babies!)

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Aug 28, 2010 Cats Protection
by: Ruth

http://www.cats.org.uk/

If you go to the link above you can find your nearest branch on the map.
It will be quite difficult to catch the mother cat though if she doesn’t come often. You’d need to get her used to being fed nearby before borrowing the trap cage and you’d have to be sure she had no very young kittens which would be hungry and very vulnerable while she was away.
I think in your case I’d get her so used to coming for food, the chances are she’d move her kittens closer and when they were old enough they’d come too. You would have a good chance of catching the whole family, Cats Protection would pay for the mother to be spayed and take the kittens in to foster care to be tamed and homed.
Good luck.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


Aug 26, 2010 TNR
by: Leah

Hiya
Just google cats protection leauge and look for your nearest brance. Give them a call and if they do TNR they’ll tell you all about it.
Hope this helps.


Aug 25, 2010 straybies
by: Georgina

I would be interested to know if there is anything like the TNR scheme available where I live (Yorkshire U.K) but I think it would be difficult to catch the mother as she hardly ever comes round. Thanks for your nice comments and I love cats so it goes without thinking that I feed them coz I feel sorry for the poor little babies.


Aug 24, 2010 So lovely
by: Leah (England)

So lovely to hear of someone actually caring about animals when all I seem to hear of lately is abuse.

Momma cat must trust you so much to leave her babies with you.

Have you thought of contacting your local CPL to see if they do TNR so she can stop having to worry about kittens?


Aug 24, 2010 Lovely story
by: Ruth

What a lovely heart warming story.
The mother cat obviously trusts you a lot to leave her kittens with you both times.
How I wish everyone was as kind as you.
I love your names for them all !

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


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