Topic: Sunny Harbours Feral Project - Harbour Cats! - Phase 2 Update 19/07/10 (Read 22904 times)

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #52 on:** January 11, 2010, 21:48:26 PM »

I'm sure between us we'll come up with enough!

Liz · « **Reply #51 on:** January 11, 2010, 21:46:58 PM »

If you run out of names you can create a Clan at the harbour with our mob!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #50 on:** January 11, 2010, 21:41:54 PM »

I'm sure he'll be fine Liz its for his own good at the end of the day! We shouldn't really have any need to physically handle him and he is already in crush cage ready to go.

All of the cats down at the harbour are gorgeous - but then that (to me) tends to be the way with ferals. We are trying to name them after certain cats we've had to make it easier to remember who is who hence this one is Sammy Sr after Sam Jr we have with us just now.

All in all for ferals, they actually lead a very good life where they are so so long as we can take care of the neutering aspect and their care then they can continue to lead happy little lives

Liz · « **Reply #49 on:** January 11, 2010, 21:31:05 PM »

Sarah he is stunning - something about those feral boys

Good luck with the op tomorrow for all of you - welding gaunlets at the ready!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #48 on:** January 11, 2010, 21:29:59 PM »

I know she is SO sweet.

Again not quite planned tonight but Sammy Sr was just asking to be caught tonight - so we obliged and have him booked in for the am for neuter and re release once he's ready.

As a special treat - here's a pic!

Bazsmum · « **Reply #47 on:** January 11, 2010, 15:39:12 PM »

Did'nt watch it fully but I have counted me doing 7 "awwws" already! Simply amazing, putty in yer hands!

Shirley · « **Reply #46 on:** January 11, 2010, 11:10:05 AM »

Just amazing after such a short time!

Lily is just beautiful

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #45 on:** January 11, 2010, 10:35:06 AM »

thanks guys we can now confirm that we are 90% sure it is a little girl and so we have now called her Lily.

We took a couple of little vids of her on Saturday night (her day 3 with us) and have put the links below if you would like to watch them.

I love the 2nd vid - look out for the bunny kicks!

First vid - - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfhBUBpLREA

second vid - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAGvHF3NPcs

Bazsmum · « **Reply #44 on:** January 08, 2010, 13:03:28 PM »

Aw just look at that little babe.....Well Done!

That's one down and ? to go, best of luck!

bonnielass · « **Reply #43 on:** January 08, 2010, 11:25:55 AM »

What a little sweetheart

Im sure she will soon be demanding chin rubs on a regular basis

Janeyk · « **Reply #42 on:** January 08, 2010, 10:50:58 AM »

glad to hear that things are going well

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #41 on:** January 08, 2010, 10:18:34 AM »

a little update on this wee love to say that she is doing really well all things considered (really need to check if its a he or a she)

She is eating really well, been dewormed

using her litter box well and has thoroughly enjoyed some chin rubbing and ear rubbing action even closing her wee eyes and relaxing a little more. All in all doing very well.

Very pretty little thing to which I have an urge to call her Lily (don't know why) - though saving an offical name for once we sex her / him! lol

Shirley · « **Reply #40 on:** January 06, 2010, 22:18:32 PM »

What a sweet little thing! Well done!

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #39 on:** January 06, 2010, 22:02:07 PM »

Ahhhh bless "her" ... she really is struggling to stay awake isn't she. Gorgeous little thing

Liz · « **Reply #38 on:** January 06, 2010, 21:56:56 PM »

OK see what else we can have she is

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #37 on:** January 06, 2010, 21:56:14 PM »

Paul has just nipped through and grabbed a quick piccie of the little un we got tonight. She is a gorgeous wee thing.

Her eyes in the piccie look a big gunky but they are in fant spotlessly clean though she is fighting tiredness something awful! bless her wee heart

The plan for this little one I'm afraid Liz will be to tame down and bring round for homing! but you never do know what else we'll find!

Liz · « **Reply #36 on:** January 06, 2010, 21:40:55 PM »

Oh Sarah we need photo's and if not for turning can come and live at the Clan - all my grey and whites are ferals

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #35 on:** January 06, 2010, 21:33:52 PM »

Well we are pleased to announce that we got one of the little ones tonight albeit by pure chance!

We have noticed this week that there are a group of youngsters who have taken some of the tiny's under their wing while mum is away. They are cheeky wee tikes and we noticed that a couple of them play down the side while the others go and feed at the other side. Anyhoo - we chanced our luck and were hoping to get both of the tiny's but only managed to get 1 of the little uns.

A gorgeous little tabby and white - sex unknown for now. She is back here with us in isolation just now and has eaten, gone to the loo and is currently trying very hard NOT to fall asleep lol Very surprised that she (well we are calling her she just now, sex currently unknown for sure) actually ate in front of us when we first brought her in. Bless her.

Age at the moment we guesstimate in the region of 8-10 weeks taking into consideration feral roots.

We also tried getting some piccies tonight so off to see if any came out!

Shirley · « **Reply #34 on:** December 28, 2009, 13:27:46 PM »

What a brilliant thing you're doing Sarah-i wish i was close enough to help, but the West Midlands is a bit too far, i think! I wish you all the luck in the world-i love ferals, from looking after the ones at work and then visiting the feral compound at Cramar cat rescue!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #33 on:** December 28, 2009, 11:32:24 AM »

Quote from: Sam (Fussy_Furball) on December 27, 2009, 21:28:42 PM

Wow Sarah it definitely sounds like you have next years "Project" sorted for you! ... just in case you thought you'd be sitting round twiddling your thumbs !

thanks Sam - yup we don't have anything else to do ... do we!??! lol

Thanks Liz - I'm looking at contacting the CP HQ and see what they'll give us, if anything to help as funding for this is a huge issue due to the numbers involved.

I wouldn't go with the paper yet as I don't want loads of folks down there sticking their oar in (the public I mean) and the last thing we need just now is more people snooping around down there disrupting things.

Quote from: Liz on December 27, 2009, 22:35:05 PM

you are not a half person very much a whole when we met you in the summer!

something we joke about here as Paul always says I do the planning and thinking but then he gets all the carrying and lifting lol Just the way it has to be.... though the ice and snow have meant li'l ol me has had to give orders from the car! lol no getting out for me 1 fall and that'll be me totally knackered when my leg smashes to smitherines!.

Was nice to get there last night and see a few new faces sitting in wait. Little white and brown tabby girl was actually under the portacabin when paul went under for the food tray so was quite surprised when he came out and said there's someone there! lol She is carrying a large low slung tummy and may be a possible pregnant female. We also met with another little brown tabby last night too and miss Mia the tortie lady came out for dins as did a few of the other smaller cats.

So, word is definitely starting to get round which is the whole point of this process and to allow us to see who we are dealing with.

Time will tell but at least this is a positive start.

Liz · « **Reply #32 on:** December 27, 2009, 22:35:05 PM »

Sarah no probs on any front and you are not a half person very much a whole when we met you in the summer!

Sam I am about 150 miles from Sarah but have contacts from our time down there and favours are not an issue just the welfare of the fab ferals!

Sarah we have some space and also outside they would meld with what we have seen and not an issue there but they may have to eat cheaper food!

Sarah it is nice that you are willing to do this if the larger ones won't help perhaps a nice article in the paper - I'm sure other branches would help out with vouchers - there are several here and I'm sure the new branch I am helping start up will help to!

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #31 on:** December 27, 2009, 21:28:42 PM »

Wow Sarah it definitely sounds like you have next years "Project" sorted for you!

... just in case you thought you'd be sitting round twiddling your thumbs

!

I'm sure once you get the regular routine of feeding in place, word will get round and you'll have plenty of furry friends waiting for you. It's great that you are helping these special kitties and also wonderful that you have the resident "Feral Queen" aka Liz in your neck of the woods to offer support and contacts.

Good luck guys with TNR programme

Bazsmum · « **Reply #30 on:** December 27, 2009, 16:17:45 PM »

Gosh! Wish I were closer, would love to be involved with this! Best of luck!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #29 on:** December 27, 2009, 16:06:15 PM »

neutering vouchers would be fab Liz so if you could find out from Michelle that'd be great or even let me have her phone number.

As I said above not too worried about the adults as they can be returned to site and it is a massive area they are currently living in so not worried about relocation at the current time. Kittens then yes we would look to remove and tame for rehoming. Site is around a 20 minute drive away for us so from a monitoring point of view should be fine.

It is not a case of we don't have the experience to deal with ferals as we have dealt with them many many times before but more a case of our housing arrangement for the cats here is not set up for deal with large scale jobs like these and bearing in mind there is only paul and myself - of which I only really count as half a person as I can't carry and walk - we just don't have the resources.

Essentially dealing with feral colony's was not on our radar just now especially as there are so many other feral specific orgs in the area but as they are just not willing to help we have no choice on this occasion.

Liz · « **Reply #28 on:** December 27, 2009, 15:55:56 PM »

Sarah we love our ferals and love a challange bearing in mind some of my crew that you met or got hissed at by they will be no worse!

I can give you a number for help - Michelle at CP Perth has a lot of Contacts and homes for ferals with the nice lady at Glencarse at other places so may be able to help

Can also get neutering vouchers for what you need to again from Michelle at CP Perth she will help where she can - she often said I would call in the favours she owed me over the years - we also took on several nastys from her over the years to!

No probs with the nastys but kittens are better for us as we have 4 work in progress adults currently and 3 more to trap - Spider and 2 newbies who have appeared and soft touch - my OH wants to try and get them to!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #27 on:** December 27, 2009, 15:26:25 PM »

thanks Gill.

In honesty its rather daunting as we just aren't set up for such large scale feral work but now that we know about the state of the colony down there and how numbers are escalating we can't turn a blind eye just because no one else will take responsibility for them. It is a HUGE undertaking on our part and unfortunately requests for assistance from other organisations have fallen on deaf ears so we are doing the only thing we can.... working to help the cats and hopefully get the colony managed properly.

We are fully prepared for this project to take several months, perhaps even most of the year but we do have to plan ahead. We'll keep everyone updated and thought I'd change the title of the thread to better reflect the 'actual' little saga we've become invovled in.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #26 on:** December 27, 2009, 13:53:41 PM »

this sounds some job but sounds like you have a plan of action....loads of good luck

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #25 on:** December 27, 2009, 11:46:47 AM »

Quote from: Liz on December 26, 2009, 16:13:54 PM

Sarah if you need some taming down done of some of the slightly older ones keep us in mind also for the real nasty's they can be relocated here if you like

Hope the feeding station is full tonight and good luck with the trapping!

thanks Liz. at the moment we just keeping record of all those we have sighted and where, although we fully expect mum to go back to join the main colony some time in the next few weeks and take the little uns with her to integrate them in.

If we can get the little one's before that happens we will try but not convinced. Mum is a VERY sly little kitty and I can feel already that she is giong to be a nightmare to catch. (hoping secretly that by saying that the opposite happens.... well I can but hope)

Word does seem to be getting round the colony that there is a regular supply of food at our end of the site so hopefully more will start to head this way so that we can get a better idea of the actual numbers we are looking at. We estimate just now at least 30 - 40.

TNR isnt' going to be a problem thankfully as thecompany that run the harbour are very happy for them to stay there as they help keep all the rats and mice down on the site. Obviously if we can get any younger kittens who may fall under the possibility of taming down then we will hold them back so may well call on your assistance Liz if that's OK to help with those as our space is VERY limited.

We'll obviously keep you updated on what we are referring to as our "Feral Project" as things progress.

hOrZa · « **Reply #24 on:** December 26, 2009, 21:15:35 PM »

Quote from: madkittyrescue on December 26, 2009, 13:29:36 PM

last 2 nights we have had kitties sitting waiting on us getting there.

They've got you trained quick

Liz · « **Reply #23 on:** December 26, 2009, 16:13:54 PM »

Sarah if you need some taming down done of some of the slightly older ones keep us in mind also for the real nasty's they can be relocated here if you like

Hope the feeding station is full tonight and good luck with the trapping!

Bazsmum · « **Reply #22 on:** December 26, 2009, 15:09:30 PM »

That's excellent, by the time you are ready to trap they should be like putty in your hands!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #21 on:** December 26, 2009, 13:29:36 PM »

wee update. Continuing with setting up the central feeding station at set time each night. last 2 nights we have had kitties sitting waiting on us getting there.

We did sight a further youngster of around 16 weeks and a tortie (stunning -

) adult last night. Did catch a glimpse of one of the 5/6 mth olds as well that we have now named PT! lol

At the current rate it will be another few weeks before we can start trapping but so far so good.

Bazsmum · « **Reply #20 on:** December 24, 2009, 01:01:17 AM »

Wow that's a huge area....I bet there are loads of hidey holes too!

Sending positive vibes for you both to get this sorted swiftly!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #19 on:** December 24, 2009, 00:55:11 AM »

Just to give you guys an idea of the scale of site that Paul and I are dealign with on this one I've put in a link to the Flash Earth page that shows the harbour area.

We are currently (just the 2 of us) working to scope out the scale of the colony over the entire harbour area. a HUGE task for anyone and it is going to take us months to reach any kind of conclusion on the site not to mention the numbers involved could be enormous!

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=56.056808&lon=-3.2376&z=16.9&r=0&src=msl

So far we have located mum and 2 youngsters of around 5/6 mths and tonight we spotted mum with 2 kittens of around 8-10 wks. So we are exceptionally pleased that we have managed to locate her at the right end of the harbour so that we can put out food for her and babies especially in this dire cold weather.

Wish us luck!

Shirley · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2009, 12:55:35 PM »

It's a never ending nightmare for you and these poor furries, isn't it? (and every rescue centre in the country!) Just heartbreaking!

madkittyrescue · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2009, 11:09:54 AM »

Not yet. Got a contact on site trying to locate where the bulk of the adults are coming from as its such a huge area and we are a half hour drive away. We have spent fair bit of time down there and not spotted a thing so far but there again the weather has been awful and they not daft to take shelter when its pouring!

So far we have contacted local contacts and not 1 interested in helping so we may end up dealing with this one on our own just now sure exactly how yet!

However I do have another couple of folks to try hopefully!

Definitely not going to be a quick overnight fix but we are doing our best on top of an already high workload with the rescue and I need paul to give me a hand as little ol me wobbling around on my pins doesn't get me far and I can carry and walk at the same time!

Shirley · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2009, 08:01:11 AM »

Any joy with these poor pussies?

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #15 on:** December 06, 2009, 11:35:09 AM »

Fingers crossed for this site.

hales · « **Reply #14 on:** December 04, 2009, 16:29:38 PM »

ooh poor loves it so cold out there.
glad you are trying to help them!

Marcia · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2009, 16:18:54 PM »

I hope you get them

Good luck x

Author Topic: Sunny Harbours Feral Project - Harbour Cats! - Phase 2 Update 19/07/10 (Read 22904 times)