Little Paws Inn is born :D

[Liz]

Good luck with this Steff, I always have a spare boc to put the kittens in if you catch Mum first preferably a wire one you can wrap in a blanket but Mum can still see the kittens put it at the perspex end of the trap so she can se them whilst coming up the nice dark tunnel you make by covering the trap and the kitten basket

Feel free to call if you need anymore help I am around and would love to help in any way I can - I have one feral of ours to catch Master Spyder

[sweepster]

Best of luck with this 

Is it a manual trap?  (I understand automatic ones can be dangerous for little kittens?)

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

Got the go ahead from CP to borrow the trap and they will even deliver it to me

[cazzer]

Good luck!!

[Teresa Pawcats]

Steff not had chance to read all this properly but most important thing is having suitable carriers/ to transfer trapped cat/kittens to safely, you must NOT take mum until ALL kittens safely caught, if you catch mum first transfer to carrier and continue trying to catch kittens, DO NOT leave tra[p unattended. Good Luck 

[princessmaizie]

Good luck Steff! I wish I was close enough to help! 

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

Thanks Gill 

My friend has agreed to pay for all their care (vet check, vaccinations, neutering and blood tests for mum, worm and flea treatment and anything else they need) plus the dog crate and all accessories (and probably the first batch of food and litter etc).  I have warned him that it could be nearly £500 or even more but its fine.  I hope to not have the kittens by the time they get to 6 months but if I do then they too will be neutered.

They won't be able to get out of the shed, its secure and initially they will be in the crate because I need to clear the sehd out and make it safe. I will make sure the crate is off the floor (probably get a pallet from work) and will make sure they are warm with whatever bedding I need.

I will also leave a radio on all day for them and as I have electric in there see if I can get some sort of permanant heat source.

In a way its good that I couldn't get them today because it gives me a bit more time to prepare.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

You need to ask Cp for some neutering vouchers for the mother once the kittens are not feeding from her and later on for the kittens.

Will they be able to get in and out of the shed and will you be able to get them some warm bedding.............I believe that Gillian is going to start using hay.

Think it was Gillian.....sigh

Loads of luck 

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

Thanks Helen 

I modified my first post...I think its worked

[Tiggy's Mum]

No practical advice, just wanted to wish you luck  

(P.S To change the title of the thread you have to edit your first post title, changing the last post title only changes that one post)

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

I'm back from visiting the little family and from making my enquiries.  Mum cat doesn't belong to the owners of the pub or anyone else.  Apparantly she has been straying around the area for a couple of years now and has just been left to have litter after litter 

I put out food a stayed around for a little while (being quiet) but couldn't get near them, they are camped out on thick brambles.  Sooooo it looks like I'm going to have to trap them, I have already been on to CP about borrowing their trap and am just waiting for someone to come back to me.

I'm guessing mum maybe used to be a pet but I have no idea how tame/feral she will be.

Is my planned set up in the shed ok? 

Any advice regarding trapping would be much appreciated and I will report on the situation/ask for further advice once I have them here.

Sometimes I wish I could just leave things alone!!

P.S. Mum is white with black spoldges and the kittens are mainly black with white socks and markings on their face...I'd say about 6 weeks (ish) but I'm not very good (yet)!!

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

Thanks Catgirl

The thing is ideally I want the "owners" to step up and take responsibilty for their cat. I'm not a rescue and I'm not really equipped to take cats in, I just can't turn a blind eye to this little family. Without my friends funding I wouldn't really be able to help. Its really going to stretch me time wise as well (I work full time and am currently going for a promotion to manager) plus I have my 3 cats to look after and the dog to walk and care for etc plus just general house stuff BUT I will do it if there is no other option.

[CatGirl]

If that were me,i wouldn't bother considering the "owners!"I would take them any way.Good luck to you for caring.x

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

I don't know who it was that got me into Petsearch (Angie *shifty*) but I am getting more rescue type requests than lost and found at the moment!!

On Friday I was told about a mum and kittens living in the bushes in the local Toby Carvery car park. My friend lives nearby so I got him to check out the situation and put some food down for them. There is a mum and two kittens and on investigation it turns out the mum belongs to the pub next door and this situation happens every year/kitten season. Also there were originally 4 kittens but it turns out that people have helped themslves to free kittens (I can only hope these were nice people). I dread to think how many litters this poor cat has had and will continue to have if no one steps in...so I have a plan.

Originally I thought about catnapping but as I know who the possible owner is I didn't feel right doing that so I plan to speak to the "owners" and say that I had the cats reported to me as strays but on investigation understand that the mum may belong to them. This could go a couple of ways:

A. They deny all knowledge and I say ok then I will take them, sort them out and rehome them.

B. They admit to the cat being theirs so I explain to them about the risks etc and the need to get mum neutered and the kittens rehomed and offer my help and advise.

C. They turn out to be complete morons and at which point I threaten reporting them to the RSPCA which will either make them co-operate or I actually have to get the RSPCA involved.

My friend was going to take the family in but since all this he has fallen out with his g/f and the home situation is currently up in the air. Rescues here are full, I already asked for the farm kittens. The only solution I could offer is my shed which is at least sheltered and will be warmer than outside. My friend will fund everything so I can get them all checked, vaccinated, neutered etc. Would the shed be ok? I can't bring them in because I am already have problems with Marble weeing and it has finally stopped and she has started to chill out so I don't want to stress her again.