Just had a pm off Hippy, I'm not going to read it and then update on what's happening just in case I word it wrong so I'll just put the whole thing to make it easier, I'm sure Hippy won't mind.
Following our chat on the phone, I have decided to do the following. You will not agree with my decision, but I think that it is best for the pusscats and in the light of my circumstances: that I'm doing this solo, don't drive and have the beliefs of a city girl for whom, in ideal conditions, every cat would have a human slave, live in a house and be a pet, not a 'working cat'.
Firstly, Fred (black and white male) is slowly taming with the good food and warmth and the fact that nice things - FOOD - happen when he sees a human. I'll see if he makes further progress and becomes able to home as a pet. If not, I'll release him behind the shops, which is a place he knows, where there are people to feed him and he can keep the rodent population down.
The ginger terrors are also settling a little. I'll try to keep these until they are old enough to be neutered or someone is prepared to take them as a pet. If they don't tame, they will be released behind the shops after neutering.
The other cats are all homeable. The two adult females have someone interested in taking one of them (a bit of arm twisting might get them to go together). Alfie (kitten) has a home with Rebekah, a close friend, if his bloods are ok. Newbie may have a home with Reb's daughter's friend, Vicky; and smudge is so loveable that he'll easily find a slave - if not, I'll have him myself.
As for the mother: I don't have room in that small room for her and her kittens, nor do I have the energy or resources to catch her, check whether she's dropped, then trap her kittens. I'm going to give CP a ring after a long chat with the girl at the chemist. CP are better placed to deal with her properly and do TNR at the appropriate time.
I want the cats I've trapped to have warm domestic homes, not to be farm cats. As I said, this is probably because I'm town/city born and bred and dislike the notion of 'working cats'. Dogs work; cats get waited on tail and paw!
This is no slight upon you, just what I feel is best for the cats and for myself (I'm really too ill to go through the process of trapping mum and kits, I've got enough on my plate looking after the monsters I've caught; this isn't easy when I'm drugged up with anti-convulsants and regularly suffering seizures).
Thank you for your advice,
I'll keep you posted about the progress of the monsters; not because I want help, but because you might be interested in what happens.
Catherine
