Kitten

[sharol]

Come on people, give her a break. This was a tiny kitten. Take it to the shelter and it would surely have been euthanized. It went to a home where it was invited. It will be fed. At least it has a better chance than certain death. I love animals, but I would probably have had it euthanized. She was more humane than I would have been under the circumstances.

OP: how are the scratches and bites? I was bitten by a new adoptee back 6-7 years ago and had to have antibiotics for the infection. Cats carry nasties on their claws. I still have him (the adoptee) and he is wonderful. His picture is on my BYC page.

 

[Stonerowfarm]

Aren't you being a bit harsh? I commend her for allowing the little guy to live. So many farmers just dispatch annoying creatures in their yard. Just because a house is in the country does not mean it is in the middle of farm land. I'm in the country but the only one with chickens for quite a ways around. Yes, I would have like to see the little guy/girl neutered or spayed, but at least it is with someone who already has a cat around, so hopefully she will take care of that matter. As far as putting the kitten in with an established feral cat (who actually sounds like a drop off since she said it was friendly), it sounds like the older cat had already worked his way towards acceptance.

I don't know what is happening with this board in the last 6-9 months but it seems like there is always someone lurking in the wings ready to jump on anything anyone says or does. We all have different ways of dealing with our issues and problems. Just because my way, or her way, isn't your way, doesn't mean it's the wrong way. Rather than being so negative, why not wish her luck for taking care of the problem quickly before she lost more chicks.

Or better yet, follow the rules your mama instilled in you (or should have). If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Yay! I am so glad to hear that you were able to catch the kitten and find it a wonderful new home where it has been welcomed and well taken care of!

 

[CompostQueen]

Here is a picture of the little Guy. It doesn't do it justice.

 

[KSue]

What striking blue eyes! Glad that you caught him and sent him to a good home!

 

[ekemily]

Quote:
I think there's a difference between being blatently rude and offering constructive criticism. And many peoples' ways of dealing with issues and problems ARE wrong. If they weren't, then we probably wouldn't have laws. Also, I don't think everyone has enough information to jump to conclusions about what the new owner will do with the kitten. Hopefully, she gets it spayed/neutered and has its shots all taken care of.

 

[CompostQueen]

As for the criticisms about my ethics. To be honest with you I just tried to make the best decision possible. My friend gets a huge amount of joy out of her current feral cat and I am quite confident that she will also from the kitten. She is incredibly scrupulous in her care of her cat. I am not sure if she plans to get it spayed/neutered. I plan to speak with her about this.

Show Me Chick, EKEmily:
My logic was that the home that I was offering the kitten is a known quantity. I knew that I was giving him/her the chance to have a home that was guaranteed to be kind and as comfortable as possible. If I took it to a shelter there was a good chance that it would be euthanized or go to an unsuitable home. As for my re-homing the kitten where there could be chickens. The farm adjacent to my friends house has only horses from what I can tell. The rest of the neighborhood is big lots but fairly suburban. These days there are chickens everywhere. I live in a semi urban neighborhood and I know of quite a few people keeping chickens within a mile of me!!! The other thing is that I have no proof that the kitten killed the chicken. All I know is it hung around them quite a bit, and got in their coop. However while in the coop it did no damage so unless I had incredible timing it was not that skilled a hunter, or was going in their for more benign reasons (unlikely I know, but....). Someone has already said that the kill style doesn't fit a cat, more that of a raccoon.
I was actually considering just keeping it and feeding it because as long as it was getting a good meal once a day it was giving my chicks a much wider berth, often not coming around at all until after they were locked up (also when I was feeding it). My point is that I am fairly confident that as long as my friend is feeding it that it will mostly leave livestock alone.

EKEmily: The kitten was willing to be around me (with some distance between us) until I started to try and catch it. That is when it started disappearing every time it saw me. The kitten is acting completely differently with my friend, it is sticking around, the other cat, Moki has really taken it under its wing, the kitten does not seem scared of Moki at all. It is just exploring and doing its thing. Its entire countenance had changed it seemed so much more comfortable and at home. I understand that feral cats do not have as good a chance at long term survival as house cats but FOR ME that is okay. It is the same logic that I use to justify letting my chickens free range. They love free ranging so much that the risk/very real probability of predation is worth it. This kitten is thriving outdoors it will have a happy happy life.

I think that EKEmily had genuine concern voiced in an appropriate way but I agree that Show Me Chicks sarcasm was really unnecessary. It makes this whole forum a lot less fun.

 

[ShrekDawg]

awww, he's so cute and has beautiful blue eyes!

I am so glad you caught him and he has a nice, safe home now where he will be loved and well taken care of. Congrats, that was a really nice thing you guys did and im glad you did it, who knows what could have happened to him if yuo hadnt taken him, plus now he has a friend, a safe home, and a steady food supply and im sure he appreciates that and hes young enough to adapt to his new home, so that was a great/real nice thing you did for him, so thank you!

 

[ekemily]

Totally agree with the living outside/free ranging thing. I have a cat and he lives outside. I feel so sorry for cats that spend their entire lives sitting inside while looking out of the window with the blank stare.
I have chickens, and they free range. I agree that the risk is worth it.
I still drive a car, eventhough there is a high chance that I won't make it home.

I didn't mean to be rude, if that is how it came across. I am not on here to make people feel bad. I am on here to (hopefully) help.
I am glad that you didn't kill the kitten. I would not condone doing so.
I am hopeful that your friend knows what to do because she is already caring for a feral kitten.

 

[CompostQueen]

Quote:
I don't think you were being rude at all. You were just looking out for the kittens (and societies) best interest, which is helpful to me as I am not a cat owner and do not tend to think like one.

I agree that killing the kitten would be awful. I was SO worried about it being in the cage all night (even though I brought it in the house), I couldn't sleep. I too am sort of surprised how well Moki took to the kitten but my friend was not at all. Moki has always been incredibly sweet and gentle and she was really confident that he would be a good "big brother".