Orphaned kittens...Sad news

[texasreb]

Good for you for caring for the kittens. If they were mine, I would have taken them to the vet right away for an exam and vaccination schedule--I'm assuming they were too young when you first found them to begin vaccs. The vet can also diagnose any eye/URI that the kittens have and recommend a feeding/care schedule esp for the runt. It's not that expensive or difficult.

My only cat is a house cat and he is neutered (even though he is a registered Maine Coon and a fine representation of his breed). However, my neighbor has a barn where I keep my horse and store my barn like supplies...he had a couple of ferals move in. I captured them, took them to the vet for vaccs and neutering and now I make sure they have a quality food to eat and fresh water. I also help take care of a feral colony near my house...all at my own expense. I'm not rich either...I'm a teacher!

As for the mother, if she were mine...well first....if she were mine she would have been spayed, but I digress. Let's say if she moved into my care while pregnant, and found herself in such terrible shape, I would have euthanized her right away probably by the vet after an exam.

I am being critical, but I hope you, the OP view it as constructive rather than negative.

Again, good luck with the kits and kudos for taking them in...

 

[Farmer Kitty]

No, obviously, the mother wasn't spayed. We do need kittens to keep cats around. We are not over run with cats here so it isn't a problem. The mother was 10 1/2 years old and well taken care of. BTW, her name was Holstein as she was marked like a holstein cow. We do vaccinate and the kittens will be vaccinated too. They turn 6 weeks on Tuesday. The vet comes the following Monday for herd health and I will have her bring me the vaccines. As for the treatment of the Frosty she has been examined.

Now, can we please let us keep this about the kittens.

 

[hazelton farms]

FK, beautiful job with the kittens and dealing with momma cat. You've done a GREAT job and I wouldn't have done anything differently than you did!

Stacy

 

[texasreb]

I'm glad the wee one has been examined.

I'm not pointing a finger at you for your methods, but I'm offering another option:

As for keeping a steady supply of barn cats, you can do that and still a responsible pet owner by spaying and neutering. There are 1000's and 1000's of unwanted, un-owned, un-neutered cats in every sizable community.

My community, Austin, Texas; has over 11,000 individually identified colonies of feral cats with a population totaling over 150,000 individuals. This is just the known feral cat population within the city limits of Austin.

Feral cats, as you probably already know, they are often afflicted with disease that spreads to domesticated cats, wildlife and even humans. They also decimate the wildlife population of birds, rodents and reptiles, some of which are endangered strictly because of feral cats.

Many organizations that attempt to TNR (trap, neuter, release) the feral population often capture the kittens, tame, alter and and vaccinate them and offer them for adoption as barn cats for a low fee. They also try to re-locate non-tamed ferals who have been displaced into barn homes for free.

It's a win-win situation. The barn owner isn't contributing to the over-population of cats (owned and un-owned) and is actually contributing to the management and stabilization of feral cat colonies.

Just a thought.... for you OP, and all barn owners who breed their own future generations of barn cats.

Ferals are just as beautiful as owned cats. Here are a few examples of former ferals from The Feral Cat Society of Austin:

 

[Farmer Kitty]

texasreb-that last one looks like our Willy.

Everyone is making out like we have a huge cat population, we don't. Two years ago a disease hit and took all but our 4 oldest cats. Everyone had been vaccinated and when it hit they were re-vaccinated. Right now we have 3 female cats that are old enough to have kittens. One is 10 1/2 years old, one is 11 1/2 years old and dealing with health issues that I think will take her this year, and the last is just 1 year old. We also have 2 that are very late kittens from last year. Due to the age of the first two listed we probably will leave these last two to have kittens. There aren't any ferral cats here in this neighborhood. Everyone has a home. I do realize that is not always the case though.

 

[amazondoc]

Here is a list of animal shelters in Wisconsin. Shelters in EVERY state euthanize thousands of animals every year. Please consider adopting your next barn cats from a shelter, instead of breeding your own.

http://www.netpets.org/dogs/dogresc/wisconsin.htm

 

[2manyhats]

Quote:
I live on a farm and I am aware of the lives of barn cats. All of my farm cats are s/n/v. I take as good a care of them as my house cats. When they were sick or injured, there were rushed to the vet. That is what I mean of value.

I hope the momma kitty survives because I think she deserves better.

Nowhere did she say she didn't take care of her cats. I really don't think adults need to be patronized for their decisions. I am positive she is doing what she can for the cat within reason.

If your not offering constructive advice, or supportive words don't post at all. I think the mods would back me on that.

I agree. Please be kind.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Quote:
I'm well aware of where the shelters are in my area as I have donated to my more local one and they are all active about being seen. As for adopting from one--A cold day in h*ll! Not to be mean-I always wanted to rescue a dog from one but, there isn't a chance they will adopt a cat out to be a barn cat. Our most local one has gotten so they refuse to adopt out period. Plus I have people who come to me and ask if I have any kittens available due to the pretty colored line we have.

 

[amazondoc]

Thanks for donating to your shelter.

Your kittens are definitely cute, but they are no cuter than many other kittens dying in the shelters every day. Many groups actively adopt out spayed/neutered/vaccinated feral cats to be barn cats, so please keep thinking about going that route in the future rather than adding further to an already overloaded population.

 

[gumpsgirl]

They keep getting more adorable each time you post pics of them Kitty!