Tuesday, October 11, 2016

TNR Tuesday!






Today is TNR Tuesday.  I set a trap on Parsells, drove off to do the remaining spots on the ‘front nine’, came back and voila, a kitten.  One of the three that were born to the mom that I recently had spayed. They were born probably four months ago.  I only see two of them now, and they are feral.  I tried and tried to trap them when they were younger, but they weren’t going for the kitten traps I set.  This morning, one of the two went in the big cage.  Poor thing, scared out of its mind, and I have to return it tomorrow morning.  I feel TERRIBLE about this.  Returning a baby kitten to the street.  Then again, I had to return a six month old kitten last week to Central, but this one is so much younger.  I then set a trap on the back nine – at Central and Second, where I had seen five baby kittens playing, and several females (calico), etc.  I haven’t seen the kittens in over a week now.  I went off to do my rounds and when I was just about finished, I decided to grab the sweet boy that has been hanging around Pennsylvania and Second.  He lets me pet him, and he has learned to trust me in just a short time.  I placed the carrier upright, opened the door, coaxed him to me, grabbed him by the scruff, other hand on his bottom half, and gently lowered him into the carrier.  He is scared out of this mind.  Plus, I think he is going to make a sweet sweet pet for someone, so I may try him out in the bathroom tonight and he can be the first foster for the sweet girl Kim who offered to foster for me.  He is a big boy, just like Sawyer was, and Cammy.  They turned out to be sweethearts and very much loved companions once acclimated to being indoors.

A high number of cats in Rochester are feral, which are homeless cats (homeless either by birth or by abandonment). Feral does not mean that they are a threat to humans, but that they are distrustful and afraid of us. Feral, unspayed females spend their lives pregnant and hungry, while males often die from wounds inflicted in territorial battles over mates and food, and disease is spread - such as feline aids and leukemia.
Where did all these feral cats come from? Studies have shown that the high numbers of ferals have originated from people who are financially unable to neuter/spay their cats, irresponsible pet owners who can afford to, but don't, transient owners who leave their unspayed/unneutered animals behind to fend for themselves. These cats, when allowed to roam freely, will mate resulting in rampant overpopulation, which is what animal rescue organizations contend with.
At 5 months of age a kitten can have its first litter and that same kitten can have a second litter by the time it is a year old - a litter being anywhere from 1 kitten to 5, 6, 7... A nursing mom can get pregnant and 60 days later, which is the gestation period, can have another litter. Only about 50% of these kittens will survive. Please help to make known the importance of spaying or neutering their pets.
Please consider foster or adoption for all these sweet animals on and off the streets.  They need your help now more than ever.  Its getting cold out.

 Have a nice day.


9 comments:

  1. Regarding the four month old kitten you trapped this morning. I was regretting saying "Thank God you got them in time"about the eight week old kittens you trapped last week. I disagree with the age cutoff of 8-10 weeks as the age when feral born kittens can be tamed. I have had the experience several times that it depends also on their innate PERSONALITY too and not simply on age. I have taken home 2 year old cats who I KNOW were born feral and they have turned into delightful totally tame kitties! I dont judge you for whatever decision you make but it is just food for thought that it might be worth holding this one for a few days and re evaluating after that just to give him a chance!
    Carole

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are correct. A cat or dog's inherent temperament makes a world of difference. Behavior is mostly genetic, with environment only having a modest impact.

      Delete
  2. There is a trick to taming ferals, but most people do not have the facilities to do it. You have to isolate the cat from all other animals and have humans be the only ones who interact with it. If you don't do that, the cat will bond with the other animal(s) and not the human(s). Humans have to become "the highlight" of his day. After the cat is "tame", you can add other critters. My feral (they had to gas him to get him out of the trap and the vet said I would NEVER be able to tame him because he was over a year old) is easy to pill and I can easily clip his claws on all four corners. He loves to be squished and squashed as well. Purr machine.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To Carole and the other commenter : When should Janine bring these cats over to you to foster?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I already have 5 cats and I also have a Pariah Cat situation at my house that I have been trying to fix for almost 2 years. I am also handicapped and have severe health problems. I would love to help but I am physically not able to do it--or financially--and I have to make the resident cats my priority. In addition, the Town in which I live limits you to 2 cats per household...I once had seven...so perhaps you can understand my dilemma.

      Delete
  4. Carole and the other commenter were only giving their advice, experience and knowledge. Please understand this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for understanding my point. I WAS only offering the possibility of considering holding him since he is so young. I was not prepared to be attacked for it and I dont want to be afraid to post suggestions or experiences I have had in the future. I appreciate your understanding of where I was coming from. If I was able to, I would offer to take him, but I probably have more cats than this entire reading audience put together.
      Carole

      Delete
    2. Must be Carole from the City of Rochester! Walt & Karon's friend I bet. Keep up the Excellent work you also do every day.

      Delete
  5. I'm going to disagree on the age alSo. I had two supposed feral cats on Vermont St. I was feeding. One was maybe a year old, or less, not sure. The other was possibly 3 or 4, again not sure. Both males and both had a clipped ear. After a short time, they both let me pick them up and hug them, pet them and one even sat on my lap. they easily saw other cats while in my presence, too. Then there is a friend of mine who got a kitten from a colony on Atlantic Avenue and she would go ballistic if someone tried to pick her up and my friend got her at approximately 6 weeks. I'm not so sure that age is the issue I think it's more the temperament of the cat.

    ReplyDelete