Taking in another stray.

[redqueen]

So a feral cat gave birth to kittens and one of them is probably not going to do well outdoors. This is out in the country so they have to be able to get away from loose dogs and coyotes.

The thing is, I feel guilty just taking in the one little splay eyed kitten. I already have a cat that I took on a few years ago, and I live in a pretty small apartment. Is it wrong for me to only want to take in the one kitten?

I feel bad about separating the kitten from his siblings, but they're all getting very used to people and I'm sure they'll all find homes.

Please help. I could really use some advice.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. bless you

For doing a good thing!

[redqueen]

2. Thanks...

The rest are all agile and quick. They'll manage fine till homes are found. This one, though... he's so slow, and fearless. He just wanders off on his own, friendly as can be.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Imagine if no one did anything for any of them.

You're making that impossible by doing for at least one of them. Good on you!

There's no need to feel guilt. You helped a stray kitty. I find NOTHING bad about that and I can't imagine anyone faulting you for helping just one of them. Well, actually, I *can* imagine some absolutist finding fault, but that would be an extreme position not worth considering.

You helped one kitty.

That is a good thing.

Period.

None of us can solve the homeless pet problem. You reduced the problem by one. Consider your share done. Anything more is gravy.

[redqueen]

4. Thank you... but could I ask you this...

Is three cats too many for a small two bedroom apartment?

It's really my only fear... because it seems once you reach a certain number of cats they seem to decide they're in charge and litter box usage is optional.

Or maybe I'm just getting the wrong idea, and some people with several cats aren't often diligent enough with litter box maintenance, so the cats are kind of forced to go elsewhere...

[Stinky The Clown]

7. We have two cats. We have to keep thems eparated. They each gave different litter boxes.

One lives in the basement, where we have our offices. It is a daylight, walk-out space and she has windows for light and sunshine. She's living down here by choice. We gave her the run of the house but she has always been happy to have a very small area to "patrol."

The other lives upstairs. He's a happy, gregarious cat who loves to socialize. The issue is the downstairs cat doesn't socialize well with other cats.

While we have two cats and love them, we're more "dog" people than "cat" people. I expect others in this group can answer your questions far better than we can.

[redqueen]

9. Oops, sorry...

Shouldn't have assumed you'd be able to answer.

This has me torn. I'm taking in the slow one today, and so I'd like to decide in the next few hours. I guess I'm stressing myself over it and not thinking straight. Sorry again.

[silverweb]

10. No, three is not too many.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Three cats in a 2-bedroom apartment is not too many if you're willing to deal with the biggest problem, cat hair, and having to vacuum often. The litter box will need cleaning frequently, as well, but that's really no big deal.

I currently have 4 cats in a small apartment. Right now, one is on my lap and two are sleeping on the coffee table. The 4th has found himself a more private snooze spot somewhere and will reappear as dinnertime approaches. I vacuum almost daily and sift through the litter box every time I go in the bathroom.

After a few days of general hostility, your other cats will accept this little one. They'll bond and form their own relationships. Except when they decide to tear around the place playing "chase" or having a "whack attack" (cheap entertainment!), they'll mostly lounge around and sleep.

Your new kitteh can consider himself very lucky. It's a good thing you're doing!

[redqueen]

12. Thank you!

I have no problem with the increased maintenance at all. Thanks so much for your input.

[silverweb]

13. You're welcome!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I'm actually a little jealous.

When I was in Mexico, kittens often just "appeared" in my yard and I fostered many. I had up to 7 cats at once while there, which got hilarious at times.

Now I have much less space, but the apartment manager brought to me a stray kitten just recently. Fortunately, my daughter found someone to adopt him within 10 days, but I miss the little bugger.

Have fun!

[silverweb]

14. One more thing...

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I'd highly recommend investing in some strategic toys.

The best money I ever spent on my cats included a crinkle tunnel, a pair of play cubes, a circular ball track with a scratching pad in the middle, and a few soft toys they can easily carry and bat around the floor (favorites are felt mice and red satin 'chili peppers').

They're a lot like toddlers, in that they also love empty boxes and paper bags, and sometimes need their toys rotated so they don't get bored with the same old stuff day after day -- but sometimes there is one favorite, raggedy old toy that must never get lost.

Aackk... I feel the need for a kitten coming on!

[redqueen]

17. Oh yes, my cat has a supply of toys, and a favorite that gets used every day.

I'll definitely be stopping by the store to pick up a couple of welcome home toys for the little ones.

I'm excited now. Thanks so much for your feedback and advice. I don't want to be a 'crazy cat lady' but... these two are best buddies, and I'd hate for the one kitten to be stuck with my grown up cat for his only playmate.

[silverweb]

21. I apologize; I completely misread your earlier post.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I thought you had 2 cats and were asking about the kitten as a 3rd. Now I realize you have 1 older cat and are considering 2 kittens. That's even better!

Several years ago I had a 14-year-old female that was losing interest in life. She didn't want to play anymore, wasn't eating well, and didn't seem to want to do much of anything. We had moved, too, and she wasn't getting visits from her old pals anymore.

My bright idea was to get a kitten to see if it would perk her up. I mentioned that to a neighbor, who showed up a couple of days later with a pair of kittens. As a strategy for Mischief, it worked fabulously! The kittens were always getting into things and playing together, and the old girl loved to watch them. Within a few days, she was playing with them and trying to do everything they did.

When Mischief finally died at nearly 17 years of age, the "kittens" still had each other and didn't mourn for long. By that time, I had more cats, too, but that's another story.

I'm completely convinced that bringing in that pair of kittens added length and quality to my older cat's remaining life.

Update us and let us know how it's going!

[redqueen]

22. Older cat is NOT happy.

Kittens are kinda skittish after hearing the older cat's hisses, but otherwise ok. We're taking our sweet time since the first smelling didn't go so well.

[silverweb]

24. LOL

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]This is to be expected. It'll take a few days. The older cat will gradually accept that the kittens are staying and will get curious, tentatively sniffing them over (at first only while they're asleep).

I'd guestimate 5 days max before she starts grooming them and even playing with them, have been through this quite a few times. She'll need some extra attention from you so the jealousy isn't too much to take, but they'll all get along fine soon enough.

[redqueen]

26. Oh yes, she's getting extra attention.

I've told my kids to give her extra attention, too. We all want to make sure she knows she's not being replaced or forgotten.

[silverweb]

28. Ah, you have kids.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I didn't know that. Help with the litter box!

Glad you enjoyed the video. It's a classic at this point and one of my all-time favorites.

[silverweb]

25. Speaking of "crazy cat ladies"

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I proudly embrace being one, even though I now only have 4 cats. There's a lady a few doors down the street, who I'm told feeds all the strays in the area and has "about 20" cats. I plan on meeting her at some point, but haven't yet. I'm betting she's not really crazy, either.

Anyway, since you now have a trio, I thought you might find the following video useful:

[redqueen]

27. Awww, that was great!

I especially loved the disciplinary technique of corporal cuddling. And the "I'm not paying attention to you" game.

[Curmudgeoness]

29. Cat yodeling. LOL

How much you want to bet that I am going to try that as soon as I find my cat?

[haele]

30. Three should be okay in a two bedroom apartment. As long as you keep up with the litterboxes.

And they each have an area to go during kitty bickering time. Vertical Cat Trees with hideys are a must.

For four years, we had two large adult kitties (mine from before marriage) in a small (650sqft) two bedroom/one bath where there was also a medium-sized dog, a rat-cage, a cockiteil cage, and a disturbed tweenager who they did not like very much - which pretty much cut one room off their roaming area. We had two vertical cat-trees and one large covered litterbox in the bathroom, and had no poopie/pissy issues except when the one cat got mad at the tweener, got in her room and let loose on her bed. It was the only place where they had an issue.

And people couldn't tell we had cats, because I'd clean the box in the morning, and before I went to bed, and we ran the fan a lot in the bathroom.

Again, keep up with the litterboxes, and ensure they have a place to go hide in, and plenty of entertainment (windows with aouside views of trees or birdies is nice) and you should be fine. As long as everyone is fixed.

Haele

[Walk away]

5. Good luck with your new kitten! Is someone seeing to spaying the mother....

and fostering to kittens until they get a homes? If not, can you call your local Vet and see if you can bring them there? If they aren't spayed and neutered this will only happen again and again. If you can't manage you might try to get help from Animal Control or a local Cat Rescue.

Saving one kitten is good and kind, saving hundreds of homeless kittens from being born is heroic!

[redqueen]

6. Yes, if theyre not able to find homes in the next while the person who lives out there

who has them living nearby will have it done.

I just don't think this little guy will last that long, so he's coming home with me. I'm not sure its a boy even. They're really young. The mom got gotten a few days ago, so its a sad situation.

A lot of people in the country are happy to have feral cats around for rodent control. It's tough to see what the animals go through.

[Walk away]

16. That's so sad...

When I was a kid we had barn cats but they all lived long happy lives chasing garter snakes and rodents. They curled up by the heater in the winter and we always had them neutered and vaccinated so they were healthy. The horses loved having their own cat mascot.
I guess because of that I always thought country cats had it good.

[redqueen]

18. These are in the country but no barn,

just a house and pasture, so they let them in the garage to shelter from the dogs and coyotes. They must be coming over from a nearby farm or ranch. It's so sad about the mom. My girls were in tears over it.

[jtuck004]

8. You are doing the best you can with what you have. Nothing to be guilty about.

Last edited Fri Jul 13, 2012, 02:42 PM - Edit history (1)

And thank you for helping!

[redqueen]

11. Thanks.

[PotatoChip]

15. I think you are doing a wonderful thing!

Yes, it'd be great if you could take them all in, but very few people can do that for whatever the reason.

Plus, if I am understanding your post correctly, the other kittens have also since become acclimated to humans and will very likely have homes to go to. If that is the case, it's not as if you are turning your back on a bad situation for the litter.

Ideally, it'd be wonderful to be able to take them all. But if they are young enough, I don't really see a problem here. I applaud you for doing this, as well as whoever saved the feral mom and her babies in the first place.

Until he can "say" so himself, which I know he will do eventually in his own way, Thank You so much for caring enough to adopt this little guy. That thank you btw, also extends to your other stray feline 'furbaby'. I hope the 2 of them become great friends!

[redqueen]

19. Thank you. :)

It will be interesting. My first stray I took in probably won't be thrilled but I'm sure she'll warm up to them. She's a nice kitty if a little standoffish.

[Curmudgeoness]

20. None of us can save the whole world

but we can do a little thing here and there to save a part of the world. I know how you feel about wanting to take them all in, but you can't do it all. Do what you can, and that one kitten who will not make it without help is your first priority.

It is a wonderful thing to rescue a kitten.....don't make it less wonderful by guilting yourself.

[redqueen]

23. Thank you...

I'm glad I went on and took two, the siblings are keeping each other occupied and happy while my older cat settles down a little.

It will take time but they'll be living together in peace soon I'm sure.

[meti57b]

31. Three cats are not too many for your apartment.

I have a good-sized place and three cats but they don't get to have access to the whole place.

I have five cat boxes, three in the bathroom, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. depending on what company comes over, I sometimes move the cat box out of the living room.

I had to separate the second and third cat for the other(s) for the better part of a year when I got them. They are not from the same litter and it took them that long to get along with each other. I still have to separate them when they eat, or the fastest eater tries to eat the other cats' food.