dammit! Stupid barn cat just had kittens!

[Runcible Spoon]

anyone in upstate NY need a furry friend? My parents have this huge old converted dairy barn which houses my horses. I live 2 hours away and I swear if I don't visit at least twice a month chaos ensues. Last fall this feral cat started hanging around the barn and I thought great, something to take care of the rat problem. So I told my parents to start feeding the cat so it would stick arounf. And this cat did, no more rats in the barn. Good. I told my mom to haveAheart trap the and take her/him to get fixed. Well they tried for about 2 weeks, no luck, even with tuna. One smart cat. I guess after that initial attempt it didn't register to my parents that the cat was still possibly unfixed. So now there are 4 furry little additions and my dad is pissed, considering I told him that he should really take them around 6-8 wks old and gentle them, get them shots, and adopt them out. He says it's a hassle.I say it would have been less hassle to deal with spaying the cat in the first place, but of course that's now moot. So now I may end up having to take charge of this situation to make sure the kittens find good homes. The mama I think it beyond taming, but now the impetus is on me to make sure she gets spayed. Giving a shit is so much more work than not giving a shit. :spank:

[ewagner]

1. Around here

(that would be America's Dairyland) barn cats are very much in demand....a frined would regularly collect them from other farms or abandoned farms and bring them back to his....he milked over 400 cows...he could never have enough cats...they kept the rodent population down very nicely....trouble was...the damned red-tailed hawks were feeding on the cats....

[Runcible Spoon]

3. yeah, 2 years ago we had another barn cat but unfortunately..

I think the coyotes got it. I fear starting another Cat War and could be flamed for advocating barn cats, since there is a militant contingency here who thinks that no cat should live outisde of the home. Ideally this is great, but I already have pet cats and the barn cat is truly feral, lives a good life doing cat things, and is well-fed. There are so many cats who need homes and if this cat is healthy then I don't see how the life as a barn cat is that bad. Better than spending a few miserable weeks in a shelter, cooped up and then put down. Besides, keeping rats down is important for the health of my horses.

[MADem]

2. Aww, gee, that barn cat isn't stupid

She just didn't have access to quality health care!!!

[Runcible Spoon]

4. snarf. She did actually! our vet is great.

Maybe she was too proud to use Medicare through my parents! :evilgrin:

[texas1928]

5. Well I always say.

A female cat that is in heat is like a nympho looking for anything with a penis. I swear they are a bunch of whores. And for some reason They always seem to think I am the one that will take care of them. They come and flirt with me and it can get annoying. Get her caught and to the vet ASAP. or you will have another group of youngsters soon.

[Runcible Spoon]

6. yes yes.

I impressed upon my dad that as soon as she weans this litter and we don't get her fixed it's off to the races again. I feel kinda protective of this cat now, like I need to go out and find that rascal tomcat who took advantage of her and left her as a single parent with no child support! :mad: Don't blame the single mothers or call them whores! after all it takes two to make kittens! :evilgrin:
On edit: it's scary thinking that any creature would seek out sex with something that has barbs on its penis :scared:

[alittlelark]

7. I've dealt w/ this situation before.

When you catch the kittens (5-7 weeks is best) get a trap, at the food end of the trap attach a seperate box - plastic, metal... get creative, but make it SECURE. Put the kittens in the box, food in the trap and set it. The kittens are not in the trap, but mama doesn't know that, it looks as though she can get to them through the trap. Get her fixed ASAP. Never let her see the kittens again, because seeing her fear of humans will cause them to be harder to tame. Release Mommy a few days later w/ lots of food and water...she'll likely stay.

Good Luck!

[Runcible Spoon]

8. that's a really creative suggestion!

I will be back home in 3 weeks, perfect time to try this out. Thanks! :hug:

[Radical Activist]

9. Run kitty run!

Don't let the bad humans imprison you and take away your kittens!
I know, I'm warped.

[Runcible Spoon]

11. you jackass!

how have ya been?

[Radical Activist]

10. Hey Farce...

done any drunk dialing lately? ;)

[Runcible Spoon]

12. LOL

erm, um, no? :shrug: ;) (especially not when I'm trying to catch cats)