Poor little kittens!
 

Day before yesterday our neighbours cat was whining at our door. As usual I told it to sling it's hook as usual even though it was very insistent.
Yesterday it bolted into our house but we chased it out.
This morning my husband found the reason why. It has chosen to give birth to it's kittens in our Laundry. I've counted 4 but they're very tiny so I'm not sure how many there are.
I went round to tell my neighbour and she has the solution! Yes.. wring their necks. Right now before they get any bigger.
She says nobody in the village want any more cats. After giving her a mouthful about taking the poor young mother (who appears to be some kind of Siamese cross, as it has the bluest eyes and a ringed tail), to a vet for the snip, I've come home to look for any other solution. But it's probably a forlorn hope. I'm allergic to cats. so defo couldn't keep even one. Also we're away rather a lot so feeding would be tricky even if we left the little sod outside year round and could afford to.
Another possible problem is, the laundry room is also used for baking my polymer clay at a high enough temperature to cause potentially toxic fumes. though there's no door on it and the kittens are right near the doorway so this may not be a problem.
So, a couple of questions
Anyone know of any organisations who will take in kittens. And if so, at what age can they leave their mother?
Anyone got any other advice apart from abort the neighbour!!, though at 300th trimester I think we might have left it a little late!!:D

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I saw the other thread, they should be ok without mum after 6 to 8 weeks, ask in all the pet shops if they can help, even if you have to give them a couple of bob:thumbup: Best of luck.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Don't think I've seen a Pet shop in Aracena. Still, good advice and I'll have a look.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

when we rescued a few day old kittens, we raised them til old enough, then put a poster in the local vets and garden centres. we soon found new homes (tho i put them through the runner before i let them go..i wanted to be sure they wanted them as pets not just to leave in a shed or anything to catch rats!):lol:

another alternative that i didnt know at the time, is that there is an animal rescue centre in/near sevilla. if you're interested i can try to find out more info for you.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Poor little things.

Our year old cats mum gave birth to her litter in an underbuild of someones house.

Some are lucky at the end of the day and some arent even though its horrible to think of it.

I wish you the best of luck and hope theres a good outcome.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Carrefor usually have one, but not always, they get quite busy which is good for this case.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I have a fantastic vet who is really into animal rescue. Now, I know that they are all not, but you could try visiting any vets in your area and try them out. Good luck.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Yes please. I'd certainly be prepared to drive them out to Seville if I can't find anyone for them. Which looks unlikely in this village. Most cats here are semi-wild anyway. Pepa (The neighbour/cat owner) doesn't really want me even to look after them until weaning because she says they'll just take off into the campo with their mother and come back to her to be fed etc! She'd rather they were dispatched in the time honoured way now!

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

It's just not that kind of area. In The campo thy're very pragmatic about life and death. Wish they tended towards the more humane. At least by speying their cats. I don't know anyone who has an indoors cat here!

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I feel the same way about irresponsible pet owners.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Agreed. and as I said on the Ayamonte thread. I'd abort the neighbour if it weren't already about the 300th trimester!
I choose not to be a pet owner as I wouldn't be very good at it and have no desire to try. But I've been landed with clearing up this mess or allowing kitty murder.. Quite apart from how sad the young mum would be without her newborns!

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

If your Spanish is up to it, you could post the story and pictures of the kittens to a Spanish pet forum. Or you can at least ask there for help finding an organization that might take the kittens and try to find them homes.

Here are some forums that I browse from time to time:
http://www.todogatos.com/index.php?showforum=5
http://www.madridfelina.com/w1/index...orum&Itemid=37
http://www.mundogatos.com/foro/f-adopcion-de-gatos.html

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Yes I think I could handle that. Many thanks:-)
Not being a pet keeping person I'm not up to scratch (ha ha) on the pople and the whys and hows
Anyone know if and when i should handle these kittens. It's the mothers first (hopefully last) litter so I'm not sure how bonded she is and whether me touching them would put her off. Better start a course of antihistamines(on myself) right now!

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

no problem, i'll try to find out for you. i have just had some ferral kits spayed...e180 each female and e120 each male!:ohmy:i understand it is cheaper on CDS but here it seems not many people bother so prices are high.
re kits, the mother will have to lick their 'bits' for a few weeks to make them poo, and make sure she is fed enough to be able to produce enough milk for her litter. we had to supplement with syringes of powdered kitty milk from the vets (not cheap either).

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I'm afraid there's no way I can afford to have the kittens speyed. I would if I could but at the moment we're living partly off my kids!
This cat is not ours and is fed by the owner. I've talked sternly to her about feeding the cat and about having it speyed when the time comes. which I presume is when the kittens are weaned. I don't choose to have pets. I wouldn't be a good pet owner! I keep wondering whether it would have been better to let Pepa take them and do the normal thing round here. But I just can't bring myself to. I haven't touched them yet and I'm not sure whether they are a day old or two days old. Maybe even three.. But I think I'll get up the courage today to check they're all alive and well. The mother seems to have bonded with them and is feeding them and not running away when I go near. But she does go off to Pepa's to get fed so when she's away I'll check them out. Do I wear rubber gloves to stop them smelling of me? Or is that other animals?

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Update
Just checked them over. (using rubber gloves) there are 4 all alive and moving and, I think, quite big. I made them just a little more comfortable. They were almost on the cement floor so I tucked some kitchen roll and garden fleece under them. It must have been cold overnight!

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Don´t get too attached, the same cat will have new kittens again in a couple of months. And the current kittens in 12 months !

There is a privately run shelter in between Ayamonte and Isla Cristina but they´re full. It´s truly heartbreaking to go there, 100-dreds of cats and the most beautifull dogs.

This shelter entirely runs on donations and volunteers, any help (money, food, blankets, etc.) is highly appriciated.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I can't get attached to them. I simply can't keep even one. But I've been on to one organisation who will put an advert for homes and will pass me on to a shelter if we're out of luck.
I'm going to be very firm with my neighbour about her cat getting speyed as soon as the kittens are weaned. And with any potential homes about speying these ones.
I'll also put photos on here when the little things are old enough to open their eyes and have their pictures taken. I know it's going to be hard to find homes but I have to give them a chance....don't I?

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

this is draging on.bin bag or poison.or if you can lay your hands on a gun.have a good laugh while your shooting them:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Quite welcome not to read this thread mate. On the other hand I think a wee bit of culling might be in order in other areas;-)

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

of course, i am sure many of us would rather have a good laugh whilst that is being done to you...bet you wouldn't be :rofl:so much then would you?

angiescarr - i got the information for you..SPAPS in Mairena del Aljarafe, Finca Peralta, Carretera Bormujos/Mairena 955 724 252 or 955 725 027

Let us know how you get on. :fingerscrossed: You sound like you're doing a grand job with them.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Angie, you are very noble. Our 2 dogs & 3 cats are rescue-animals as well but I just wanted to say that most Spanish, especially in the campo take a different view to animals.
Anyway, good luck with your cause, keep posting how you get on with it!

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Actually I'm doing the bare minimum if I'm honest. Thanks for the info:thumbup:

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Will do everybody. Thanks for all the help.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Dragging on?
The thread was only opened yesterday. I suggest that if you have nothing positive to add to a thread, you avoid commenting - especially in the absolute negative.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I couldn't mistreat animals.

Last year one of the strays that we feed came over as usual and his right eye was swollen and bleeding, looked like he had been kicked, I gave him some antibiotics and eye drops that I had in for my cats, it cleared up, last week he came here and both eyes were nearly closed took him to the vet and got a jab and some cream, he's doing nicely now. I didn't want to return to Spain next week and think he might be blind for the sake of about 6 quid, poor buggers it's not their fault.

I say well done to Angiescarr too, lets hope you get a home for them, I'm sure you will.:thumbsup::fingerscrossed:

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

This post has only been left as others have quoted it, but I strongly suggest that you think carefully before making a similar comment in future

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Totally agree and I hope it works out.

That said, it will be difficult. Many of the animal charities are all running out of money as donations are down due to the economic situation. Temporary homing costs money not to mention the vets bills. Dogs tend to get a better reception as there are export opportunities but kittens, and especially adults, are hard to home.

The Spanish solution is to dispose of them at birth - in the end there is some logic to this even if it offends our sensibilities. Unfortunately it is the way it is often done that is really upsetting. We have 5 cats - all raised from very young kittens. One of them had been dumped in a river in a plastic bag with 4 siblings - they were found but he was the only survivor - now a very healthy and much loved cat.

We recently found a bag full of kittens in the basura - only their cries alerted us. They were tied up in a plastic bag in August! We revived them and tried to feed them with kitty milk all night in a dropper but they were only a day old. They (just) survived to the next day but we took them to the vet who had to put them down as they were not viable. Incidentally vets can no longer do that if the cat is viable - whatever the owner might want.

What gets me is the way they dump them - out of sight, out of mind - they don't have the courage to humanely dispose of them - drowning is better than a plastic bag in a basura.

I know of cases where puppies have been thrown from the car on the motorway!

The solution is neutering any cat as soon as it is old enough - easy to say but very expensive. In Nerja on the CDS they have had some success with this and most of the strays have been rounded up and neutered. They nick their ears so you know if it has been done. They have even set up feeding stations in various ares so it can work but it does need money and very sympathetic vets.

Our latest addition arrived one night 5 weeks ago. It had been dropped over our high wall at 11pm. 5 months old and obviously domesticated - I think we should put up a Cat Hotel sign! Someone obviously knew we wouldn't throw it back over the wall. Large vets bills later and he now is an accepted member of the family.

We have had another three lodgers over the last few years and we did find homes for them luckily. The problem is that the longer they stay the more you get attached to them - allergies permitting!

Angie - I wish you (and the kittens) luck. Normally they would stay with their mother for 12 weeks until taking solid food but 8 weeks is probably OK. We had two cats who were dropper fed (every 2 hours) from about 2 weeks old (that was in Cyprus and one is still with us 13 years later).

You mention that you are away a lot. We have some neighbours who come out about 5 times a year. They were adopted by a cat and now, when they are away, a neighbour puts down some food nearby every few days. When the arrive for a short stay the cat is there within minutes and moves back in for the duration of their stay!

Anyway, enough of my feline ramblings - thank you for trying - whatever the outcome.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

[QUOTE=Fred James;9274831]



The solution is neutering any cat as soon as it is old enough - easy to say but very expensive. In Nerja on the CDS they have had some success with this and most of the strays have been rounded up and neutered. They nick their ears so you know if it has been done. They have even set up feeding stations in various ares so it can work but it does need money and very sympathetic vets.

/QUOTE]
Thanks for your feline ramblings. Not being a cat lover 'as such' its been really nice to get this support. Can you tell me what CDS is please. I've heard it's something to do with neutering cats at a reduced cost. As some members will know we're struggling through financially but I'd like to make sure these kittens and their mother are all neutered. Just not at my...or at great expense. Even If I can just pass info on it might help.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

[QUOTE=angiescarr;9274964]I can't help but I have seen posters in shop windows and bill boards advertising it

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Angie, CDS = Costa de la Sol
BE=British Expats
CE=Costa Esuri
IC=Isla Canela
OP=Original Poster

I need some help with PSML and IMAO, Anyone? :blink:

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Pissing myself laughing
IMO = In my opinion.

If you want to avoid being asterisked out, you need to show some F'king ingenuity.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

It's PMSL (pissed myself laughing)
and its LMAO (laughed my arse off)

LOL is laugh out loud
IYKWIM is If you know what i mean
ROFPMSL is roll on floor pissing myself laughing

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

I wish it was that simple!

CDS is the Costa del Sol.

We are lucky with one of our local vets who seems to ignore all requests for payment from the local animal charity.

I fear he is in the minority however.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Down here we do have a charity that offers assisted neutering for cats and dogs, we took in 2 kittens and paid 10e each towards the cost of having them done and when we took in a stray dog he cost us 30e it is more of a donation than a fee, if you can afford more then pay more. I now take in dogs getting ready for new homes abroad to try and help the charity out, it is sometimes the first time that these dogs have lived in a house, had love on tap and someone who actually cares for them, as one goes onto a new home I get another one and it starts all over again (I would not change it for anything), Keeps the dog I took in last year on his toes as many are often young and keeps him fit running up and down the garden. My other 2 older dogs just look on with disgust and they roll over and go back to sleep. What a life. :thumbsup:

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

What a wonderful person.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Does anyone know if there is assisted neutering in the Seville or Huelva area?

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Have a word with your vet or your Town Hall. I know that, having paid over 400 Euros to have my dog speyed, I learned that there is a programme in Seville Province to have gargos speyed - free of charge.

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Ah Great. Will do. Not being an animal owner (before this!) I don't even know where the nearest Vet is.
Update. All 4 kittens all doing well. Mother coping well considering how young she is. Not sure the neighbour is happy about what I'm doing but her son's wife (downstairs from her) just gave me some sweets. So I haven't alienated them:-)

Re: Poor little kittens!
 

Access 'Paginas Amarillos Espana' - put in 'Veterineros' and your nearest town. Most of them have an email address and therefore you can simply ask the question. Maybe access 'Reverso' and translate your question into Spanish - tho' I suspect that your Spanish is more than adequate. Good luck