Kitty Eviction!!!

I took over my bedroom yesterday. It was quite a coup actually. We had been leaving the door open last week, and then more consistently after the all clear from the vet Saturday. However, mama and those babies (except for Eli and Adam) just were not coming out. Monday morning I noticed she brought them out for just a few minutes right after everyone left for work and school. It was progress! But, she ran right back in with her and the babies within five minutes and stayed there.

So Tuesday, I wait for her and the kits to come out of the room. Then, I walk slowly to the bedroom and quickly shut the door! I was only intending to leave it shut for a few hours, but then decided it was going to stay shut. Last night, for the first time in three months, I lay down in my bed.

Without sleeping.

Right as I finally fell asleep, I heard a kitten calling for help. The kids forgot to put Charlie and Hana in a bedroom.

Today, we took the kits back to the vet for their first series of shots. One of the nurses there decided she wanted Adam and Eli. A few weeks ago, she had said she wanted only one of them but those two are a package deal. So, we came home with two less babies.

I really wish we could explain it to Mama and have her understand. These guys were ready for weaning. I understand she wasn't quite ready for it, but they were. And they are going to a fantastic home as well. This lady loves animals. She has one cat and a couple of dogs. She keeps the dogs separate from the cats. Her four year old daughter is a vet tech in training. (She sits in on surgeries and everything.) They will have the best food and the best of care. They will be loved, happy, and spoiled rotten just as I promised Mama all of her babies would be. The nurse agreed to have them neutered as soon as they are old enough as well, and I trust her to live up to that agreement.

She doesn't understand that though. She goes through the house every half hour or so and calls for her babies. I can see the fright in her eyes as she wonders if they are okay. She goes to the door and lies in front of it knowing the last time she saw them was as they walked out the front door in their cage. She keeps giving me glares of betrayal. I do wish she understood!

We can't keep all of the babies. We have to give at least some of them away. We can't afford all of the babies! Vet bills over the past three months has been killing us. Yes, I know there are organizations to help, but both I and my husband have incomes. We agreed to take responsibility for them, and so we will. At the same time... *sighs*

The vet also may go ahead and do their sugeries at three months instead of four. This would be helpful for several reasons. One, if they do get out, I don't have to worry about more babies headed our way. Two, it greatly increases their chances of a positive adoptive family if they are altered AND still young as well. Three, altering while younger is healthier for them and less stressful. They recover much faster from the surgery as well. And lastly, the sooner we get it done, the quicker that expense is out of the way!

Little Mama, how I wish you could understand. I am fulfilling my promise to you and your children. Never will their tummies ache for food. Never will they want for attention. Fleas will not infest their bodies and neither will ear mites nor worms. They will be protected from all forms of illness. They will never have to endure murderous heat or freezing cold. They will never have to try to take care of their families with no assistance or resources. They won't be hit by cars that aim for them in the road. They won't be hit by bullets shot at them by cruel humans. They will be loved and spoiled. They will be treated like the royalty that you are.

Oh! And just a friendly reminder to my readers! It is baby season. Please, spay and neuter your pets. If one does become pregnant, please ensure all of the babies have been spayed/nuetered and have all of their shots before you give them away. (Make only rare exceptions for vetrinary care staff that you trust to get this done.)

Little Mama is a feral kitten. She is not even a full year of age yet. Her owners got her to be a mousing cat. They intentionally starved her as they mistakenly believed she would be a better huntress if hungry. She was never given affection, nor allowed inside for any reason. When they moved, they left her behind. Right before winter.

When abandoned, she was pregnant. She gave birth to five kittens right before the first hard freeze. She did her best to care for the babies and as they grew older, she would bring them to us to eat. Either the cold, other animals, or illnesses killed off four of the kittens. (One was found dead in our yard.) The last was found, alive, in our backyard with a broken leg.

When we trapped her and took her to the vet, her bowels were severely impacted from lack of proper nutrition and pregnancy. The X-Rays they took confirmed pregnancy, and a bullet lodged between her shoulder blades. If we hadn't brought her in before the harshest of weather, her and the babies would have died. And it would have been a horrible, painful death.

This is what happens to unwanted animals. You think you're being kind to your animal and allowing them to have a litter before altering them. You're wrong. You think males don't need to be altered. You're wrong. You think those people you gave/sold cheaply your babies to are going to take wonderful great care of them. 95% of the time, you're wrong. Do right by your pets. Spay and neuter them!

With that said, I'm off to bed. Time for me to lie down for hours on end and wish for sleep to arrive!