I live in the country and several years ago I had to deal with three feral mamas in a row! Each time I was able to handle the kittens and separate them from their mamas for two weeks in order for the mamas to stop lactating before being spayed. I am now dealing with a very feral mama and three feral kittens that all had to be trapped. I cannot touch any of them yet. The mama will have to be trapped a second time in order to be separated and I just don’t know if I can handle a third time to get her fixed… is this process nessasary? Did you separate these mamas from their kittens at all? I’d like to only trap the mama one more time and get her spayed. I have a place for her to recover and hopefully she will live out her days content in my little colony. I will try to tame kittens and get them homes.
I’ve never needed to separate mothers from their kittens prior to surgery – Kristi and Katia were with the kittens right up until we left, and they went right back in with them with no issues.
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All meezers have blue eyes like that – the eyeballs are in a warm place and don’t move, so the pigment that makes them yellow or green never forms. You’ll note that they also get red-eye like humans, not green-eye like cats.
That is really interesting – and I have noticed the red eye, especially recently!
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FYI, I’m able to get to the site by going to it directly, but it did not come up in my RSS feed as it usually does.
Monday, it took until mid-day for the latest Love & Hisses to show up in my Feedly feed. Is it showing up for you now? (I’m hoping so, because I honestly am not quite sure how I’d fix that issue!)
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Do the Mama’s seem to know that some babies are missing?
Not that I can tell – there’s no calling out for kittens or hanging out by the door; they’re just doing their usual thing.
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This morning I am reminded of a major difference between puppies and kittens when it comes to toys. If it doesn’t make NOISE the pup will leave it. The kids think it’s fun when the puppy runs around squeaking things. I’m the daytime babysitter. I’d prefer kittens with their quiet games, thank you. Do they even make cat toys that squeak?
There are a few cat toys that make squeaking or chirping noises, but for the most part cat toys tend to rattle rather than have a squeaker (I have bought dog toys for cats before, and had to remove the squeaker because cats don’t usually bite toys the way dogs to, but I’ve had a cat lay on or walk across a dog toy with a squeaker in it, and it scares them.)
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Are the “two cats that don’t belong to us” [in the 2007 post] Maxi and Newt?
Yep – they weren’t initially supposed to be ours. The people who sold Crooked Acres to us left Maxi behind because they “couldn’t catch her.” (Sh’yeah.) They claimed they had no idea who Newt was (eyeroll), so they left him behind also. And did I mention that Maxi’d had a litter of kittens, also left behind? Luckily Challenger’s House took the kittens (we fostered them until they were ready to go). We paid to have Maxi and Newt spayed/neutered and got them up to date on their shots. The neighbor was willing to take them, but it took about a day before they were back on our front porch. They knew they were ours before we did, and it wasn’t so long before they were coming in the house and making themselves comfortable.
At an estimated 14 years old (Maxi) and 12 years old (Newt), they’re still with us and doing well. When we moved, I worried that Maxi would have an issue with being in the house among all the cats (at Crooked Acres she pretty much had the entire garage to herself – she is not a fan of other cats), and occasionally she’ll hiss and smack at anyone who gets up in her space, but for the most part it’s been a pretty peaceful transition, helped by the fact that the other cats know to give her a wide berth.
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What are you feeling those kittens, jumping beans? Torville’s eyes look a bit crossed. Maybe some meezer traits? Are Ohno and Picabo cross eyed? And do they meyowl like meezers?
Those kittens are eating bowls of crazy with a side of crazy. They’re nuts!
Torvill’s eyes aren’t crossed – I think it was just the angle of the picture. Ohno’s eyes aren’t crossed at all, but Picabo’s eyes are just ever so slightly askew sometimes; it’s more obvious in person than in pictures. They aren’t meyowly at all – I never hear Picabo’s husky little voice unless she’s in the litter box, and I only ever hear Ohno’s also husky little voice if I’m doing something she objects to. They’re still young, though, maybe they’ll become more vocal as they get older?
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Well, that looks comfy, Torvill.
Tessa looks like a little dinosaur.
“It IS comfy, lady. It IS!”
“This feather is tasty, lady.” (Tessa)
“PARDON ME MA’AM HAVE I MENTIONED MY TOES LATELY?!”
Tessa has a think.
Brian Boitano on the Fancy Sofa, fighting with the pillow. As you do.
Katia and all 8 kittens. Kristi was off taking a break.
“Toes? Is someone talkin’ ’bout toes?”
Picabo keeps her slappin’ paw at the ready.
Debi on the Fancy Sofa. Those pillows used to be firmly attached, and now they’re less so. Kittens are destructive, y’all.
Since I got that bed I often wake up with a craving for chocolate frosted donuts with sprinkles, and I am not kidding.
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Doesn’t Stefan look miserable? Poor dear.
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Previously
2017: Wearing Mama’s foot as a hat.
2016: I don’t know what Bert is thinkin’ about, but he’s thinkin’ about it real, real hard.
2015: Paws UP, y’all!
2014: No entry.
2013: “Madame, I don’t believe I care for your tone.”
2012: Whipper and the Newbs (aka Logie and Newbery) hanging out on the cat tree in the sun.
2011: Actually, that’s another way Dorothy and Alice are alike: they’re small, but they have NO fear when it comes to the other cats.
2010: Oh, I loved her immediately.
2009: He still says she’s ugly.
2008: No entry.
2007: Vampire Kitty likes to spend his days on top of the cupboards, where it’s warm and relatively dark.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
“This feather is tasty, lady.” picture of Tessa is hilarious. The look on her face!
Wow, Maxi is 14! I think she’s earned the right not to give a f*** about the other cats.
Oh, and baby Macushla from the McMaos in the 2011 post giving us a presentation of his tongue skills is just adorable. What an awesome bunch of monkeys the McMaos were!
Trovill has the right idea, all the toys are in the box with her, they can’t get stolen! And the blue really lets a black cat stand out!
Those pillows hung on through how many kittens, and these ones finally got them, huh? I guess that many all working together can get the job done! lol
They would be easy enough to put back on; they were just tied on. If you have a large needle and some yarn or a few strands of thread it would make it easy. Email me if you want me to send you some matching yarn and maybe a big plastic yarn needle, ok? (I have spares)
Andrea, did you make that? I love it!
All the Tors down in Torvill
would like you to know
he’s a boy not a girl
so no cooties will grow.
“Iz a him,” he said, sighing
“‘He’ and ‘his,” if you please
But the more he insisted
The more he saw “she’s”
“If only you’d listen.”
“Yes, I was born Jayne.”
“But that was because”
“It’s my ‘lympian name.”
But off you go, laughing
In search of new game
And the Tors down in Torvill
Just live with the shame.
Fabulous!!!
I use Feedly, and your posts started showing up on late Monday for me too (usually they’re available in the morning).
that donut bed is adorable
I do, too, but I can’t even see cupcake emoji without my mouth watering. A sprinkled donut pillow would about kill me.
I love that fancy sofa – I actually found the crochet pattern for it, and I think I am going to have to make one of my own. If it turns our well, maybe I can make one for the next time FF has an auction.
most of my lactating mothers go back and are neutered without separation.. but it is what the vet is comfortable with. Let them know your issue and see if they are able to take her as is