Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    
    	Oh Nancy!!!  Where are you??!!!  =)
    
    	JJ
    

    How about a big sheet of velcro?  Then I could just pick their claws
    out of the stuff and pop them in the cage.
    
    Jo-Ann
    
    I'm a dog person, not a cat person.  If these were puppies, I'd have
    had them all within an hour.  Two kittens for twelve hours of work --
    this is beyond comprehension.
    

    Well, I can tell you that it's going take some time.  My suggestion is
    that you go for the adult females first (of course capture anything you
    can) but getting the mom's is really important.  The more they see and
    get to know you the less apprehensive they will become.  You might want
    to see about borrowing or renting a have-aheart trap as well.  The last
    of the fearals that was captured down the street from me took 3 weeks
    of constant trying - she was slick and evaded us for years - it takes a
    lot of patience - don't give up - the end result is well worth the
    effort.
    
    Giudi
    

    I just want to wish you luck and thank you for helping out with
    the stray problem.  (I love York Beach and hopefully some day I
    will own a home up there!!)
    
    From experiece at the shelter I work at and with the three feral
    adult cats I am currently feeding at my house...all I can say is it takes
    time, patients and lots of love.    Finally after 6 months of feeding
    one of the strays both morning and night...I can finally pat him!
    It's a wonderful feeling.  We did this by just trying to get a little
    closer each day.
    
    I think since you don't have 6 months to spare...the best bet is
    to get a have-a-heart trap and many cans of tuna.
    
    Good luck in the rescue and thanks again for trying!
    
    Sandy
                            

    Is a have-a-heart trap something I can borrow?  And from where?
    
    And why can't people help?  What good are the shelters, adapt-a's, and
    local pest control agencies?  
    
    I'm getting a bit agitated about this.  The people that have this
    problem are 70's+ and retired, and that means no money to feed 15 cats.
    The agencies that are supposed to help, don't.  The cat lovers of the
    world shrug and say good luck.  
    
    So, in addition to buying more cat food, I should tell her to drop a
    few hundred dollars on traps?  If it's going to take six or more months
    for this woman to nab these cats, they're gonna multiply right in front
    of her face.  
    
    Is that the humane thing to do?  Or would it be better to spend a day
    with a gun and pop them all off?    
    
    She will happily feed you all if you'll bring your cunning and your
    traps to Shelton Ave (just before Nubble lighthouse), York Beach, ME.
    
    The two little buddies I caught yesterday are out there in the cage. 
    I named the little white one Nubble.  His/her cagemate's name is
    Silverado.  Yet to be caught are Sharlemar, Sneakers, Buffy, Charlie
    ...
    

    I'm not sure you see the whole picture.  Yes this one person at
    York beach needs help....but there are also many other areas that
    have the same need.  The shelter I work at tries so hard to help
    in every situation in our area.....we have over 40 cats that
    have been rescued within the last two months.  We are actively
    capturing about 15 cats from a factory in Fitchburg...and another
    18 from an abuse case where the house is being condemed.
    
    I don't think it's fair that you make a statment saying all cat
    lovers turn their heads to this problem.  For the last 6 months
    I have spent every weekend either rescuing cats, working at
    fund raising events....or cleaning shelter.  Your comment was
    not fair because many people in this notesfile do the same
    thing I do.
    
    It is so tough to see all these cats abandoned especially when
    you know they will just multiply over and over...believe me
    my heart breaks everytime I read another case...or when I see
    more cats brought to the shelter.  But I truly feel I am doing
    what I can do....and do feel good about that! 
    
    I think your best bet is to try and work with some local
    shelter around York Beach or find some cat lovers in
    the immediate area to help you out.   If I did have
    a have-a-heart I would let you borrow it...but maybe
    some local shelter could let you borrow theirs...or
    you can rent them at a rental store.
    
    Sorry you feel noone can help.....and sorry you feel we are
    all turning our back to the problem...but believe me this
    is not the case.   
    
    Sandy

    Very often local animal shelters, private or public, have have-a-heart
    traps that they will lend out for free, usually requiring a small
    deposit, refundable when the trap is returned.
    

    I may be looking at the wrong picture, that's all.  I am aware that it
    is a large problem, and I think I'm just losing patience, that's all.
    I didn't grow up with cats, and therefore don't know anything about
    their behavior, or how I should treat them.
    
    What will help is specifics, like:
    
    		-- try Taylor Rental...they rent traps
    		-- so-and-so has a trap and will lend it out
    		   if you put a deposit on it
    		-- in my experience, the best bait for cats is...
    		-- such-and-such vet will give you a discount on 
    		   leukemia testing if you bring in 5+ cats
    		-- should I keep the 1 month old in the cage, away
    		   from its mother
    		-- how many can I stuff into a cage before they all
    		   go bonkers
    
    What doesn't help my frustration is pats on the head telling me I'm a
    nice person for trying.  I know it's a good thing to do.  Whether or
    not I'm a nice person has always been debatable.  I never actively try
    to please anyone...I just try to do what I think is right.  In this
    case I think I'm doing the right thing, but I'm feeling the pressure 
    of time.  
    
    The cats are 100 miles from my house.  Tomorrow is probably the last
    day for 4-5 weeks that I can freely spend cat hunting.  By then the
    older kittens will be ready to be transformed into kitten-mothers, and
    they'll all be that much farther away from domestication.  I'm haunted
    by the sight of the two kittens I caught, curled up in the cage
    watching their littermates play.
    

    Reply .7 is correct -- most shelters will lend have-a-hart traps for a
    refundable deposit. They will also coach you in the types of bait to
    use and the best methods for trapping.
    
    Unfortunately, the stray cat situation in this country is monumental.
    Most shelters don't have the resources to go out on stray cat calls,
    however, the situation in question warrants assistance by the local
    shelter.
    
    Good luck!
    Mike

    Yes, it isn't fair to make a blanket statement that all of us cat
    lovers say good luck, shrug our shoulders and look the other way.  Like
    Sandy, many of us are working on catching stray and feral cats in our
    own home towns... to pick up and drive all the way to York beach to
    help is asking a lot of us!!
    
    I understand your frustration with the local shelters and rescue
    agencies.  They are there to perform a service yet when you approach
    them with a situation they turn their backs.  Shelter volunteers in the
    York area should be compassionate to your situation and help.  You
    might try calling them back and insist they help or at least loan you
    some Hav-a-Hart traps at no charge.  (Our local shelter only charges
    $10 to borrow one and you get it back... it's a deposit for the trap).
    
    I currently have several cats right in my townhouse complex that need
    my help and it is all I can do to keep them fed (as well as my own five
    cats) and try to tame them.  It's hard work as you are beginning to
    see.
    
    It's hard for me to fathom that the local agencies in York are refusing
    to help.  That is what they are there for; that is why they have
    volunteers.  There must be something they can do to assist.
    

    Good trap baits:
    
    Really smelly foods like tuna (people tuna or Figaro cat tuna), Nine
    Lives Super Supper (yukko!), sardines, mackeral (in the tuna section of
    the supermarket) and anything else that stinks to high heaven.
    
    Put the food in the far end of the trap so that when the cats walk in,
    they have to step on the "magic button" that closes the trap when they
    go for the food.  And with kittens, several will go into the trap at
    once and you'll have the game half licked.
    
    I understand your frustration level.  It took me several weeks of
    coaxing and near frostbite to catch my current pet cat, Niiki, a formal
    feral.
    
    It's hard to see kittens in cages.  Don't overcrowd them.  I'd make
    sure there are at least two per cage so they have company.  Feral cats
    take comfort from each other and to be alone in a strange environment
    is terrifying for them.
    

    Just a suggestion:
    
    When the problem in our neighborhood was full blown - we went from door
    to door asking people if they wanted to help out.  A lot of the
    neighbors were complaining about the feral population so we figured to
    ask for help.  A lot of people slammed doors in our faces but there
    were 3-4 who didn't and those people helped with cat food and $'s here
    and there to buy it.  One lady would keep her eyes open for food on
    sale and buy $5 worth and leave it at my front door.  It doesn't hurt
    to ask and even getting assistance from 1 person is better than none.
    
    I would check out the have-a-heart - most SPCAs will rent one out or
    just ask for a deposit.  My heart goes out to you - I went through this
    for 3 years...
    
    Giudi

    >agencies.  They are there to perform a service yet when you approach
    >them with a situation they turn their backs.  Shelter volunteers in the
    
    I am the President of the Humane Society of N.E. in Nashua and I can
    assure the frustration rests on both sides of the fence. Yes, we are a
    Humane Society and service is our business, however, we work for free
    and exist solely on the generosity of the members of the community we
    serve. Unfortunately, however, the majority of the public we serve
    never bothers to open their pocketbooks to help us defray costs. Our
    annual operating budget in Nashua is a quarter of a million dollars. It
    costs a tremendous amount of money to operate a Shelter.
    
    And, of course, the ones who complan the loudest are generally the ones
    who never contribute a red cent to the cause. Humane Societies are
    strictly privately funded -- funds come only from donations and sale of
    services. No funding comes from organizations like the United Way or
    from municipal, state, or federal government. Many people are under the
    false impression that Humane Societies are part of some umbrella
    network funded by the government -- that couldn't be further from the
    truth. We scratch and claw each and every day to stretch the meager
    budget we operate under -- and the welfare of the animals in our care
    always take priority over anything else so sometimes things are left
    unresolved. We always ask for financial assistance with rescue efforts,
    but are seldom rewarded but we do the work anyway because it's our
    mission. 
    
    Because we're non-profit agencies, there are limits to the
    services we can sell and because we have very small amounts of
    capital, we can't always afford to invest in the most lucrative
    money-making opportunities.
    
    Right now our Shelter is operating at a 30% defecit. With just 5
    months left in our fiscal year, the prospects for survival are very
    grim. We're $140,000 shy of making our fundraising budget and it
    doesn't look like we'll make that up by December 31st. Our employees are
    covering Animal Rescue League 24 hours a day and not being compensated
    for it because we can't afford to pay them. And most of the calls they
    receive come during unGodly hours of the evening. They don't complain
    because they care. And as long as we can afford to keep gas in the
    truck, we help out.
    
    So, please, before making blanket statements like the one above,
    understand the facts.
    
    Mike Philbrook

    Thank you all for your suggestions.  So far I have...
    
    	-- 1 have-a-heart reserved at Leominster Taylor rental
    	-- the name of a woman in Gardner who will lend another
    	   one (hopefully, she'll return my call tonight)
    	-- possibly one cat-nabber to assist tomorrow
    	-- decided that keeping the two kittens together in the
    	   cage was probably a good idea
        -- the leukemia test can yield results the same day
    	-- my vet will give a discount on the leukemia test if I
    	   bring in a ton of cats ... hopefully, the same will be
    	   true in York.
    
    Hopefully, I'll be a little smarter in my attempts at cat catching
    tomorrow, and I'll come home with 3 (Silverado, Charlemar, Sneakers)
    healthy kittens.  ... after delivering the other 12 to the shelter.
    
    Jo-Ann
    
    

    I hear your frustrations...and beleive me we all get very frustrated
    at times.  You might not want a pat on the back...but god you really
     deserve one especailly for all your efforts.  And considering your 
    not a former cat lover....I do think you are truly special for helping out!
    
    As far as bait....anything that smells terribly to humans. 
    
    As far as cages....it really depends on the size of the cage...if
    it's big you might be able to fit the Mom and her kittens in
    one.  
    
    A one month old kitten should not be taken away from it's
    mother...unless something is wrong with the Mom.
    
    As far as vets...won't the shelter that offered to take the
    cats attend to the vets needs.  I truly hope so!  We do have
    some wonderful vets in the Fitchburg area that help with are shelter cats
    for a very reasonable price.  
    
    If you willing to post an address.....I would be more then willing
    to donate to the cause.....and I'm sure other people might help
    with food, litter, and dollars.   Sorry I can't help any other way....
    
    Sandy

    Please keep us posted ..... you've already got two and I'm sure more
    will follow. And yes, you deserve a pat on the back - but watch out for
    the purr in the ear - you just might end up with some new special
    friends.
    
    Giudi + Pippin, Gino & StItCh

    another suggestion re: hav-a-hart traps - if you have a dog catcher or
    dog pound, sometimes they also have traps to lend.
    
    Pat
     
    

    I've just spent a lot of time and $$$ catching ferals, we got the last
    mom spayed a few weeks ago, and her daughter will be scheduled as soon
    as she's ready.  We sorts lost count, but it was somewhere around 20
    ferals, plus this seasons litters.  I know where your coming from.
    
    We didn't have any luck w/ the hav-a-hart.  With so many, after
    1 got caught, the rest wised up to it and figured out how to work
    around it.  There are other kind folks who feed these cats from time to
    time.
    
    We had the best luck feeding the cats in a tack room, where once the
    cat was in, we could close the room off and catch the cat.  It was
    sad becasue they would litterally climb the walls, but then we were
    able to pick the off, using a big fish net, and cage them.  There were
    draw backs too, one cat ran under a wood stove, probably 3 inches off
    the  ground.....boy was that tough!  
    
    For now, we have a neutered male, Buster, and 1 spayed female Nike with
    her daughter residing at the farm.  We have seen others in the fields, 
    and I'm sure come winter, we may have to do it all over again.
    
    Good Luck, I know what you're going through.
    
    Michele
    	

    Progress so far --- 8 trapped, 6 captive.
    
    My housemate (the cat lover, who didn't want any more because the last
    of her cats died from leukemia less than two months ago) decided to
    make the trip to York.  Being an engineer, she needed to validate my
    stories of being unable to catch these critters.  We recycled a 
    4' by 2' wooden rabbit cage that had been adapted for use by my
    husky-shepherd by adding a sliding door to the dog opening.
    
    Friday afternoon I rented a havahart and borrowed another one from a
    stray cat collector person in Gardner.  Off we went, early Saturday
    morning.  We arrived to find that the two captives (Silverado and
    Nubble) were doing just fine ... both were eating, both were using the 
    litter box, both seemed content (though wishing they were somewhere else).
    
    We set up both traps in their feeding area.  Withing a half hour, SLAM!
    We had the fluffy beige kitten (Buffy).  We put all three captives into
    the rabbit-cage-holding-tank in the back of my van.  And then we
    waited.   And waited.  
    
    Two more cat-nabber friends arrived, and we spent the afternoon
    grubbing through the brush trying to flush them out.  They were ranging
    much farther away from the places I'd found them on Thursday, and we
    were finding them alone, instead of bunches of three.  Every hour I'd
    go back to the rabbit cage and pet each of the three captives.  These
    guys had not yet made a sound -- even their hissing/spitting was just a
    whisper -- and no mewing.
    
    Finally, a breakthrough!  I was petting Silverado (who'd been caught on
    Thursday), and she started to purr ... then she rolled over and offered
    her belly ... her motor just got louder and louder.
    
    Back to the hunt.  Late afternoon we trapped one of the young mothers
    -- mother of little Nubble.  Transferred the kittens to a small cage,
    and put the mother in the large rabbit cage.  Left her alone for an
    hour, and then gave her little Nubble and transferred the two of them
    to their own cat carrier. 
    
    Then it started raining.  These guys don't come out in the rain.  We
    saw nothing ... feeding time came and went, but no kittens.  Around 8
    o'clock we decided to head for home.  I un-set the rented trap and put
    it back in the van -- headed back to the house and saw a kitten.  Went
    into the house to tell everyone -- the rain had let up and the cats
    were back...looked out the window as 1, 2, 3, 4 kittens came out of the
    brush and headed for the trap -- 1 went in, then 2, then 3, then SLAM!
    Jackpot!  Ran to the trap and found it empty.  It had jammed, and they
    scooted out the other end.
    
    This isn't fun anymore, it's really getting to be hard work.  --
    Brought the new trap back out of the van, set it and went back in the
    house.  Twenty minutes later ... 1 kitten ... another kitten ... SLAM!
    We got Charlemar and one of the twins that belonged to the captive
    mother.  Put the twin in her mother and littermate Nubble and put
    Charlemar in with Silverado and Buffy.
    
    Now we have 6.
    
    Packed up and went home.  I couldn't stay overnight, because I have
    this OTHER life to lead (household chores, etc.), but made tentative
    plans to return late Sunday for more attempts.  
    
    Sliverado, Charelmar, and Buffy made the trip back to Gardner with us.
    
    \Jo-Ann  

    Another point someone made to me.
    
    If we had removed all of the ferals, it would allow more ferals to 
    come in.  So many of the ferals we caught, we had neutered and
    returned them to the wild.
    
    Because they are so wild and would probably never be socialized, the 
    only alternative would be euthansia.
    
	M

    Congratulations on a hard but successful weekend.   Capturing
    6 strays in one weekend...must be a record.
    
    Do we see a cat lover in the making???   Silverado sounds like
    a sweetie....any cat that will roll over and let you pat their
    belly has total faith in you!  to have that must faith in
    people...I can guarentee you he is not a true wild cat and
    he must have had a home at one time.
    
    Good job...and please keep us posted on the progress.
    
    Sandy
    

    Remember ... I like dogs.  Cats is ok, but I like dogs.  Haven't quite
    figured out when or how Omega will be introduced to the three, but she
    knows there's something interesting happening in the back room.
    
    Silverado is truly wild...only 9 or 10 weeks old, and all of those
    weeks spent in the jungle.  She appears to be mostly Siamese -- silvery
    dirty white with a dark tail and ears, light blue eyes.  The other two
    are long-haired persian types.  
    
    I was amazed at their behavior on the way home.  I expected them to get
    agitated and barf and wet all over the rabbit cage.  They slept all the
    way.
      

    It sounds more to me from their behaviour that these are house pets
    that have been dumped by someone.
    

    Well, the lady from York has been watching the cat progression for a
    year, and all but the grandmother were born right there at 37 Shelton
    Ave.  Started with one cat -- good, healthy looking, and young...maybe
    2 years old.  She had a litter of two, and so on, and so on.
    
    
                              (2nd litter)
    		Grandmother -----------------------+     
    		     |(1st litter)                 |
    	    +--------+--------+                    +-- Silverado
            |                 |                    |
    	Yellow-tip        Black-tip                +-- Charlemar
          tail              tail                   |
            |                 |                    +-- Buffy
       +----+              +--+                    |
       |                   |                       +-- tiger twin
       +-- Orange          +-- Nubble              |
       |                   |                       +-- tiger twin
       +-- Tortoise        +-- fluffy white        |
                           |                       +-- Sneakers
                           +-- long-haired
                           |   tiger
                           +-- don't remember    
                              
    The two from grandmother's first litter are approximately 6 months old.
    Yellow-tip's kids are 9 weeks old, grandmother's second set are 9 weeks
    old, and black-tip's are 5 or 6 weeks old.     
    
    So, it looks like grandmother and black-tip mother are prime candidates
    for another litter, right?    
    

    I feel your frustions because I too went through a simular situtation
    when I lived in Hudson, Ma.   There was a big tom who lived in
    the parking lot of the apartment I lived in along with assorted
    other strays.  He dominated the neighbood and I'm sure was the father
    of the various litters of kittens I saw living near the dumpster.
    I too tried calling all the various animal shelters in the area but
    got no assistance to from them.  One litter was born late in Sept.
    and the weather was growing cold.  I had a cat of my own and very
    small apartment and could not care of these kittens.  I managed to
    find a pet store in Framingham that said they would take them.
    Have you considered checking with pet stores in the area to
    see if they would take the younger kittens?  I'm not sure what
    the health requirements are for pet stores taking kittens in so
    I would check first.  They may need to be defleaed or have the
    required innoculations.
    
    Good luck.  I feel your frustations.  
    
    
    Patrick's mom - Mary Coleman
    
    
    
      

    We have assurance that the shelter in West Kennebunk will take all of
    them.  The frustration now is in catching them.  
    
    Saturday night when I left, we had captured 6 .. 5 kittens and 1 young
    mother.  I called York early Sunday afternoon and got the news that the
    young mother had escaped...packed my gear and drove up for another
    evening vigil.
    
    First to come for food was Sneakers (tiger with white paws).  Sneakers
    entered the trap, carefully munched the food, gingerly stepped around
    and over the trip plate, and made it out the other side.  Unfortunately
    for her, being a kitten and a little piggy, she went back in for more. 
    Slam! ... and off she goes to the cage with the other two.  
    
    Much later, we saw the other young mother take all the clams and
    goodies in the trap -- she's learned how to feed without tripping the
    plate.  Then, around 9:30 pm the pappa cat came to feed ... for the
    first time.  Throughout the last two months, he'd never been seen
    eating any of the cat food.  We got him, but I let him go.  My friend
    said she couldn't deal with him until Tuesday (the shelter isn't open
    on Monday).   And he's a HUGE cat -- completely filled the havahart.
    
    So, when I left Sunday (just before midnight) we still had only six
    kittens -- three in Gardner, three in Maine.
    
    I called for an update last night -- Sneakers escaped, no new catches.
    My friend has rented another trap and someone else will be lending her
    a couple more.  I suggested she put a long string on the trip plate so
    that she could manually set the trap off when the smart cats are in it.
                                                                           

    My York friend has given up.  She can no longer fight the cats and
    humans, too.  
    
    Early Wednesday morning she caught the crafty young mother who's been
    freely feeding from the trap without tripping it...put it in a carrier
    with food and water, and went off to an appointment.  Returned at 10 am
    to find that someone had come into her backyard and freed the cat. 
    This is very unfortunate, as the plan was to spay the mothers (if
    caught) and return them to the wild ... it is easier to find homes for
    the kittens.
    
    But, there is a group of people in Kittery who will come and try to
    clean up the cat population.  If my friend stays in touch with them,
    they will attempt to trap the rest of the furballs when they finish
    cleaning up a kattery in Kittery.
    
    Meanwhile, my Silverado is about 95% domestic and tamed.  The other two
    are slowly coming around (got Buffy to purr for the first time
    yesterday).  I personally introduced Silverado to my dog, then sent her
    off to the backroom to tell her brother and sister about the monster
    behind the door.
    
    Yesterday I opened the backroom door, put a chair across it so that
    they could all see the dog, and so that the dog can see them and learn
    that she can't go past the chair...yet.  
    
    The three of them will have their first vet visit Tuesday.
    

    Oh how frustrating.....to capture the mother cat only to let some
    stupid human let it go free.   
    
    All I can suggest is to keep in contact with those people in
    Kittery that have offered to help.  Maybe if you continue to 
    call them....they might consider helping sooner. I know the
    shelter that I work in is totally overcrowed at this time...and
    mostly due to kitten season.  As of right now..if we get a call
    we have to turn it down only because the only other option would
    be to capture the cat and have it put to sleep.  (there just isn't
    enough room to shelter them all.) But we are a no-kill shelter.
    Hopefully adoptions will pick up...and we can continue with our
    rescue missions.
    
    God...if only everyone would have their animals fixed....we wouldn't
    even need shelters.   Good luck with your three cat friends.
    
    
    Sandy   

    I'm wondering if teh people freeing the cats know the plans for the
    cats being fixed.  They may think they're being taken away to be
    euthanized.  perhaps a note on the cage if she decides to try this
    again.
    

    First vet visit was fine.  They all got their shots, worming medicine,
    flea check ... and they all purred throughout the ordeal.  As we had
    guessed, we have two females and one "well-endowed" male.  
    
    Their domestication is progressing rapidly!  
    
    Silverado (my favorite) ... short-haired, blue-eyed, Siamese-type mix
    ... she's the adventure kitten.  Loves trips to the kitchen, has had
    her face slurped by the monster dog...seems the most mature of the
    three.  Latest significant event with her happened Sunday.  I'd brought
    her out to the trailer while I did some packing...brought her back into
    the house for a litter trip.  A while later I asked her if she wanted
    another adventure...she ran to me, reached her paw up and gave me two
    meows.  This is the first time any of them have made any sounds other
    than their own gurgling/chattering that they do to each other during
    playtime.
    
    Duffy (formerly called Buffy) ... the male...buff colored long-haired
    potentially huge cat.  He was the most difficult when we brought them
    home.  About a week and a half ago he did an about face and turned into
    an absolute mush.  He's the most fascinated with the dog...tucks his
    head in and rolls over whenever the dog is around...but he doesn't yet
    have the courage to approach her.  He's good for sticking his nose in
    my ear, tickling me with his wiggling whiskers and his incredible purr.
    He's not into adventures, yet.
    
    Charlemar ... gray-striped long-haired.  An absolute chicken!  I can
    pet her, get her motor going, get her to roll over...then something in
    her snaps...her eyes get huge, ears go back and she bolts.  Yet, she
    seems pretty curious about what goes on in the kitchen.  I keep asking
    her if she wants to share some of Silverado's adventures.  
    
    We bought them an Arubacats 5-tiered, 5 ft. cat tree last week...pure
    ecstasy...they love it.
    
    Throughout all this kitten-attention, my dog has been VERY patient with
    me.  
         

    Sounds like the dog person is turning into a cat person :^)!!
    
    They sound lovely and very content with their new home and mom! 
    Congrats and may we here many more stories!!!
    

    Glad to hear the kitties are doing well and that you are enjoying them
    so much - looking forward to more stories.  You sound like a great mom!
    
    Giudi +3

    re .31  Remember, I like DOGS!  Cats is ok, but dogs is great. 
    Especially mine, who, being the supreme opportunist, escaped Saturday
    night and spent a short period of time with a skunk.  Heck of a way for
    her to get me to spend quality time with her, huh?
    
    Now, compare that intelligent act with my favorite silly kitten ... I
    tried to play with Silverado the other night and she'd have nothing to
    do with me.  SHE was watching Monday night FOOTBALL!
    
    So, which animal is more fun to be with ... a dog who spends her
    Saturday evenings with her nose up a skunk's butt ... or a 3 month old
    kitten with a $5 wager on Monday night football?  

    Hey - you can be like me....a Cat, Dog, horse, etc etc etc person.
    Who says you have to choose one or the other!
    

    Cleaning kitten clumps and dog clods is ok with me, but dealing with
    horse piles is outside my limits.  
    
    I believe Silverado cursed at me this morning.  I scooped her up for a
    quick flea combing session (she seems to be the flea magnet of the
    backroom).  Problem is ... it was THEIR playtime.  She wiggled
    throughout the whole interminable 30 second ordeal, and when I put her
    back down on the floor she ran back to her room making all kinds of
    'ears back' gurgling, gutteral sounds.  
    
    So, now she knows the truth ... humans can be pretty dorky and
    misplaced at times.
    

    Last month there were 12 kittens, 2 daughter-mothers, and one
    grandmother.
    
    	-- 10 of the 12 kittens have been captured...all have homes
    	-- all are healthy and Leukemia negative
    	-- the daughter-mothers and grandmother probably won't be
    	caught until winter, when their 'natural' food supply runs
    	low.
    
    My friend's niece (one street away at Nubble Light) noticed 4 kittens
    in her yard.  The shelter people think they're probably cousins of the
    15 we've been trapping since July.  
    
    	-- 2 of those 4 kittens have been caught and will be going to the
    	shelter today.
    
    The shelter (in Kennebunk) claim Ginny from Nubble Light has the York
    County record for catching strays!
    
    Jo-Ann

    This is wonderful news - and it is certainly a record.  You guys have
    done a super job!!!
    
    Giudi

    yes, this is just terrific.  What a tremendous effort on your part.
    

    I have a vague notion of just how hard this is!  You have succeeded
    where I failed.  Congratulations!!!
    

    Forgot one thing...
    
    The first time she checked the traps at her niece's cottage, she had
    caught
    		one raccoon and
    		one skunk.
    
    And of course the Maine game warden was in New Hampshire helping out
    with a moose roundup, so she had to release the critters by herself.
    
    

    Well, two of the mothers have (of course) done it again.  The
    grandmother has had another litter, and one of her daughters has had
    another litter.  Ginny (keeper of the Nubble light backyard kattery) is
    guessing the grandmother had another 6 kittens (last Monday her belly
    was dragging on the ground), and the daughter probably had two.
    
    There are still two kittens and one mother from the first round living 
    on the property.  She'll be trying to catch them will a fast-acting 
    tranquilizer.  The problem now is to make sure the mothers with new 
    families don't get the tranquilizer.
    
    So, come November, the trapping will begin again.
    
    Jo-Ann

    Back in July I said I was a dog person, not a cat person.  I never once
    said I didn't like cats...it's just that I'd never had one.  Now I have
    this thought running through my mind that I find a little uncomfortable
    
    
    ... i_think_i_like_cats_better_than_i_like_dogs
    
    Jo-Ann

    I made that discovery about 13 years ago.  :^)  But I did get a dog
    just to see what that is like again.  I love my dog, but the cats are
    still tops with me.  They are so much easier, cleaner, smarter,
    smaller, quieter......
    
    Welcome to the "we prefer cats" league!
    
    Jo :^)

    You can add me to that league too. But I still want to get a dog
    some day.
    

    Well, my three little ex-feral/strays are doing quite well with my
    husky-shepherd.  Omega (the dog) has a large LL Bean dog bed that she's
    just about given up to the kittens (in defeat).  When I go to bed,
    Omega curls up in her bed -- when I wake up Omega's on the floor and
    one (or two, or three) kittens are in the dog's bed.  I don't know yet
    if Omega refuses to share or if the kittens kick her out.
    

    >>I don't know yet if Omega refuses to share or if the kittens kick her out.
    
    The kittens insinuate themselves into her bed with her and then inch by
    inch roll her right out!  I have seen this happen in my house, but it
    was my bed, not the dog's, and it was me ending up in a pile on the
    floor!! %')
    
    Jo

    
    Re: .42
    
    	Cats have a way of doing that to people! Years ago I got "stuck"
    with a cat. Hamden was no run_of_the_mill_every_day_cat, no,
    he was special (I've since learned that they're all special). Hamdens
    aim in life was to convert dog people into cat people. After Hamden there
    was Lucky, After Lucky I met Jesse (former guest of Nancy DC), now Jesse
    has six Kitty pals to keep him company while I'm at work.
    
    	They'll getya every time 8^)
    
    	Kirk
    

    I always knew Jess was a special fellow.  Even when the vet said
    "He's not a very nice cat." after his neuter.  Guess Jesse gave them
    a run for their money.  It was amazing what personality emerged
    once Jesse was healthy and cared for.  :^)
    
    

    I called Maine last night to check on the new litters.  My friend
    suspects all were lost.  It's been 1 month since they were born, and
    she hasn't seen one new kitten yet.  Also, she feels the mothers are
    no longer acting like lactating mothers.  I suggested she wait another
    week or two before attempting to catch the cats with the tranquilizer.