We dwell in Bexar County on 3½ acres. One day, out of the blue, we had a mama cat and 4 kittens dwelling below our shed. The kittens are getting large, and we’re feeding them.
I wish to discover out if a TNR program is available, as we don’t need dozens of cats on the property sometime. Our neighbors will help catch them, and we are able to get them mounted one after the other; I’m hoping we are able to coax them with meals. I’ve by no means owned a cat in my life. They are skittish and all run away aside from one courageous grey one who doesn’t appear as scared.
Please let me know if there’s someplace we are able to take them to be mounted, after which we are able to return them to the property. I admire your assist. Oh, and the mama cat gained’t come as much as me both; too scared. We are in St. Hedwig.
Karen R.
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Dear Karen,
Thank you a lot for wanting to assist these cats.
Often, feminine cats get dumped when pregnant, leaving them to fend for themselves and their offspring. Providing TNR (trap-neuter-return) and guaranteeing this mama cat and her offspring are all mounted will guarantee no extra offspring from this litter. And it’s superior that you’ve got neighbors to assist since this seems like your first TNR expertise.
Here are some things to recollect. A lactating momma cat can get pregnant once more inside a number of weeks after giving beginning. So, please maintain her away from male cats and speak to your vet about getting her mounted as quickly as her kittens are weaned. Her feminine offspring can go into warmth and get pregnant as young as 4 months, so begin with the feminine kittens. Cats are solely pregnant for eight weeks, so you’re clever to leap on this earlier than three or extra new litters are born.
The San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition will probably be your greatest assist. Call their assist line at 210-877-9067. They will present an inventory of clinics that present free or backed spay-neuter surgical procedures, whether or not for an owned pet or a group cat. Some clinics require kittens to be at the very least 2 kilos and eight weeks old for surgical procedure. Other clinics might want you to attend till they’re 12 weeks old.
As for a way you entice these kitties for the surgical procedures, coaxing them with meals will possible be very difficult. Even the friendliest cat or kitten might scratch or chunk if scared. So, in case your neighbors don’t have humane traps, ask the SAFCC about its entice loaner program.
Trapping them in humane traps will permit you to transport them to and from the clinics for his or her surgical procedures, monitor them for a day after the surgical procedure, after which launch them again in your property afterward.
Thank you, Karen, for eager to be part of the answer.
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