Update: the lean-to cats.

[Hippykitty]

It would help if they just said that this was the problem. Instead, they gave me the runaround, saying that they'll sort it out, but the vouchers don't arrive, I rang again, was told the same thing - as thought she'd forgotten I'd rung before - then nothing arrives. I rang again, and she said she couldn't hear me, even when I switched to the corded phone. I gave up. I was never going to get anywhere with her.

So I rang the RSPCA to be given the runaround by their strange phone system!

Thanks for the info ela. Hopefully the monkeys will have their vouchers soon so they can be done after Christmas when they'll be old enough. I really don't want the mother to come into heat again, or the little uns to get each other "with child".

It's no wonder some people don't get their cats done. I know there are extreme cases of idiots who don't neuter even when they have vouchers to pay for some or all the cost, but CP don't make things easy. 

[Ela]

I've found one or two branches a bit nervous about approaching HQ for a top up neuter budget. Silly really... HQ love to see cats getting neutered

Stupid just stupid, I know of branches who say they have run out of vouchers and can't help. The least they could do is advise the caller to contact CH HQ. If a branch has little funds CP HQ actively encourage branches to ask for more vouchers. In fact even branches with quite a bit of money can ask for more vouchers. This year I started off with £15000, during the year I have asked for the odd thousand or two for feral situations, then about 2 months or so ago I asked for another £2000 and a couple of weeks ago for another £3000 all my appeals have been accepted and on 1st Jan I should receive another £20.000.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

reluctant to send out a voucher? What does she think you're going to do with it?!!!

 

I've found one or two branches a bit nervous about approaching HQ for a top up neuter budget. Silly really... HQ love to see cats getting neutered - it's the only way to stop us drowning in kittens. 

[wharfevalley catsprotection]

I second calling CP HQ on 08702 099 099 between 9 and 5 and they will send out a voucher... it's people like that that give CP a bad name.... reluctant to send out a voucher? What does she think you're going to do with it?!!!

[Hippykitty]

  for taking the trouble to help, PB.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

HK, severe strains of cat flu can and do kill cats regularly. Even in the milder strains, it can kill cats whose health is compromised by other factors - such as elderly cats. It also leaves survirors with potential heart murmur and other complications. These are the reasons why we vacinate against it. If it wasn't a big deal, why waste the dough?   Would you like to speak with my vet, who will tell you about a local strain we have doing the rounds which has claimed 7 feline customers of his this month?

Please PM me the name of your vet. He needs a word.   Vets know sweet twiddly about taming kittens and unless they've done it themselves, aren't fit to advise. The more kittens are handled, the less fearful they become and the faster you begin this regime the quicker they tame.  

So the kitten jumped off the table, did it? My Jumpy does that every visit and so do most other folks cats. You can describe a kitten as feral if it's clinging from the light fitting and spitting in your face.  

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

Forget your local branch and go straight to CP HQ.. Explain the problem.. they should help!

[Hippykitty]

Thanks PB, I've read about cats who have flu becoming carriers, but the website I read this on didn't regard this as a serious problem because treated flu is rarely fatal.

http://www.catactiontrust.org.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=18&MMN_position=40:40

Both Polly and Sam have probably had flu (Polly has blocked tear ducts as a result) long before they came to live with me, but they are a good old age now.

I think the term "carrier" conjures up images of epidemics of deadly viruses and people/animals dropping dead. This just isn't the case with flu and I don't want to create problems with getting them homes. I'll mention that they have had flu, but leave it at that. All the kittens are doing well now: not sneezing; have clear eyes and are gaining weight something amazing.

I agree that they require defleaing and worming and will do this as soon as I can get a friend to help.

The reason the vet gave for not bathing their eyes was that the kittens weren't ready for so much handling and doing so would set back their taming process. He said it would be better if it could be done, but, after discussion, we decided to see how things went. He told me what to look out for. However, their eyes responded to being in the warmth, good food, and the antibios.

The cat jumped straight off the examination table and was running round the surgery after a brief examination. I had to pop him into the carrier as fast as poss. The vet didn't get a chance to deflea etc. If this had been a domestic, I agree with you. If he'd been in a crush pen, it would have been easier. But under the circumstances, I understand why the vet didn't attempt this. Also, I only had one kitten with me. They all need defleaing etc (at that point, only one had symptoms).

I'll upload a vid of the kittens soon so that you can see how they are all doing.

Right now I'm having problems getting neutering vouchers. The mum definitely need doing NOW but the silly woman at CP seems reluctant to send a voucher. I contacted her again this afternoon, but she just complained about not being able to hear me. I tried phoning her from the corded phone, and she was still doing the "me no understand" act!
I then tried the RSPCA. Boy, is it a nightmare getting through their: "press 1 if your call is about birds; press 2 if your call is about other wildlife......" till you get to the "press ? if your call is about feral cats". Whichever number you press, you just get a lecture, not a real person to speak to. AAaaarrrrgghhh! It's like the "Silly Roundabout".

The kittens will need to be neutered shortly after Christmas so I'm trying to get their vouchers too. I think the vet must have been wrong about the age. They are getting so BIG!

PS I'm typing this while perched on my bed. Fred and Samantha are sitting on the end of it. Not long till he sits on my lap. 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

There are many different strains of cat flu, HK. One common aspect to them all is that if the cat survives the illness, they will almost certainly become carriers of that strain. The kittens have picked up their flu from mum. This means you have to be insistant that wherever they are homed, they need to not live with other cats or they will infect them. Vaccination doesn't protect against every single strain so even if they mixed with vac'd cats, those cats can still become ill. You should also be aware that often, if the strain has a strong upper respiratory effect, cats can break out in mini attacks during times of stress so new owners should be warned to look out for breathing problems.

It's not good that one of the kittens had a mouth lesion. You need to closely examine each one of them to make sure these have gone. I have to say I don't think much of your vet saying eye bathing is too stressful. In fact I'd go as far as to say he's barmy! If the discharge isn't cleaned away regularly, the eyes glue up really fast and with the infection trapped inside the eye blindness or severe sight damage is going to happen in a very short time. Also, the handling needed while cleaning the eyes actually helps the kittens tame quicker.

The vet should have also wormed and flead them himself as part of the examination. I bet your kittens' fleas are the healthiest in the block after feasting on all the antibiotics. Parasites are the number one killer of feral kittens, although thankfully as this time of year their numbers are kept low by the weather.

[Hippykitty]

I think the mother may have originally been domestic. She hasn't developed cat flu but all the kittens have. I can't help wondering if she has been vaccinated at some time. I know that she has been feral for at least 2years and has had several litters in this time. She also has the physical characteristics of the local ferals (she looks Abyssinian in shape, has a long tail which is usually curled). She and the kittens are mainly white with grey tabby blotches.

They are almost over the flu now, and getting fatter by the day!

The vet did recommend defleaing and deworming, but I forgot to buy the Profender and FL when I paid the bill; I was too busy sorting out when and how to give the Synulox drops. However, I haven't noticed their fur twitching with fleas. I'm certain that worming would be a very good idea and I'll attend to this asap. That'll be fun I'll ask a friend to come over to hold the kittens while I put the drops on.

Fingers crossed that they all find good homes.

Pinkbear, the vet did notice an ulcer on the roof of the mouth of the kitten I took (before the monkey jumped off the table!). He thought that eye bathing or drops would be too difficult and stressful. The mother is doing a good job of keeping their eyes clean.

Gill, I'm no great expert at taming  It's just a case of time and patience.
Recently Fred has shown signs of wanting to sit on my lap. 

[Millys Mum]

I hope you can find mum a home or rescue space, she certainly cant be feral to be swooped up and cradled!
Are they all b/w? Thats how iv imagined them 

If they are very snuffly you could hang a cloth with kalpol on it in the room to help them a little

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

You are doing a great job HK 

I wonder if the mother was originally a domestic, hence why she is tamer than the ferals last year?

Can I send you Sasa for complete taming please 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Well done, HK.

If you could get near enough to tilt the trap without the kitten running for the hills, it sounds as if these aren't too bad at all.  The main thing is to get on top of fleas and worms quick as this will stop them absorbing the Synulox. What did the vet say about the sticky eyes? Any sign of mouth lesions?

I think you'll have those babies sorted in no time. 

[Hippykitty]

She certainly would tame. I've tamed far more feral cats than Lucy is. The only problem I foresee is that she isn't a kitten. Everyone wants kittens, in my limited experience.

The mother (Lucy) has had a lot of contact with people who have fed her, so is fairly used to them. It would take about six months in a home environment for her to become a softie. When I trapped her, I had to grab her, after a short time she relaxed in my arms but was anxious about her kittens. She has potential to be a great domestic. I have doubts that she is 'cute' enough to appeal to all those silly people who want a little kitten "to train" and because "they're so sweet".    Grrrrrrgh.....!

[Dawn F]

for rehoming, do you think she would ever be tame enough - I know it may be out of the question but I am just soft!

[Hippykitty]

The kittens are on Synulox drops, which I put on their food. It'll just help to prevent secondary infections.

Dawn, what do you mean by a rescue place? Do you mean a rescue that would have her on a permanent basis?

[Dawn F]

our bridge babe bluto was a feral my husband handreared (he was 3 to 4 weeks when he found him) had cat flu - his eyes sometimes ran a bit in very cold weather but otherwise he lived a fairly long (nearly 15 years) happy life - good luck with these little babies

[JackSpratt]

Jack is prone to colds as a result of him being in recovery from cat flu when I took him on. (13 years ago! The people that had him thought wrapping him in a towel and putting him near a radiator would be enough. Sadly, his immune system is weak now. But he manages not to be too bothered by it, bless him!) I say "Bless you" when he sneezes too! I've got to ask the vets for another type of antibiotic actually - he's just finished a course and four days later got a new cold! Poor lad.

[Dawn F]

do you think you might be able to get mum a rescue place?

[Hippykitty]

Dawn, I'm not going to start doing that until January, when Christmas is over with. I want them to be completely over the cat flu too. I don't anticipate problems homing the kittens, but mum might be a problem. If I can't find a home for her, I'll release her. I can't afford another permanent cat, and my bunch wouldn't tolerate another.

It would be sad to have to release her, as she isn't as wild as last year's rescues. If there wasn't such a prevailing preference for kittens, she'd have no problems. If only people would realise that kittens become CATS!

Thanks, JS, I hope so too. It's horrid to hear them sneeze. I sit and say "bless you"!

[JackSpratt]

Well done HK! Hope the babies are over their flu soon.

[Dawn F]

glad you managed to catch them hk - would be great if you could home them all

[Desley (booktigger)]

Aww, fingers crossed for them - we have a new member on here who is in your area and offers help with trapping, PAWING. Might be worth a chat?

[Hippykitty]

Oh, and their current names are:
Mum: Lucy
Kittens: Syd; Leslie; George.  All unisex names because I'm not sure what they are. The vet didn't have a chance to check Leslie because he/she sprinted off the examination table. After I'd pounced on Leslie and got the wriggling bundle back into the carrier, sex checking seemed too scarey. I was bleeding! (Just like last year  )

[Hippykitty]

The metacote trap arrived last week. I also noticed that one of the kittens had an eye gummed shut so I immediately got down to trapping them. I put the trap in the kitchen. The first two kittens walked straight in and were carried up to the 'rescue room'. The second kitten played around the trap but wouldn't go in far enough to spring the trap, so I gave him a little encouragement (tilted the trap  ). Then there was the mother.

She was more difficult. She wouldn't go into the trap, so I shut her in the kitchen, swooped down on her and craddled her in my arms. She was alarmed but surprisingly relaxed for a feral, (I think she trusts me). S, P, and the crew were all shut in my bedroom, so when we got into the enclosed upstairs landing, I let her go and opened the door into the rescue room. Her eyes lit up when she saw her kittens and bounded towards them.

Unfortunately, the kittens all have flu. I took one to the vet and he confirmed this. He prescribed Synulox drops which I put on their food. They are eating well, but sneeze and snuffle and have gummy eyes. I'm keeping them warm and giving them good food.

I'm leaving the spaying of the mum until the kittens are over their flu. Still not sure whether to release or home her - she's very tame compared to last year's ferals. Same with the kittens; they are less nervous, though not quite handleable.
This may be because I've been feeding and chatting to them for the weeks they've been in the verandah.

I've had a few problems with one of my neighbours who doesn't agree with the notion of rescuing and neutering ferals. She's convinced I'm making money out of it  If only she knew how much I'm spending on vet's bills and meds and food. (Which I don't mind at all, I just resent the accusation!) I told her about a £30 donation because she'd shown interest in one of the kittens and said she might like one of them - she said this a couple of weeks ago, before they had flu. I hoped this cost would put her off - all her cats get killed on the road and she just shrugs her shoulders at it. She doesn't take her cats to the vet when they're ill. No way would I home a cat with her!

Thanks for recommending the Metacote trap, Pinkbear. It's lovely and light.