How do you deflea feral kittens? And destress the house cats?

[Hippykitty]

Thanks, BlackCat, I didn't know that and will include it in the letter I'm writing to my fave vet at that practice.

[blackcat]

any handwritten amendment to a contract requires the initials or signature of the party signing the document before it becomes part of the contract. They don't have a leg to stand on.

[Ela]

I had ENQUIRED about the defleaing and deworming, but when told their cost over the phone, I told them I'd leave it.

I think you need to ring the vets and ask for the manager, and advise them (calmly) that whilst you agree you signed the form you had told them verbally not to flea and worm and that it was not written on the consent form when you signed it.

Well the mum must be ready to drop her next litter soon. Poor things. But I can't afford to deal with it

I am sure help with mum has been offered by one of the posters. As I have posted a couple of times if you leave one single cat then the problem will soon be back as it was and that would be a shame.

But sod it. I'm changing vet and not doing this expensive rescuing lark again.

What a pity you feel like that you could help save the lives of so many and have it all paid for if you contact a rescue and offer to help them. Rescue is never easy but if you have the time and talent why waste it?Perhaps the donations you are receiving from posters will pay for all you have paid out.

Also what I would say is that at least 3 have now been flead and wormed. Leaving cats/kittens unflead in the home may infest it. Also to leave little ones not wormed and flead is not in their interest and kittens and cats have been known to die because of them. Immediate Flea and worm treatments are one of the fundamental rules in cat rescue (paid for by the rescue of course)

[Hippykitty]

Haven't tried to deflea the kits yet.

VETS!!!       

Collected the three older kittens from neutering earlier, and they presented me with a £33.50 bill for defleaing and deworming (with Frontline and Profender). I had ENQUIRED about the defleaing and deworming, but when told their cost over the phone, I told them I'd leave it. (Don't see why I should pay so much for cats I have no emotional investment in, especially when I'm on benefit). Thought I'd try to do them more cheaply myself.

Imagine my shock.
I had signed the form consenting to anaesthetic, spaying/castration.
They showed me the 'form I'd signed'; beside the 'anaesthetic, spaying/castration' they'd added, in handwriting 'deflea and deworm'. That wasn't there when I signed the form. I had an argument with them. They told me to call tomorrow. I thought they'd probably not hand the cats over (it crossed my mind: then they'd be the vets problem!), but they did, which is just as well for the cats.

I explained: THESE ARE NOT MY CATS AND I DIDN'T SIGN FOR DEFLEAING/DEWORMING. But this fell on deaf ears.

Going off this vet something rotten. I used to like them because one of them is a great diagnostician. But sod it. I'm changing vet and not doing this expensive rescuing lark again.

I had thought that rescue was my forte, cos I'm good with cats and have the time to do it, but not the money.
If any of the local shops has a problem with a colony again, they can go sing for it. I've not noticed them contributing even one can of food since the problem has become mine.

Well the mum must be ready to drop her next litter soon. Poor things. But I can't afford to deal with it. 

[madkittyrescue]

How did it go Hippykitty?

[Ela]

The vet wouldn't do them in advance.

Thats not nice. Our own vets only ask at the end of every month. Occasionally when a vets wants a voucher when the cat is taken in I phone the vet confirm that a voucher will be issued and on every occasion the op has been done without a voucher on the day of the op.

[Millys Mum]

Dont hesitate or they play up to your fears 

[madkittyrescue]

to transfer... put the carrier in their pen and they should dive into it as a 'hidey' hole (if things go to plan!).  If they are trying to get away from you and run up the bars wait until you have a clear shot at scruffing them.

good luck!

[Hippykitty]

Thanks. I'll  try to scruff them, though the little b's are still defensive (and probably will be for a long time).
The older kits are booked in for neutering - am taking them tomorrow after collecting CP vouchers. The vet wouldn't do them in advance. 
There will be two of us trying to transfer them into carrying cages!

[madkittyrescue]

try some rescue remedy for the house cats.  that usually works a treat !

You can always try using gauntlets to handle the kittens but that sometimes makes things worse.

If you can, split them into 2 in 2 in seperate cages as minimum so that you can start to break the bond between litter mates and start to transfer their dependence onto you.  If they are exceptionally bad give them 48hrs to settle before you start messing them about.  Once they realise that you wil provide them with what they need they may settle a 'little' then you can start with them. 

Personally speaking if you can scruff them and give them a quick "skoosh" to get the job over and done with as quickly as possible then leave them to settle again I'd say that would be the best and least stressfull option for you and them.  You may well find that if you 'scruff' they will just go tense and stay very very still at that age.

good luck!!

[LesleyW]

I would try the capstar tablets too, hidden in a piece of chicken or something similar.  they work really quick and fleas start dying within 10 to fifteen minutes but beware, the cats start acting crazy for a while when the fleas start dying, just from all the activity going on in their fur.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

Rescue Remedy might be a good idea to put in the resident cats water and also the ferals.  I usually give mine a few days to settle before I attempt to deflea and worm unless of course they can be handled.  If you can get some Stronghold from the vets and put it on the back of the necks, this is probably easiest.  I wouldn't attempt to spray them unless you are feeling extremely brave    Most wildies if they are young can be positioned to deflea with droppers but just keep an eye on your fingers    Good luck, xxxxx

[Ela]

I always also flea spray with something like Staykill on any cat bedding for such cats.

[Millys Mum]

If you really cant flea them then spraying the room minus the cats would help knock some of the fleas down.

Have you any gardening gloves you can use to make you feel braver?

[Desley (booktigger)]

There is a tablet flea treatment called Capstar available from VetUK, depends if you can ptu it in their food though. Hopefully one of the others will check this when they return from the Supreme.
Sam could be peeing due to territory issues, only thing I can think of in regard to that is Feliway. Sorry I couldnt be of more use!!

[Hippykitty]

I have rescued four feral kittens who may need defleaing. There are approx 15 wks old, but not handleable enough for me to put frontline on.

Any ideas?

I'll have the adults done when they go to be neutered.

Oh dear, Samantha is peeing in the house - could this be territorial. The ferals are in a pen in my small back bedroom, but I think she can smell/hear them.

All advice welcome.