TNR project! ** release 20 pics 4/25 post 33

[Freedom]

I met Linda in the library in late February. I had Sugar with me and was talking about my cats. She mentioned that she has been feeding 10 to 12 cats in her back yard since last summer, and now the females look like they could be pregnant.

One thing led to another and this morning we started trapping!

PawsWatch is the name of the group who are helping us. Kathy from that group came over for 3 hours this morning to get us started. Then both Kathy AND Linda had to leave for work. Before they left, we had 3 in carriers. Kathy took those with her, to drop at the vet.

Since then, I've trapped 2 more. They are now sitting in carriers in the cellar over at Linda's, waiting for their trip to the vet.

Lisa, screen name K & L, as been guiding me along and put me in touch with PawsWatch when the first group I had been in touch with didn't move. Thanks, Lisa!

Because of that delay, some females ARE pregnant, and one has had her kittens! I saw 4 little babies, maybe 3 or 4 days old, yesterday. Unfortunately, mom cat moved them and we don't know where those babies are, yet. So if we should happen to catch mom cat in the trap, we will have to release her.

I'll let you know how this project develops!

[CathyBogart]

How exciting! Thanks for keeping us posted!!

[Laura's Babies]

Congratulation! This is a wonderful thing you are doing and just about the only way to stop the over population of unwanted babies and more and more being likked in shelters. May God lead you to the ones that need you and Bless you for what you are doing.

[Freedom]

Whew, what a day we are having!

As of 5 pm, we have caught a total of 6.

Of the first 3 caught this morning, they have already been to the vet. One male and 2 females. One female was pregnant, with 6 little ones the size of walnuts. The other female had just come out of heat.

What this means is. We have to consider that all the females are now pregnant, so we have to get them in as soon as we can.

Basically, there are 2 litters from last year. A black and white group, born about June / July 2006, and a chocolate brown / black group, born last September /October 2006. Two of the black and white group were taken in by 2 different homes in the neighbor hood. So far, we have caught 2 more black and white. Adn the mom cat with the babies, she is from the black and white litter.

The choco litter, we have caught 4 of those. There are at least two more of them. They are very difficult to tell apart, and sometimes you look and think you are seeing double!

I wish it would stop raining, I've been getting soaked!

[phesina]

Oh how wonderful of you. God bless you, Freedom.

Pat

[catmandu]

Bless You For Helping The Helpless And For Every Cat You Help A Gold Star Goes By Your Name At The Rainbow Bridge And You Will Be Repaid Many Times Over For What You Have Done For Those Little Ones.
Please Keep Us Updated On The Rescued Ones.

[Freedom]

Well I think we are finished for tonight. What a hectic, chaotic fun day this has been.

As of 8:30 PM, we had 3 in Linda's cellar in crates, 2 in Linda's cellar at large (oops! ), and one in Linda's cellar in the trap. Our sponsor said she would "pick up after us," ha ha.

I haven't been over there since 7 PM. I managed to let one loose in the cellar.

Then Linda got one in the trap and tried to do the transfer herself without phoning for Dad and I to run over and assist. (I haven't done any transfers alone, I have always had Dad helping hold on tight!!!) Well, she couldn't quite manage it and that cat got loose in her cellar. She phoned me and was laughing so hard I could barely understand what happened! Then, when she told me she thought she could do it if she held the carrier with her back legs and used her front paws to open the trap, well, then I knew she was just as loopy as I am te hee.

We caught 7, plus that mom cat. We don't know where she has hidden the kittens, so I believe they will be letting her go overnight. We will start again tomorrow morning.

Today Dad and I have seen more of Linda's backyard and cellar than we have our own home!

[Medusa]

Bless you for doing this. Is Paws Watch helping w/expenses or are you doing it out of pocket? When I was doing it, only one local organization would help with spay/neuter but they wanted to do it at 8 wks. old in order for me to get the discount. I flatly refused. So out of pocket it came. I do hope you're getting financial help w/all this. And out in the rain is no fun. But you're keeping a good spirit.

[DrKym]

Sandie I am so happy for you!
Now which ones are you keeping??

[K & L]

Keep up the good work. I told you that you just might get hooked at doing this! It's so hard to describe the rewarding feeling of knowing how much you're helping ones that no one else wants to. Can't wait for updates and pictures!!!

[Taz_Zoee]

This is so great! Keep up the good work.

[fragrancehound]

That is wonderful!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad that you've been able to catch some of them already. Keep up the good work.

[Freedom]

Good morning, all! I have an update.

I mis-counted, we actually caught EIGHT yesterday who went to the vet. Pretty good for day one for a beginner, huh? We caught the "Father," large scruffy looking male with a bad eye.

We have one left!

I can't believe it, just one from the choco litter. He is going to be stubborn, he won't even come in the yard. So we may need to move the trap to a neighbor's (there have been 3 houses feeding these cats regularly.)

I think everyone has put mom cat on hold until she weans her babies. We really did stress her out more than enough catching her yesterday.

Mary, thankfully PawsWatch is paying for the vet bill. We, Linda and I, did have to agree to sell raffle tickets for their next fundraiser, which is in a few weeks. Right now we have to sell 250 tickets to cover this project! Well, we will figure out something.

Lisa, sorry no pictures. These cats are only friendly to the few folks who've been feeding them. And even then, only 2 or 3 permit petting, NO ONE can pick them up.

Kym ha ha. How many am I keeping! I wish I could keep all of them. I am keeping ONE. (And Dad isn't too happy about it.) This is a petit female, from the black and white litter. She is one who let's Linda pet her, but no one else, and Linda was in tears when we caught her. Linda really is attached to this one, but she can't take her in. In fact when Linda sets out the food most mornings, she will jump up on Linda's knee for pets. (Can't hold her, though.) She actually sounds the most "tame," from all the neighbors descriptions of which ones they can touch. She's the one who was pregnant, in the early stages. We did NOT have her ear tipped; so I am committed! (Dad is going nuts, he he. ) I really do have to stop acquiring pets!

[K & L]

EXCELLENT!! EXCELLENT!! EXCELLENT!!

Here's what we do to keep track of all our cats. Remember we are working with 100's at the park and I also do this here at work. Even though we ear-tip this just helps me remember which cats were trapped from which area in case I ever have to refer back.



Keep up the good work!!! You make me proud!!