Farm Boy & Buttermilk

Last year when my mama cats, Mollie & Maggie had kittens, my sister took 4 of them home. Over this past year, they have ended up with 18 cats (they live on a farm), and have decided that maybe they need to give a few of them away. So, when I was at their place after Thanksgiving, I brought one of the 4 back home with me. I've named him Farm Boy.
I just have to post this - last night, Farm Boy and Buttermilk were cuddled up together and Farm Boy was giving Buttermilk a bath. Buttermilk was laying on his back with his paws crossed. It was easy to tell he was really enjoying the bath. I just wish I would have had film in my camera - it was very cute.

Why don't she get all those cats fixed? Does she plan to just let them keep breeding? There are lots of free spay/neuter programs out there and lots of low cost ones, all she has to do is look for them. How many will she have next year this time?

Sorry if this seems to outspoken but I volunteered my time for 2 days this week at a free to low cost spay and neuter clinic helping the orginazation "fix" a problem someone else created. If she has that kind of room where she lives, she could have the ones she has fixed and help out some local orginazations by taking in cats that have no where to go but to the pound to be out to sleep.

Allowing breeding of a already overpopulated animal problem cost many, many more their lives because the shelters and orginazations just can not handle them. Foster homes are full to the max, the pounds are full and put wonderfully sweet animals to death ever day.

You have access to the internet! Go here and find your local list of orginazations... http://www.petfinder.com/ (type in your zip cod for your area)
Write down the names and phone numbers of your local ones and start calling and seeing what is avaliable. Tell them they are barn cats (feral?) and you may get it done free.. We did about 15 cats from one private persons property that offered the cats a safe place to stay. We did those 15 in one day!

Laura's Babies, that was exactly my first thought as well. Until these cats are fixed, they'll have alot more than 18 cats on their hands.

Thais Such An Excellent Point As Michael Came From A Farm Where He Would Have Been Drowned If He Had Been Caught. And We Think That Princess Was Dumped By A Farmer Along With Her 7 Kittens.
If They Multiply They Will Roam And Kill Birds And Other Small Animals , And Eventually May Be Killed By Hunters In Anger.
We Pray That These Cats Are Spayed And Neuteed As Soon As Possible, Out Of Kindness And Concern For These Creatures Of God.

Nancys, we are not attacking you here or trying to make you feel bad so please don't take it that way. Many of us here do rescue work and it is just overwhelming how many there are already without anyone that wants them. Kittens are just the sweetiest and cuteiest things on earth but knowing the lives many of them have ahead breaks our hearts.

I just wanted you to know there is help out there if you look for it and in helping to stop needless bredding, you save so many of them from a horriable life and death. To me, they ALL deserve a loving safe home but only a small percentage of the ones born ever get that. Please help us save some lives...

The picture you described sounds so cute. Too bad you didn't get it on camera. As for the spay/neuter thing, I must agree w/my sister PTers. I have an acquaintance who has a huge farm and she started out feeding just a few cats. I told her then to get them altered but she didn't listen. She said she really couldn't afford to but I told her that she wouldn't be able to afford even just the food for them if she let things go. Time passed and just a few months later she had 80 some cats. I can't even imagine how many she must have by now. They inbreed and get so sick from it, plus they're not immunized. There's no way she can care for that many cats. In your situation, having them altered is still doable while there are only 14 but things can get out of control very quickly. Time is of the essence. I do hope you discuss the seriousness of this situation w/your sister. And thanx again for sharing that story of Farm Boy and Buttermilk w/us. We're looking forward to some pix. :)

It's so hard to explain responsibility to animals to a family member. My sister-in-law is a hoarder, and the first thing I do when I go up to my brother's house for Christmas is bring the ferret & bunnies a drink of water because their bottles are dry. I've told my brother again and again (he's better about considering animals individuals rather than accessories) but I hit the nag point early on and was labeled "animal nut" and my words written off as hippie fertilizer, and if I persist, I'll be shut off, accomplishing nothing and losing contact with my only local family.

It's not even something that's easy to bring up here, because each family is different, it's the hearer and not the talker who defines the nag point, and it's usually pretty soon, because most hoarders know at some level that they're doing wrong.

All anyone can do is their best, and only you know your family. And if you're overwhelmed with advice that you've already tried or that wouldn't work at all with your family, it DOESN'T necessarily mean that people think you're a moron or that you're not trying. They're just as frustrated as you are, and wish they could help somewhere - and vicarious is always easier!

Love, Columbine

Oh no! I am just reading the replies (RE Buttermilk & Farm Boy)... :confused: please, please, everyone don't think badly of my sister - she loves cats as much as I do, even to the point of rescuing them. Because they took in mama cats, and 2 of those mamas have had babies, they have now ended up with too many cats. BUT, they are trying to find GOOD homes for them. As for me, I am just getting started in taking my cats to the vet to have them fixed. I plan on taking one a week to have it done. I learned a lesson this summer - what is that saying...you get what you pay for or you can't get something for nothing?

I am sure your sister loves each and every one of them and thank God for her that she has a place they can stay where they are safe, fed and allowed to live out their lives in peace, free from harm. (I wish I had a place like that!)

She has a sanctuary for the unwanted and due to that, she should qualify for help in getting them all fixed which will make them healthier in the long run. Check that out for her and see what options are in your area. Here, they would even have people come out and trap them for her, take them to be fixed and return them back to her to keep.

They will fix them from about 8 weeks up. I helped out last week for 2 days, spaying and neutering ferals to be released back where they came from. I really think your sister would qualify for this kind of program in getting her the help she needs to get this done.