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Help! Have two abandoned kitties - we can't keep - what to do?

My MIL showed up Saturday for a week long visit with - surprise! - two little kittens.  She had just visited my BIL in Deltaville, VA, where he found two little kittens in a boat he was asked to repair.  The owner of the boat had no idea they were there.  (Sadly, there was a third kitty in the boat who was not alive).

BIL can't keep the kitties because he has a rambunctious Akita who he thinks would bat them around like toys.

MIL lives in Alabama, and while she'd probably be willing to drive the kitties back with her to AL next week, it would be nice to find a home for them in the DC area so she's not having to travel with them.

I have made up an email with more info and with some pictures of the kitties.  MIL took them to the vet the other day and they seem to be about 9 weeks old. 

I need advice!  I hesitate to put them on Craig's List - or is that the best thing to do?  Is there a cat rescue place around here?  Or do I just bring them to the pound?  Are pounds bad places?  Do they euthanize (obviously we don't want that) or does it depend on the pound?  My mom is afraid if I put them on CL they'll end up as snake food - good grief - do people feed kittens to snakes!?

I'm so clueless. 

Here's a pic:

image

 

Wife, Musician, Fed, WW-er, and Mom of three little kids - not necessarily in that order.

Re: Help! Have two abandoned kitties - we can't keep - what to do?

  • I would hesitate to put them on craigslist too.

    Do you have a neighborhood listserv?  Or have you asked any of your neighbors?

    You could call Washington Humane Society or Washington Animal Rescue League and they could give you some ideas of what to do.

    Those kitties are so cute! 

  • I found my old cat on Petfinder.com - maybe you could post them there?
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  • I agree with SecretServiceWife about inquiring with some of the rescue leagues in the area (I am pretty sure they don't euthanize), or looking for no-kill shelters. I know there are also organizations in the region that have pet fostering programs (a former colleague of mine fosters dogs); I don't know any of the organization names, but maybe you could find some online?
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  • MIL thought she heard kittens in her woods a month or so ago. DH drove by and was able to catch a long hair, pure white kitten prob about the same age.  As much as I would had loved to keep her, she had the voice of a Siamese (she woke up DS multiple times in the middle of the night).  We called CAWL (Calvert Animal Welfare League) and they gladly took her in.  Its a no kill shelter.  They do exist and they find great homes for lil ones like these. 

     

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  • I agree with looking for a rescue group that fosters kittens vs. mass shelters. My sister is/was a cat foster who took only pregnant cats, saw them through delivery and nursing kittens until they were old enough to adopt. I would imagine there are fosters who will care for the kittens.
  • I agree with petfinder.com as well.  It is kitten season and so many of the shelters may be a little full but you may be able to find a rescue by calling around.  They are adorable and if I didn't think my kids would torture the heck out of them as living stuffed animals I would take them.
  • We used to foster dogs through Homeward Trails, which was a good organization based in Arlington you could try. I think they exclusively work with fosters (they are not a shelter), but could be wrong. Another option is the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue (affiliated with the Lost Dog restaurant). I've never worked with them, so am not exactly sure how they operate, but could probably help.

    Good luck! I hope they find a home!

  • They are so cute! There is a rescue in Alexandria called King Street Cats--they always had kittens.
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  • OMG the cuteness!! Must. Resist. DH would kill me if I brought home more animals. Don't put them on craigslist. People who use animals for fight bait troll craigslist for free to good home ads. If you need to place an ad somewhere, ask for a rehoming fee (at least $50) and vet references so you can call and check on their history as pet owners.

    Is there any chance you can foster them for a while? Most rescue groups don't have "shelter" space so they rely on a network of foster homes. A rescue might be more willing to help you out if they didn't also have to find a foster home. PP is right, it is kitten season so I'm sure all the rescues and shelters are getting full.

    Call around to a few shelters (much as I love WHS, they do euthanize...) and ask for some advice, you can also try a few rescues (Lost Dog, Homeward Trails, WARL, Commonwealth Cat Rescue, Feline Foundation of Greater Washington) and contact Joanna at this group: http://www.4asap.org/index.htm  (I used to volunteer for her at a Petsmart and she is a wealth of knowledge and has a lot of contacts in the rescue world)

    Good luck!!

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  • I'm emailing around - this is really useful info, thanks everyone.  I can't foster them for several reasons, I need them out of here ASAP.
    Wife, Musician, Fed, WW-er, and Mom of three little kids - not necessarily in that order.
  • Wow, I bet this made you love your MIL even more than you already do!

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  • @zerf -- a year ago when I got pregnant, DH said to me "You know this means no new cats for a few years, right?" LOL. He would kill me if I showed up with two kittens.
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  • there are a lot of animal rescue groups in the area that foster these types of animals and bring them to adoption events to find them a home. I found both of my dogs this way. Try Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation or the Humane Society of Fairfax County.
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  • My hubby and I adopted our kitties from Fancy Cats. They were really great and from what I understand have a good foster care system for the kitties until they find a real home.
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  • In case you check this first, I'd love to come see the kittens tomorow . We are in the market for one for the family :D
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  • imageWinesNotWhines:

    Wow, I bet this made you love your MIL even more than you already do!

    I am trying not to be as annoyed as my heart/soul is telling me to be.  This is the "good" MIL who is DH's bio mom who actually tries to be helpful when she visits.  So I'm really REALLY trying not to be annoyed.  The only upside to this little "trial run" of having cats in the house has proven to me how much I don't want cats in the house.

    ETA:  TWO shelters have offered to take them and MIL says no - now she wants to give them to a person, not a shelter (despite all the info about how the shelters find the cats homes).  A Nestie offered to take one, and MIL now says she wants to give them away only as a pair.  For pete's sake.  DH thinks she just really doesn't want to give them away.  Whatever.  I think I'm done trying to help her.

    Wife, Musician, Fed, WW-er, and Mom of three little kids - not necessarily in that order.
  • imageArtslvr:
    ETA:  TWO shelters have offered to take them and MIL says no - now she wants to give them to a person, not a shelter (despite all the info about how the shelters find the cats homes).  A Nestie offered to take one, and MIL now says she wants to give them away only as a pair.  For pete's sake.  DH thinks she just really doesn't want to give them away.  Whatever.  I think I'm done trying to help her.


    If the cats are living in your house, I think you get to decide where they go!
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  • My offer still stands if you guys change your mind! :D Whichever kitten will be well  taken care of and very loved here, guaranteed.

    It also seems it would be easier to give the other one away to a good family when it comes by itself. Those that are looking to adopt (like us)  don't usually think of bringing in two at once, especially when bringing one in is already a big step to families with no pets. As much as I would have loved to take both I just couldn't with our living arrangements.

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