OOC: HELP!

[nopreyremains]

I have WAY too many cats to find homes for at the moment. I don't know what to do with all of them and some of them are in danger of being sent to animal control. I can't afford to keep feeding them and I can't afford to fix them and so they've been multiplying like rabbits. I need help. If anyone knows a good place to send them, I'd apprieciate it. I'm willing to travel. All the shelters in the Augusta, GA area are full.

I have 1 mother (about a year old) with 4 kittens that are all very tame. The kittens are still nursing but should be weaned soon.

I have 1 female (about a year old) that is probably pregnant again. She's not showing yet so now would be the time to get her spayed. She is also friendly and fairly tame, but she's a bit neurotic about being closed in.

I have one female (about a year and a half old) that is very kittenish in appearence. She's very active and vocal, but slightly skittish. We're fairly certain she'd calm down if she were spayed. We can't afford the surgery. She has been raised indoors by our two (neutered) male cats.

The other three kittens belong to an outdoor female that I know we won't be able to find a home for unless someone is willing to put in a LOT of TLC. The female is over two years old and has been a stray for most of that time. We had her mother spayed after she was finished weaning that litter, but unfortunately for Calisto, she and her brother Lars got away from the cat trap and have been strays since. She has 3 nearly-weaned kittens that we will probably have to get a trap and catch. The kittens need just a little more TLC than the other 4, since they haven't had as much human contact, but they are beautiful and should come around quickly, especially with how nosy and friendly my two indoor cats are.

10 cats need homes, guys. I can't afford to keep feeding them, and quite frankly my parents have let them get out of hand and won't help to find them homes. Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

[alloyed.livejournal.com]

I don't really know how close any of these programs are to you, or what kind of resources you have at your disposal, but here are a couple of inter-state low cost spay/neuter/release groups I've heard of in the past. I know you said you didn't have the money to get these queens spayed, but I wasn't sure if you meant "at a vet" (where they can be $200+) or if $30-$60 was manageable.

If you're looking to get them into a facility that won't euthanize, I doubt any spots will open up until the fall. Same goes for rescues. Otherwise, you'll have to opt for an open door shelter, with the risk of euthanasia. If you do go that route, it might be best to turn them over as strays...most shelters have a set hold-time for stray animals, whereas they can legally dispose of any owner-surrendered animals immediately, if they deem the animal unadoptable (skittish, hissy, etc). A stray period might give them time to adjust to the environment, or get a little extra exposure.

Leftover Pets
Lifeline Spay/Neuter Clinic
Project Catsnip
Spot claims to offer services to those who can't afford any other program, but I think you have to demonstrate need. They also have a pretty extensive list of shelters/other programs.

[no-prey-remains.livejournal.com]

At the moment I'm kind of screwed. Dad makes too much per year to qualify for assistance, but we're putting bills on credit cards just to make ends meet. Mom is still not working, and I've been trying to feed 4 people and 13 cats on minimum wage. My two male cats need vet treatment, and spending over $300 at a spay/neuter clinic to get ALL the females spayed is just something I can't justify doing right now, not when my two indoor cats need vet care.

The friendly ones, especially the mom and four kittens, I'm going to try to find homes for or find a rescue organization before I turn them over to animal control. I hate to have them killed when they would make sweet pets, especially since they're away from male cats now and not getting pregnant again. The stray mom and her three kittens I'll probably end up having to take to animal control. Or, rather, ask animal control to set traps, because there's no way we'll be able to catch her or the kittens otherwise. They're too skittish. She knows who feeds her and will tolerate being two or three feet away, but no one is able to touch her.

[alloyed.livejournal.com]

If you can spare enough to get the not-yet-showing mom spayed, that might be a good idea. That way you won't have to cope with the stress of providing for another litter on top of the ones you've got.

And you might qualify for assistance anyway, if you can demonstrate the credit card bills. Most spay/neuter groups understand that folks in any situation can get themselves into enough trouble that pets are no longer a priority (especially in this economy). It couldn't hurt to at least apply, and it looks like they might have shelter facilities as well.

[no-prey-remains.livejournal.com]

I'll have to see how things go this week. I've already spent most of my paycheck and I don't get paid till Thursday morning *cringe*

Hell, if they just took MY finances, since I'm pretty much the only one that pays for the cats, I know I'd get assistance. Parents are perfectly happy to feed all dozen outside cats my indoor cats' Purina One, but coughing up money for cat food is another thing entirely. We won't even go INTO overfeeding indoor cats. I have yet to find a good method of keeping stupid people out of the cat food.