Kitten update
Status: caught.
Mood: pissed off, but unharmed.
I am very happy that J and I got everything we'd need yesterday; they are now safely ensconced in a pet carrier on a 2'x2' square of newspaper that has food, a litterbox, bedding... everything very close, as we're going to just let them be for awhile to get acclimated. If I see that they're not eating or drinking, I'll attempt to bottlefeed them with the weaning food we got.
It was an adventure, and it happened very fast. J and I were finishing up dinner when we peeked out the window and saw that their mother had them about 6 feet up ontop one of the outside walls! We knew that if we didn't scoop 'em then, they might actually go over the wall and not be able to get back in until they were full grown. Or worse, fall off and get seriously hurt. In any case, how they actually got on the wall is beyond me (the first jump up is about three feet and we'd seen them fail at jumping the eight or so inches from rock to rock), but it did make things a bit urgent.
When they saw us creeping up, they spooked and jumped into the tree, then climbed down into the hidey hole. It was already getting dark, so we set up a few lamps, then gave the tree a serious trimming so that we wouldn't get hurt pulling them out. Once we moved the gate, it was clear that one was in an easily reachable nook that could be snatched out simply, so we did. Hissed something fierce at me, but into the carrier with no harm.
The next one (the more gray one) was a little more complicated. S/he'd snuck all the way to the back of the boards, which put it far out of arm's reach but also was good in that it was easier to wall it off. We used thin cardboard FedEx boxes between the slats to essentially box it in, then carefully pulled up the board it was hiding beneath. Jason scooped it out pretty easily, and into the carrier it went.
While Jason fixed the board, I made sure our bedroom was swept clean, pulling anything potentially harmful off the floor (wires and the like). I set up the containment area and then put the carrier down in it. They keep looking at me like I'm evil (fair, I suppose) but both seem healthy and physically unharmed.
And now begins more research. J already emailed me a step by step guide to taming feral kittens, and we're going to follow that pretty strictly. They have to be 2lbs before a local society will fix them... I don't think they're quite that big yet, so we might have to get them fixed in MD. Might be a better bet, anyhow, as traveling with kittens is going to be precarious enough without them being in recovery.
I am eager to know the genders, though it might be weeks until I can handle them enough to get a good look. If one of them is male, Oliver Twist has been suggested. I also kinda like the idea of calling one Souvenir (or Sue for short).
In any case... I know I have one potential home for one of the kitties. If that doesn't work out, I may ask for help finding a good home for in its stead; we'll likely keep the other. (My fish, they will be thrilled.) I may also need a foster home for a few weeks while we get our living situation sorted; I know we're going to be in North Carolina for a week at the end of June and we plan on having our own apartment by August at that latest. If you live in the MD area and think you can help, it would be much appreciated.
Whew. Eventful day.
Mood: pissed off, but unharmed.
I am very happy that J and I got everything we'd need yesterday; they are now safely ensconced in a pet carrier on a 2'x2' square of newspaper that has food, a litterbox, bedding... everything very close, as we're going to just let them be for awhile to get acclimated. If I see that they're not eating or drinking, I'll attempt to bottlefeed them with the weaning food we got.
It was an adventure, and it happened very fast. J and I were finishing up dinner when we peeked out the window and saw that their mother had them about 6 feet up ontop one of the outside walls! We knew that if we didn't scoop 'em then, they might actually go over the wall and not be able to get back in until they were full grown. Or worse, fall off and get seriously hurt. In any case, how they actually got on the wall is beyond me (the first jump up is about three feet and we'd seen them fail at jumping the eight or so inches from rock to rock), but it did make things a bit urgent.
When they saw us creeping up, they spooked and jumped into the tree, then climbed down into the hidey hole. It was already getting dark, so we set up a few lamps, then gave the tree a serious trimming so that we wouldn't get hurt pulling them out. Once we moved the gate, it was clear that one was in an easily reachable nook that could be snatched out simply, so we did. Hissed something fierce at me, but into the carrier with no harm.
The next one (the more gray one) was a little more complicated. S/he'd snuck all the way to the back of the boards, which put it far out of arm's reach but also was good in that it was easier to wall it off. We used thin cardboard FedEx boxes between the slats to essentially box it in, then carefully pulled up the board it was hiding beneath. Jason scooped it out pretty easily, and into the carrier it went.
While Jason fixed the board, I made sure our bedroom was swept clean, pulling anything potentially harmful off the floor (wires and the like). I set up the containment area and then put the carrier down in it. They keep looking at me like I'm evil (fair, I suppose) but both seem healthy and physically unharmed.
And now begins more research. J already emailed me a step by step guide to taming feral kittens, and we're going to follow that pretty strictly. They have to be 2lbs before a local society will fix them... I don't think they're quite that big yet, so we might have to get them fixed in MD. Might be a better bet, anyhow, as traveling with kittens is going to be precarious enough without them being in recovery.
I am eager to know the genders, though it might be weeks until I can handle them enough to get a good look. If one of them is male, Oliver Twist has been suggested. I also kinda like the idea of calling one Souvenir (or Sue for short).
In any case... I know I have one potential home for one of the kitties. If that doesn't work out, I may ask for help finding a good home for in its stead; we'll likely keep the other. (My fish, they will be thrilled.) I may also need a foster home for a few weeks while we get our living situation sorted; I know we're going to be in North Carolina for a week at the end of June and we plan on having our own apartment by August at that latest. If you live in the MD area and think you can help, it would be much appreciated.
Whew. Eventful day.