I apologize ahead of time if this gets a little lengthy. I'll try to keep it as brief as possible. So... I've often been teased that DH and I are softies when it comes to animals. We have three dogs and two cats whom we love and spoil a lot.
As of the last several weeks we noticed our trash was getting torn apart and we thought it was racoons or some other wild creature. I had been irritatingly rebagging trash and cursing the mess. DH tells me one nite he saw a creature outside our living room window and realized it was a kitty with no tail. He didn't see it again after that. So the other day I go to get the mail and the neighbor asks if I lost a cat. I said, "I don't think so" and I checked on our cats that were cozily in the bedroom napping away. Later DH spots a gray cat in our backyward but this one has a tail. We try to call it and it runs away. Later I think I see one of our cats messing near the window and realize the image is from outside and it's a poor little gray kitten sitting outside on our window ledge.
I start feeling horrible about the little thing being out in the cold (even though I know it's probably wild and is fending for itself best it can). My father has worked in animal control in the past and has a trap (that doesn't cause harm) and I decide I must try to catch it to at least give it to a shelter. DH and I arrive home with the trap and as we pull in we see a tail in our trash bags. But, it's black! We realize it's another kitten! We set up the trap on the stoop and bait it with soft kitten food. DH watches and says both the gray and black kittens are trying to figure out how to get the food. Any time the black one went in only one side of the trap would go down and so we figured we weren't having any luck. It so happens that right as I'm about to go to work the trap doors are closed and we notice the gray kitten is in it. I should mention I live in the midwest so there is currently tons of snow, at least 3 feet deep on our property, and quite cold outside.
After struggling to get this kitten into our spare bathroom making sure we don't get bitten, we get it set up with food water and a litter pan. We took it to the vet yesterday and had it checked out. It is in fact a female (we weren't checking closely enough to tell) about 2 lbs. and about 2 mos old whose only issue was worms. No feline leukemia, no mites, no fleas. Got her first kitty shot and we're trying to get her socialized as best we can, making sure she stays isolated from the other cats until the worms are resolved. We were going to initially take it to shelters but we found out most will kill strays or rerelease them. I figure we will either hold onto her until she's acclamated a little better or if I have my way we'll keep her.
And if we get the other kitten we'll make sure we get it treated and socialized and then find it a good home. I would keep both but I can only have so many animals
I took some pictures of our little angel kitty whom I have yet to name. I just wanted to share because I'm so happy we could prevent her from possibly dying because she is so young and who knows how long she would have survived. Some people don't approve of trying to domesticate wild cats but I figured this one was just a little kitten and shes young enough to have a new chance.
Oh yeah, had to give the little one a bath too. That was NOT fun, lol. Lots of dirt came off though. Any suggestions on names?
Again, sorry for the long post. Just wanted to share our little miracle kitty.
As of the last several weeks we noticed our trash was getting torn apart and we thought it was racoons or some other wild creature. I had been irritatingly rebagging trash and cursing the mess. DH tells me one nite he saw a creature outside our living room window and realized it was a kitty with no tail. He didn't see it again after that. So the other day I go to get the mail and the neighbor asks if I lost a cat. I said, "I don't think so" and I checked on our cats that were cozily in the bedroom napping away. Later DH spots a gray cat in our backyward but this one has a tail. We try to call it and it runs away. Later I think I see one of our cats messing near the window and realize the image is from outside and it's a poor little gray kitten sitting outside on our window ledge.
I start feeling horrible about the little thing being out in the cold (even though I know it's probably wild and is fending for itself best it can). My father has worked in animal control in the past and has a trap (that doesn't cause harm) and I decide I must try to catch it to at least give it to a shelter. DH and I arrive home with the trap and as we pull in we see a tail in our trash bags. But, it's black! We realize it's another kitten! We set up the trap on the stoop and bait it with soft kitten food. DH watches and says both the gray and black kittens are trying to figure out how to get the food. Any time the black one went in only one side of the trap would go down and so we figured we weren't having any luck. It so happens that right as I'm about to go to work the trap doors are closed and we notice the gray kitten is in it. I should mention I live in the midwest so there is currently tons of snow, at least 3 feet deep on our property, and quite cold outside.
After struggling to get this kitten into our spare bathroom making sure we don't get bitten, we get it set up with food water and a litter pan. We took it to the vet yesterday and had it checked out. It is in fact a female (we weren't checking closely enough to tell) about 2 lbs. and about 2 mos old whose only issue was worms. No feline leukemia, no mites, no fleas. Got her first kitty shot and we're trying to get her socialized as best we can, making sure she stays isolated from the other cats until the worms are resolved. We were going to initially take it to shelters but we found out most will kill strays or rerelease them. I figure we will either hold onto her until she's acclamated a little better or if I have my way we'll keep her.
And if we get the other kitten we'll make sure we get it treated and socialized and then find it a good home. I would keep both but I can only have so many animals
I took some pictures of our little angel kitty whom I have yet to name. I just wanted to share because I'm so happy we could prevent her from possibly dying because she is so young and who knows how long she would have survived. Some people don't approve of trying to domesticate wild cats but I figured this one was just a little kitten and shes young enough to have a new chance.
Oh yeah, had to give the little one a bath too. That was NOT fun, lol. Lots of dirt came off though. Any suggestions on names?
Again, sorry for the long post. Just wanted to share our little miracle kitty.
That is so great of you to help her out and give her a second chance!! 
It's okay though, as I know this whole interacting with humans thing is hard for her, but we'll get through it. Will take some time and patience as I learn her warning signs for when she gets too scared and starts to panic.