Someone please help! Kitten emergency!

Hi darkrabbit,
Don't get me wrong - there is no substitute for vet care and sometimes "wait and see" can kill your cat. It's always best to consult a vet. I was lucky that there was nothing seriously wrong with Molly other than an irritated stomach, but it could have been a blockage or string, killing her. That vet who will help you with spaying and neutering probably realises that you are low in funds and will hopefully help you with vaccinations and stuff, but you obviously aren't currently able to keep all of these cats, so maybe she will help you place them as well. You say you have no "no kill" shelters around, but perhaps you could ask them to help you find homes for these babies.
I think the lady (her name was Deb Smith) worked full time - she had a couple of adult children so I'm assuming that maybe she was a widow? The shelter helped her with food and litter and since she had so many cats, her vet care was discounted by the vet the shelter uses. Animal control would check on her quite often to see how things were going and I believe it was one of the officers that found her - she had either died of a stroke or heart attack, I'm not sure, but luckily the cats were only on their own for a couple of days after she passed away. Everyone was absolutely *amazed* that she had managed with so many for so long. I looked for the write up on the spca home page to get more info but there's only a small thank you paragraph.
Anyway, I guess my point is that sometimes people think they are helping and doing what is right, ie, "they're better off with me", but sometimes they aren't if the vet care can't be looked after.

 

I agree with you darkrabbit when you say that we should stick to pets and pet care on this page... I really don't think it's necessary to start angry discussions and almost attack sombody when they're just asking for help or advice...

I DO understand that people get upset when someone can't afford taking their pets to the vet, that's me included!
But as I understood from darkrabbit's post, the mom-cat and her kittens were living with someone that didn't care at all before living with her and her boyfriend. So the kittens living situation has actually improved, and that is the right way to go isn't it?

In an ideal world, everybody would afford taking their pets to the vet, but we don't live in that world... I believe that darkrabbit really loves her kittens, and that she does the best she can for them.

I know I would also take in cats/kittens if I saw they were being neglected, even if I knew I couldn't afford taking them to the vet... I don't think that is being selfish, b/c then I would know they'd get a better home then the place they came from.
I believe healthy kittens deserves a chance, and I would not consider puting them to sleep unless they got sick...

Darkrabbit: Have you planned to keep them all, or are you giving some away when they get old enough? That would probably be the smartest thing to do, sad but true :cry: (If you are, make sure they get the good homes they deserve)
Anyway, I'm really glad that Donut is ok Hope to see more pics, they are really cute!

 

i'm actually going to be able to keep all of them.

i've spoken with my mother, (we never talk) and she is going to be giving me the child support my father is still paying her (i'm not emancipated, so that's why she still gets it) and that's a whopping $200 more a month! as well as the money that my boyfriend and i are recievieng from the governement to take care of our housing, we'll have lots of extra money!

this just in: today i was approved for food stamps and free lunch at my high school! the letters just came in the mail! (now i feel bad for complaining about my predictment).

this is great because i couldn't bare to part with any of my little furballs! so, with the lessened cost of food, and more money in the pocket, (and discount cards to the local pet stores) i should be able to afford them all. but if money gets tight, i don't know what i'll do!

 

Wonderful news! Talk to your vet first about when to spay and neuter your babies. It's a judgement call. People will neuter them at different ages. I highly recommend them getting done prior to 6 months. Most of mine were done at that age, but you don't want to take a chance on inbreeding.

http://cats.about.com/od/spayneuter/

This article says you can do it between 6 and 14 weeks with improved technology and survival rate:

http://www.sniksnak.com/stop_s-n.html

 

thanks!

 

I'm glad to hear that things seem to be getting better for you. Best of luck with all the kittens.

 

some vets will also give a small discount to people with multiple pets - you might want to also check that out. And check out free spay/neuter clinics. Another option is to see if there are any rabies clinics in your area. Our local shelter does this a couple times a year - vet donates their time and the cost for the rabies shot is about $10. No checkup included but it's an inexpensive way for people to get their pets' rabies vaccine.

 

Thanks very much Mary_NH! I'll have to look into that!

Speaking of vaccines, and I don't know what other shots they're going to have to get. What other shots are there? What age do I take them for which? And what's the estimated cost going to be at the end of all the shots?

I'm not going to have to pay to spay and neuter the kittens, and if I do it's not going to be full price, but how much does that cost?

I guess I'm basically looking for an estimated overall cost on this.

BTW! I applied for a job at Subway, I went there for one of those Sweet Onion Chicken Terrayki's after Patrick (b/f) got out of work. Mmm Those are so good. I really hope I get hired there! It's the only place I'd probably ever be able to work (they NEVER have any buisness so i'd be able to do my homework while i work hehe). Wish me good luck!

 

i wish you good luck. and i admire that you do as much as you do...at your age. it is pretty impressive...school, housing, kitties, work, homework, kitties, kitties, kitties.... :shock:

thats alot for an adult...much less someone younger. so congrats on being responsible and asking questions about the finances of the spay, shots, etc. :y_the_best:

i defer to others about the shots. max got his second series at eight weeks and worming. rabies at the time of spaying....at least that is what my vet did.

maryh is a good resource for kittens and shots...she has lots of kitties through rescue. :wink:

 

i think that they have to be at least 6 weeks in order to be fixed. im glad that you get to keep your kitties. its too bad that your boyfriends brother is to lazy to take care of the cats. good luck getting the job!! :y_the_best: