What could I do with the stray kittens living under my deck? I have to get rid of them.?

Question

Ok, So there are some stray kittens outside under my deck. My family and I believe they're living there. I want to capture them and find homes for them. My mother wants to give them to the humane society, but I know if they don't find homes for them in 5 days they will be euthanized, and I would feel horrible handing them over to die. My mom and siblings are allegic to cats so we can't keep them or even bring them inside the house. And i also fear that taking the time to find homes for them would take too long, but I can't leave them outside because we don't think they even have a mother. Also, I don't even know if the cats are friendly or carry disease and my family isn't willing to pay vetenarian bills for them. What else could I possibly do?

Answer 1

go to your store and buy some bug bombs...those do the trick everytime.

Answer 2

I would call animal control, and have them get the kittens out from under the deck. Then you can get some cat shampoo wash them so they are clean, and try to find homes for them.

Answer 3

If the kittens have lost their mother they will starve to death unless they are old enough to find their own food. Giving them to a shelter would be kinder.

Answer 4

this hapend to me plenty of times call aniamal control or a shelter and they sometimes take them to cat farms if they run away and come back and cant seem to catch them buy special traps there cheap too

Answer 5

well a solution to get them away from u is buying kitten food and putting it for a bit far from them, but not too far cause they need to smell it,, and then take the plate further and further untill they are far enough from u,,

or u can put fliers with their pictures on it for people to adopt them, but make it clear that who ever wants to adopt them should check them up first,, if u will do that then u should pet them and contact them somehow,,if kittens dont get involved with humans in their first 3 months they will go wild,,

Answer 6

First thing to do is determine whether they are feral or not. If they will come to you, they are not feral. If they won't come near you, they are probably feral.

Feral cats, find a local feral colony they can be given to. The people who care for the feral colony can provide you with traps to catch the cats, and then they will come pick them up.

If they are not feral, call around the local animal shelters and find out which ones are no-kill or low-kill. No-kill means they will only euthanize if the cat is suffering terribly and there is nothing they can do about it (such as a cat about to die from tumors or a dog that is so badly mangled it could never survive). Low-kill means they will only euthanize the cat if it cannot be adopted out (such as a cat with congenital heart failure or one that is extremely skittish and will not calm down over time [usually they give the very skittish cats about six months to calm down]). After you find the no-kill and low-kill shelters, you'll have to ask which ones have room...they often don't, and since it's kitten season, many will be full, so keep asking around...you may have to go an hour or more away. Once you find a shelter, you can work with them on how to bring them in.

In the meantime, put an ad in the newspaper and on Craigslist...you never know, you might find homes for them fast, especially if they are young kittens!

Answer 7

Call animal control. They should be able to send people over to catch them. I know this isn't the best solution since most animal shelters euthanize animals but it's better than to leave them to fend for themselves where they can starve, be injured, or get sick. Besides, since they are kittens, they have a better chance of being adopted than older cats. At least at the shelter, they will be checked over, given all their shots, and spayed or neutered before they are offered up for adoption.

Answer 8

How old are the kittens?  I presume their eyes are open and they're mobile (i.e., running around and playing), if you have seen them.  If they have blue eyes, most likely they are quite young as most kittens' eye color will change as they get older.  Have you tried feeding them, and if so, will they eat -- dry cat food? canned? etc.

If the kittens are skittish, that doesn't necessarily mean they are feral.  The mother cat may have been marginally owned or abandoned recently; or they just hadn't had any prior contact with people.  It might take a while for them to get over their initial instinctive hesitation to approach you.  It is a good idea to remain calm and quiet with no sudden moves when approaching the kittens. Try to get down on their level; also tempt them with some tasty treats such as a bit of canned cat food (strong-smelling tuna or seafood-types may be best), talk softly and do not initially attempt to pick them up.

Even if they are feral, this doesn't mean they are fated to live out their lives in a feral colony. That is a solution for older kittens and adult cats.  The older the kittens are when rescued, however, the more difficult they will be to socialize. From age 4 to 6 weeks, it is relatively easy to capture and tame them; at 8 weeks you usually still have a good chance, but from 10 to 12 weeks and older it gets progressively harder.  So the sooner you can intervene on their behalf, the better their chances for adoption and a long, happy life that they all deserve.

However it sounds as if your family, at least, is not inclined or willing to take on and support your efforts in this demanding task.  The best thing you can probably do under the circumstances you indicated is to contact a local animal welfare group dedicated to rescuing and rehoming stray and feral cats in need. You are correct about the 5 day stay before euthanization at most open-admissions municipal animal shelters.  They are often overcrowded and sometimes kitten litters aren't even given 3 days before being put down; so to contact them for assistance is an almost sure death sentence for these little guys.

The private cat rescue group will have the traps, all the proper equipment and the know-how required to give these cats a chance.  If your family is unwilling to provide even the most basic medical care (spay/neuter and a rabies vaccination typically available through a low-cost clinic), then chances are they would not be willing to spend $50 to $100 on a cat trap to catch them.  Best to leave it to those who actually care and have dedicated themselves to this task.

In the meantime while you're searching for outside help, you could try feeding them (either dry kitten food, if they're able to eat solids) or canned cat food mixed with a little kitten milk replacer formula (no cows' milk, as it'll give them diarrhea and upset their little tummies). Also make sure the kittens have a warm and dry temporary shelter or place to sleep during the night and inclement weather.  This could be a medium-sized cardboard box, plastic storage bin (no lid) or other makeshift container lined with straw or other soft, dry bedding that is accessible and kept out of the rain.

Best wishes and I hope the kittens do well.  

Answer 9

see if you have a no-kill shelter in your area that would be willing to help you out and possibly a live trap to use to capture them.