Rescued 3 kittens

[paschat]

Well guys, it happens every year, just when we find a new home for a foster kitty I think the cat Gods take a look and put a sticker on my head. I found 3 tiny kittens abandoned in a box outside Walmart last week. I tried getting them into every no-kill shelter here in SW WA and Oregon, but they're closed for kitten intake - so are the foster homes, and they can't help. I'm keeping the 3 babies locked in a spare bathroom away from my 3 seniors, where they have food, shelter and a safe place to play. I took them to the vet Friday and got them dewormed and de-flead - vet says they are app. 7 weeks old, all boys, weight between 1.5 and 1.7 pounds.

I have to find homes for these babies asap, and was wondering if it is ok to neuter them when they get to 2 pounds - some vets say yes, others say no. I can't start looking for homes until they've been neutered and vaccinated and I'm going to the vaccination clinic on Saturday to have their first shots + felv and fiv testing. They are very loving, healthy little critters - no sneezing, upset tummies or anything. Unfortunately all the places I've called are so overwhelmed with cats and kittens because irresponsible people won't spay/neuter/vaccinate right now so we just have to bite the bullet and pay out of our savings.

Photo:
<a href="http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/mm39 ... ngels2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm39 ... ngels2.jpg" border="0" alt="kittens"></a>

PS: edited to say that name suggestions are welcome. The little fellow with the black and white nose is Charlie Chaplin, but I'm struggling with the other two!

[Traci]

Oh my, what a bunch of cuties! Bless you for taking them in and giving them a good start in life.

It's that way everywhere across the country. The horrible economy, homes foreclosed, people giving up their pets, or worse, abandoning them. Makes you sick, doesn't it?

Every vet has their preference on what age is appropriate to spay/neuter. Many shelters will spay/neuter at or over 2 lbs, but it is because of the overpopulation and getting them spayed/neutered before adoption is generally the best thing to ensure they are already altered (and not relying on the new owner to get it done). But, altering at this age does not always guarantee safety in terms of pre-surgical screening before the procedure, quality monitoring during the procedure, nor followup care or extended care should complications occur. What if there was a hidden infection not detected, what if there was a heart murmur not detected, what if the kitten was not a good candidate for surgery due to some developmental problem or organ disfunction not detected because shelters don't utilize pre-surgical screening. It's a risk.

The same applies to low-cost vaccination clinics. No followup, and new owners or new adopters often don't know how to recognize vaccine reactions, and if they needed help due to a complication, they're out of luck.

A private practice vet generally won't spay/neuter that young because they feel their client is hopefully trustworthy and will bring their kittens in for their kitten exams/deworming/testing/vaccs etc as they grow and develop and this is based on a wellness schedule. Some vets prefer to wait until the kitten is 6 months old and very well developed before altering, for obvious reasons, and because they can offer better pre and post op care for these procedures (presurgical screens, monitoring and followup). I always recommend this as well because you're getting better care and followup, you don't get that high quality care via shelters.

Having said that, if you are definately not in the position to care for and keep them for an extended time, you could probably utilize a low-cost spay/neuter clinic put on by a local shelter or rescue group. You have to weigh the risks, but if you decide to go that route, I'd strongly advise you have your own primary vet available to you for followup care, availability in case of emergency, after hours, weekends and holidays.

[paschat]

Traci, thank you and yes, it does make sick to see what people do and that it's always the animals who suffer more in times like this. I'm going to take them to the Petco vaccination clinic starting Saturday and wait until they're a little bigger to have them neutered - I can't put them up for adoption until all their vaccination rounds are completed anyway and before doing anything I want to test them for Felv/FIV. I have a primary care vet who de-wormed and de-flead them last week and if there's any bad reaction from the vaccines I'll take them there straight away, unfortunately they're a $$$ feline vet and won't give me a discount even though I've taken my kitties to them for a long time. I understand their point of view as they have to run it like a business and have their overheads too. Times are tough and the toughest on these poor little victims who didn't ask to be born. Thank you for all the lives you save through this board.

[Auntie Debbie]

Are there any rescue groups in your area that can work with you? Petco and petsmart generally have Adoption Day on Saturdays, and sometimes on Sundays....you might want to see who is in your area (or check out other groups through Petfinder.com). These groups usually have some vet clinics working with them where they get a discount on procedures and vaccinations. If they will work with you, they will pay the bill at their discounted rate and you pay them. They may even be able to help you find them homes once they are of adoptable age.
The group I work with does this. They also believe in waiting till the cat is 6 months before spaying or neutering. They may do it a bit earlier if it is a tnr, but definitely not at such a young age.
Good luck with your little ones!

[paschat]

Debbie thank you for your suggestions and thoughts for the kittens. I have exhausted all the foster, aid and rescue groups in the area and they are closed for kitten intake - I'll have to wing it from here and look after the wee babies until I can find them homes. As they say, when you save a life you become responsible for it! They are such cute kittens, lots of cleaning/care and a joy. I'm wishing myself good luck, we'll find a way!!!

[Auntie Debbie]

You could still try to pump some of these groups to letting you use their vet discounts. They pay the vet at their discounted rate and you pay them. Since they don't know you, you may have to pay them up front, but it could be cheaper that paying full price at your vet, at least for the simple routine stuff. Let them know that these are kittens you've rescued, not your own cats, and that you'd like to have them adopted out. Come Saturday, if any work through Petco or Petsmart, they may even find room for them in a cage...if you have one of your own, all the better and may increase your chances of getting your guys shown. Soundds like they are just filled to the brim with kittens and cats in available foster homes. If you are fostering them, they may work with you as the "foster", rather than them just taking ownership. This is how I got "sucked in", LOL!...very well worth it....and now I'm actually fostering for them. These groups are always looking for fosters.
Anyway, good luck with your little ones; you're doing a wonderful thing with them and I hope you will find them great forever homes!