To keep all 4 kittens taking the total number of cats to 20!

[Madzhouse]

Sorry this is long!

Right I live rurally. Since living here I have always had 2 or 3 cats as pets as rodent deterrents. I know the mice and rats are there but if I can't see them or any evidence of them they can go about their lives and ill go about mine. My current cats are spayed / neutered and frankly never leave the house through their own choice. They are pretty useless as anything other than furry paperweights.

About 3/4 years ago a feral cat showed up. Horrifically skinny and injured. Cats Protection trapped it for me, spayed it and under their trap and release policy released it back at mine. Tbh it wasnt a big problem. I put biscuits and water out in the stables and it hunts the rodents. Over time it learnt to tolerate me but its a yard cat not a pet. Great.

But ... a couple of years ago another cat turned up. Heavily pregnant and completely deranged. Wouldn't go in a trap. Disappeared and then came back with several juvenile kittens. All also feral. Short while later some of these also spawned kittens which went on to spawn more kittens. At one point there was over 40 (!) cats of varying ages roaming around.

Over time the majority of them have been befriended but cats protection still class them as a feral colony (even though they no longer are feral) and so won't take them to their centres for rehoming and neither will the 2 other local smaller charities I asked. I understand why they have other more urgent cases and these are fed and looked after. When discussing with them about trying to find some of them homes, they advised me NOT to advertise them because they had seen increased cases of kittens / cats being used for dog baiting! As a result i have been terrified of selling them, I know not to advertise them as free to good home and so all friends and family who can be have been persuaded to have kittens/ cats. This leaves me my 3 original pets, 10 ex-feral which now come in the house and 2 which tolerate me but live outside.

Just before lockdown another cat turned up. Shes pretty friendly so we thought perhaps she was lost. Advertised and put her on Facebook but noone claimed her. Arranged to have her spayed but lockdown happened (she was booked in for that first wed!) and so it was cancelled. She became pregnant and had 5 kittens. I really struggled to find people we know to take them but in the end managed. When the warmer weather came she vanished again. She returned about a week ago with 4 kittens aged about 4 weeks id guess. I've asked everyone I can think of and asked them to ask people but I cant find anyone willing to have them.

Whilst logically I know if I advertise them (for money) the chances of them going to a dog baiter is small I just panic at the thought that they might. So ..

AIBU to keep all 4 myself if I can't persuade anyone else I know to have them .....

Wait, you want a ginger kitten because you haven’t got that colour

There's a lot of it about. When people come to meet my fosters, I often have several rescue cats available, but they'll have seen one on the website they like the look of.

Once a couple came to meet one cat but she wasn't interested and hid under the sofa. However, one of the other cats was literally jumping up and down in front of them going 'pick me, pick me' (not really, she was just friendly and did that to everyone she met) and I said something like 'she's also available and seems to like you' to which they replied, with all serious 'oh no, her colouring doesn't match the name we've picked' .

Thankfully they went away with no cats at all from us.

Thankfully they went away with no cats at all from us.

Excellent.

'oh no, her colouring doesn't match the name we've picked'

The perfect fashion accessory for some. How sad? I hope the cat that was jumping around for their attention found a lovely home?

She did as it happens. The lovely family who eventually adopted her occasionally pop up on the rescue's FB page with pictures and comments along the lines of how much they love her and how glad they are to have her in their lives.

Another sadness of cat colours is that black cats spend longer in rescue than other colours and one reason given is that it's harder to take nice photos of them for social media.

Oh thats so lovely. She went to the right people then

I honestly can't understand why the colour of a kitten/cat matters but then im not shallow. My little one is a Tuxedo cat - apparently - I never had a clue that this was even a thing until we got him haha

Social media has a lot to answer for these days though and it really shouldnt matter how photogenic a cat is

@BarbaraofSeville when my ex and I went to look at rescues I did have colouring preferences - I would like a black cat for the reasons you mention and would prefer not a ginger tom as I still raw from my beloved childhood pet dying. Neither would have been deal-breakers of course! Luckily we met, ahem, two gorgeous kittens (the plan was for one...) - the black one clambered up his door to meet us! He’s still going strong at almost 17, my ex still sends me a photo on his ‘birthday’ 🤗

The comments re colour are one of the things that puts me off rescue tbh.

If we are being honest, the vast majority of people pick dog/cat/rabbit whatever breeds that they find attractive as well things like size, energy levels etc.

I have a dog and a cat, they are both black and white because that is my preferred colour/pattern.

If I had chosen to buy a pet, I’d be looking for that colour.
That doesn’t automatically mean I’m looking for a fashion accessory or that I wouldn’t look after them correctly which seems to be the assumption

@MrsJunglelow why do you have a preferred colour though? Why black and white and not grey or tabby? Would you rule out other colours, or would you visit a rescue and choose another if they caught your eye?

I think it’s ok having a preference, but it’s a bit odd saying you only want a certain colour.

Genuinely interested. I can maybe see tortoiseshell, as there is a certain personality linked with the colour, in the same way seal point etc is with siamese. It would still be the personality I am choosing though.

My own cat is a rescue, ex breeder. Kept in appalling conditions having litter after litter because she produced grey kittens, which are extremely desirable.

When I’ve picked kittens, it’s been one best fit personality wise. Colour would only come in to it if I was struggling to choose.

I have a dog and a cat, they are both black and white because that is my preferred colour/pattern.

Dress it up how you like. It’s shallow to have a colour preference for a living creature.

why do you have a preferred colour though? Why black and white and not grey or tabby?
It is what I find attractive.

Would you rule out other colours, or would you visit a rescue and choose another if they caught your eye?
I would go for the animal that most appealed to me both in appearance and personality.
I wouldn’t definitely refuse an animal for not being black and white, no, but that colour is my preferred colour when looking for a pet.
As is longhair and is a ‘normal’ non squished face.
We all have preferences, we just do.

Dress it up how you like. It’s shallow to have a colour preference for a living creature
Nearly everyone has preferences though..
Is it shallow to only want a small dog not a big one?
Or to want a short haired cat not a long hair?

You are like the kid in the advert who shakes the biscuits and the cats come.

Do you live near me, there is a house where the roof tiles have been changed to spell out cat. And the car has cat in the number plate.

I'm happy for someone to prefer black and white cats.

Most people want greys or tabbies, either ginger or brown, but most cats that come into rescue are black and white.

So we're in a position where the most popular colours are already in short supply, even before the higher demand and the most common cats, black or black and white, are less popular, so people that actively prefer these are very welcome to us.

I got a cat from a lady like you once. She was lovely but it was like the word had spread among the local feral population that she was a soft touch because as soon as she’d neutered and rehomed a kitten or two, another new pregnant female would turn up. You could tell there was an grey Tom around somewhere as well because the kittens all looked the same!

*Wait, you want a ginger kitten because you haven’t got that colour?

I have no words.*

Snap.

And Nearly everyone has preferences though..
Is it shallow to only want a small dog not a big one?
Or to want a short haired cat not a long hair?

Surely size of dog is dictated by size of house/garden and breed dictated by the amount if exercise it needs. I don't think this is comparable to specifying the colour of a cat, tbh.

I have had cats of all colours, presently have a black/white, a ginger, a white and a tortoisehell, they have all had very different temperaments and I have loved them all.

You're doing a great job Madzhouse caring for all those cats,saving them from starving and being cold.many people wouldn't,so thank you.

Surely size of dog is dictated by size of house/garden and breed dictated by the amount if exercise it needs. I don't think this is comparable to specifying the colour of a cat, tbh
Is it?
When you consider that often the larger the dog the calmer/less exercise they often require.

If small houses require small dogs then why are so many people in flats and small houses adopting greyhounds which are huge..?

The only dogs that truly don’t benefit from ample exercise will be those that physically can’t; extremely flat faced breeds or giant dogs with joint issues etc.

And even if you did choose a dog based on its size and exercise requirements, how would you reduce it down further?

Once they’ve selected size or exercise requirement or grooming needs etc people will start looking at which dogs out of their shortlisted breeds they find most attractive to look at.
Appearance most definately comes into it.

No different to opting for a black and white or ginger or whatever cat because you find them most attractive compared to other cats.

Do you think people who only to choose to buy or rescue say, Persians or Siamese or Ragdolls shallow too?

Do you think people who only to choose to buy or rescue say, Persians or Siamese or Ragdolls shallow too?

I don’t actually like the look of siamese. But I am a huge fan of their personalities so overlook their appearance.

I've rescued 2 cats. My only stipulation was 'adult cat'

After 2 decades of semi long hairs when my current ones are no more I will be rehoming a Devon or Cornish Rex from rescue/welfare.

To me they are very ugly but they have personalities similar to our current ones and I may get a meal without cat fluff in it at some point...

No rodents but probably fewer birds. Good luck OP.

will the cat shelter spay the feral cats and kittens?
cuts down the breeding at least.

i'd keep advertising for homes for them, unless you're happy keeping them.
i was worried about the same stuff when looking to home the two litters from my cat, and i told all the owners no matter how long its been, i'd rather they told me and i'd take the cat back rather than have it go to a shelter.

they've decided you're their human and the cat-call has gone out - if you need shelter Madzhouse is the place to be!

Weirdly enough there's loads of birds and only 1 of the cats hunts them and only then occasionally. I wonder if cats have a preference?

All of the cats here definitely have their own personalities and some shocking similarities / differences even in some of the family groups. I'm lucky at the min that I can afford them and they all happy and healthy but I do and have wondered before what would happen if I had to leave here. Sell the house with 500 cats as part of the deal I suppose!

I've spoken to some local vets and asked them to keep an ear to the ground to see if anyone wants a kitten or a youngish cat and if so to give them my number and if a good home comes up then people can take their pick. Otherwise I'm going to advertise the kittens after Xmas and put a price on and vet the homes. Once I'm sure they not dodgy ill just ask them to donate the money to a cat charity instead. The mums booked in to be spayed in 4 weeks time so hopefully that will be the end of my cat numbers increasing! until the next stray turns up

I love black cats. My only stipulation is fluffy

Having said that my last cat was a rescue white longhair unknown breed. The vets phoned us and asked if we could take her in and they'd pay the medical bills. Poor thing had been tortured with cigarette burns. Her ears had been cut off! The owners had just dumped her on the vets doorstep with a note to put her down as she was no fun now.

She was petrified of everything and everyone but she soon started to chill and lived for another 5 years. Poor petal. Haven't had another pet since as we work and haven't really got the time, until we retire. Then it'll be cat and dachshund heaven.

I live rural too but my nearest neighbour has 20 cats and while they are great for her, they are a pain in the arse for me and the wildlife around the farm.