PDA

View Full Version : Rescued cats and kittens desperately need barn homes! (Baltimore MD)


Erin
Feb. 23, 2009, 12:22 PM
I've had a couple of different people ask me to try to find some barn homes for them... there are more cats than just these, but these guys are the most urgent. :(

First, are three older kittens, about 4 months: Jamal, Latika and Salim (http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=13103528). They are feral, but are somewhat used to people so probably will come around in time. Their caretaker was in the midst of a domestic violence situation and was worried about the cats' safety, so my friend who runs a rescue took them in. They would probably come around as indoor cats as well, but since kitten season is fast approaching and the rescue is going to need the cage space for other more adoptable little guys, she really just wants to get them into a home or a barn ASAP. Ideally they would go together. They are fixed, current on vaccinations, and negative for feline leukemia.

Next are two adult male cats (no pictures, sorry) who are living in a feral colony that is being threatened by neighbors, and is also too close to a busy road, so the caretaker is very worried for their safety and needs to relocate them. I believe these two are feral, and I don't have any pictures or other information. I'm not sure if they're already fixed, but if not, they will be, as well as vaccinated, tested, etc. Depending on just how feral they are, they might be somewhat social, or might be totally invisible once they're released. ;) But they have no other options, besides a barn home, so hopefully someone will be interested in giving them a safe place to live!

Finally there's Grizzly, who is a friendly boy who had been adopted out, but seems to be jealous of other cats and got a little aggressive. He might do better as a barn kitty. He is FIV+, which makes him even harder to place. Here's the email his rescuer sent out about him, and the attached pictures below are of him:

GRIZZLY HAS BEEN RETURNED :( Remember the big FIV+ cat with the horrible ears and big lovable teddy bear face ? This poor guy just can't get a break. After a couple of months of being shuffled from foster to foster living in a crate the whole time this guy finally found the most wonderful family to adopt him. Unfortunately Grizzly continued to have problems with his skin causing the new owners to panic. On top of his physical condition he also has become a bit temperamental :( The family that adopted him said that 99% of the time he was super affectionate and would always have to be in the same room with them . He did however have an episode while the owner was giving attention to another new cat addition to the family . Grizzly decided that he didn't like that he was not getting all the attention so he wrapped his arms around his new owners leg and sunk his nails in while she was passing with the other kitty in her arms. Unfortunately Grizzly was not gentle when he did this . Not only did it hurt it also scared the heck out of his new owner. Despite all that the family was still very upset to return him because of what a wonderful cat they thought he was majority of the time. They even mentioned that after he did this he began to purr and rub them as if he knew it was wrong and that he didn't mean to do it.

Grizzly will need to be placed in a home without children or dogs since his crazy moments are unpredictable and with adults who are willing to provide patience and understanding. I believe without a doubt he can make wonderful pet. Unfortunately I do not have a foster home for him and cannot do it myself as I am overwhelmed with all of my own pets right now . For Grizzly this means his time is limited - we may have no choice but to humanley euthanize him if we can not find a suitable home for him very soon. It's hard enough to place an FIV+ cat but one with temperament issues makes this process even harder especially when we have no foster home for him. He deserves a home so please if you can help or know of someone who can please let me know. At this time even a foster home would give him more time to find his forever home which may take a while.

Erin
Feb. 25, 2009, 09:41 AM
Giving these guys a bump... they really need to find somewhere to go!

Delighted
Feb. 26, 2009, 07:43 AM
Oh my goodness Grizzly is my kind of guy... I mean, except for the attacking thing. Well, no, even with the attacking thing. He's so handsome..

imissvixen
Feb. 27, 2009, 10:26 AM
I have two Baltimore rescue cats from Erin and I can attest to their being highly adaptable to barn living. I got mine last fall and they have adjusted quite well to life in the country. They were sulky when I first got them but now Jackson in particular follows me around everywhere. They hit it off with my other two cats and the four of them sleep in the rafters of my garage.

Windsor1
Feb. 27, 2009, 04:25 PM
Bumping for all the kitties, especially Grizzly--I'm a sucker for a face and a story like his. Unfortunately, I am already living in a three-cat household (and the house isn't mine).

Hoping someone will give him another chance!

Erin
Feb. 28, 2009, 10:23 AM
Aw, Simon and Jackson were such cuties! And imissvixen is awesome for taking two semi-social cats from two states away, sight unseen!

I think Simon and Jackson were about 5 months old, and kittens that age seem to really do well in barns. It's an environment where they don't feel confined or threatened and can approach people at their own pace. Most of them will get very friendly eventually, but it just takes a while and no rescue has the time/space to keep cats that long, unfortunately.

Incidentally, I met with a woman in my neighborhood last night who wants to do some trapping on her block, and there are some adorable older (4-6 month) Siamese cross kittens who I think are at least a little bit used to people already. We're going to trap sometime in the next couple of weeks there, so if anyone would like to pre-order some unusual older barn kittens, let me know! :D

I don't mind putting the adult feral cats back outside if it's a relatively safe area, since most of them are pretty set in their ways and afraid of people. But the older kittens really break my heart, because if we'd gotten there a month earlier, they could go into an adoption program and be housecats. :( They really do wonderfully in barns though, as imissvixen can attest. If anyone has a little more room at their barn food dish for a couple of city kitties, they would definitely appreciate it!

Erin
Mar. 5, 2009, 11:43 AM
Giving these guys a bump, and adding one more to the list... James is a semi-friendly guy who was living with a feral colony (just a few blocks away from me, actually). He had been rehomed, but the adopter is now returning him. :( He is a tame kitty, but very skittish and easily scared -- not one you can scoop up and hug. He would be a very happy indoor kitty for someone cat-savvy and patient who could work with him, or he could be a barn kitty. He does have a flea allergy though, so if he were in a barn he would need a religious Frontline program.

You can see his info here: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12700223

I don't believe there would be an adoption fee. He is already fixed, vaccinated, and microchipped!