Conflicted about taking kittens away?

Question

My cat gave birth to 5 kittens 2.1/2 months ago. Now I have 6 cats in my place. In one hand I love them all to pieces. They are so cute, innocent, loveable. They play together, sleep together, and still nurse from their momma cat (basically for comfort ). It's amazing and nearly miraclous to watch the love among them ( and also my own love for them). I know I cann't keep 6 cats. They're already too expensive and time consuming to manage. However, I'm so..... conflicted about taking the kittens to an animal shelter ( keep their mom). I feel guilty about that. I also just plain love them. I know their mom will cry out for them if I take them away ( and it'll break my heart). But their care and training consumes so much of my time and resources. And, please....., don't say I should've spayed her, I plan to; but what now? I just have such conflicted feeling about taking the kittens away. I don't seem to be able to reconsile my feeling with my logic. Any thought??

I had placed ads. on the internet, and in the papers, but so far it has not worked yet.

Answer 1

Yea, well, I will say you should have spayed her. Over 6 million perfectly healthy dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters in the US every year. If you bring those kittens that you claim to "love to pieces" to the shelter, there is a very good chance they will get euthanized.

Just get them all spayed and neutered and live with your mistake or live with the idea of killing them, because that is what you'll be doing. You allowed it to happen and now you have to live with the consequences.

Answer 2

You might consider keeping one of the kittens, two cats in a household are very manageable. Keeping one might ease the transition for the momma cat and may make you more comfortable with your decision. Some vets office's will take in cats and adopt them out. It would be a good idea for you to spay and neuter the kittens or make sure that the place you take them has them spayed and neutered before they are adopted out. Where I live there are non-profit groups that help with the cost of spaying and neutering. You might contact local vets and the animal shelter to see if there is a program that can help you with the cost.

Answer 3

I foster baby kittens from 2 weeks on for a local no-kill shelter...I am basically these kittens mom until they are 2lbs, about 2 months then I have to give them back the the shelter. It is really hard...but I know they will get their shots and be spayed before they go to their new home. Shelters usually check people out before they can adopt an animal. All you can do is hope for the best for them....there are good people that will love the kittens as you do....I would highly recommend giving them to a no-kill shelter.

Answer 4

The other answers are all sound and generous. There is, in my opinion, no conflict here: doing the right thing is not pardoned by cuteness, innocence, or lovability. We don't have that option these days. Breeding is only for professional breeders, and even then, it's arguable that we don't need more cats and dogs in our communities now. You allowed the cat to have kittens: it's now your responsibility to find them homes. GIVE them away. Make a donation for each kitten you ask a shelter or humane group to place for you. (They are taking up the slack for you.) Pledge to help others understand the need to spay/neuter their animals so that your naive or muddled decision to allow this litter has a chance to have a negative impact.
It can sound so trivial, worrying about cats and dogs in light of the troubles and plight of humans throughout the world, but it's crucial to think of YOUR world, the impact you make on your community, and the hope and possibilities you can create. The mother cat will not miss her kittens whatsoever; before long--once their claws develop, their teeth come in, etc.,-- she would have shooed them away to fend for themselves. Do not take shelter in any "animated feature" idea of cute animals. Do the right thing. Be strong. Take care.

Answer 5

Look for a no kill shelter. You can check out petfinder.com to find a list of shelters within driving distance that are no kill or ask your vet for a recommendation to a rescue group that might be able to foster them. Please don't just put up a "free kittens" sign as any nutcase could come along and get one of the kittens-- take them somewhere that requires an application procedure before they are given a new home. Eventually, the mom will have to give them up and it's best to do so while they are still most likely to be adopted.

Answer 6

I think you should give them away. It might break your heart for a little while, but you can't give them the love and care they deserve, and that would make you feel even worse. Put up ads in you local vet offices. Someone there might want them or know someone who does. If you have to, give them to a shelter but make sure you do that when they are young, they are more likely to be adopted then. Good luck!

Answer 7

I agree with dragonfly_3,you should have had her spayed before she came into heat,or else you shouldn't have left her get outside.I agree that you should have all of the kittens spayed/neutered and keep them,as it's your fault that they came into the world.If you take them to a shelter and they are killed,then it's entirely your fault.I'm sorry to sound so harsh,but it's true.Another thing you can do is post pics of them at your vet's office and charge a fee for them ( whatever it costs to have them vaccinated and fixed).Even if you manage to find homes for some,you should keep at least one,so the mother will have a companion.Cats DO miss their kittens,and it's nice for them to have one as a friend.

Answer 8

try to make sure that they stay together at the shelter. keep one with mom. or two. it will help.

Answer 9

well thats a problem!!!!! ill think bout it 4 u!