Four intrepid kittens fear not...biting my hand.
I moved into a new house and inherited four feral kittens and their feral momma. Well actually, they live in the attached garage of the next-door house, which is for rent and has been for quite a while. In an attempt to be an upstanding citizen, the kind who now lives in a real house, I decided I should get them spayed and neutered to limit my burden to four kittens, not 400. This is how to do it, or at least how you try.
Upon spying an ad in SFR for a free May 30 spay/neuter clinic by Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society and after checking my empty wallet, I made arrangements to get my adoptees in order. According to the shelter, these free clinics are run every so often, depending on funds and need. As of today, there are no free clinics scheduled.
Fellow SFR staffer Charlotte joined me in my effort to catch the kittens too early Saturday morning. Red-eyed and crazed, we coaxed the first three into Charlotte's pet carrier using purloined Souper Salad bacon bits (their favorite).
Charlotte manned the trap. I catcalled.
Forty-five minutes, several scratches and bites, and one makeshift laundry-basket trap later, all four kittens were caught (the mother was nowhere to be found, or just smarter) and taking their first trip down Cerrillos Road. The kittens—who are all either named after
Friends
characters, literary philosophers or Decepticons, depending on their behavior—were none too happy.
By the time we got to the Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic, the Decepticons were crouched at the back of their carrier hissing at me. By the time we were halfway through the paperwork, the clinic staff informed us the kittens were too small for the procedures. A fellow clinic-goer explained that Felines and Friends (felinesandfriends.org) could probably help me catch, spay/neuter, vaccinate and place the kittens (and their mother) when I next felt like ruining my morning.
So our efforts, for the day at least, were ill-fated, but it turns out my neighbor too was concerned for the kitties and has been planning on getting them caught, fixed and placed all along. Easy as pie.
According to the shelter, spring and summer are the busiest kitten season. Here's the info in case you too inherit kittens.
- Kittens must be at least two months old and two pounds to be spayed/neutered.
- Cost spay/neuter: $40 female, $25 male, pregnant additional $20.
- Vaccinations are $10 and can be done Friday 8-1130 am and 1-4 pm with no appointment.
- Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic location: 2570-B Camino Entrada (next to Outback Steakhouse on Cerrillos, 474-6422).
- Don't feed the kittens the day of the spay/neuter. That means no bacon bits.
- Find out if your neighbor is already planning to do the same thing you were—it's much easier that way.
