I have had for years at least 1 or 2 barn cats. Last year, one female had a litter of 4 kittens. One day the mother & one kitten was missing. The next day, another kitten was missing. I was starting to worry that someone was coming around when I wasn't home taking the cats. Then when I was in the store, someone mentioned that the family down the road was complaining about the old barn behind their house because feral cats were coming to their house. I decided to stop at the house and see if that "feral cat" was my missing mom. Sure enough, the mother cat, had been over there, and the people just assumed she was wild and brought her inside and fed her. I guess she liked their food better, or the fact that she was inside, because she then brought her kitten over, and the next day, brought the 2nd kitten over. So now that these people know I am the owner of the cats, they said they were attached to the one kitten, and I could take the mother home. (the other kitten was killed by their dog). I told her that I will take the cat, but since she is a barn cat, and they have her kitten and were feeding her, she will probalby come back. Sure enough, the next day the mother cat is gone, and back over at their house, inside again. They call me up and start yelling at me to get that cat back to my house. This is in the country with farms all around, and I have always had barn cats to keep the rodents out of the horse barn. Anyway, I try to explain to her, that the cats had a cat door in the barn so they can come and go as they please, and that I cannot keep her locked up, and not to feed her. then, she says to me, indignatly, "then I'll keep her". I said, fine. Back to my original thought, that the cat, since it disappears for days at a time, may belong to someone, not be feral. If you continue to feed it, it will become yours. The fact that it come over with a ribbon on it, shows that it is getting attention somewhere else as well. M

Nova, that is a great idea about the spay certificates. Our Humane Society sells them, and I imagined I'd be providing the certificate... but I like your idea better. If a person is willing to pay for it, then they'll follow through with it. I like the way you think! I've been like this all my life. Animals are precious creatures - cats and dogs have been domesticated by us, and it's only right to provide for them. If we aren't going to provide for them, why the heck did we domesticate them in the first place? It breaks my heart to see so many wandering the streets. I just try to do my part. I spay and neuter any animal that comes up to me. I swear it. I don't care if it's someone's full bred fancy something-or-other... if it wanders up to me, I'm getting it to the vet ASAP. Snip and nip, then ask questions later! :) AmberSky, I have a few of those infected kitties myself. I have a few FIV positive cats. I love them dearly. I'll post more photos tomorrow! The babies are three weeks old today!

The one that resembles this pic is now gone. He has something around his eyes that maybe ringworm. The cost of treatment was close to $200. I told them no way could I pay that for a cat that was not mine. My wonderful Vet said she will keep him and treat him and them adopt him out. She said he was too nice of a cat to put down. He was so good while waiting. I had him zipped in Maeve's car seat. He just sat looking around. And watching people. I wish I could keep them all! God bless that wonderful lady.

Eight week old kittens should NOT be allowed out of the stall! They are waaaaay too young to know how to stay out of harm's way and protect themselves, and they have no mother to defend them and teach them what they need to know to survive on their own. Those kittens shouldn't be allowed out of the stall until they are large and strong enough to climb out on their own. Also, if scared babies are allowed out of the stall, the likelihood of ever getting near them again is virtually nil ... assuming they survive at all. Bad, BAD idea. If you could take the kittens into your home for the week, keep them in your bathroom, and spend virtually every waking minute with them, you might be able to make a little progress in their socialization. But the socialization will be lost when they are returned to the barn and have no humans with whom to interact. If you really want to try to socialize the kittens, just spend as much time as possible in the stall with them. Take a book, sit on the floor of the stall and read aloud to them in a soft, soothing voice. Avoid direct eye contact with them, and don't stand over them. Let them become accustomed to your inert presence. You may not make much obvious progress, but you will be giving them the opportunity to learn that humans are not dangerous predators, and that's a start. Good luck, Laurie