The Homeless Kittens

I think you all know about the expansion of Jerry's bank and he's been dealing with construction and interior build out for several months ... everything from security alarms to buying the TVs for the waiting area to managing the construction have fallen to Jerry and we've made a number of quick, after-hours trips to the bank lately.

One evening, as we were on our way back home after a false alarm, we're driving down N. Post Oak between the Houstonian and Memorial and I look to the right by the Texan building and see snow white kittens scampering around on the lawn.  Oh no!

As fate would have it, Jerry and I had gone to PetsMart and made a few other stops before getting the call about the alarm, so we actually had cat food with us.  JB pulled over near the dumpster and sure enough, there are five homeless kittens ... well, homeless in the traditional sense of the word.  They were pretty smart about their shelter and fast a lightening when scared.

I saw three white kittens and two tabby kittens - no adults. They were old enough to survive, but it was upsetting to see them in such a dangerous place.  The Texan building is an eyesore and the garage looks like something out of a horror movie.  The plot of land is adjacent to the back of the service station on the north side, with N. Post Oak Road running along the west - maybe 20 yards from the kittens den - and the 610 freeway/feeder road runs along the east side.  NOT a happy place for kittens ... or cats ... or anything susceptible to being run down by drivers who simply do not care.

We put out some food, backed away and then caught a glimpse of one HUNGRY, brave white kitten and a tabby who crawled out of their under-the-sidewalk den to get something to eat.

White kitten on the left and you can barely see the tail of the tabby between
the white kitten and the Fancy Feast box.

The next day, I called several agencies - including the SPCA near me, who require an appointment to "surrender a stray".  Are they serious?  How am I supposed to make an appointment to surrender a stray that I can't even capture? 

I considered a safe trap, but we were headed to New York later that week and I couldn't set a trap and then not be able to check it several times a day - and then GET AN APPOINTMENT to drop them off.  Life is hard on homeless animals and anyone who wants to help them is basically on their own.  After being rejected by the folks I thought could help, I decided the only course of action was to provide them with food and water and pray that they don't get run over.

The next day, I arrive on the scene after working out and see this:

I instantly feel both better and worse.  Better because their mom is with them and worse because they are in a hopeless situation ... doomed to a life of scrounging for food and water and dodging fast-moving cars. 

Who dumped this pregnant cat to have kittens alone in an unsafe environment?  What heartless human could have done that, when they could have easily dropped her off at the same SPCA who rejected me.  Voluntary surrenders are given priority over the homeless, which is at least something I guess. 

I don't fault the SPCA - they do a wonderful job, it's a lovely facility and there are simply too many unwanted animals and irresponsible people who refuse to spend a few bucks to have their pets "fixed", which would ultimately eliminate the problem.  But enough about that.

Tabby is hard to see due to his "camo coat", but he's there at the new
self feeder & self waterer.

This brave white kitten wasn't near as afraid after learning the day before that being stalked by a crazy woman bearing cat food can be a good thing.

Of course, the feline group scattered when I initially approached and I snapped this photo by holding my phone under the edge of their sidewalk bridge.  It's dirty, but safe unless there is a flood or they decide to tear down the building.

Mother cat with one white kitten in the way back and one white kitten
with a tabby beside her.

I bought them the feeders as a way to keep them alive while we were out of town.  I've kept them filled, but haven't seen the mother cat or the other kittens since we returned.  The next week, the only kitten I saw was the brave little white one.

You can see his ears poking up on the other side of their sidewalk/bridge.  I don't know where the others have gone, but I haven't seen them as "road kill", so I'm taking it as a good sign.  The food and water continue to disappear and it's possible that they have moved into the garage now that the kittens are big enough to climb and jump the 4+/- feet required to come and go over the basement wall.

Maybe they've been captured, tamed and are now living in a safe environment ...