Adopting out feral kittens

Question
Hi Jessica,

Thank you for the time and all the great advice you dedicate to these forums.  I have learned a lot from reading back through the questions you have answered, in particular the ones about handling and socialising feral cats.  Your answers have given me real peace of mind in many cases.

Just before Christmas I came across a mom cat (now named Bella) and her four approx. 6 week old kittens (now named Louie, Ellie, Sammi and Meg) living rough behind a block of shops in a grimey urban environment.  They were behind a locked gate, and so I started to feed them by sliding a food tray under the gate, and leaving fresh drinking water.

They quite quickly became use to the sound of my car arriving, and Louie in particular would jump through the gate to meet me (well, meet his food probably :) ).  I managed to locate the owner of the site, and he had a key cut for me so that I could open the gate for easier access, and so I could leave a pet carrier with blankets, and later a live trap for Bella and her litter to get used to.  They would often sleep in them during the day and evening.

Anyway... now I have them all here at home (Bella had fallen pregnant again before I was able to trap her, and I have still not been able to handle her with my hands (only pet her head with a fluffy toy on a stick), so she has another litter now, who are all safe and well fed.

Louie, Ellie, Sammi and Meg are all gorgeous, love being petted, are instant purrers, bright and playful.  My concern is adopting them out.  I definitely want to adopt in pairs, though I would love to see them all stay together.  From your experience is it very stressful for littermates to be separated?  I am also concerned about the adjustment phase in to a new home, they have been through quite a lot already in their young lives.  What kind of person would best suit 4 month old kittens with their background (they are still very shy of strangers, but are okay around my parents, especially if there is food on offer).

So, that is my main line of question, after all that story.  How to go about an adoption process with this lovely litter, if I can bare to part with them at all (is it okay to have 8 cats?).

Thank you

Answer
Hi Jody,

The question "Is it okay to have 8 cats," I think depends very much on what you are able to handle financially and emotionally! In my household, I typically have at least 8 between my own and my fosters, and the cats all live harmoniously. And so it has been with the history of all my family - my siblings, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, etc. With your cats all growing up together, I think squabbles are very unlikely. However, one thing you'll have to accept is that they will all age at the same time, and as they get older, they will likely require vet care. This can be hard on the wallet. It's also difficult to think that if they all live to their life expectancy, they will all begin to go around the same time, and that can be very emotionally challenging.

As for adopting out, sending them in pairs is fantastic. It is stressful for litter mates to be separated, but when they have a familiar face to help them through it, it's much less worrisome. Cats are resilient creatures, and they do adjust. Over time, some litter mates naturally grow apart. I don't think there should be any guilt about not finding one home for all four, but I certainly would encourage keeping them in pairs.

For cats who are shy, I would recommend a quiet household. I would avoid homes with young children if possible. The kitties would probably find themselves hiding under beds for most of their lives. Cats who've had a feral start often do best with gentle people who have had cats as pets before and understand how to communicate with them. I also inquire about pets. Families with dogs should know the dog's history with cats and that the dog accepts cats. When I have ferals who don't entirely come out of their shell, I won't adopt them out to people who've never had a cat or to those who have young children. I am also sure to let the people know that if the adoption doesn't work out for any reason whatsoever, to please return the kitty, no questions asked. I am more than happy to take back the cat rather than have anyone be left miserable.

Best of luck with all!

Jessica