It never stops;
people are always dropping off cats & kittens or not feeding them or something.

kind of like the way they look after their own children sometimes...

Trap that kitty & get him/her fixed at a free or low-cost clinic;
here, Feral Friends will spay/neuter for whatever you can afford.

I just went through the stray cat ordeal. Someone dumped a new stray in my neighborhood and it ended up hanging around my house. It was freezing out and the poor thing was skinny, suffering with a URI and who knows what else. I posted for help on craigslist and a rescue lady stepped up to take him. Our shelters are full and I assumed he'd end up getting put down given his condition. He ended up being a really nice kitty and he was acting soooo grateful to finally get help. Do you think you can try something like that to get yours a home? It's heartbreaking to see them having to fend off the cold weather all winter.

7 cats is a lot of poop to scoop. Did you ever look into wood stove pellets? I never used them but I know some catteries that do. They are supposed to be economical enough to just dump and replace daily.

We looked a long time and finally found a place that alters for a low fee called 'Cat Taxi'. That is where we took this last bunch but it was a real hassle. It was a long, noisy drive to get them to the place where they would be picked up and taken into Chicago. Had to do it again the next day to pick them up.

Don't know about the wood pellets but will look into it. Only problem there is that I don't really want them to learn that indoors is the place to do their business except on the coldest nights. Finding homes for cats around here is next to impossible --- signs on fenceposts for free kittens everywhere!

We have been leaving their food out all night in the guest house and I think that is a mistake. I will try just feeding them in the mornings outside and then taking the dishes up (otherwise, raccoons will have a feast.) Also, I really need to get them used to being outdoors more in the real cold weather.

Carmen, I have a cat that is outdoor only. She was the neighborhood kitty until she found that the accommodations at my house were the best she could find. I have a sort of igloo type house for her on the front porch. She is out of the wind, rain and snow. She gets fed probably 4 times a day, including fresh water. My feeling is that the extra calories will keep her warm. She has been doing well this way for about 4 or 5 years now. She is at least 12 years old and is in great shape. I think as long as your kitties have a good warm, dry place to get in out of the weather, they should do ok.

If they've been indoors a lot this fall/winter, then it's too late to expect kittens to acclimate to the cold now. They have to acclimate to the outdoors for months in order to grow the coat that they need to help them survive so please don't put them outside now.
They won't stand a chance with single digit temps!

I don't think worrying about whether they'll learn to go outside is warranted. The kittens will know to go outside when it comes time for you to allow them outdoors. When Spring arrives show them a place where the soil is soft or dump their kitty litter where you don't mind them going. For now, it's going to be a little difficult (with freezing temps) for them to try and bury their feces! If I remember correctly, they were outdoors this summer, so there's no way they're going to forget how to go outdoors.

For the kittens sake, you'll just have to keep buying the clumping litter for now. Other products may be more economical but I don't think they'll make cleaning as easy as the clumping litter will. You could try playground sand but I believe litter is cheaper. Don't buy the sand at HD.....it's dusty and it's a type that has carcinogens.

It's interesting reading your comments in this thread since I can remember us trying to convince you to get the mother cat spayed when you thought she 'might' be pregnant with these kittens. Maybe that's what your post title is referring to??

The bottom line here is that all farms need cats. Rodents completely destroy farm equipment and get into all sort of things. Yes, you can poison rodents, but cats are much better at it and better for the environment. There has to be an answer though to how many is way too many.

On the farm forum, nobody seems to care much about altering them because it is a non-stop activity. We can't afford doing it indefinitely. I have a new appreciation for people who just let nature be. It is difficult for us, however and I think the next time around we certainly don't 'name' them.

What Carmen is saying is that being responsible is just too much work, so that won't happen again. Just another yank of the troll chain.