Feral Kittens in Alaska

May 29, 2009

Mark says: I live at an apartment complex in Alaska and a couple of years ago the manager and I realized that there was a feral female cat that had a litter of kittens behind the complex. We decided to try and capture her and the two surviving kittens before winter and have them fixed. We never have been able to catch her but we did catch the two kittens, one of which I still have and named Cali. The momma kitty has two litters a year, although the winter batch rarely survives. Last winter she had this litter featured on the Daily Kitten today, an orange male and three grey females. They hung out on that stump together and would come out on the sidewalk to eat if big brother thought it safe. The orange male is with the manager now along with this winter's lone survivor. We can't find homes for them all every year and people are being very unresponsible about their pets and it's becoming too much for us to deal with. We now have three generations of the same mother's kittens and she has just given birth again. They are amazing cats but will not be around anyone but the two of us. We would love to catch the momma and have her spayed but she is extremely smart.

All Photos Courtesy of and ©: Mark Hoover

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Comments and LOLs:

Veronica - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Simply amazing!

Holy Cuteness - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Sweet!

Savannah - 14 years, 10 months ago

OMG they are so cute i wish i had one

Ann - 14 years, 10 months ago

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These kitties are so sweet even though the story is sad, those poor creatures dying every winter!! Thank you for trying to help them :)

amanda Neuwirth - 14 years, 10 months ago

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absolutely gorgeous, love the dof!

Celine - 14 years, 10 months ago

Wow, they look in fabulous condition and are so beautiful, especially the chief of the pack - the red head. Very sad story though. Hope you catch the mom one day.

Celine - 14 years, 10 months ago

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This little guy looks a real bruiser. What I'd call a "big chief sitting bull" kind of cat with wonderful big paws. He's a cool dude.

Mittebam - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Such gorgeous eyes! Beautiful!

minimo - 14 years, 10 months ago

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so cute very cute

Michele - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Intense. What a beautiful photo. Such intensity in those eyes and poise. It reminds me that kittens aren't just cute and playful, but are also the young of a powerful line of hunters.

rafo22 - 14 years, 10 months ago

amazing amazing photo ilove it.

Pat - 14 years, 10 months ago

My nephew trapped a feral mother years ago and had her spayed. I think he bought an actual trap to get her. He had her spayed as well as her kittens, who still live in his back yard. Have you tried that?

kittapotomus - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Oh my goodness! He looks like such a bully.... lol. Bet he takes good care of his sisters though.

lisa - 14 years, 10 months ago

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such a cutie pie i just want to pet it so badly

bijan - 14 years, 10 months ago

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I'm thinking...

Janet - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Beautiful. I hope you can get mom fixed.

vickivict - 14 years, 10 months ago

They are simply beautiful kitties, the best I've seen in a long time. I now you would just love to keep them all, but I know you cannot.

vickivict - 14 years, 10 months ago

I had to come back and say that you must be a photographer to take such beautiful pictures.

Symeezgurl - 14 years, 10 months ago

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You have a soft heart and a great gift for artistic photography! The kittens are lovely. I've never seen such brown eyes on a cat.

Mary - 14 years, 10 months ago

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the cutest one personaly

Harri - 14 years, 10 months ago

Not sure where you are, but here's one Alaska TNR group:
http://kittyandk-9connection.org

& these sites list some other animal rescue groups.
http://www.adoptafriend.net
http://muttcats.com/shelters/alaska.htm

Thanks for helping them!

Vicki - 14 years, 10 months ago

Beautiful photos of gorgeous babies. You're a good person for trying to help and I hope you succeed in catching mom. Good luck and thank you for sharing your story.

Pat in Minnesota - 14 years, 10 months ago

I totally agree with Vicki's sentiments! Bless you!

Carolyn Sissy,Missy - 14 years, 10 months ago

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They are so beautiful and so adorable, it is good you have taken such good care of them,sad the mother is untouchable, yet you have done more then most people just taking care of these precious ones. Thanks for sharing such lovely pictures

CAT LOVER - 14 years, 10 months ago

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I think he is so cute!

jubabr - 14 years, 10 months ago

These kittens are so cute. They have beautiful eyes.

Elizabeth - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Yum, yum yum.

Teresa Osborn - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Their eyes are gorgeous!

Johanna - 14 years, 10 months ago

I have a former feral girl kitty who looks just like the long-haired grey,only with white chest, belly, and paws. She is delightful, loves to cuddle, and is getting less shy of visitors. So it can work!

Jacki - 14 years, 10 months ago

wow, some of the most beautiful photos ever!

such a wonderful thing you all are doing!

kayce - 14 years, 10 months ago

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So beautiful. I would give anything to be able to take pics such as these

Jenny - 14 years, 10 months ago

Mark,
Thank goodness there are people like you out there trying to save kittens. I wish more people were on board. Great photos!

Marlene - 14 years, 10 months ago

You need to trap the mama cat. There are special cages you can get, probably from your local animal shelter that will lure mama and then you can take her to be spayed. You can get all this information from your local animal shelter.

Dev Halena - 14 years, 10 months ago

So... fluffy! <3

mommy to3kittys - 14 years, 10 months ago

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He is beautiful. Just love orange kittys

littlebird - 14 years, 10 months ago

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He looks like such a bruiser...I bet he takes good care of his siblings! I hope you can catch momma to get her spayed. It's so sad that the cats are feral, but hooray for you for trying to help! Good luck!!!

Sissie - 14 years, 10 months ago

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simply gorgeous ¨CATBULL¨ !!

Cris - 14 years, 10 months ago

These are beautiful kittens! Have you tried a feral trap cage to catch momma cat?

Linda - 14 years, 10 months ago

I have four cats. Two of them were feral cats that I trapped at work to rescue them. I borrowed a trap from Fix Nation. Your local trap and release place could loan you one. The best bait is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Good Luck and thanks for helping these cats!

Melanie - 14 years, 10 months ago

I just want to jump in that pile of kittens and roll around with them for the rest of my life. Sooooo cuuuuute ughhhhhhh!

Alice - 14 years, 10 months ago

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What beauty!! Their fur! Their eyes! Simply stunning!

sam - 14 years, 10 months ago

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NOM NOM NOM!!!

Martin - 14 years, 10 months ago

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And here, we have a picture of the rare Alaskan Kitten-moss! And good on you for trying to get momma and babies fixed, even if they don't make it easy for you.

Al - 14 years, 10 months ago

What you need is a cage whith a trap door which is activated when the cat gets in. You can use food as bait, but you can use her kittens too; when she leaves her litter for a while to get food, you put them inside the cage so when she returns she is forced to get into it to reach them.

Chloe Ross - 14 years, 10 months ago

You have earned a place in cat lover's hearts. HAve you tried a trap and release cage to get the mom. She must be tired of babies. I love the orange boy - what a chunk.

Chloe - 14 years, 10 months ago

Al said it even better. Try that - it could work.

Melissa - 14 years, 10 months ago

So cute. I had a feral one in the yard that we were only able to catch under a laundry basket because she was starving and on the verge of death laying in the yard after a huge storm. MANY medical dollars later, she is just the nicest and most grateful cat there could be. She has never once tried to get out of the house, like my other ones do!

betty - 14 years, 10 months ago

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this is the coloring of my kitty...He is fixed...and you are right people should take responsibility for the pets Harsh life if no one cares....gl to you kitty and owner.....thanks

Aine - 14 years, 10 months ago

Mark, you and your friend surely have earned good "cat karma." The photos of these gorgeous animals are really beautiful. It's hurtful to read how careless and irresponsible people are with animals. Hope you catch momma soon...many thanks!!

Birman Mama - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Fabulous photos! Such a sad story, but you are obviously doing the best you can for them under the circumstances. They are very, very lucky to have you and your manager. Gorgeous kitties, I can't believe the survivors have trouble finding homes.

Brandy - 14 years, 10 months ago

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"I hate monday mornings"

Izzy - 14 years, 10 months ago

These are all beautiful pictures! It was hard to pick a favorite :)

jen - 14 years, 10 months ago

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omg the eyes

GMP - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Soooo Adorable!!!!!!!1

lisa - 14 years, 10 months ago

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hi my kitten is named getzl and getzl is the cutest cat in the hole in entire world but this cat is also very cute but my cat looks just like that

emma - 14 years, 10 months ago

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what darling kittens; it is sad that there are often too many to adopt and too few to catch to neuter. But, we have to keep on loving them all.

Charels - 14 years, 10 months ago

Its so drity when they eat it off the FLOOR! But cute though. I agree we jus have to keep on loving them al no matter what. http://thedailykitten.com/media/kittypi…

Jessica - 14 years, 10 months ago

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My goodness his feet are huge!

Sue B. - 14 years, 10 months ago

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Thanks for your efforts with the local kitties. I hope the websites the other poster told you about help you to catch and spay the momma. Too sad to read about kittens dying...you have a tender heart and the kitties know this!

Gr3tch3n - 14 years, 10 months ago

It is good to know that there are good people who understand that getting the mama cat spayed and also the kittens fixed is the merciful thing to do... This is a good person. People got them into this mess, and people can, hopefully, get them out of it.

Barbara - 14 years, 10 months ago

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They all so beautiful and precious.I am so happy you helped the ones you could.The world is a better place because of people like you.Thanks for sharing these sweet kittens with us all :)

Jacquie in Anchorage - 14 years, 10 months ago

Have you tried going to the ASPCA...they have a ferral cat program in the summer and might be able to help out. Especially with domesticating and adopting out the kittens.

Lynne - 14 years, 10 months ago

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They're only feral kitties when they aren't cared for. Those surviving kitties will surely get lots of love from the right people:):):) And lots of care, to have a quality life, like all kitties deserve!!!!!

PaGe LoVeS KiTtEnS! - 14 years, 10 months ago

How did you get those amazing photos?!

anna - 14 years, 9 months ago

2 points

I've never commented on any kittens on the site, but these babies are so beautiful I just had to. They look so soft and peaceful for being wild.

bluesshell - 14 years, 3 months ago

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19 points

unbelievable photography....sell the pictures and use the money to spay and neuter feral cats. You're a wonderful person to help these beautiful babies!

Leila - 13 years, 11 months ago

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