Confused over mother feral/stray (and venting)

Ok, so I could have sworn a while back that she had already had her kittens. I thought for sure she suddenly looked smaller.... well, I didn't see her for 4 days and I was worried sick. Finally she came to eat. She ate an entire can of food to herself, and ate with gusto! She was very hungry. She has gotten to the point now where she will let me pet her, etc. She gets very excited and loves it. She purrs like a little motorboat!

Yesterday she came for food again and I was feeling her tummy. She still looks very bloated, and like she is still pregnant! She was letting me touch her tummy, and I thought for a second that I could feel little bones inside her tummy. Baby ribcage? So i decided, since she was being so sweet and loving, that I would test the waters on picking her up. I picked her up, and thinking she must still be pregnant, I took her in my room which is a tiny travel trailer. I went to put her in the tiny bathroom area, and the moment I set her down, she darted out the little bathroom door before I could shut it, and started climbing, maniacally, up the screen door that goes outside. She was yowling the whole time. I tried to comfort her, tell her it was ok, but she continued climbing up and then she stepped on the door handle and the door flew open with her attached to the screen. I wanted to grab her, but she was so stressed, I didnt want to get attacked. She climbed to the top of the screen door and jumped all the way down to the ground! I was so upset, thinking she may have hurt herself or her babies, but she seemed fine. After that, she was reluctant to let me pet her. Now I feel horrible. I wish she could understand that its warm in here and I just want to help her.

If she had already given birth almost 2 weeks ago, would her belly still look bloated on the sides like shes still pregnant? I am thinking I was mistaken and that she has not yet given birth. I am not sure what to do. It's been getting VERY cold. Last night, their water bowls froze over the top. If she gives birth in the cold like that, will she and babies freeze to death from the liquid and blood that comes with child birth??

I am so drained, mentally, emotionally, etc from these cats. If the neighbors don't start to step up and do something soon, after I have been SO nice about it, telling them we can work as a team to take care of this (get them all speutered, etc), I am going to be forced to call AC again. Of course, if it comes down to that, I will ask that they leave me as the caregiver for the 8-10+ that I have been feeding, so that nothing happens to them. Maybe if it comes down to that, Animal Control will finally provide me with some help to get these cats all fixed so they stop breeding, fighting, spraying. Theyre driving me nuts, but I love them all and I refuse to turn my head. I want so badly for these cats to have the life that they deserve. I am at my wits end about this whole thing.

I am waiting on a trap in the mail, and I have some funds so far (thank you Bella713 and Pami! <3) but being poor myself, this is going to be impossible without help. I am just completely overwhelmed. I will have a trap soon, but with there being around 10+ cats eating, the food goes by really fast and next thing I know, I am spending more on food to keep these guys fed. I hope that in the long run it doesn't prove to be impossible for me to keep these cats fed when the help runs out. I really don't know what to do!!! I have had several breakdowns over this and I feel like its controlling my life. But I have really fallen in love with these kitties, and when they are all fixed it will be even easier to love them without the spraying, fighting, kittens that break my heart, etc. I sure wish Kern County cared a little more about the animals, instead of doing nothing and letting the problem get worse and worse. They spend more money killing animals here than they do saving them, by far.

Sorry for venting, but I appreciate that all of you care so much about cats, too, and understand my feelings. Everyone I know is sick of hearing about it!

Love Always,
~ Bobbi ~

Boy, don't those darn cats just take us for a ride!!!!! And don't they just love it!!!!

Oh honey, have a hug.....you need one.

Now to the work: Did you say that you AND the neighbors were feeding the cats or is it just you? If it's just you, you are right, you need to do something about those babies. How long before the trap comes, do you know? By the way, I don't think you would have hurt the cat any, she let herself out that's all. She'll be shy for a few days but then she'll forget and come get a loving or two.

I know how fast food goes. When I first started with my feral family I had the parent cats, and 4 kits. Then I had the same parent cats and 4 more kits. Then one of the daughters and mom all got pregnant and because of some interference by the new neighbors that moved in, they lost two litters. Then there were the parent cats and 3 kits. You are right, the food just disappears. I'll bet your budget is tight too.

Do the best you can until the trap comes. By the way, are you going to have them spayed and neutered or are you taking them to the Humane Society, or do you have a group that works with TNR in your neighborhood?

Lots of hugs and you are doing a wonderful job headbuts and soooothing, calming licks from KittenKiya's Clan.

If she had already given birth almost 2 weeks ago, would her belly still look bloated on the sides like shes still pregnant? I am thinking I was mistaken and that she has not yet given birth. I am not sure what to do. It's been getting VERY cold. Last night, their water bowls froze over the top. If she gives birth in the cold like that, will she and babies freeze to death from the liquid and blood that comes with child birth??

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Are you certain she is pregnant or could she simply have a very bad case of worms??

Katie

Thank you, KittenKiya! I really appreciate your encouraging and kind words! Unfortunately, there are no local rescue groups. If I take them to any shelter or anything like that here, the cats will be euthanized. I am going to try to do my best to get them all speutered, as long as I can find help. One lady from a feral cat group offered to pay for the surgeries, but I have not heard back from her. Believe me, if I had the money myself I would have gotten this started already.

The neighbors across the street are the ones who started this mess. To make a long story short, I already had called animal control, who told them to clean up their urine and feces filled house, or it would be condemned, and then told them to let the rest of the cats outside and provide them with food. These people are also very poor. They say that they put out a HUGE thing of dry food every day. The problem is, theyve let their cats breed and breed to the point where they don't even know who is who anymore, and a large group of the cats were being fought off so they couldnt get much if ANY food. So obviously, they started residing under my other neighbors
(vacationers) mobile home, and continued to breed, but they were SO skinny. It started off when i saw one skinny cat coming out from under the neighbors mobile. I ended up feeding him the rest of the dry from when I took my boys off of it and switched to all canned foods. After that I started noticing that there were several more cats living under my neighbors trailer, skin and bones, and miserable. Most of them had been born outside and had never been touched by people until me. It took a lot of time and patience (and food!) to get these cats to start to trust me enough to let me touch, and I have managed to turn a few of them into lovebugs (for the most part). They still act sketchy a lot of the time, though. Most of these cats are under a year old from what I can tell. They were small and skin and bones before i started feeding them, and now they have blossomed into beautiful, adult cats. The people who did this keep saying they will do this or that, etc, etc, and then they do nothing. When I called animal control, they had told them they would bring them out some traps when they are ready to trap them, etc, but I think the animal control wanted to take them to the shelter, where they will inevitably be put to sleep. I called animal control asking about traps, so I could try to do TNR, and they told me they had none to lend... LIARS! I asked the neighbors if they could call to get the traps they were offered, and they still haven't. They have around 11 adult cats, and 3 litters of kittens still INSIDE their house, and plus TONS outside. The cats are starting to live and nest INSIDE their walls in their house. Their irresponsibility is causing people (including me) and lots of innocent , precious kitties heartbreak, misery and stress, and they sit back and do nothing. I am SO upset over this, its taking over my life, as all i can think about is these poor cats. My Trixter almost died in July, and now he's better, BUT jealous because I spend so much time and energy on these cats and not enough time with him lately. People just make me SO MAD!! Ok, sorry... venting again *HUGS YOU BACK* Thanks, I needed those hugs!

TNR1, I am pretty positive she's pregnant. She looks just like the other mama girl did when she was carrying babies, tummy sticking out on the sides and kind of waddling when she walks. lol She's meaty now on the rest of her body, too. Her legs have fattened up, etc. She also looks and acts like she feels good. Her body feels sturdy and strong. When I thought she had had her babies, it was before I had gotten very close to her, as she was very sketchy at that time and would not let me get too close. I thought she must have had them when I looked at her body as she stretched. Then suddenly shortly after that she was feeling brave and she let me love on her, and realized she liked it! Then I was confused, as she still looked preg, but I wasnt sure. Now I am pretty positive she still is pregnant, though, after the other day.

I don't think any of these cats have worms, but I am definitely not an expert. They have all fattened up good though, and they play in the yard now, chasing leaves, tossing/rolling rocks across the driveway, etc. They seem to be much more happy, content and healthy now than they did when I first started feeding them. They started showing up from under the neighbors mobile, one by one. Most of the time at night I don't see them now. At first theyd be hanging around all night hoping for more food, but then they realized I feed them during the day, so they keep themselves hidden at night. They have good hiding spots, and still go under my neighbors mobile home, and my moms. Mama girl has a litter of kittens up inside the parts of the back of their airstream travel trailer in their yard, AGAIN. It seems she is doing well with them, though, as far as I can tell. She is over there all the time, and she hasnt been yowling like she is in distress or anything. She comes out for food and then goes right back to the babies, and when she lounges during the day, its right under the trailer, right next to where she enters to where her babies are. They are up inside the parts where I cant reach. I know because of the trauma of the last litter... ugh. Well, at least the two I managed to save are now in a happy home, being spoiled little lovebugs, according to the woman who adopted them from me. Thats also a long story, but one had been stuck. I had tried to get it out and couldnt pry open the part, called the fire department, was treated horribly by the "captain", and they still couldnt get it. Neighbor had mentioned a cat stuck inside his trailer while at the gas station and she came after work, after the neighbors (vacationers) had left, and it took her 5 mins to rescue the baby! She took both kittens (bless her heart!) and nursed them! The two kittens had been abandoned by the mother after I had touched one because it almost fell out onto the ground, and the neighbor had touched the other. I am so thankful we found those two a loving home! I saw the woman recently and she said they were doing wonderful! She joked that she's ready to bring them back. I told her she could if she wanted, that I'd work on finding them homes, and she said she couldnt bare them getting separated. Sounds like she's fallen in love!! I am so greatful that I was there to stand up for these kitties and make a big deal out of it, because I dont know that anyone else would have. Mama moved the other babies around for a week or so, to places where I could not get to them, and then suddenly there was no sign of them (no crying anymore), so they must have gone to the rainbow bridge.

Anyways, I am not going to interfere with her new litter, in hopes that she will take good care of them and then when theyre big enough (4-5 weeks), I will try to get them and bring them in to be socialized/adopted. One woman said she would provide transportation for them to be taken down to the Bay Area to be adopted. She said they are in high demand, especially during the winter months. I hope i can save Mamas litter, and Lilys, too, if they survive.

These cats are beautiful siamese tabby mixed. Very georgous and exotic looking!

Wow, this ended up getting really long, too! Guess I dont know how to "make a long story short"! lol Thanks for listening. It feels good to be able to talk about it and get it out. Its driving me bonkers!!!

Love Always,
~ Bobbi ~

Anyways, I am not going to interfere with her new litter, in hopes that she will take good care of them and then when theyre big enough (4-5 weeks), I will try to get them and bring them in to be socialized/adopted. One woman said she would provide transportation for them to be taken down to the Bay Area to be adopted. She said they are in high demand, especially during the winter months. I hope i can save Mamas litter, and Lilys, too, if they survive.

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Could you find a foster to take on this cat until she has her litter and weans them?? The issue is that cats can and do become pregnant within a few days after giving birth..so if you don't get her spayed shortly after she gives birth, she could be caring another litter.

Feeding alone has both a positive and negative effect...it has a positive effect because the cats are stronger and do look "happier"..but because they are stronger and aren't focusing as much on trying to survive, they can spend their energy on mating and as you know...mating equals more mouths to feed. So it's truly in your best interest to try to find a TNR organization that is willing to come and TNR the entire colony now. I would reach out to all TNR groups..even the ones that are further out, to see if there is anyone who can help.

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#ca

Katie

Katie, thanks for the advice. I have reached out to lots of rescues, etc already, but I plan to continue to send emails, make phone calls, etc. No one I know can foster her, and as you know, I have tried to take her in and she gets very upset. Today, I thought again that she must have had them, then upon a closer look, I see that they have dropped, and that she had a small bit of what looks like blood on her "stuff". She was being crabby with the boys, too. Luckily, it has been warmer today than it has recently, so hopefully she will have them tonight so it isn't so cold. She doesn't seem to be in pain, really. She was enjoying my lovins, but she growled at the boys. I made sure she ate lots today, too. I just need to have faith that mother nature knows what she is doing. After all, animals have been having babies outside forever. I wish this didn't stress me out so bad.

Believe me, Katie, I want SO badly to do whats right for these cats. I DO plan on TNR, I just have to continue reaching out for help. These cats deserve the time and effort.

Again, thank you all for being here for me. This has got me so upset! Talking about it really helps. Please say prayers that this works out and soon, so these cats can live without breeding.

Love,
~ Bobbi ~