Feral kittens

chrissyr

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I had an "OMG!" moment today. I went to feed our 3 ferals and one is missing. The girl Sweetheart. She was gone for 2 days, back for one, and now gone for 2 again. Anyway, after I fed I saw a kitten pop out of an old stove that's laying in the front yard. I pretended to be a statue and out poped a 2nd kitten, then a third and a fourth. Next thing I know, I see a trash can grow an ear. Out pops number 5!!!! 4 are black and white Tux kittens and the 5th is a gray tabby. They look to be somewhere around 3 or 4 weeks old although 2 are eating wet and dry but they are real tiny. I have no idea who Mom is or if they were dumped off there. There are no more TNR programs in my area and the vets are booked for the next few months. Right now, though, I'm going to focus on getting them used to me so that I can touch them and stuff so when the time comes I can (hopefully) get them altered.
 

StefanZ

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Yes, if they are handled by humans at this age they are much easier to get tame compared if taken in as youngsters or adults.

So work for adopting them. Thus spaying isnt here priority number one! But rather a overall check up if they are healthy, so you dare to take them in.

How is it, you do have own animals? Dogs I suspect.
If you have a good quarentene room - you can perhaps consider to take in them after all.

No point to let them be outside if they dont have their mother with them. Or at least the other cats friendly to them and helping with fostering and some care.
And there are good chance your dogs will be friendly to them, something like foster uncles. Not unusual.

Besides. Without mom protecting them they are in big danger, your help or not.

So once again, consider to taking in them - asap.

Good luck!
 

marine

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That happened to me too. I feed the ferals here at work. I go up there every day and even talk to the cats! Then one day *poof* there were 5, three week old kittens under a car. I think the mom had them in a cavity of the car frame and only moved them out when they got too big.
Luckily, I just found a place that will lend me traps AND alter these cats for only $15!! I love kittens, but....
I only had the kittens 3 days before I was fortunate enough to find an agency that could take them - and they LOVED human contact. They started leaning on my hand when I pet them after just a few hours.
Good luck.
 

ldg

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Chrissy - are you sure you're aware of all the orgs/shelters in your area? Just in case, here are some links you can search to make sure:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html
http://www.pets911.com

...and click on the SaveSamoa picture in my signature line to help you search for low-cost spay/neuter services in your area.

You can also try calling around to local vets to see if any are familiar with the "Crazy cat person" in your area (we've found help across the nation in various situations that way!).

You can also e-mail or join the Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Campaign network:

http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehom...ts/thenetwork/

Hope this helps,

Laurie
 
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chrissyr

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Thanks for the help.
Laurie,
Most of the places in my state are too far away from my county. I'll be emailing allycatallies later tonight to see what they suggest. We're looking into finishing our enclosure so we can pull the cats from down there. We have the boy and girl altered but still need to get the other female done. Some sad news, I went to feed today and can only find 2 of the kittens. I hope nothing happend to the other 3 and they are just hiding. The 2 I saw acted terrified so I don't know what's going on and it's driving me up a wall.

Chrissy
 

momofmany

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If they are eating both wet and dry, then my bet is that they are at least 5 weeks old. My rule is that if mom abandons them, I catch them and bring them inside to a quarantine room ASAP. The are totally defenseless without their mom.

Hissy had a great move with young kittens. Once they get used to eating, sit down close by with your arm raised horizontally to your body with your hand over the food. When they come up to eat, drop the arm down out of the arm and scruff snatch them up. It really works if you can get that close to them.

If mom is still close by, perhaps she moved 3 of the kittens again?
 
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chrissyr

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Sweetheart has been spayed so I know she's not the Mom. I'm thinking it's Small Fry. She was pregnant awhile back, then I found a mess that used to be kittens and now here's 5 running around. The time frame about fits. I think I know who *dad* is. He's a gray and white tux that's mean as snot but has been hanging around more and more now that he knows food is delivered once a day. My patience won out today. I had to go there 3 different times but I finally got to see all 5. They are scared of the car, which wasn't a *thing* before, and seem to be more terrified of me then usual. I was making progress with them up until yesterday with the disappearing act. Now I'm back to square one.

Amy,
Hissy has a great idea! Thanks for sharing that with me. Scruffing would be easier then trying to trap all 5 at the same time. I know I can grab and drop the 3 adults if I have to but would rather just trap the boy and one girl. Small Fry is so used to me I can just pick her up and pretty much go.
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by ChrissyR

Amy,
Hissy has a great idea! Thanks for sharing that with me. Scruffing would be easier then trying to trap all 5 at the same time. I know I can grab and drop the 3 adults if I have to but would rather just trap the boy and one girl. Small Fry is so used to me I can just pick her up and pretty much go.
I've used that trick more than once and it works very well. She had a name for it like the "Hissy Snatch" but I'm probably off on that.

The other problem with small kittens is that they are usually too light to trip a trap, which means you have to catch them manually.

Sending "catch those 5 little kittens" vibes your way!!
 
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chrissyr

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Thanks for the catching vibes. "Hissy Snatch". LOL That's cute! I had a wonderous moment today. I named one girl and one boy already. I couldn't help myself. I named the girl Sassy. She's full of spunk. She likes to hiss and me and twitch her tail while washing and keeping an eye on me. The gray boy I called Trouble. He'll walk up and face plant Sassy into the food. LOL Those two showed up for feeding today. They ate a foot away from me and I lightly petted them. They didn't seem to mind too much because they were too busy eating. I, of course, said "awww" when I was petting Trouble. That earned me a hiss from Sassy. LOL
 
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