I found 3 Feral kittens...

I need help making a decision on this one. I heard some crying this afternoon and when I looked out there was one of the more distant ferals moving three kittens to a corner of my porch. She just started showing up recently and never stays too long. After a while I went out to look and she was gone but the kittens were sleeping peacefully. I have been checking for hours now and she is not back. I assumed that maybe she had another kitten to bring but maybe she got stuck somewhere? The kittens look about 3-5 weeks old. I brought them in about about a half hour ago. I would have left them out but I have a huge raccoon problem (Mother and 4 babies) and without their mom there would be no one to protect them. I heard the raccoon family coming and I scooped them right up! I believe that the mother will be coming back though, especially as they seem to be well-taken care of.
What should I do if she comes back? Give them back to her? I have indoor cats to take care of and not much room to separate. Did I make the right decision? With everyone's window open for the summer, I don't want her to be calling them all night.
As usual Thanks for all of your help!

Originally Posted by JIL05

I need help making a decision on this one. I heard some crying this afternoon and when I looked out there was one of the more distant ferals moving three kittens to a corner of my porch. She just started showing up recently and never stays too long. After a while I went out to look and she was gone but the kittens were sleeping peacefully. I have been checking for hours now and she is not back. I assumed that maybe she had another kitten to bring but maybe she got stuck somewhere? The kittens look about 3-5 weeks old. I brought them in about about a half hour ago. I would have left them out but I have a huge raccoon problem (Mother and 4 babies) and without their mom there would be no one to protect them. I heard the raccoon family coming and I scooped them right up! I believe that the mother will be coming back though, especially as they seem to be well-taken care of.
What should I do if she comes back? Give them back to her? I have indoor cats to take care of and not much room to separate. Did I make the right decision? With everyone's window open for the summer, I don't want her to be calling them all night.
As usual Thanks for all of your help!

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Jill....could you use her kittens to trap mom and bring the entire family indoors? I think that would be the best option because if you return them back outside, there is a good chance that mom will move them again and who knows when you would be able to trap her again.

Katie

Hi TNR,

I will definitely try to do just that. I have to wait until the day that the clinic is open though because I have absolutely nowhere to put her.

When I woke up this morning I quick ran to the backyard to see if the mother was there. The kittens would not eat for me and I didn't know what to do. They ate a little canned food, but would not take any of the formula. I thought that the mom came a little while later but it seems I made an error. I quick put them outside by her and she sniffed them and walked away! I couldn't believe it!

A while back when six of our ferals were taken they left one young one and she is so quiet...You hardly notice her. She has walked with a bit of a limp lately and has been laying around. I wanted to take her in to be spayed, but I wasn't sure what was wrong with her so I was waiting a bit. Well, it turned out that she is the mother and is taking care of them just fine. It is an easy mistake, they both have the same markings on their face.

Amazingly she just let me pick up her kittens and take them in the house right in front of her without a peep. She plopped herself down and she was right there when I woke this morning. She was very happy to see them today. They are with her right now. I will be bringing them in again tonight to help her protect them from the raccoons. She is no match for our gang of five hungry raccoons. I am unsure of myself though. Is this the right thing to do? She has cared for them up until now without any trouble. It's just that the raccoons have only just appeared the same time as her kittens and I am terrified for the little ones.

Thanks for any advice!

Amazingly she just let me pick up her kittens and take them in the house right in front of her without a peep. She plopped herself down and she was right there when I woke this morning. She was very happy to see them today. They are with her right now. I will be bringing them in again tonight to help her protect them from the raccoons. She is no match for our gang of five hungry raccoons. I am unsure of myself though. Is this the right thing to do? She has cared for them up until now without any trouble. It's just that the raccoons have only just appeared the same time as her kittens and I am terrified for the little ones.

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I believe you did the right thing...Would the raccoons have attacked the kittens?? I am unsure, but I do know that the survival rate of feral kittens isn't high. If you can get a date soon for mom, that would work best....as she could already be pregnant again.

Katie

you are definitely doing the right thing!! Your mama-kitty is very smart to seek safe haven placing her babies with you. Moving them onto your porch was her way of getting much needed help. Those raccoons would definitely kill and eat the babies - raccoons are vicious and a family of four can easily stand up to most dogs. Such an intelligent mama kitty especially deserves the chance to be spayed and live in a real family; and this way, the babies will get neutered, too, and will be able to have secure, healthy futures! Good luck on the coon problem - be careful, as they are notorious carriers of both feline distemper and rabies - if they eat out of the ferals' food sources, they can easily pass those diseases onto cats

Thanks for your supportive posts!

I have to say that I have never seen anything quite like this...And I have been caring for our colony for over 5 years. I guess I am used to dealing with Midnight, who never lets me see her kittens until they are at least 10 weeks old and she has taught them to hate humans...
This morning, Little mama ( I really should name her) was waiting under our outdoor table for her babies and proceeded to feed and clean them up to her satisfaction. She took them out of the box ( one of the outdoor shelters) that's out there and lay all day with them under the table. Then around dusk she put them back in the box and lay farther away. When it really got dark which is when I take them, she saw me and lay down to watch. After I put them in their cage I came back to look and she was running around chasing bugs! This cat is unreal. She is so trusting for a cat that won't let me near her!

I will definitely try to get some pictures of little mama and the babies. She is a really wonderful girl!

And I will also take care with the raccoons. I bring all of the cat food bowls in overnight, but I do leave the water bowl out there. I make sure to wash it though. Thanks again!
JIL05

She is so trusting for a cat that won't let me near her!

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The most wonderful thing you can do for her is to trap her when her kittens are older and treat her to a spay surgery.

Katie

Originally Posted by JIL05

I have to say that I have never seen anything quite like this...And I have been caring for our colony for over 5 years. I guess I am used to dealing with Midnight, who never lets me see her kittens until they are at least 10 weeks old and she has taught them to hate humans...

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I've had both personality types in my colony. I swear that regardless of type they look to us because they know somehow that we will take care of their young. But both types were the ones that would disappear the minute the kittens were under my control and I missed too many opportunities to TNR them.