Yikes! What did I do?

A friend of mine moved into a new house to find that the previous tenants had left behind a mother cat with 2 kittens. They are the most beautiful cats, all three solid white, one with blue eyes, one with one blue and one green eye, and momma with big green eyes. Problem is, they are wild. The mother is somewhat tame. The kittens are extremely wild and impossible to handle. They are about 9-10 wks old. I have the kittens in a crate but putting my hands in there is dangerous. We have put the mother cat in my sons room and she peed and pooped all over the bed. They have yet to eat or use the litter box. What is the best way to tame them? Should I just have them spayed and let them be? They are so beautiful I would like to keep them.

I have only had them for 24 hrs. I just wanted to know the best way to go about this process. I also have a puppy, 2 cats and a 4 month old baby as well as older kids. Should I put the crate in the living room or would that be to overwhelming?

I would keep them separated from your critters until they can be checked by the vet.
Others will chime in on what's best to do. Just remember they are terrified because they don't know you or where they are or what you are going to do to them.
Thank you for trying to help them.

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I have only had them for 24 hrs. I just wanted to know the best way to go about this process. I also have a puppy, 2 cats and a 4 month old baby as well as older kids. Should I put the crate in the living room or would that be to overwhelming?

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Hi Amy...how wonderful of you to try to work with this family. Given how old the kittens are....please go ahead and have mom spayed.

Below is a link to a section on working with kittens.

http://www.alleycat.org/resources_care.html#10

Katie

I would definitely keep them in their own room for a while. You might try adding some potting soil or plain garden dirt (or add a lot) to their litter. They're probably used to using the ground to go to the bathroom.

I wouldn't try to handle them too much just yet. Visit the room and talk, read or sing to them. And of course feed them. If possible, sit on the floor and do these things and let the kitties come closer to you rather than you closer to them.

Keep in mind that one or all of them could be deaf. You're so sweet to help these kitties!

I second the "dont forget they could be deaf!". My advice is to let them settle in somewhere, a small room is ideal but if you don't have it a crate will work. Once they've settled some, start offering treats & trying to pet them a little.

My PJ & Punky were terrified of me, albiet not trying to kill me, but scared. Now they sleep in bed with me at night.

I have left them alone for now. I want to give them time to adjust before beginning to handle them. I really want to be able to handle them and make them a part of our family. The momma is pregnant I think. I made her an appointment to be spayed next Tuesday.

Why would the momma cat be pooping and peeing on my sons bed?

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

Why would the momma cat be pooping and peeing on my sons bed?

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That must be very frustrating. Is there any chance she has worms?

Have you washed it in a bleach-like smelling solution? (Cats sometimes pee on bleached things)

Oh, also, when I first got Smudge he did that once. Someone wrote something recently that sometimes they do that on feather duvets (I think). Is it a feather comforter?

I washed the bedding in hot water with laundry soap only. I sprayed it first with Natures Miracle. It isn't feather but I wonder about the worms or maybe a UTI. She is getting spayed next week. She hides all day and then comes out at night and makes a mess. It is very frustrating. I think I may crate her again.

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I washed the bedding in hot water with laundry soap only. I sprayed it first with Natures Miracle. It isn't feather but I wonder about the worms or maybe a UTI. She is getting spayed next week. She hides all day and then comes out at night and makes a mess. It is very frustrating. I think I may crate her again.

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I think using a crate is actually a good thing for now.

Katie

Here is a picture of the new family. As you can tell they are scared.

It might be a fear response...but it might also be that they aren't used to using the litter box. The poor dears do look pretty scared. I had one feral foster that would poop outside the box on a mat. I took out the box she had, and put in a brand new one with new litter and she was fine. I think with her worms, pooping hurt so much that she associated the litter box with pain.

Thank you for taking in these beautiful babies!

I got them all to eat out of my hand today. The momma let me brush her hair. I think they are starting to warm up...slowly. I pet the kitten with blue eyes. I am pretty sure she is deaf, she doesn't wake when I approach the crate like the other two do. There is hope

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I got them all to eat out of my hand today. The momma let me brush her hair. I think they are starting to warm up...slowly. I pet the kitten with blue eyes. I am pretty sure she is deaf, she doesn't wake when I approach the crate like the other two do. There is hope

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Yay! that is great news. Any more pooping?

Yes, the blue-eyed white is the most likely to be deaf. I have a deaf white cat that's odd-eyed. He's very sweet.

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Yay! that is great news. Any more pooping?

Yes, the blue-eyed white is the most likely to be deaf. I have a deaf white cat that's odd-eyed.

He's very sweet.

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I put the momma in the crate so she had to use the box The only thing is the babies are nursing on her and I don't have room for another crate.
I wonder if the odd-eyed kitten is deaf too?

i would have them evaluatated by a professional even if you can not tame the mother you may still be able to save the kittens they are very young i would try good luck

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I put the momma in the crate so she had to use the box

The only thing is the babies are nursing on her and I don't have room for another crate.
I wonder if the odd-eyed kitten is deaf too?

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Sometimes odd-eyes are deaf on the blue eye side, but I've also had 2 odd-eyed whites that WEREN'T deaf.