What to do?..pregnant stray outside

My sister has a pregnant stray cat living in her back yard. She(the cat), is scared of people, if an animal shelter picks her up, they will most likely put her and the unborn kittens to sleep..that's what I've heard... and the coldest months of the winter are coming, so the kittens may freeze. My sister has food out there for her, which she eats and a heated outdoor cat bed but the cat(kit) won't go near the warm bed even though it has been there for a good month now. When the kittens are born, we don't know what we are going to do...any suggestions?

The only thing I would suggest is to try to catch the cat and bring it indoors. Once indoors, she should be kept in a room to herself so she can feel safe when her kittens are born. Once the kittens are 8 weeks, they should see a vet for first vaccinations and deworming. The mother should also be checked for parasites.

If your sister doesn't have any other pets this could work, but if there are other cats in the house, they will for surely have to be kept separated due to fleas, diseases etc. I would have the momma cat checked by a vet asap so to rule out any problems. Fleas can kill kittens if they get them. That would be my first concern.

This is always a tough one, since momma cat is feral...and to attempt to domesticate her at this point will be VERY tough, particularly since she may be extra defensive and protective as a new mother. But I absolutely agree that with the cold winter months becoming harsher, something needs to be done, as she and her kittens may not survive the dropping temps.

I would first look into renting a humane trap...this can often be done through local animal shelters or rescue organizations. Research everything online as far as trapping a feral, how to set the trap up, what to look for, when to check the trap, etc. Those that post on the Ferals and Rescue board on TCS will be an invaluable resource for these questions also.

If you're able to humanely trap her, bring her indoors at once, and keep her absolutely quarantined from any other household pets. Unfortunately, you may not be able to vet her or have her examined until you can establish some trust, and get her more comfortable in an indoor setting, if possible...this can take a while, and it takes a lot of dedication. I wouldn't even suggest removing her from the trap or enclosure for a while, for your own personal safety. In a situation like this, if she's visibly pregnant, she may deliver within a week or two...so make sure that you're at least in contact with a vet to help guide you with this, or in the event there's complications.

I guess that's the best advice I can give you. Rent a trap, find a way to trap her, bring her inside, contact a vet, and try to establish some trust. If she delivers and cares for her kittens successfully, it would be best for her to be spayed prior to her being rehomed, or placed back into her outdoor setting, so that she does not continue to breed.

I agree with both responses. I had a similar experience, although I had a lot of time to make friends with the cat. That's my Elsa now - the sweetest cat ever, who had 8 kittens in my house!

Here's a handy video from the Caring for Ferals and Strays forum on TCS that you may find handy. It's a vet demonstrating how to set a humane trap properly, and it's VERY informative:

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ6xcE...e=channel_page