Feral cat and kitten

I feed a community cat community (i.e., stray/feral/dumped cat colony). "Quill" started coming to the feeding station (behind dumpster, lots of trees) around February. As I suspected, she was pregnant. I saw one and only one kitten in early May 2011; Quill was near her, somewhat watchful. The kitten was playing, having a fine time. I've also seen the kitten sleeping alone by the building where I live (condo complex).
I have not seen the kitten at the feeding station and was wondering why? I thought a mother would bring a kitten down to feed. Quill is always there, always hungry, always first in line. I do not know where the kitten sleeps, and I see Quill either near the balcony or coming down from a steep, heavily vegetation, area.
Note that it is possible she may have been pregnant again (tom cat mounted Quill twice that I know of). She and the tom cat were (finally) trapped Monday and last night; they are currently being spayed/neutered. Would that have any impact on her not bringing down the kitten to feed?
And yes if/when I see the kitten, she will be trapped and moved into my friend's cattery, where she will be socialized and adopted out. (Big IF)
Thanks.

I've moved this to the Strays & Ferals forum for you.

OH Wonderful about trapping the tomcat and Quill You are just awesome . Don't worry at all, Quill will still take care of her kitten even after the spay. Absolutely!!!!!!!!! Won't make a difference there and she will still teach her kitten as well. I wouldn't worry about not seeing the kitten yet at the feeding area. Some feral kittens are quite skittish and leary and will not leave the nest area under any circumstances until Mom stops feeding them and bringing them food from a hunt. I never saw my feral kittens until they were almost four months old, at least that's when they started really coming out during the day to play. Let us know how Quill is doing

I picked up and released Quill this morning. (The low cost clinic will keep feral cats overnight at no additional charge.) Quill did not run away immediately; instead, she started licking her private parts. "O.T.", a regular member of the colony, was quite interested in Quill's new smell (or, lack thereof). Quill was not pregnant, but was in heat.
The tom cat who I've named Lucky Charms (because he was trapped in a trap that usually doesn't work, with a stick inside to keep the trap from tripping....) was around last night.
Please reassure me: when the cat is s/n, he/she can no longer reproduce, right. There is no in-between stage. I've read that hormones don't leave the body entirely for a few days to up to a few weeks.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by Ritz

Please reassure me: when the cat is s/n, he/she can no longer reproduce, right. There is no in-between stage. I've read that hormones don't leave the body entirely for a few days to up to a few weeks.
Thanks.

Click to expand...

HE may reproduce. some week after is fully possible and do occurs. But they tell be careful a full months after...

Hormones? In a friendly, non territorial tom the hormones go down practically in days. You can sometimes see the difference after 2-3 days.
But in a territorial, dominant tom it may takes several weeks or even more...

Females can not reproduce after spaying. They have still hormones some time yes.


Good luck!

Okay, thanks, that relieves my mind somewhat. Quill is and always has been food agressive. Tom Cat ("Lucky Charms") somewhat less agressive overall. In the cat colony I take care of, there are significantly more males than females.