Is what I'm doing okay?

Then you are right, if Hazel was that thin then there must not be another feeding source. I sure hope you see the kittens back soon !! For the whole kitty family

Today it is 100 degrees with a 102 heat index. Hazel has been here almost all day, since I let the chickens out at 6am (she even tried to help me haha), but no sign of the babies. She was sitting on the front porch panting really hard and crying, so I convinced my husband to let her into his air conditioned shop. She stopped panting immediately and started looking around. I made a small litter box for her, just in case, and she IS litter trained. She started digging and peed as soon as I put her into it. She layed down on the cool concrete floor and seemed pleased as punch. I really wish I knew where those babies were, especially in this heat. I'm hoping someone else has them in their house.

We butchered our first chicken today, so I gave Hazel the heart, liver, and scraps of skin and meat. She took off and led the older kits back, and they got a good meal this evening.

The babies are back!! Woohoo!! She went and got them this evening after it got dark. I don't think they are being fed anywhere else b/c as soon as they got here they pigged out on cat food. It's nice to have them back. I was SO worried!! *big sigh of relief*

Should I start a new thread for updates on Hazel and her kittens, or keep posting them in here?

This morning all five babies were there, all cuddled together in the cat bed I put on the porch. Sometime this morning Hazel took two of them off and hid them. When she came back she didn't have them with her, but she has stayed around with the remaining three (the three black boys). I put the little litterbox on the porch, just in case. One by one, I put each of the babies into it, and they each peed and pooped in it! I was so proud!!

I'm probably talking to myself, but oh well....

Tonight Hazel went to get the rest of the babies...and came back one short. The little girl Fern is missing, probably gone. She was always a bit lethargic and didn't seem like she was doing very well. I doubt Hazel would have left her out there alone. She probably either died or was taken by a predator. Everyone else is here and accounted for, and seem nice and healthy, though.

The older kits are still only coming by at night, but they are getting less skittish each day. They now don't immediately run away when we come outside or walk up to the house from the shop. If I am sitting right next to Hazel, they will come and nurse with me there, which is a HUGE step. The calico one even let me pet her while she was nursing last night!! She was talking to me, also. She sounds just like Hazel.

I love going out there every so often and playing with them. They are so stinking cute!! They are all getting really comfortable around us and love to be petted and picked up. I think they will all make great pets!

Kara I am glad to read that the kittens are back but sad about Fern. Unfortunately only the strong survive . Poor baby. I have been out of town this last weekend and couldn't log onto the site. It is fine to keep this thread going, you don't have to start a new one. It sounds like they are all settling in at your place now and I doubt Hazel will take them away now, especially with fresh chicken coming. They sound like friendly kittens and will learn to use the litter box by watching Hazel . I am sure they will get adopted quickly if you can get them into the shelter, they are beautiful babies .

All of the kittens know how to use the litterbox now. They use that and the empty flower bed on the side of our house. They use either of them religiously now, they no longer go in the grass. Even the more feral older kits use the litter box! Hazel always goes in the same spot in the dirt on the edge of our woods. I'm sure adopting the kittens out would be no problem and they would use the litterbox just fine if that was their only option.

Fern finally came back!! I have no idea where she was at, but I'm glad she is back. Being here for a while now and getting fresh meat and good food, she is doing much better, also. They are all getting nice and fat. I have also been dusting them with food grade Diatomacious Earth to help with their fleas. (Z@Ww ncjjjjjjjjjjssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssg32222 <-------that was a note from Henry (we renamed Lurvy Henry) He walked on my keyboard as I was typing this. LOL)

It has been getting up to 110 heat index the past couple of days, so I have been putting Hazel and all the babies into a big carrier and putting them into my husband's air conditioned shop for a few hours. Especially yesterday, b/c the kittens were lethargic and glassy eyed, I was afraid they were going to die. Today wasn't as bad, but Hazel was panting really hard. I have been putting a frozen 2 liter bottle of water covered by a thin towel into a smaller carrier on our porch, and the kittens LOVE it!! They lay next to it and even on top of it. I get so worried about them, but they are doing okay so far.

The older kits are getting better. They aren't as jumpy anymore, staying in place when we come outside and will come up next to us now. They even stay where they are when we walk right next to them! I was able to pet the black one while he was nursing a couple days ago, and today I pet the calico one while she was eating cat food. A HUGE improvement over when they first got here, when they would bolt any time we would move a muscle. Maybe someday they will let us pet them like a pet cat would, but even if not that's okay. We've named them Callie (the calico...I know, predictable lol) and Ninja (the black one).

Hazel scared the heck out of me today. She was gone when I got up, and has been gone all day. The babies were still here, though. The heat index was 110+, so we kept the babies in the shop all day. I was so afraid something happened to Hazel b/c of the heat. I've been going out occasionally, calling her as loud as I can. She finally came back about 15 minutes ago, 7:15pm. She was hyperventilating, she was panting so fast. I rushed her into the shop and put her in with the kittens and got her some water. After about 5 minutes she stopped panting and layed down so the babies could nurse. I'm so relieved.

I HATE this heat!!!!! I'm just glad that Hazel is okay.

Just found this. adorable babies and momma and I'm so excited to read the 2 olders are coming around. Such a great story.

But I do wonder what she is doing with them when she moves them. So odd, so cat-like.

I also just found this thread and I wanted to congratulate you on being adopted by an entire family!

I don't have any advice better than what Feralvr has already said so I'll just do what I do best around here!

I love the pictures of the kitties! Especially Templeton's portrait! Those eyes and markings and facial expression are just marvelous!

Best wishes socializing and finding them homes!

Do you have some fresh water outside available for them at all times?
I also hate this heat. Stay well!

Yes, we have free ranging chickens and also dogs, so we have a big low, wide 5 gallon bucket of water (the red thing they are sitting next to in the first set of pictures) on the front porch and a 3 gallon one on the side patio. I refill them each day and put ice in it to keep it cold.

Originally Posted by kara_leigh

Yes, we have free ranging chickens and also dogs, so we have a big low, wide 5 gallon bucket of water (the red thing they are sitting next to in the first set of pictures) on the front porch and a 3 gallon one on the side patio. I refill them each day and put ice in it to keep it cold.

Click to expand...

You're an angel of mercy!

They are all gone. Ever since they all disappeared the last time, she never takes all of them on her night hunting trips. She at least leaves 2 or 3 of them, but usually only takes one. My son left the dogs outside alone with them tonight. The last time she took all of them, it was after the same thing...my son left the dogs outside alone with them. I just hopes she brings them back. I put food out for them anyway, just in case. We don't have racoons or anything.

I hate the roller coaster of emotions these cats put me through.

I also just caught this thread. All of the babies are adorable!!

You're living through what I went thru when we first bought our "farmette" 18 years ago (10 acres and the same sorts of neighbors). This was when I became "mom of many".

I'll share some of the things that I learned thru all those years.

If you put food outside, more will always arrive. Never be afraid to spay/neuter any cat that eats food that you put out, even if you suspect it is a neighbor's cat. My motto has always been: you eat here, you are speutered, no questions asked. It saves you from getting overloaded with cats and the heartbreak for those that don't make it.

Feed the cats on a firm schedule if you want them to remain. Most of the feral cats would have their litters elsewhere, then show up one day once they realized there was a good food source. Once they were certain that the kittens knew how to "hunt the allusive food bowl", the mom would often abandon them, only to show up next year with another litter. Get mamma fixed before this happens to you.

Keeping food out will establish a core colony of cats. Some can be easily socialized and adopted out, but there will always be some that will remain somewhat feral. They may socialize somewhat to you (as caregiver), but not to others. Don't ever put yourself down if you can't "save" them all. The alternative to what you are able to provide to them (food, water, shelter) is a certain early death. I've had a number of ferals live into their teens. Your core colony may drive away new cats, but that will keep the area more stable.

Train your dogs to be protectors of the cats. Dogs have a great knack of keeping predators away from your house, and if they respect your cats, they will protect them. We lost half a colony of feral cats one time when we were on vacation and had our dogs boarded. My dogs lived inside, but marked their scent all over our property while outside. Predators knew when our dogs were away and came to our house to hunt then.

Find a good rescue group in your area and start to work with them. I suspect you aren't done with kittens as long as you live there. If you volunteer your time and offer to foster these cats, they can be an outlet for you to adopt them out. I used to do fundraisers for our local shelter.

Be cautious about wanting to adopt too many of them. I'm a sucker for a furry face and things got out of hand for me when I kept keeping the ones that tugged at my heart. At my peak I had about 27 cats, with 17 of them living inside. It's very hard to manage that many.

Once I decided to buy my own humane trap (I had been borrowing them and missed some opportunities to fix some of the cats), I never had another litter. It's been 8 years since I've had kittens.

Yes, they put up a subliminal sign in your front yard that reads: good eats and friendly people here - stop on by!

Thank you for the great advise MomofMany! I really appreciate it!

My husband would never let me adopt too many. At this point he won't let me bring any more into the house. lol We have a good balance right now and he doesn't want to disturb it, and I kind of agree.

You said to feed on a strict schedule. Can you elaborate more? I was always under the assumption that nursing cats and kittens should get free access to food. We have just been giving them as much food as they want, especially since Hazel is soooo thin. It seems like every time she starts to put on some weight, the next day she looks emaciated again. Next time we go to the feed store I will get some wormer for her.

Our neighbor's cat "Kitty" came by a few days ago, but Hazel and her kittens did NOT like him. Hazel and the Callie (the older calico) especially were growling and hissing at him, and all the babies were arched and puffed up. We chased him off. As far as I know, he hasn't been back. I feel bad, b/c I know he could use the food, but I don't want Hazel or the babies to get hurt if he decides to get aggressive. He is also not fixed.

I found out something interesting tonight.

Today Hazel came back and was hanging around by herself a lot today. Hazel led DH down the road tonight. She would walk a few feet and if DH stopped she would look back and meow, then come back to him and rub all over his legs. If he started walking again she would take off again. She wanted him to follow her. She showed us where she was keeping her babies. They were just on the edge of our neighbor's property.

He went up to their house and talked to the guy that lives there (it is a couple in the process of a divorce and they have I think 3 teenagers). He was asking them about the cats. We found out that Ninja and Callie are NOT Hazel's kittens. They are her younger siblings!

The guy told us that they have had kittens coming out of their ears (b/c Hazel's mom probably has more kittens also). He said that they wanted to try to find "our" kittens new homes, but they won't let them come anywhere near them. How strange, b/c they have no problem with us, crawl all over us and love us. DH said that we would either adopt them or find them homes, and the guy was like "ehh, whatever..." Totally nonchalant about it.

A little while later I walked back down there with him, and when we got to the place where he said the kittens were, I called softly "kitty kitty kitty!" and Wilbur RAN out to us as fast as he could. He was so happy to see us! Then I called "Henry!" and then he came running out. Ninja and Callie were there also. We gave them a ton of pets but then we went back home. They decided to follow us! Ninja and Callie were not happy about it, they kept calling after them.

Now Henry, Wilbur, Callie, and Ninja are here and Hazel went walking back down the road. Maybe to get the rest of the kittens?

Kara, this is quite an amazing story and I think Hazel is a saint in showing you where the kittens and other cats live. Hazel IS a very smart cat and you are lucky to have her. I am really hoping you are up to helping all of these cats?! This will be a bit of work for you to get them all fixed and start networking for finding them homes. Obviously, the so-called owner of the original unaltered female cat could care less about all of the kittens she has brought into this world. . You and your DH are on a mission and doing a great deed in rescuing and stopping the breeding of all of these cats. If you or someone else doesn't do something, then there will be more and more kittens born into a life of uncertainty and homelessness. Bless you for what you are doing . I also think it is wonderful that these kittens already love you guys and they know you care about them too.

We are prepared to help them. We plan to keep Hazel and maybe one or two of the babies, but the rest we will find homes for. All will be neutered/spayed. We have a low cost spay/neuter program near here, where ferals only cost $25, males $35, females $45. I'm just wondering, what do they usually consider a feral?

I had a dream last night that we had Thomas neutered under the feral program at a company in Canada (haha!), and while I was expecting them to nick his ear, when I got him back they had cut both of his ears off. I was VERY upset, and I was bawling.

It made my heart melt tonight when I called into the dark woods and the two kittens came running out to us, then they followed us home. Wilbur and Henry already know their names, it is SO cute! Wilbur likes to get up on our laps when we sit outside with our computers, and he likes to type. It's really sweet.

I was feeding them treats tonight, and I ALMOST got Ninja to eat out of my hand. He thought about it. He'll get really close to me, though, and they are comfortable enough now that they will play around us. Ninja was chasing a grasshopper right next to me, it was so cute!!

AWW , they just sound too precious and they are so very happy to have found you .

Most TNR organizations require the ear tip. BUT you can request the V-tip, where they leave the length to the ear and take a notch out of the tip. Other's take 1/4" straight across. Having said that, I do have one TNR vet I found that will agree not to tip the ear (for an extra $10.00 ) if you guarantee that you will NOT be releasing and will find a home. This vet calls these ferals, "friendlies". You just have to ask some questions and explain the situation in detail. They will listen because sometimes each feral/rescue situation is a bit different in some cases and there are alot of good samaritans stepping up like you to help these cats, feral or not. If you have any doubt at all, that you will be having to release some of them, then please have the ear tip done. That way down the road, someday, it will be obvious to other's if that cat has already been sterilized.

I am very happy to hear you are keeping one or two kittens . And I am sure you can find homes for the other's. Keep up the wonderful work you are doing