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two feral kittens...hope I didn't mess things up.

post #1 of 18
8/12/11 at 6:19am
Thread Starter 
Yesterday, I spotted one of the ferrel cats on my porch, with two four-five week old kittens nursing on her. Mom is pretty sweet but skittish, understandably. She has allowed me to pet her from time to time and I do make sure she has food. I've tried trapping her to get her spayed, but she's too fast, too clever and there's no AC out here in the middle of no-place.


When I looked closer, I noticed crusty, swollen eyes on these two kittens.. Mom is way too thin and I know she's using every callery to feed those babies.

So I took them.

Closer inspection, one male, one female
The male is very... special? I think he has a nero issue. His head is shaped oddly and his walk is odd. The girl looks fine but is so terrified she won't eat. HE will eat anything I offer. From KMR to soft canned kitten food.

The boy seems reseptive, very affectionate.
The girl, however is trembling, hissy, and will bite.

Every rescue that I've tried so far is full up. A few even have voice msgs that state they are not taking in anymore cats or kittens at the moment.

I do have them isolated from Cheech.. He's only had two sets of vaccinations so I don't think he's protected from what ever these guys have.


My question is this...

actually, did I mess up? Should they be with their Mom anyway? Are their chances better in surviving out there,with her?
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post #2 of 18
8/12/11 at 7:44am
AW bless your heart. If you are prepared to give them the medical attention it sounds like they will need, of course, you did the right thing. If they are getting sick, and mom is so thin, then you had to take them in. It also sounds like the mother cat might be a "stray or lost" cat reverted back to feral roots. If you were able to almost pet her, then she has had some human contact in the past. So keep trying, don't give up. But have a plan. Contact some TNR organizations on the internet in your area. Also, upon calling shelters, ask them to at least assist you in caring for these kittens until they are ready for adoption. Most really good shelters will be willing to have you "foster" these babies and help you with medical costs. Some shelters even have a vet or assistant vet on site and you can bring in the kittens directly to the shelter to get them treatment and then take them back home.

Keep up with the KMR. and you can also get Hill's A/D from your vet, a canned food. and mix that into the KMR. The A/D is a very smooth and creamy texture. The little ones will need medical care, wormings, innoculations, and be tested for FIV/FeLK. So see if you can find a rescue to help you with these costs. I am praying that you can .

Don't worry about the little hissy girl. She will come around soon when she realizes that you are not going to hurt her and she sees you caring and loving her brother. Her brother will help her come to trust you. I am sure you did the right thing, these babies might have died outside especially if mom is not well and can't care for them properly. To me, this mom cat brought them to your porch because she knew you were inside and could help her and these kittens. Feral cats just don't drop their kittens on a person's porch and nurse them....... You are doing a wonderful thing and I thank you for caring for them. Please keep updating and we are here to help you if we can.

OH, YES, keep them away from Cheech!!! Until you know they are not carrying any disease.....
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post #3 of 18
8/12/11 at 8:20am
I agree completely with Feralvr.

If it is your plan to foster them (or let someone else foster) - now was a good time.
If the little lady is hissy now, when it is supposed to be very easy to foster feral kittens - it would be perhaps impossible later on. (yes, some are more difficult than other).
But you took in her early enough, there will be people even of her, too.

Lets hope the boy will make it - you dont sound too optimistic?

You talk the mom is to fast for you. If you use a human trap, you dont need to be fast...


Good luck!
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post #4 of 18
8/12/11 at 8:53am
Thread Starter 
Well...
the count is now up to FOUR...
Four kittens and our Vet won't be in untill tomorrow.

They are eating well, learning how to eat the A/D mixed with KMR if I put some in a spoon for each one. Don't think I'm nuts but I permi-markered their numbers on each spoon so they don't get each other sicker.

Mom cat's history as far as I can tell, is that she is a baby from last year's stray cat. A large calico female that took up residence under my porch before I bought this place.

I do have someone who said if I can catch her, have her spayed, he'll take her to his farm as a barn-kitty. So.... she has a place to go once I can catch her and get her fixed for him.



So now the number is up to 4 kittens
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post #5 of 18
8/12/11 at 9:03am
Thread Starter 
Humen traps? I'll google that..lol


the hissy girl is just scared. She's stopped hissing, and I when I hold her, she curls up and tried to hide within the crook of my arm but soon stops trembling when I stroke her ears and chin.
I just think she's the most shy and scared out of all of them.

Thanks for the words of encouragment! I was so terrified that somehow, I screwed up and they would be better off if I hadn't interviened.
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post #6 of 18
8/12/11 at 10:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovin Cheech View Post
I was so terrified that somehow, I screwed up and they would be better off if I hadn't interviened.
It is true, there is this general rule of thumb, kittens should be with mom at least 10 weeks, preferably 12.

But there IS one big and important exception.

If they are ferale, and IF you do have a willing family / foster just awaiting - you may take them earlier.

Good luck!


ps. Im happy it will be good with the mom too. It is probably possible to foster her too, but it is a lot harder and takes more time. AND its harder to find a good home for adult than for kittens...
Some try to foster kittens and mom (taking in the whole family). It is possible, the mom usually accepts the situation after a few days. But it is easier to foster the young kittens without their shy, defensive mom present. Thus many fosterers recommend to separate them.
All in all: You had done everthing right, just according to the manual.
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post #7 of 18
8/12/11 at 10:17am
Thread Starter 
I'm thinking about the mom cat..
she's very tiny. Looks to be maybe 4-5 lbs and a little less then half the size of the other strays/ferels that wonder around the neighborhood.

With her size and if she's able to accept human contact, would her chances of being adopted a little bit better?

Barn cats.. I've heard about a program that will S/N and then adopt them out to farmers..
is this a good program?
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post #8 of 18
8/12/11 at 1:27pm
Are you thinking about to try to foster her, and then try to find a home?

It would surely be the best, if you have the patience, love and possibilities.

Otherwise, she has survived this long, so neutered and with some help, she will surely manage outside too... Either in your neigbourgood, or as some barn cat.
You do already have a promise for a place for her...

Best is perhaps to take the double chance: try to foster. It it goes well - excellent.
If not - go to the barn....

It is a horrible crime to dump a home pet, especielly indoor only.
But she has already survived some time on her own. Not splendid, but she did survived. Although not neutered.
Neutered it will be easier. I mean, an aborted fostering try isnt dangerous.

You can try to take these double chances, if you can and wish.

Good luck!
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post #9 of 18
8/12/11 at 8:23pm
AW Hun, now you have four!!!!! You are wonderful for saving them It is very possible that the mom is a kitten herself . Cats can get pregnant by six months of age. A barn situation would be good for her and a lot of TNR organizations have lists of barns looking for cats. Yes, in answer to your question, those are very good programs and something you can look into for the kittens if you can't find homes or can't get them into a shelter. I think it is super that you already have a place for the mom. You can google "hav-a-hart" traps if you can't get her on your own. They are pretty easy to set and work very well. Some shelters/TNR orgs. have traps you can borrow. Make sure you have an appt. already set up at the vet on the day or morning you trap her. Then you can just bring her right over to be fixed. Then she will need a place to recover for a few days after surgery. I usually set up a large dog crate with a hiding box, litter box, food/water for the cat while she recovers. After she is recovered, you can bring her to this barn. Or, maybe they can take her right after she is spayed and let her recover in a crate at the barn where she will be living. They will need to keep her confined for about a week or two so she stays at that barn and learns that the barn is her new territory.

I know this is a lot of work on your part, but it is so rewarding and you really are saving lives. I hope the kittens are doing well tonight and you are able to get some assistance financially from a local rescue.
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post #10 of 18
8/12/11 at 8:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovin Cheech View Post
I'm thinking about the mom cat..
she's very tiny. Looks to be maybe 4-5 lbs and a little less then half the size of the other strays/ferels that wonder around the neighborhood.

With her size and if she's able to accept human contact, would her chances of being adopted a little bit better?

Absolutely, if you are willing to work with her and see if she will readily accept affection and attention from you, then her chances of being adopted are very good. She sounds very pretty, being calico. Of course, a home would be better than a barn, especially of she is a friendly kitty. She might very well be, since she has come so close to you. You could trap her, get her fixed, and see if during her recovery she comes to accept you and some contact. If not, then the barn would be best for her. It depends on how much space you have, a place to confine her away from the kittens, and if you have the time to work with her. Again, it is very rewarding, knowing you are making a difference in even just one stray cat's life.
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post #11 of 18
8/13/11 at 4:53pm
Thread Starter 
You all are so amazing! I've been searching for a stray s/n program and found one. The site says it's for St.Louis City and County cats, but I'll call on monday and see if they will extend it or maybe make an acception.
It would only be $25 a cat! I wonder if they'd spay the three baby girls and the boy too?

Also,


I did get to see the Farm and met the family that would be happy to have her and I have to tell you... I'd move into their barn! It's huge! More like a Stable, then a Barn.. well kept, neat. With four horses and some milking goats. Thier house is stunning too. They have two house cats that are very old and can't be outside to help keep the mice away.

Best of all, it is away from busy roads. It's really far back from a gravel road too and at least 5 miles from the main paved road. That is so much safer then these zooming cars speeding across town.

I talked to them about my plans to spay and they were gratefull. I'll call the program on monday and find out when I can bring her in (if she qualifies)... if she dosn't qualify, then I'll just have the local vet do it. I want her safe and off the streets ASAP before she gets pregnant again. There's a huge Tom sniffing around.


This afternoon, she allowed me to pet her a bit more. I put a tiny bit of hotdog on my knee when I was sitting on the porch and she came up and took it so gently.. then allowed me to pet her as I put tiny bits of hotdog on the same spot, untill the entire thing was done.

I also placed food, water and an old pillow as close to my front door as possible. In this little corner that is safe. Maybe she's come to think of the porch as a good place to rest...safe and all.


As for the kittens, all of them are doing well but for one small one. She's teeny tiny, half the size of all the others. So I'm giving what suportive care I can. The others eat on their own and drink really well. They've even figured out the litter box (with a little help of Cheech's poo that I collected out of his box and placed in their own so they would get the idea..lol)

The tiny one is Calico, too... I have a bottle, powderd KMR that I'm mixing with warmed Pedialite to keep her hydrated.
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post #12 of 18
8/13/11 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovin Cheech View Post
They've even figured out the litter box (with a little help of Cheech's poo that I collected out of his box and placed in their own so they would get the idea..lol)

The tiny one is Calico, too... I have a bottle, powderd KMR that I'm mixing with warmed Pedialite to keep her hydrated.
No lol, this is one of the standard tries... Works prob even better with kittens, because kittens have no feeling of territory protection. Well done, Madam Sir!


About the little one. What you do is good. If you can get goat milk, is never wrong to give. These Barn-people, can you get some goat milk from them?


Good luck!
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post #13 of 18
8/14/11 at 6:47am
By the way, a basic rule of thumb with stray cats is that if they let you pet them pretty quickly, they are "dumps," not ferals.
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post #14 of 18
8/14/11 at 6:34pm
Wow, that barn you describe sounds incredibly nice!! Great place for a kitty to live. And $25.00 per cat is great!! I am sure they will be able to do all of the kittens for you. Keep up the great work with the kittens, you are doing a great job, the best you can!
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post #15 of 18
8/15/11 at 5:16am
Thread Starter 
We made it past the weekend!


The smallest one had me the most worried. She kept throwing up the KMR...crying a lot, too.

Then it dawned on me..

Maybe she can't digest the milk protiens in the KMR.. in other words, lactose intolerant.

So instead of mixing KMR with the pedialite, I just souped up the A/D more with the pedialite and ... ta-dah.. no throwing up. Her apitite increased after her fourth feeding and now, the little stinker is climbing the crate walls, demanding attention and to be held.

She'll break away from the group, even when they're huddled up for a nap, the minute I walk past the crate.. then she climbs the walls and meows constantly untill I hold her. Only then does she seem to be content.


Vet visit is today! Will update this afternoon.
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post #16 of 18
8/15/11 at 7:43am
Smart thinking on your part with foregoing the KMR and sticking with the A/D. I am glad this worked for the little darling!! Wishing the best for the kittens at the vet today . Will be waiting to here a progress report
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post #17 of 18
8/20/11 at 7:59am
Thread Starter 
Update!


Sorry it's taken so long. After the Vet visit, the Vet recomended that the momma be trapped ASAP. The momma is very very thin and it worried him.

No one has feluke.. it's all negative... so momma is trapped, and she's instantly happy because of good food. The Farmer has prepaid for two girls and the momma to be spayed at the Vet's office.. the Vet, recomended the two sickest to be kept as indoor cats... the other two kittens had gone into shock without momma and so wouldn't eat, at all Mom was spayed this friday.. and both girls are snuggly happy. Theywill be spayed once they reach four pounds.



The other two are with me and already have a home for both. They just need to be spayed and neutered before I let them go!
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post #18 of 18
8/22/11 at 6:27pm
That vet sounds very, very compassionate !!!!! I am SOOO happy to hear all of this good news and negative for any diseases ! Poor little kittens that are missing mom . Hope they will be alright too. . Thanks for the update! I was thinking of you and the kitties .
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