Background....I live on a farm and work next door in a communal office space. All very rural!
At about 5 o'clock this afternoon (about 6 hours ago), I got a call asking whether my cats had kittens and, if so, whether one had disappeared as a little black kitten had been seen in the hedge between my farm and the office. I answered 'no' - I'm currently without cats (other posts on this subject elsewhere) - but I had had a few presents left on the farm recently!
Anyway, I offered to lend them my trap to help catch the kitten and offered it a safe barn for the night.
Fast forward 6 hours and I have 4 kittens in my bathroom. There are 2 black ones, 1 b/w one and 1 tabby, the first caught (this was the one that made us realise there was a whole family). Actually caught the last 2 together!
A mother cat has also been seen and we believe there may be one more tabby kitten. We are estimating they are 9-10 weeks old - reading through posts on this site over the years, this seems to be the time when Mum lets them venture out. They all look healthy - the tabby is a bit of a runt, I'd say.
Upon catching the first one and realising there was obviously a family around, I immediately kitten proofed the en suite bathroom, put in a couple of litter trays, some goats milk, some food (I only have adult stuff at the mo) and have gradually been adding kittens every hour or so.
The kittens are clearly terrified (only one of them, the first black one, made any squeaking for mum noises) and I've been in the bathroom to check for them and three of them are huddled together in one corner with the black and white one hiding behind the loo. They haven't touched the food yet.
I'll answer the obvious questions first: yes, am still trying to trap Mum and any remaining ones and no, I don't want to keep them! I think the plan will be to try and get them to the vet in the next 48 hours and get in touch with a local shelter. Am sure they are inundated but if they won't take them then I'll take the onus and see how we go untik I can find them good homes. Given that the kitties were going for wet food, am sure they are weaned and I guess I should try to spend as much time with them as I can. How long till they warm up to me? I reckon 4-5 days ..... but I might be miles out. I must dig out the wand toys!
Any and all recommendations accepted! Am sure we are doing the right thing here....I love ferals (am about to adopt 2), but if a cat can have a good life, it should have it and so while I don't like the fact they aren't with their Mum at the moment, at least they are safe. I suspect Mum is pretty feral....now her I might adopt!
At about 5 o'clock this afternoon (about 6 hours ago), I got a call asking whether my cats had kittens and, if so, whether one had disappeared as a little black kitten had been seen in the hedge between my farm and the office. I answered 'no' - I'm currently without cats (other posts on this subject elsewhere) - but I had had a few presents left on the farm recently!
Anyway, I offered to lend them my trap to help catch the kitten and offered it a safe barn for the night.
Fast forward 6 hours and I have 4 kittens in my bathroom. There are 2 black ones, 1 b/w one and 1 tabby, the first caught (this was the one that made us realise there was a whole family). Actually caught the last 2 together!
A mother cat has also been seen and we believe there may be one more tabby kitten. We are estimating they are 9-10 weeks old - reading through posts on this site over the years, this seems to be the time when Mum lets them venture out. They all look healthy - the tabby is a bit of a runt, I'd say.
Upon catching the first one and realising there was obviously a family around, I immediately kitten proofed the en suite bathroom, put in a couple of litter trays, some goats milk, some food (I only have adult stuff at the mo) and have gradually been adding kittens every hour or so.
The kittens are clearly terrified (only one of them, the first black one, made any squeaking for mum noises) and I've been in the bathroom to check for them and three of them are huddled together in one corner with the black and white one hiding behind the loo. They haven't touched the food yet.
I'll answer the obvious questions first: yes, am still trying to trap Mum and any remaining ones and no, I don't want to keep them! I think the plan will be to try and get them to the vet in the next 48 hours and get in touch with a local shelter. Am sure they are inundated but if they won't take them then I'll take the onus and see how we go untik I can find them good homes. Given that the kitties were going for wet food, am sure they are weaned and I guess I should try to spend as much time with them as I can. How long till they warm up to me? I reckon 4-5 days ..... but I might be miles out. I must dig out the wand toys!
Any and all recommendations accepted! Am sure we are doing the right thing here....I love ferals (am about to adopt 2), but if a cat can have a good life, it should have it and so while I don't like the fact they aren't with their Mum at the moment, at least they are safe. I suspect Mum is pretty feral....now her I might adopt!