Socializing kittens

Me again.  I have the three feral kitties I TNRd and re-released back into the ravine, only to see the girl kitty show up with 4 kittens.  These kittens are a mystery - the girl (Esther) was spayed in mid-April.  She's appx. 8-9 months old.  These kittens, judging purely by size, have to be between 3 and 4 months old; more likely 3.  We called the vet who fixed her, and her notes said there was no sign that Esther was lactating or had ever had kittens, but these kits look just like a perfect mixture of Esther and her brother, Brighton.  The coloring, the markings, everything.  She is related to them somehow, and she considers them HER kittens, we just don't know who the real mother is or where she went.  (My current theory is that the mother of Esther and Brighton, siblings, had an additional litter, Brighton the possible father.  Hard to say, though.)

The local human society has loaned me traps and a haven, and we're going to start trying to socialize the kittens this weekend.  We have not trapped yet, but I expect that will be pretty easy - we got the others the first time we tried.  I have 5 indoor kitties, and the kittens cannot be separated from one another for the socialization process - this will have to be all together.  I know this makes it more difficult, but one of my indoor cats is diabetic (in remission) and I don't vaccinate the others (TOTALLY indoor kitties), so there can be no mixing between the kittens and cats until I know the little ones are fully healthy.  (Vet can't see them until early next week - holiday week, ya know.)

I'm stocking up on a combination of kitten food, a small litter pan, special food treats like sardines and fish of other varieties, and new cat interactive cat toys.  The haven will go on the screened-in front porch, separate from other cats, and we'll work with them there.  I have promises from several local kids who are interested in cats and have the disposition to show patience and kindness to animals who have promised to come and help us out, just so socialization is more generalized.

What else do I need?  Should I invest in Feliway for the porch and for my own cats, who I expect will spray at the door?  What else do I need?

Thanks loads.

These are the same kittens you saw five days ago? Boy you must have been confused!

It sounds like you are doing everything you can and doing it well. You're an old hand now

I would invest in the Feliway and in some enzyme cleaner for the spraying you are expecting. Are you going to find homes for them or release them?

BTW - excellent idea about having the kids help with socializing.

Nice working!  Feliway at first for the residents, if you think they may get nervous.

I fear the Feliway will dissolve into air on the porch, loosing rapidly its concentration.  Unless your porch is all glassed in of course.

Ester was perhaps acting co-mother with the biological mother, this is common enough.  Now probably something happened with the biological mom, as she no longer takes care of them.  she is perhaps waiting a new litter, and let go her "old"?

Good luck!