Brought a 10 month old feral female into my home...what now??

I am an experienced cat person, have 2 cats that I rescued as feral kittens and trained them to be lovely pets.  This is my first at rescuing a feral cat that's about 10 months.  She had kittens recently, but wouldn't leave our porch, would stay there all day and for many hours long into the night.  As soon as she would hear our door open, she would come running (on the rare times she left the porch).  Took her to the vet, got all appropriate tests and treatment and vet agreed behavior is odd-likely kittens didn't survive or she rejected them.  I brought her in, am keeping her in a safe place, litter training, have toys for her, food and water, calm environment.  Introducing her in small doses to other cats- going reasonably well (considering), she doesn't really try to get outside.  Its only been a couple days but she seems depressed.  She will play, but very briefly. I do plan to get her spayed, but vet wouldn't do it right away.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

Hello and welcome.

Why would vet not spay her right away?

My post pregnant rescue had a period of what appeared to me to be depression also. She did eventually come out of it with just giving her a lot of love and attention. Since it's only been a couple of days, I'd just give her time.

Thank you so much for doing this for her. Keep us posted on her progress.

It sounds like you are doing everything you should to acclimate her to her new home.  I would urge the vet to go ahead and spay her.  Unless she had some infection, there is no reason not to that I can think of.

She will go into heat (if she hasn't already).  No sense in having her escape looking for love!

Thank you for helping her.

Welcome to The Cat Site, and thank you for rescuing and taking care of this cat.

Agree with everyone about spaying.  Unless she is medically compromised or the vet thinks she may still be nursing or pregnant, I would get her spayed.  That should settle her down, too.

She could also be scared and that manifests itself as depression.  Could very well be loss of her kittens, and everything she's know heretofore.  Just keep on doing what you're doing, providing a calm environment where she is regularly fed, and she should come out of her depression.

Sorry so long for the update.  She has gained 2 lbs. in our care (from 7lbs to 9.2) she is now been spayed and seems to be adjusting well to life indoors.  She is a really sweet girl!!  Thank you all for the advice!!

Ondine said:

 
 I would urge the vet to go ahead and spay her.  Unless she had some infection, there is no reason not to that I can think of.

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I can think of a reason.  She got also "treatment" at this first visit. I suppose it was both deworming and vaccinating.

Which is quite some burden on her body.  Some individuals are getting almost barely surviving, no?

AND also the stress of being taken in.  She was also recently giving birth.

A spaying above that is quite much.

Its convenient to have everything done at one visit, and this is surely why it is done so frequently.   Also, most ferales are made of tough wood - the weak ones do perish earlier, and thus, we seldom or never see them as adult ferales nor semiferales.

All this said,  I wont recommend to have everything done in one occasion. If you do have any possibility to do it in two occasions, sometimes even three different occasion, consider strongly to do so, its safer.   Apperently this vet though so too.

Im very glad to hear everything is well now, and both she and her new family is thriwing!

Good luck!

Oh thank you for the update.  Stephan may have been right, there was a lot going on for her.  Glad to know everything is going well now.