iam a foster mum but have got in a semi feral mum (2yrs roaming) and her 2 feral kittens 7wk old, to settle them and assess them i have them in large soft playpen with top cover, mum and kittens very hissy, after 3 days mum getting worse she was abit depressed now she so angry i cant even get food in even when she sees me putting the food in bowl for them, she started hissing more growls at me lunches abit towards me. which make the kittens react same way, i really want to get abit more socialised at least for rehoming. is mum worse because she stook 24/7 with kittens in confined space,or because she in side or lost cause help plz
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stray queen of 2yrs and 7wk old feral littens
- Thread starter colz
- Start Date
Oh, I just answered your other post. I see what the situation is now. I would advise separating mom from the kittens now - do you have a large crate just for her? If now, she may have to stay in the playpen and you'll need to transfer the kittens to a room of their own. A bathroom is good or a spare bedroom without too much furniture they can hide under.
Separating them will help you socialize them easier - mom is teaching them to fear humans now. She's scared and will most likely continue to object to anything you do.
If you can, get her fixed right away. It will help calm her down but you will also be able to release her and let her get on with her life. Then you can concentrate on socializing the kittens.
Separating them will help you socialize them easier - mom is teaching them to fear humans now. She's scared and will most likely continue to object to anything you do.
If you can, get her fixed right away. It will help calm her down but you will also be able to release her and let her get on with her life. Then you can concentrate on socializing the kittens.
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- #3
thanks again, yeah sorry did 2 posts, am a bit annoyed at myself for letting them out of pen now but was scared for kittens due to mums behaviour, now i have them hiding somewhere in room which is more difficult, dont know how to coax them out now x
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
forgot to say on last post iam on my own to try catch them x
Aw, bless your heart for helping this little family and thank you for that. 
Ok - letting them loose in that room will make socializing take a much, much longer time. BUT - you can try to recapture them (the kittens) and put them inside a large crate inside of the room where mom is hiding. Leave mom be for now - loose. If I am understanding this correctly? Mom and kittens are loose in a room.
Have the crate all set up for the kittens before you attempt to capture them which can be done quickly with a gloved hand - my preferred way to go because you need to start working with them right away. The only way to make progress quickly with feral kittens is by using a large cage for confinement until such time that they are allowing you to pet them and hold them snuggly in a wrapped up towel with only their head out. Only when they are accepting of your hand, soothing voice, loving touch can they then be allowed to run free in the safe room. IN the meantime, while the kittens are adapting to the cage, you can then try to re-trap mom by using a carrier. Only put food inside the carrier for at least a week. She will have to in and out of the carrier to eat. BUT - make sure she IS eating. Put the carrier near where she is hiding, door open facing her. I have no idea how feral she is, so it is hard for me to tell you which steps to take first. She also needs to get spayed, right away, so recapturing for that is a must before socialization begins. Some more information would be very helpful on the mother.
The kittens will be fine - it will just take much time, love and patience on your part. Don't give up too quickly. Keep at it and don't let them out of the cage until they are more trusting or you will have a big set-back. The kittens will just hide every single time you come into the room and bringing them out will take much, much more time. Time is of the essence for them getting socialized. It can be done!!! I promise you!!!
A good read to help you with more suggestions.
http://www.catnipchronicles.com/may2012/laurie.htm
p.s. I recommend an actual large dog crate OR one of those Midwest cat playpens for socializing. The soft top play pen will be harder to keep clean and easier for them to "bust" out.
Ok - letting them loose in that room will make socializing take a much, much longer time. BUT - you can try to recapture them (the kittens) and put them inside a large crate inside of the room where mom is hiding. Leave mom be for now - loose. If I am understanding this correctly? Mom and kittens are loose in a room.
Have the crate all set up for the kittens before you attempt to capture them which can be done quickly with a gloved hand - my preferred way to go because you need to start working with them right away. The only way to make progress quickly with feral kittens is by using a large cage for confinement until such time that they are allowing you to pet them and hold them snuggly in a wrapped up towel with only their head out. Only when they are accepting of your hand, soothing voice, loving touch can they then be allowed to run free in the safe room. IN the meantime, while the kittens are adapting to the cage, you can then try to re-trap mom by using a carrier. Only put food inside the carrier for at least a week. She will have to in and out of the carrier to eat. BUT - make sure she IS eating. Put the carrier near where she is hiding, door open facing her. I have no idea how feral she is, so it is hard for me to tell you which steps to take first. She also needs to get spayed, right away, so recapturing for that is a must before socialization begins. Some more information would be very helpful on the mother.
The kittens will be fine - it will just take much time, love and patience on your part. Don't give up too quickly. Keep at it and don't let them out of the cage until they are more trusting or you will have a big set-back. The kittens will just hide every single time you come into the room and bringing them out will take much, much more time. Time is of the essence for them getting socialized. It can be done!!! I promise you!!!
A good read to help you with more suggestions.
http://www.catnipchronicles.com/may2012/laurie.htm
p.s. I recommend an actual large dog crate OR one of those Midwest cat playpens for socializing. The soft top play pen will be harder to keep clean and easier for them to "bust" out.
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It is, I must agree with you, very difficult to catch a frightened kitten, speaking from experience. I was lucky with the first generation, as mum was an abandoned, who first came stealing the dogs' food, with her kittens hidden outside, then, as I fed her and she'd been domestic before, she brought her kittens, 3 in all, to join her, after a month or so. I thought there was only 1 as I never saw them together and they were all black, till one day I saw a row of a black and white tail (mum), followed by 3 black tails glide past. It took quite a time to touch the kittens, 2 males and a female, but unfortunately the female was killed by a big bad tom after she'd had 2 of her own, and then been spayed. Now Mum and her sons are lazy, lounging cats, but the 2 kittens the other poor little one had, who was very timid, were born outside in an inaccessible hole, and now they have 4 1/2 months, and I've only managed to catch them too see that I must get the female spayed fast. They're very wary, especially as they lost their mum at 2 1/2 months, I think.
Maybe if you get mum out of the room (long gardening gloves and a towel can be useful !) and into a cage, and soundproofed so the kittens can't hear her, they'll go into the pen to eat. If you leave a little gap, and only move once they're eating, you might get them shut in. But, OMG, do they run fast for their size. But if they're on their own, with mum in another room, they'll come out when they're hungry, for sure. I do the statue act in that case (see my description further on, it works, but it is long. I approached a few inches closer each day...)
Their mother is probably better spayed then let out to live her own life if she's not young, like 6 - 12 months, as she could be to happy and used to being free, and will never trust humans. Or persevere with food, and a safe room, once she's operated. You'll need to keep her for a few days for antibiotics. Try fish, or liver, it's stinky and enticing, or turkey. I found it helped.
Also I talk to them softly but normally, and sit with out moving while they eat (get in a comfy position to avoid cramps ! ) like a statue, then talking, but moving makes for rapid dashes for cover, at first.
We have 5 cats in and round the house and 2 small dogs, who've all adapted to their areas, even though I've not got the 2 kittens to handling stage yet (and it's getting urgent for a spaying ! ), but also 1 or 2 who just come for a bit of shelter or a snack, and are totally immune to any approach by me. They come, sleep, eat, and go, but growl too much to be handled. I got enough scars from mum, funnily enough when I left the room she was in. We had a discussion and afterwards my legs were safe, but she really left some nasty scars. She'd been abandoned once, and it was just after she'd been spayed.
It's all a question of patience and food, frankly, although some times some cats eat better alone. You could slip a calmante in their bowl. Or try pheromones. I've ordered some feliway, a disperser, and a spray for me so they should be more comfy near me. But it's not arrived yet, so I can't say if it works. Maybe a natural calmante could help mum, while she gets over the spaying. Liquid's easy on tasty grub. Helps to entice scared kittens out too There's also a product someone mentioned, in this section, with an X in. If I re-find it I'll post the name.
Good luck, hope you get you furry family sorted out. Hope I can get the female kitten to the vet before she's pregnant too.
May the Cat God be with us
Maybe if you get mum out of the room (long gardening gloves and a towel can be useful !) and into a cage, and soundproofed so the kittens can't hear her, they'll go into the pen to eat. If you leave a little gap, and only move once they're eating, you might get them shut in. But, OMG, do they run fast for their size. But if they're on their own, with mum in another room, they'll come out when they're hungry, for sure. I do the statue act in that case (see my description further on, it works, but it is long. I approached a few inches closer each day...)
Their mother is probably better spayed then let out to live her own life if she's not young, like 6 - 12 months, as she could be to happy and used to being free, and will never trust humans. Or persevere with food, and a safe room, once she's operated. You'll need to keep her for a few days for antibiotics. Try fish, or liver, it's stinky and enticing, or turkey. I found it helped.
Also I talk to them softly but normally, and sit with out moving while they eat (get in a comfy position to avoid cramps ! ) like a statue, then talking, but moving makes for rapid dashes for cover, at first.
We have 5 cats in and round the house and 2 small dogs, who've all adapted to their areas, even though I've not got the 2 kittens to handling stage yet (and it's getting urgent for a spaying ! ), but also 1 or 2 who just come for a bit of shelter or a snack, and are totally immune to any approach by me. They come, sleep, eat, and go, but growl too much to be handled. I got enough scars from mum, funnily enough when I left the room she was in. We had a discussion and afterwards my legs were safe, but she really left some nasty scars. She'd been abandoned once, and it was just after she'd been spayed.
It's all a question of patience and food, frankly, although some times some cats eat better alone. You could slip a calmante in their bowl. Or try pheromones. I've ordered some feliway, a disperser, and a spray for me so they should be more comfy near me. But it's not arrived yet, so I can't say if it works. Maybe a natural calmante could help mum, while she gets over the spaying. Liquid's easy on tasty grub. Helps to entice scared kittens out too
There's also a product someone mentioned, in this section, with an X in. If I re-find it I'll post the name.Good luck, hope you get you furry family sorted out. Hope I can get the female kitten to the vet before she's pregnant too.
May the Cat God be with us
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