Is she a stray or a not cared for cat?

Hello everyone,

I have this stray that I really like, but am unsure if she already has an owner that just doesn't take good care of her. I live in a big neighborhood with hills and many many houses (around 30 per "block"). So I'm wondering if this cat has an owner or not. I don't want to take her in and not know if she's already had her vaccines or things done.

These are the milestones from my time with her:

- Met her roaming around the neighborhood and started to befriend her

- 3 days later, she has her (maybe) 1st litter of babies, my nephew sees them and she moves them away... never to be found

- couple of days later she comes weak and with a wound on her leg. I spray hydrogen peroxide on her would to clean it and she starts bleeding more. I take her to the vet. She has burn wounds "most likely she stepped on hot oil when entering a house" and after some procedures on her. I'm instructed to give her shots and medicine and let her be since she has babies somewhere. The vet assures me she must be a stray. She wanders off and returns when called.

- She continues to go somewhere and only comes to my house when I call her. She makes a recovery.

- Slowly befriended her and another stray (which I named Pardo). The boy continues to be cautious but allows to be near him. The girl comes over and starts to stay over more and more in a 6 month period. 

- She becomes fat (pregnant) again and despite our family efforts she has them somewhere. We never see them. She continues to come over and stay most of the day and we wonder about her babies.

- 3 months or so later she continues to stay more and at this point stays about 50% of the day in my house / yard and during the night we don't know where she is.

- She becomes fat again around this December and finally has her babies in our home. Which we are guarding under our couch. We give her water and food but she still wonders off somewhere and returns (I'm guessing to feed the babies.)

Where could she be going?

Does she have another home(s)?

I really like her and want to keep her.... all to myself 

As I mentioned,  I live in a big neighborhood with hills and many many houses (around 30 per "block"). So I'm wondering if this cat has an owner or not. I don't want to take her in and not know if she's already had her vaccines or things done. 

Asking around would just ask for attention to myself, which is something you don't want in my neighborhood.

What can I do?

Many thanks for your time!

Get copies of the vet bills, take her in, get her fixed, don't let her out.
If anyone comes knocking show them the bills and let them know they can have the cat back when they pay you back for the vet bill for "their" cat. Which they would have proof of right? Pictures, vet bills, animal license?

She's no ones cat and if she is she's not cared for properly. If she's owned by someone it looks like they're trying to rid themselves of the cat. I'd take her in and love her all you can and not worry about it.

I agree with misterwhiskers!  How could the owner be so careless? 3 litters? and where are all of these kittens now? I know female cats can wander just as much as males, but apparently her so called owners (if she really has an owner) are or were very remiss in her care. She obviously trusts you by having this last litter in your home. Who knows? maybe the original owners moved. I agree, get this cat fixed, up to date on shots, and be done with it! After all, you seem to be the one she trusts, and has chosen as her keeper!

Where are her December kittens now, still in your house? If they are I would do as @misterwhiskers  says, get her fixed and keep her in. If the kittens are now outside somewhere get her fixed anyway as she'll soon be pregnant again. With the feral cats I feed the kittens start to follow their mother to the place she gets fed when they are about three months old.

It is a risk to let her out again to feed her kittens, does it look like she is still feeding them? If you give her something that she can carry in her mouth, a piece of bacon or chicken etc, does she run outside with it?

It sounds like she is an abandoned stray rather than someone's pet. I'd say she's yours now.

misterwhiskers said:

Get copies of the vet bills, take her in, get her fixed, don't let her out.
If anyone comes knocking show them the bills and let them know they can have the cat back when they pay you back for the vet bill for "their" cat. Which they would have proof of right? Pictures, vet bills, animal license?

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Thank you very much for the advise. I don't know why I didn't think of that before! 

Anne with Cats said:

 
I agree with misterwhiskers!  How could the owner be so careless? 3 litters? and where are all of these kittens now? I know female cats can wander just as much as males, but apparently her so called owners (if she really has an owner) are or were very remiss in her care. She obviously trusts you by having this last litter in your home. Who knows? maybe the original owners moved. I agree, get this cat fixed, up to date on shots, and be done with it! After all, you seem to be the one she trusts, and has chosen as her keeper!

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I recall that on the first litter, which she had under my mom's roses, she had at least 3 babies and on the 2nd I'm not sure. I looked everywhere and with time, I know a neighbor had adopted "a kitten" which, by the size could  be from her first litter, but I'm not sure. I've also seen another one roaming around, he looks just  like her and I recall a baby from the first litter looking like that hairless. That would be 2 / 3(?) and from the 2nd litter I've not seen any kittens the size of a 6-7 month old cat.

Norachan said:

 
Where are her December kittens now, still in your house? If they are I would do as @misterwhiskers  says, get her fixed and keep her in. If the kittens are now outside somewhere get her fixed anyway as she'll soon be pregnant again. With the feral cats I feed the kittens start to follow their mother to the place she gets fed when they are about three months old.

It is a risk to let her out again to feed her kittens, does it look like she is still feeding them? If you give her something that she can carry in her mouth, a piece of bacon or chicken etc, does she run outside with it?

It sounds like she is an abandoned stray rather than someone's pet. I'd say she's yours now.

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She had the last litter in our home last Friday and we are keeping a close eye on the mom and babies. She often goes under the couch and stays there until I call her out to give her food.

I had put a small bowl of food and water near our front door (inside) since we didn't want her to think we were disturbing her nest, but after reading some articles here, I moved it near her nest and she loves it. I give her cat food and sometimes little bits of steamed chicken and bread and she eats them on the spot or off my hands.

I decided to bring home a big box and lined it with soft scraps fabric I got from the fabric store and put in her water and food bowls in hopes she moves her babies in there so we can watch them more closely and off the cold concrete floor.

It sounds like you have been chosen. 

Even if she had a home previously they obviously weren't taking proper care of her. Sadly very few kittens born outside make it to their first birthday, which could be why you haven't seen any of her other babies.

She's happy with you, I think it's safe to say she's your cat now.

Norachan said:

 
It sounds like you have been chosen. 

Even if she had a home previously they obviously weren't taking proper care of her. Sadly very few kittens born outside make it to their first birthday, which could be why you haven't seen any of her other babies.

She's happy with you, I think it's safe to say she's your cat now.

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I'm so sad to hear about the other babies. I really hope they made it.

When I first took her to help her with her injuries, she had just had the first litter and I was told by the vet that they most likely had drowned by the rain we had during those days. But I never lost hope. 

My sister says a neighbor had a kitten about the same age so I hope that at least one made it.

As I've mentioned, I've seen a second kitten roaming around the neighborhood. He seems like a teenager (if he was a human) but he's really feral and he just dashes by. He looks just like Grin.

I called home a little while ago and she didn't move her babies to the box I set up. It's a cardboard box lined with warm fabric, topped with more fabric, I left an opening by pulling the fabric up a bit making sure she could get in fine and put in food and water and I saw her go in a lay down. Hopefully  she will soon so we can keep an eye on the progress of the babies