Not sure what to do!

I have a feral cat that hangs out here at my house (generally under the house).   She was pregnant but suddenly no longer seemed pregnant.  Friday (this is Monday) she had a kitten (Just 1, I think).  The kitten is under my house and I cannot get to her.  Friday her meowing was audible but today is a faint meow.  I'm trying to not jump to conclusions but I don't have a good feeling about this.  I'm not sure if momma cat is able to take care of her or maybe momma has moved the kitten or it just isn't meowing?  Little Bit (my name for momma cat) stays under my house except to eat.   I can pet her so she's not afraid of me, I just can't decide if I should try to do something or not.  Should I wait a few days to see or try to see if the kitten is sick?  I'm not crawling under the house but I'll see if I can find someone that can if it means that the kitten is sick.  Just not sure what to do!  I've never had cats so not familiar with behavior.

Have you seen mama each day to feed her? Have you seen her go under the house? She is likely tending the kitten, and the mews are faint because the kitten is satiated. The best thing you can do is give mama plenty of kitten chow, wet food, and water right now, so she has the nutrition to feed her baby or babies.

This cat sounds less feral and more stray if she lets you pet her. If all goes well with her kitten(s), she will bring it out to share her food in a few weeks' time.

Perhaps in time, you can take mama to be spayed so there are not repeat litters, and she and her baby can become pets. Baby will need fixing too eventually.

Welcome, and let us know how it goes!

Yes, I see momma several times a day.  She is also very young so I'm not sure she knows what to do.  I assume their instincts lead them.  I panic easy so I'm going to assume everything is ok.  I was going to have her spayed this week not realizing she was pregnant! 

Yes, she is feral.  I finally won her trust by sitting waiting for her while she ate.  I would love to get her back in shape and find her a good home.  She just loves being pet and purrs so loudly that I want her to have a family of her own!

Oh, and yes, I see her come out from underneath the house in the mornings when I feed her. 

Then that is a very good sign that she is caring for her baby. It is wonderful that you plan to spay her eventually and help her to find a forever home. You'll have to wait a few weeks now that she is nursing. It will be great if you can help to socialize her kitten to humans when she brings it out eventually.

CLW01 said:

 
I have a feral cat that hangs out here at my house (generally under the house).   She was pregnant but suddenly no longer seemed pregnant.  Friday (this is Monday) she had a kitten (Just 1, I think).  The kitten is under my house and I cannot get to her.  Friday her meowing was audible but today is a faint meow.  I'm trying to not jump to conclusions but I don't have a good feeling about this.  I'm not sure if momma cat is able to take care of her or maybe momma has moved the kitten or it just isn't meowing?  Little Bit (my name for momma cat) stays under my house except to eat.   I can pet her so she's not afraid of me, I just can't decide if I should try to do something or not.  Should I wait a few days to see or try to see if the kitten is sick?  I'm not crawling under the house but I'll see if I can find someone that can if it means that the kitten is sick.  Just not sure what to do!  I've never had cats so not familiar with behavior.

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Here are two different ways to go depending on...   And it depends among others, IF the kitten is at all accessible - its not sure!   And on how much you are prepared to do...

I can agree with you, kittens being loud isnt necessariy positive, and help may be needed, for example, supplement feeding that kitten.   So there IS a moment of hurry.

Although if the kitten is sick for real, it may die anyways, whatever you do.

First variation:, is this which  Sarthur   tells,  you wait and see, till the momma brings her kitten out in several weeks.  

And the kitten hopefully still young enough to be (rather) easily fostered.   It is also the easier solution.

Second variation, the more elaborate, and depends if you (or this helper of yours - I presume a kid who wants to help and also earn a few bucks)  CAN collect the kitten,

It is  you try to take in home both kitten and mom,  and foster them simultaneously.   The great advantage of this method is they will be fostered nicely, both the kitten and the mom.

As the mom isnt truly ferale, and IS already somewhat seeing you as her pal, it shouldnt be too difficult even for a newbe.

The best if if you catch / trap the mom, take her to the prepared room with all gears etc, and when she is secured, you send in the helper to collect the kitten.

The problem is of course, if the helper doenst manage to collect the kitten, you will be forced to release the mom.  And she will be more vary after it....

It is also possible to FIRST collect the kitten, and not so seldom, the mom will follow voluntarily after the kitten into the house especielly as she knows you are her friend of sorts..

But its more risky.  She MAY go into defensive frenzy, and scratch up and bite the helper...  It MAY ge quite gorgy!!!

  Or if she can, she moves the kitten before the helper manages to collect...

Her abandoning the kitten is not so probable, although, but a frightened semiferale could.

Which way to go?

I would really recommend the second way, collecting them both,   if if if   are there and possible for you.

If these ifs  arent possible, stick to the variation one...

Whatever you do, you are welcome back with further questions.

Tx a lot for caring!

I have a feral cat that had kittens several weeks ago under my house.  She seemed ok but suddenly she seems like she is fading away.  She has gotten very thin.  I've tried giving her better food, including wet canned food.  She just looks at me and walks away.  I try to keep cool water out there because it is so hot but I don't know what else to do.  I know she isn't eating the food and occasionally takes a drink of water but that's it.  Is there anything else I can do?  She is still feeding because she still has lots of milk.   I've been reading on the forums that people suggest kitten food and kitten formula.  Which would be better for her?  

She probably needs to go to the vet but I'm not sure I can catch her and leave her kittens alone, much less pay for a vet bill. 

Thanks, I"m really worried about her!

She probably has worms so if you could explain the situation to your vet on the phone they may be willing to recommend a de-wormer.  KMR is available at Petsmart in liquid and powdered form that you mix.  Mom could really use both KMR or goat milk and kitten chow.  They love the milk poured over their regular food.  It looks disgusting but they like it.  The stray mom that I just helped looked very skinny too but she was eating like a horse.    So I'm worried about her not eating too.  What are you feeding and what time of day?

You said she had kittens "several weeks ago" - where are the kittens? Do you know if they are still there and doing okay? I suspect she not only has parasites, but something is up with her kittens if she is acting this way.

Dandila said:

 
She probably has worms so if you could explain the situation to your vet on the phone they may be willing to recommend a de-wormer.  KMR is available at Petsmart in liquid and powdered form that you mix.  Mom could really use both KMR or goat milk and kitten chow.  They love the milk poured over their regular food.  It looks disgusting but they like it.  The stray mom that I just helped looked very skinny too but she was eating like a horse.    So I'm worried about her not eating too.  What are you feeding and what time of day?

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Two useful all round dewormers, both in pill so you can give it crushed in food, is Drontal and Milbomax.   Both are mild, and both should be presciption-free.

If you think its only roundworms, use some preparate of Pyrantel (pamoate).  These are useful not least for the kittens.  And may be found OTC too.  for example the Nemex2  is even tasting good...

Re extra food.  Im a great fan of goat milk, so go for it.  If you can get raw goat milk is excellent, but bottled full fat is OK too.

Common plain youghurt, cheese if she wants.  Raw egg yolk mixed with something is excellent nourishment.  Boiled yolk is good to, but not so easily digestible.  Boiled egg white.

@CLW01

Update...  After reading all the posts I tried to give her some roasted chicken (she wouldn't eat) and then tried the plain yogurt (she wouldn't eat that either).  I was able to feed her some canned tuna fish - wasn't sure if that would be good for her but she ate it and that's what I was worried about.  (Note:  she wouldn't even eat tuna fish today - she took a couple bites of her dry food and then walked away) She also drank a couple of sips of water. 

She did manage to keep it in.  I then proceeded to clean up her backside from all the diarrhea and she loved it.  She kept coming back wanting me to clean her up more.  I was surprised she let me do that but she was so bad I couldn't stand her anymore.  Someone said that if she has diarrhea then the kittens probably do too.  Her backside wasn't dirty today so maybe she hasn't had an accident since she ate something.

It does worry me that she is so incredible thin and has lost so much weight.  She has a lost look in her eyes.  I don't think she is doing well and I am going to take her to the vet tomorrow.  I was worried about leaving the kittens but I don't think she is staying with then now.  When I called her today she was around the corner and not under the house.  I still hear the kittens but I do not know if she is feeding them. 

After reading the comments above I'm going to scramble an egg and see if she will eat that....

I promise you that all access to underneath my house will be blocked this week after I get the kittens out.   I don't think I can go through this with another feral cat!

So glad she is going to the vet tomorrow. What is your plan for getting the kittens out? Will you have someone go under for you and bring them out? Will you be able to then have mom and babies together in your home?

Hoping the vet can fix this cat up tomorrow. Bless you for helping her! About how old do you think her kittens are?

C clw01

I am equally concerned for the kittens. If you are not sure she is feeding them any longer, they must be fed. Can you put a paper plate with wet food on it near where you hear the kittens? I am feeling like it is urgent to try and rescue the kittens tomorrow as well. What do you think?

I was able to get her to eat a couple of bites of a scrambled egg just now.  I noticed she is covered in fleas too.  

Her usual food is dry food with a few treats on top.  She's always tolerated and liked it before.  I gave her some wet food a little over a week ago and she gulped it down.  I'm not sure if that contributed to her diarrhea or not but I read that it could.  I generally feed her in the morning about 8:00 am and at about 6:00 pm.   She's a nibbler so I watch to make sure there's always a little in the bowl.

The kittens are still under the house.  I have been racking my brain trying to think of who I could call to ask to come get them out.  I can't get to them..  I won't fit under the house.   I cannot get food to them because there is no opening where they are located.   I could put some food where she goes in and out but I don't think they can get to it.  Momma cat has to climb down the water line to get out to the ground.  I know she heard them crying a few minutes ago but it didn't seem to mean anything to her. 

When I do get them out what do I do with them?  I can't bring them in my house...   if momma is covered in fleas the kittens will be too!   

I have no clue how old they are.  I'm guessing about 4-5 weeks old.  I looked down at the cat one day and thought, hum you must have had your kittens but I don't remember when that was. 

I'm just about at my wits end.  Its very heartbreaking to know they are there and not being attended to!  If you can't take care of an animal you shouldn't have one.   Even if they are feral!

C clw01

Put a tube of Advantage on mama kitty's neck. She may even be suffering anemia from fleas.

You can take the kittens because you can bathe them in Dawn and kill the fleas. Or you can at least feed them and get them to a rescue shelter.

Please find someone - a handyman, a neighbor's husband or teenaged son, an off-duty fireman, or ask a cat rescue organization if they know someone - and please get the kittens from under your house tomorrow. They need to eat! Let's please save these kittens!

Please make some calls first thing in the morning, and let's pray the mama will feed them tonight. But if they are 4 to 5 weeks old they need solid food now. And it doesn't sound like this mama has enough milk to go around.

Please give an update as soon as you can. Good luck in the morning!

All suggestions on my agenda for tomorrow.

I hope my posts don't sound unconcerned.  This is why I do not have animals of my own.  I am not employed and just about everything everyone keeps suggesting takes money!  I'm not sure where I'm going to come up with the money for the vet but I will.  I know the cats need advantage but its either $35.00 for advantage or my electricity.  I've contacted several rescue agencies here and they are swamped and cannot take these cats (we have had lots of flooding).  I do not want them too go to the city pound because they will kill after a 24 hour hold. 

I will keep trying....

Bless you! I'll be around tomorrow to hear from you.

I'm wondering if you offered to foster the family for the shelter if they would help you out with food and supplies. Just a thought.

I'm rooting for this mama, the babies, and you! And I do understand your situation. Let's touch base tomorrow.

Are you in Texas?  I wonder if the Red Cross has pet supplies?  Does anyone know?

handsome kitty

Could you call and inquire?

sarthur2 said:

@Handsome Kitty

Could you call and inquire?

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I asked on their contact us/website.  Will let you know what they say.

Thank you!