What Should I Do?

My neighborhood is obviously kitten central right now...I've been watching a feral mama kitty that I knew had already had her babies for a while now! Well, last night when I was coming home, finally saw the kittens out playing for the first time! I cannot believe 4 have even made it to the age they are now in this weather! I have such an urge to save them, set them up in my bathroom, take care of them, then find them all loving furever homes. I say they are 5 weeks. I am in Georgia and it is SO hot. I walked towards them and they ran, so I'd most likely have to set out my baby trap to try to get them, but what are your thoughts on this? Should I leave them alone or try to get them?

I am going to be trapping mama and getting her fixed in September. I've been feeding her for a while now.

I just feel like they are at such an injustice staying outside. 

If you take the kittens inside are you planning to take the mom as well?  This is the age to start socializing them but mom can still teach them a few things.

Here is a link to a thread with a similar situation

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/301680/kittens-showed-up-in-my-garage

Mom is hugely feral. I have been trying to get closer to her over time, she knows I'm the food lady, but still waits for me to get back in my car and leave before she goes to it. lol

I am thinking that since I feel like they are in a safe place, I am going to wait a couple of more weeks, keep providing food and water and talking with them, they have great hiding spots and shelter where they are...and once they are about 8 weeks, I will see what I can do. I really want to get them away from the outside world though and give them a loving home.

MindyL3igh said:

 
My neighborhood is obviously kitten central right now...I've been watching a feral mama kitty that I knew had already had her babies for a while now! Well, last night when I was coming home, finally saw the kittens out playing for the first time! I cannot believe 4 have even made it to the age they are now in this weather! I have such an urge to save them, set them up in my bathroom, take care of them, then find them all loving furever homes. I say they are 5 weeks. I am in Georgia and it is SO hot. I walked towards them and they ran, so I'd most likely have to set out my baby trap to try to get them, but what are your thoughts on this? Should I leave them alone or try to get them?

I am going to be trapping mama and getting her fixed in September. I've been feeding her for a while now.

I just feel like they are at such an injustice staying outside. 

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You can do as you plan, and wait a little, but you can take them in and foster already now.  It will be easier to get them totally socialized if you take them now.  And thus, they will be easier to adopt out.   I myself dont mind a little shy cat.  My own oldest resident is shy to strangers, and in much reminds of such a fostered ex-semiferal...

But most people liks easy going cats, with no problems, sociale beings...

And this gift you can give them if you take in them NOW and foster them.

That is one of the few exceptions of our holy  "minimum 8 weeks, but preferably 12 weeks" rule.     This exception demands there IS a foster home waiting for them.

The other exception is  sheer emergencies, of course...

Re the mom.   There is some risk she gets another litter, a fall litter.  So take her for spaying as soon you can manage it.  Preferably perhaps after collecting the kittens, so they wont be alone and defenceless if you by any reason  dont manage to capture them.

So doing it now, as soon as you can manage it, is really my recommendation.

I agree. Taking them sooner, rather than later in this situation is much better for the kittens.

Also, I would suspect these kittens are closer to 6 wks of age if mom is letting them venture from the nest.

Ok, I will start fresh tomorrow. We are having some storms right now, if it clears up, I may go set the cage out later this evening, if not, I'll begin again tomorrow. They are smart little sweeties! I've already sat out their food this afternoon, so I'll probably wait until tomorrow when they are hungry! I've had the trap right where they stay for about a total of 4 hours altogether the past day and a half, and still nothing!   They get under insulation that is under a trailer, so after they run and do that, it's impossible to even see where they are. You can hear them sometimes though! lol...all you have to do is look at them from the street and they run away, so they will be a challenge, but I am up for it!

Storms have passed, I took up the container I put their food in and replaced it with the trap and some canned wet food (all I have on hand right now) so I made a small trail of juice, a couple of pieces, and then a big chunk of it all the way in the back of the cage. Mama was watching me the entire time! LOL, let's see what happens.

I already have my bathroom set up for them just in case I'm lucky. I just hate I only have one trap and there is 4 of them, so I am hoping I will catch all of them pretty close together.

It's a couple of trailers down from mine, on a vacant lot, which is where they are staying at, so I am going to be going and checking it every 20-30 minutes for the next couple of hours and see what happens.

OMG, LOL, it is a baby cage and when I just went and checked it, I had a big black and white cat rolling and rolling and rolling around in it! Poor baby...I let him go and I am done for the night, that worked my nerves. 

This tells you there are lots of hungry cats around!

I hope you begin to get the kittens in soon!

Yeah, we have gotten over half of the colony fixed. I'll be getting 5 more fixed in September as it's the only time I am able to get anymore done. I work with someone else on feeding them. He was upset because I took their food up for the trap, so he decided to get it from in there! LOL, I do wet food for them every other day, so he was like "OH WET FOOD!" I felt so bad, I put two cans worth out after! lol