Trapping Kittens and Mother Cat

Hi, for the past several days I have been attempting to trap kittens that a mother cat has been bringing into my front yard. I did actually manage to get two kittens today that had been sleeping beneath the hood of the car-- they are about six weeks old, I was able to scruff them with gloves on and carry them to a carriage in a towel. There was a third kitten in the car, as well, but it is either still hiding there or ran out to hide somewhere else. The past couple of nights I have only seen the three kittens, but I know there are at least six. That's the maximum amount I've seen. Am I safe to assume she does not have more? Do mother cats typically split up groups of kittens this way? I know on one night she left four of the kittens on the front porch by themselves for several hours.

I believe the mother cat will be able to be rehabilitated, as well as the kittens, as the other night I was able to pet her with gloves on and while she hisses at me still, she also meows in response to me speaking to her and she has not tried to bite or scratch when I touch her. I was told that I may be able to capture the kittens in a carrier by placing food in there and then closing the door, but I have been unsuccessful at managing this. I have a small Havahart animal trap, as well,  but only one kitten was brave enough to enter it-- I had it propped open so they couldn't activate the trap themselves and didn't end up trapping that kitten as I didn't want to spook the shyer ones. I figured I would try a homemade drop trap next, as I am not sure what else to try. 

I know I read one cat site that said to be patient when trapping kittens, but I have been anxious about trapping the remaining kittens and the mother cat and  feel guilty for not trapping them all sooner.

Thank you for reading~

I have never trapped kittens (so far have been able to catch by hand) so others will know more, but I don't think using a drop trap with kittens is a good idea. That seems very risky to me, but as I said, others will be able to advise you better and will hopefully chime in soon.

The carrier seems more appropriate. Anything in particular that has caused this method to be unsuccessful for you so far? Are you standing next to the carrier when doing this or have you tied a string to the door?

The only other thing I can comment on is that I agree with you that all can be rehabilitated. The kittens are the right age for socialization and mother cat is obviously not feral so that is good start and you can pet her which is GREAT. The hissing is likely more a defensive warning to stay away from her babies than aggressive anyway. Hissing for cats isn't nearly as aggressive in intent as it sounds to us.

One thing I will suggest for momma kitty is to use her babies as bait instead of food (if she won't go for it). Put at least one baby in a regular carrier with a blanket over the sides and place the door up against the closed end of the trap where momma will have a good view of baby. I would wait until you have all the kittens to do this, though, and only if she won't go for regular bait.

Do not feel guilty!!! You are doing far more than many other people would, including looking after momma kitty and talking about her rehabilitation too. They are lucky to have you and the patience that I know you have!

Good luck!

 

Okay, so far tonight I have seen the mother cat come back three times to eat, but she has not brought any of the kittens. I've seen her do this before, but usually I will see at least some of the kittens in a night. She has been calling for the kittens she's left in the car. I believe she has been staying in the prairie area across the street when she is not here. I would guess that the other kitten that had been in the car-- I'm basically positive it is no longer there as I can't see it in the engine area and it would have come to the mother cat-- would be able to find her or the area she has been keeping the kittens fairly easily? The kittens are at least six weeks, maybe closer to eight or so, and so they can run across the street quickly and they climb trees easily. The mother has been scent marking around the yard so even if the kitten is still afraid, I assumed it would find her eventually if it hasn't already. I'm just worried, as I haven't seen it. I have scared the kittens before unintentionally, though, even making one run across the street, so I just hope it has found her already.

I feel guilty now for taking the kittens from the car, as I'm sure it scared the third kitten and caused it to run and hide. I acted impulsively and have been feeling very guilty and scared for the kittens... I am glad that I have two of them in my home, but I fear for the other kittens and am afraid I have been going about trying to help them the wrong way.

Please do not be so hard on yourself. You truly have nothing to feel guilty over. You are doing a very wonderful and compassionate thing and I don't believe you did anything wrong.

What if you had left all three where they were and they went roaming around and crossed the street and were hit by cars? You've at least saved two of them and might be able to save the others and the mother as well.

I don't know much at all about mommas and kittens as I usually work with seniors and geriatrics, but I do know that the kittens are becoming more independent at the ages you've estimated them to be and that momma kitties often do strange things with their babies in terms of moving them around and such. I wouldn't worry just yet.

I assume you are feeding them? Now would be a good time to start getting at least the momma kitty used to a trap. Set the trap but use zipties or something from preventing it from tripping. Feed her near the trap and over the next week work on feeding her in front of the trap, then slightly inside of it (again, rigging it to no go off), and move the food further and further until she is eating at the very back. That way when the time comes she will have lost any fear of it and will MUCH easier to trap.

Others more experienced with kittens will be of more help, but most of them are probably just asleep at this hour. You will likely receive more responses tomorrow. Until then, stop worrying so much and being so hard on yourself (easier said than done, I know)!

 

Thank you for the advice. I don't know, I looked at several sites that recommended a drop trap and it seemed like if I could get all the kittens together under a drop trap-- it'd be a large laundry basket that is weighted a bit-- and wait until it is clear, it'd work. I have a large dog crate where I feed them and have been putting kibble inside, but they rather not go in if I was watching. I would sit on the porch with a string to the door and the kittens would skitter around and play, but not go in and would eat when I wasn't there. I had hoped to get all of them inside with some fishy wet food, but some either just wouldn't do it or only one or two would be inside with the mother cat. I guess I could have tried trapping them together then releasing the mother to care for the remaining kittens, but I was afraid of spooking the mother off traps as I didn't know at the time how  feral she was. I was only able to pet her the other night after she let me get close enough by hand feeding her some wet food on a spoon. But then I assumed the mother could just burst through the crate door, since it wouldn't be latched, anyway. I plan on placing the drop trap farther back than the crate, so hopefully they are less likely to care I am watching them.

I am most concerned about getting the kittens as they do not want me to handle them at all, of course, being scared of people. Since the mother cat lets me handle her, though she is still wary of me, I think I can pick her up and quickly put her in a large carrier. But, yeah, if she proves difficult to get in a carrier or trap, I will try that. I am still concerned I am going about this the wrong way and  I think I was too wary of scaring them off traps and should have tried harder to trap them all by now. I can only hope that the mother cat brings back all her kittens again soon.

Thank you again~

Thanks again. I will have to borrow an adult size cat trap from a vet clinic that does neuter/spays on feral/stray animals. Even if I can handle the mother and put her in a carrier, I need to get one to trap a male tabby I believe is the father... Right now all I have is the small trap that I bought, since the clinic didn't offer traps small enough for kittens and they suggested the carrier method. In retrospect, I should have gone ahead and rented an adult trap last week and tried the prop stick tied to a string method-- then I could have tried capturing multiple kittens at once that way... If I placed the trap a decent ways away from me that could work, I'd hope. I didn't realize until I read about using a cat trap on kittens that it isn't really safe to let them trigger the trap, anyway, because if another kitten is in the way of the door they could be injured and they'd definitely be terrified...  Initially I thought they would always be too shy to show themselves  when I was sitting outside, too...

I have been putting out food every night in and around the carrier, at least. I had tried to set up a "routine" and wanted to get the kittens a bit used to being in a feeding area and around things like crates and traps prior to trapping them. But then when all six kittens were here the other night I didn't get a good opportunity to trap them in the crate. And, like I said, I was afraid of spooking the shyer kittens if they saw the bolder ones trapped in the Havahart trap. It is startlingly loud when the door slams shut.

I am guessing the kittens are over seven weeks and maybe even going on nine weeks now so, yeah, they are getting close to being independent. I have to presume the kitten I spooked so badly hid somewhere nearby. And if the mom cat has been keeping them in the prairie preserve, or around there, it is very close. But I still worry for them...

Anyway, I appreciate all your words of advice and encouragement.

Any updates?

Have you seen that third kitten again?

Oh, yes, thank you for asking. That kitten found the mom cat and she brought back the rest of her kittens, thank the cat gods... She had separated her litter and kept them in two different places. I caught the little black kitten last night and presently the three other kittens are hiding in the front bushes. They won't come out until the mom cat returns, so I have to wait a bit and try to see if they will go into the bigger cat trap I have set out there when she comes back

Since I've only ever seen a total of six kittens with her, I'm assuming she doesn't have any more hidden away somewhere. So after I trap the three kittens I can trap her shortly after, hopefully.

Ok, I caught two more, but the last kitten eluded me. I came close, but it didn't go in the trap... The mom cat took it into the prairie area or somewhere around there where she's kept the kittens. I just hope she brings it back tomorrow night, since she saw me trap her other kittens on the porch and take them inside....

One kitten has a neck injury, it looks infected, so it'll need vet care right away. I hope it is not too serious, I couldn't get a very good look, but it did look pretty raw. I'm not sure how it'll go with treatment since he is not used to people at all yet. I feel bad I scruffed him to put him in the kitten cage, it must have been painful...

Wow, what a great update overall!

You are doing great work, keep it up! Definitely take the injured kitten to be seen as soon as possible - don't feel bad about scuffing, you did what you had to in order to get him the help he needs. Just one more kitten and the momma cat to go! You're doing awesome work, thank you so much for your compassion for these creatures. You are giving them all a chance at a better life.

Looking forward to your next update! Good luck!

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

I took the kitten with the neck wound to the vet yesterday and what he had was... a botfly larva had burrowed into his neck and died and that is what caused a massive infection... He still has a draining hole in his neck since the vet couldn't close it up, as it would just get infected again, and it looks rather gruesome... But it is cleaned out and he is on antibiotics and pain meds, so it just has to heal. The kitten doesn't seem to care or act hurt, really, and he is quite friendly now and meows for attention/petting. I was surprised he did so well at the vet. Since he was both injured and not used to people handling him, I expected him to spit and hiss. But he was very calm, though he was scared. I also got dewormer for him and the other kittens-- they were all very good about taking it.

I had zero luck at catching the sixth kitten last night. I may try the smaller Havahart trap on him with tuna, since he seems less likely to want to go into the larger trap for whatever reason... I can try setting out both traps, as the mom cat can't eat all the food out of both traps at once... At least the mother cat has brought him back and he is comfortable playing in front of the house, so I hope she continues to bring him here every night until I am able to get him into a trap...

A botfly! Wow, wouldn't have expected that. It's great he did well, seems you're doing a fantastic job at getting them socialized.

Not sure if you've now caught the sixth kitten or mom yet, but be sure to try other types of bait, as well. A lot of people have great success with mackerel and fried chicken, so those are certainly worth a try. Just keep at it.

If they seem weary of the traps now more than before, don't be afraid to step things back a bit. You can try just feeding them for a few days with normal food and the occasional bait as a treat but feed them near the trap, not in it. Have the trap open but not "set" - ziptie it to where it won't go off. That way they can check it out and start seeing it as non-threatening. Then slowly move the food closer and closer to the trap and then further and further in the trap (still zip tied).

Once they're reliably eating at the back of the trap, you can officially set it. It may take you a week or two but it's worth a shot if they've become a bit trap savvy and suspicious at this point from witnessing the others being trapped and/or taken away.

Thank you for the advice. Finally did get all of them on Sat night... The last kitten was proving to be very difficult-- he had no interest in going near any sort of trap anymore. Even just leaving them propped open, he wasn't going in to eat any of the tuna/mackerel/whatever. I would have continued trying with the traps, but since that was slow going he was lured into the garage with the mother cat using the other kittens in cat carriers as bait and they were shut in there. I'm still kind of amazed it worked as planned. The mother cat is in the house with all the kittens presently, but tomorrow she is going to be spayed so she will be away overnight. She really is nice and friendly. A couple of the kittens are still hissy, so they need a little work, but overall they've been doing quite well.

Three of the kittens actually ended up having botfly larva... I had to take another one to the vet today to have him rechecked because a small scab on his chest ruptured and, sure enough, he had a larva... It is quite nasty, but if it is caught early enough it's easier to treat. The poor kitten with the hole in his neck is healing fine and the wound should close up in the next week or so. I'd never seen a cat have these things before, myself, so... Yeah, it was a very unpleasant surprise...

Poor boo-boos.  Hopefully, the treatment won't be too hard on them.

Another member had a cat wit botfly.  Here's that thread.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/301442/mystery-solved/540

I have been doing kitty rescue for about 13 plus years now, and trapping can be a trick if mom has been feral since her own birth or for a very long time as she becomes much more cautious. HOWEVER...it's not impossible to rope her and her entire liter in all at once. First you will need a medium sized, wire cage [ nothing that's enclosed as they are not big on entering enclosed places unknown so if they are able to see around them they feel safer ] Day one place the cage in an open area where you can see things as well, and place a bowl of dry cat food at the rear of the cage leaving the door open and do not go near it the first day. If the kitties are close by let them see you place the food in and go back inside. Day 2 repeat but after you place the food inside encourage them by telling them to "eat' and stand far enough away they can se you, but do not move. Day 3 repeat but this time when you move away go about half the distance. The trick is to let them know you have food for them but intend no harm. By now you should be able to talk "softly" to them without scaring them off. Key is to gain the trust. Get closer each day you put food out. By the end of the week they will be looking for you and be more trusting. On the last day they should be trusting you are not going to harm them and you should be able to stand close enough to be able to shut the door, but must move very quickly and be able to successfully lock them in. If you are not fast enough and some get out you will have to start over. I generally will switch from a dry cat food to using canned salmon. NEVER offer soft foods or any kind of canned fish until they have trust. The scent of fresh meat is in the air will draw them in pretty fast. Wait until mom and babies are comfortably eating at least a few minutes, and then make your move to lock them in. I have been doing this a very long time and can accomplish this in about 3-4 days, but you just starting will want to take that slower method. Cats that have gone too long without food will be fairly easier to catch. If you can get your hands on a large crate that's even better, because the distance to escape is greater; I use a 36 inch wire framed cage when trying to grab an entire litter all at once. Once you have them do not take them from the cage unless its a smaller cage, because you will need to leave them locked in for a couple of days. If you have a small spare room or bathroom you can put them in that's even better. Remember you will need to place a litter box in with them. They will move away from you each time you enter, but after a few days they will be comfortable enough and babies will start to allow touching and eventually holding. If mom is not able to be trained or retrained to humans then you will want to take her and have her fixed. At that point the Vet will clip the tip of one ear which is notification to any SPCA trappers that she has been fixed and if caught she will be released. At least they will here in Virginia where I live, you might want to check your states on this. Also, if you manage to grab babies but not mom with them she will return knowing you have her babies unless the babies are old enough to fend for themselves; such as 2 months or older. Also be aware that kitty news travels so if there are other ferals in the area don't be surprised if others show up. If they do and you find yourself with a yard full of adult cats you might want to let SPCA trap them, but keep in mind they will be put down.

I just looked up botflies in cats...nightmarishly disgusting...ughh

Hi, I'm guessing by the date that you have probably caught all of the kittens. Just one thing I learned from a similar situation for kittens , it took me a week to catch all 6,                                                               is when a kitten (or more) is in the carrier instead of trying to close the door, grab the top of the opening and quickly tip the carrier door side up so they slide to the bottom, and then close it.

I also didn't want to use the traps for kittens as I was worried 2 might go in at once and the door would catch the second one.

Yes, I managed to catch all the kittens and the mother cat about a couple weeks back, thankfully. It took me about two weeks of feeding/trapping to get them all. But thank you for the advice.

I was able to catch most of the kittens using standard cat/kitten traps. I propped the door open with a bottle attached to a string and then when a kitten was safely inside and no other kittens were in the way of the door, I could pull the string and shut the trap. That seems to be the typical approach, from what I read. Because either kittens are too small to set off a trap themselves or, yeah, if there are multiple kittens about then one could be struck/injured by the trap's door when it snaps shut.

Good job!