I was at my boyfriend's house last Thursday. There are a lot of stray and feral cats in his neighborhood. He puts dry food and water out for them. There are a few that will let him pet them. Anyway, we were painting some shelves on his driveway and one of the cats was on the porch. He started to pet her and said that she was pregnant. I thought that she shouldn't have to give birth outside. He was not bothered by the idea. So I said, if she'll let you pick her up then put her in a carrier and I'll take her home. When the kittens are old enough they can get adopted because I'll make sure they're healthy and well socialized. Then the mama can be adopted or spayed and put back in his yard if that what the local experts recommend. I live in a two-bedroom apartment. I'm a single mom with an 8-yo and 10-yo. We have two sweet calm neutered kitties - Jack, adopted as a kitten - he's about 1 year old) and a rescue named Booter (I'm not even sure of the gender - about 10 years-old. My boyfriend's long-time friend and neighbor died last fall. My boyfriend took in his friend's 4 indoor kitties. I was lamenting the fact that Jack is not a lap kitty and he said, "Give Booter a try, he's a lap kitty). So Booter joined the family and it's been amazing to see all these animals and people bond. We're one big happy family! We also have a 2-yo neutered Chihuahua who's great with cats because he thinks he is one. His name is Don Pedro.
Okay, back to the mama kitty. I brought her into the apartment Thursday afternoon. I put her in the master bathroom with dry food, canned food, water, a crate, a shallow box lined with a towel and a litter box. The few times I checked on her she was just cowering behind the toilet and she barely touched the food, if at all.
Friday she ate a little bit, used the litter box and cried some. I decided I would open the bathroom door and give her run of the master bedroom and bathroom. I would lightly knock on the door and talk softly when I entered the room. I caught a few fleeting glimpses of her running under the bed. She was eating and drinking a lot more and peeing and pooping.
Yesterday, Don (my boyfriend) came over and went into my room alone and called her. She came out and let him pet her. Last night I entered the room more quickly than usual and went to the vanity area (it's between the bedroom and bathroom. I inadvertantly kind of trapped her between me and the bathroom. She seemed pretty tense. I knelt down and put my hand out. She sniffed me. I tried to pet her and she backed away so I slowly rose and left the room. Last night in the wee hours of the morning I heard her scratching and thumping under my bed.
I didn't see her today, but I wasn't home or in my room much. About two hours ago I was standing next to bed putting some clean clothes on hangers and I thought I heard a tiny, short mew. I wasn't sure. I thought it could've been something outside or maybe I bumped my rocker/recliner and it squeaked. I froze and then I heard more mewing. I'm freaking out. I'm sure it's really dusty under my bed. I thought I had more time to clean under there. I put canned food, dry food, water, the shallow towel-lined box and the litter box on the floor on the side of the bed that I don't use, hoping to make it easier for her to get her needs met without going across the room, vanity area and into the bathroom.
I am so worried. I don't want to stress her. But if I don't look under there can I feel okay that things are okay? I thought about asking Don to come over and look under there because she obviously feels better about him than anyone else.
Please let me know what's the best way to proceed. I scared to do the wrong thing. I'm scared to do nothing. Thank you in advance.
Okay, back to the mama kitty. I brought her into the apartment Thursday afternoon. I put her in the master bathroom with dry food, canned food, water, a crate, a shallow box lined with a towel and a litter box. The few times I checked on her she was just cowering behind the toilet and she barely touched the food, if at all.
Friday she ate a little bit, used the litter box and cried some. I decided I would open the bathroom door and give her run of the master bedroom and bathroom. I would lightly knock on the door and talk softly when I entered the room. I caught a few fleeting glimpses of her running under the bed. She was eating and drinking a lot more and peeing and pooping.
Yesterday, Don (my boyfriend) came over and went into my room alone and called her. She came out and let him pet her. Last night I entered the room more quickly than usual and went to the vanity area (it's between the bedroom and bathroom. I inadvertantly kind of trapped her between me and the bathroom. She seemed pretty tense. I knelt down and put my hand out. She sniffed me. I tried to pet her and she backed away so I slowly rose and left the room. Last night in the wee hours of the morning I heard her scratching and thumping under my bed.
I didn't see her today, but I wasn't home or in my room much. About two hours ago I was standing next to bed putting some clean clothes on hangers and I thought I heard a tiny, short mew. I wasn't sure. I thought it could've been something outside or maybe I bumped my rocker/recliner and it squeaked. I froze and then I heard more mewing. I'm freaking out. I'm sure it's really dusty under my bed. I thought I had more time to clean under there. I put canned food, dry food, water, the shallow towel-lined box and the litter box on the floor on the side of the bed that I don't use, hoping to make it easier for her to get her needs met without going across the room, vanity area and into the bathroom.
I am so worried. I don't want to stress her. But if I don't look under there can I feel okay that things are okay? I thought about asking Don to come over and look under there because she obviously feels better about him than anyone else.
Please let me know what's the best way to proceed. I scared to do the wrong thing. I'm scared to do nothing. Thank you in advance.
