HELP Zazou Found & Kittens (5) too!

opilot

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Great news!! Za had her kittens in the utility room,
behind the furnace at 8 am this morning. I collected
them litterally at the moment of birth, as she was on cold
concrete floor and I worried about the kits. 5 of them,
not 3 like the vet said.

Now - she has one kit behind the furnace with her, and
I am afraid she'll move up to the rafters - where I will
never get either of them.

I gave her food, and moved a cushion back there
but fear she will only use it as temp. storage till she
can move.

The other kits I moved out to a warming pad, cleaned
off and cut umbilicals on a couple. I nursed with
KRM and put on sheepskin fleece (to simulate mom
fur).

What can I do to get Za out of the utility
room, close the door to it, and get her back with
the kits?

Do I need to put them in the trap? And use the trap
to get her?? Please ADVISE in a hurry!!

BTW, they all will have homes through the vets - so
we are covered there.

So we are SORT of on track! Now to catch Za and
get with the kits. And/or get to vets for fixing!!

Cheers all. Its a good day for me!! (and Za!!)

The kits are greys, 3, 1 tortie like mom, 1 striped
grey/tortie.
One is quite a little male, I
can even now! I know Daddy cat was the Grey Persian
fluffy I saw. These will be lovely furry babies!!
 

kittycity81

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We are soooo happy you found Zazou and her kittens!!! Thankfully all of the kittens are oka nd so is mom,and the best part is that she didn't get outside and have the kittens. Maybe if you can't get her out of the utility room the best thing to do would be to make the utility room as comfortable as you can for her and just put the other kittens back in there with her.She probably feels safe in there and getting her out of the room will probably stress her out alot,which may even make the situation worse.Is there anyway you can block the rafters so she can't get into them? Please keep us updated,we hoped for the best when you said she was missing and now we are really relieved that you found her.
 
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opilot

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Update to Za and kits:

I used a trap for Momma - and kits as bait. I then caught Za and
put her and kittens in large kennel with litter pan and food.

Za is SOOOO mad and scared and hissing constantly
at me. I am heartbroken and sorry but it was for the best -
she would have gone to the rafters, and I could not / cannot
block the rafters off. And once up there, I'd never have gotten
to be able to socialize kits.

Before putting Za and kits together at 3 pm/4pm, I gave
a feed with KRM. So they would do okay if she didn't nurse.

I am worried though, cause when I checked at 7 pm, she
wasn't even lying near the kits! I am praying she
takes over the nursing SOOON. I don't know how long I can
let them go unfeed. The fleece is warm, so they should have
warmth, but food?

I am very relieved that I've saved 5 babies from suffering,
and they will ALL be fixed with homes
Momma
is clearly not a kitty that wants to be inside and is very
stressed, so I think snip n' clip ASAP after babies are
cleared to leave her is the best. Then back to her
home grounds. She will be able to survive there, if
I feed. (There is a a shed and gazebo to hide under, and
the old hall front stepts they squeeze under...)

Whew. What I've learned from this whole experience!!
And, let's not forget Princess Miew Miew. She is
apparantly much older than I thought (was thinking 3 mos
or 4 mos) more like 6 to 8 per vet. Teeth are all adult.

But she is so tiny! I think she may grow somewhat, but
not into a huge cat...Say prayers and send vibes for me,
because I am hoping/praying she will sneak her way into
my friends heart and he will take her into his home. He
is visiting this Friday. (am I evil or what??!
)

He lost his beloved orange cat Sammy at age 21 last
year, and he really mourned her. He hasn't gotten another
cat since, and I think this little special girl might do the trick!
Sent him photos and he thought she was VERY like his
darling baby sam!!

Oh, and my Greyball is BACK! For the last 1wk he has
been on my deck stairs in the am, awaiting food
at 8 am sharp. I have been so happy to see
him eating without being molested by the other
nasty cats. (My neighbor who simply doesn't fix
her tomcats GRRRRRRRR!
)

Fingers crossed he continues to show and that
they continue to leave him alone...

Oh, and a racoon came through the pet door
into my house late at night (once at 12:30
and once at 3 am) last week, so for the past
week I've taken all food in at 9 pm,
and closed off the pet door, PLUS removed my
pet ramp at 11 pm from the door.
So they can't easily get to the door flap.

I think that's why Grey started to not
want to stay in the feral shelter at
night - between coons and other cats
he didn't feel safe
 

tnr1

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That's a good update Opilot. Let me know if you still need to bring the orange kitty to an adoption event next Sunday.

Katie
 

kittycity81

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I think Zazou will eventually feed her kittens,just give it some time.She is probably just upset right now that you moved her.Keep us updated and Good Luck!
 

jeanw

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Good idea to try covering the kennel with a blanket. She will feel safer and that may help her to start nursing.
 
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opilot

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Update Tuesday march 28 to Za

Za is nursing her kits! She is very unhappy
at me when I open the cage to feed her, but
is otherwise not moving towards me - other
than hissing fiercely at me... She ate
alot last night, but nothing today. Maybe
by the time I go home. I put out fresh
food at dinner time.

Poor girl! If only she knew how much better
things are going to get.

I have a possible offer to relo Za to a barn home -
done properly of course (with kenneling etc. so she
"learns" the place first).

The barn has about 20 other
former ferals, all fixed. She would be fixed before she
went there.

It would be a huge improvement over
her old home site, since there is no traffic at the barn - it
is off major roads with a large amount of land for the
cats to roam in some safety (no cars and no people to
harass her), the barn to keep them safe and warm,
and someone to feed daily and care for.

I so hope it works out for little Za! Meantime, I am planning
on separating Za and kits once kits reach about 4/5 wks of age,
as I would NOT want them developing bad attitudes to humans
due to Za's own fears. Za would then have her milk dry up,
and be spay.

I understand weaning begins around 5 wks or so.

Anyone with feral Momma/kits to be socialized have
any inputs for me?? I mean how to separate them,
how soon to let Momma out of the cage (when
does she get tired nursing??), to start handling
the babies (wk 1? after eyes open?)

Its going to be wild - 5 kittens at 5 weeks
imagine it!!! Holy little terrors!!!

Little Miew Miew may also be lucky. I am not sure, but think
my friend may be *considering* Miew! I haven't brought it up,
but have been praying hard for it to happen. Please send
me vibes for Friday/Saturday!!

It would save Miew the stress and rigors of being "shown" -
she is so fearful of people, and the vet mentioned one of
her front legs was fractured and healed. Maybe someone
kicked at her?? She is afraid of feet and of little kids and
the noises they make.

I KNOW my friend, from his previous care for
his cat Sammy, would be a WONDERFUL Fur Dad to her.

I know he's lonely since his Sammy went - he's been waiting
for another cat to "find" him like his Sammy did. This one might be
it for him!! (Especially since she looks so much like Sammy.) Please,
oh please I HOPE so!!


Meantime, I am looking at naming my adorable kittens! (Well, Za's
not mine!) 5 little lovies. I will try to take pics and post
later to my web site. I have one tortie blue cream, one blue cream
with white legs, one grey with grey tabby bull's eye markings
on his side, and 2 solid silver greys.

Its going to be fun watching them grow
up - then off to the vets showcase
to find good homes. "Vetted" homes as it were,


Cheers to all and thanks for all the advice and help and
encouragement.

I am definitely pleased I did this. Can't
wait to go back and trap some more - waiting till I clear
this bunch out to homes / vet though - one at a time so I don't get over
loaded.

I would do faster - but like I said I don't want
to burn myself out on it.

I think I've earned my wings on this one.
 

beckiboo

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Here is a link to a specialized cage for feral Moms. I don't know if you could set up something similar for Zazou...it is something to think about. Certainly, for now she needs to be disturbed as little as possible! But maybe in a few weeks...

If you are going to keep fostering feral Moms, it might be worth a try to try to build something similar.

http://www.cat77.org.uk/articles/feral2.htm

P.S. Great news that she is caring for the babies! And you found her a good place!!! Remember, if your friend doesn't choose Miew, someone else will.
 
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