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- Jun 20, 2022
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What do you do when a feral cat has moved her kittens elsewhere? I was so close to capturing all 5 kittens, and then the Mom to be spayed. (We personally visited the shelter after discovering she had kittens that were already pretty old. I think they nurse just a little bit, but they are eating kibble and drinking water).
I FINALLY came up with a great plan of capturing them, and just like that.... they've disappeared. At first I thought it was because the Mama Cat knew something was up, but now I think it's because of the traffic. (We live in the country, but the big rigs have been using the road in front of our house like crazy lately. It's constant. It never stops and it is very loud and annoying).
I know the Mama cat HAS to be spayed, as do the kittens when they're of age. But... what do I do now? I would think the Mama Cat is bringing the kittens food, but if she's gone - while being spayed - HOW will the kittens be fed in the meantime? If they were still with us, we would feed them in their Mom's absence, but we can't do that because we have no idea where they are now.
Of course, our plan was to take all 5 kittens and the Mama Cat to the shelter. (Mom to be spayed and returned to us, and the kittens eventually spayed and adopted out either as house cats or barn cats. The shelter will only take the Mama Cat in on a Tuesday or Wednesday, so - due to the timing - capturing the kittens had to be the priority).
My window for capturing the kittens has been extremely narrow. (Due to the heat of the day. The heat index has been around 106 degrees, so naturally the cats just hang out beneath the storage building all day. I can't flush them out from the building itself, and even if I could I wouldn't dare take the chance because of the big rigs just yards away from where they're living. I don't want to frighten them to the point where they dart out on to the road). Also, the kittens are terrified of humans. There's no way to sneak up on them, and I can't use a live trap for 5 kittens. (It would maim the kitten(s) following behind the first kitten that actually set off the trap). I FINALLY set a 'trap' for them by creating an alley of sorts between the storage building and the barn, but right at Crunch Time everything's changed. The kittens are gone, and the Mama Cat just strolls on our property like the cat that just ate the canary. She's not telling us anything. :/
Anyway... I guess my question is what do I do concerning the Mama Cat? Do I still take her in to be spayed this week, or will that harm the kittens? I know the Mama Cat MUST be spayed. I get that. I do not want more kittens around here, especially considering the fact that she's not the only feral cat around here. I just don't know what to do. I feel like any decision I make will cause harm. Either the kittens won't survive without their Mom around for a little while longer, or that 'little while longer' is just enough time for the Mama Cat to become pregnant yet AGAIN!
I'm sure I'll call the shelter on Tuesday to ask their advice, but in the meantime I would like to hear YOUR advice. Thanks in advance. I really do appreciate it.
Kristin
UPDATE: So it's only about an hour later and on the baby cam I had set outside I finally saw Mama Cat and 2 or 3 of her 5 babies. Two babies were playing in the 'trapping area' I created. (Mama Cat was there for a short while). However, on the ONLY side of the building I can approach them the 3rd kitten was eating all alone.
Also, the 18-wheelers were busy as always and I didn't dare spook the kitten because of that.
I then saw the Mama Cat prowl across the yard towards our side garden/driveway at the opposite end of the house. (Where there are no windows). I waited a few minutes to see if she was keeping the cats in the garden bed. She never returned, so I went to the 'trapping area' to see if any of the kittens were still there. (The 3rd kitten that was eating was no longer there). Once I got back there, it was completely empty.
I searched the perimeter of the house and found no kittens or Mama Cat.
This is nuts. I'm exhausted. I have been killing myself since last week, trying to capture these cats. I have to do it by myself, too.
I FINALLY came up with a great plan of capturing them, and just like that.... they've disappeared. At first I thought it was because the Mama Cat knew something was up, but now I think it's because of the traffic. (We live in the country, but the big rigs have been using the road in front of our house like crazy lately. It's constant. It never stops and it is very loud and annoying).
I know the Mama cat HAS to be spayed, as do the kittens when they're of age. But... what do I do now? I would think the Mama Cat is bringing the kittens food, but if she's gone - while being spayed - HOW will the kittens be fed in the meantime? If they were still with us, we would feed them in their Mom's absence, but we can't do that because we have no idea where they are now.
Of course, our plan was to take all 5 kittens and the Mama Cat to the shelter. (Mom to be spayed and returned to us, and the kittens eventually spayed and adopted out either as house cats or barn cats. The shelter will only take the Mama Cat in on a Tuesday or Wednesday, so - due to the timing - capturing the kittens had to be the priority).
My window for capturing the kittens has been extremely narrow. (Due to the heat of the day. The heat index has been around 106 degrees, so naturally the cats just hang out beneath the storage building all day. I can't flush them out from the building itself, and even if I could I wouldn't dare take the chance because of the big rigs just yards away from where they're living. I don't want to frighten them to the point where they dart out on to the road). Also, the kittens are terrified of humans. There's no way to sneak up on them, and I can't use a live trap for 5 kittens. (It would maim the kitten(s) following behind the first kitten that actually set off the trap). I FINALLY set a 'trap' for them by creating an alley of sorts between the storage building and the barn, but right at Crunch Time everything's changed. The kittens are gone, and the Mama Cat just strolls on our property like the cat that just ate the canary. She's not telling us anything. :/
Anyway... I guess my question is what do I do concerning the Mama Cat? Do I still take her in to be spayed this week, or will that harm the kittens? I know the Mama Cat MUST be spayed. I get that. I do not want more kittens around here, especially considering the fact that she's not the only feral cat around here. I just don't know what to do. I feel like any decision I make will cause harm. Either the kittens won't survive without their Mom around for a little while longer, or that 'little while longer' is just enough time for the Mama Cat to become pregnant yet AGAIN!
I'm sure I'll call the shelter on Tuesday to ask their advice, but in the meantime I would like to hear YOUR advice. Thanks in advance. I really do appreciate it.
Kristin
UPDATE: So it's only about an hour later and on the baby cam I had set outside I finally saw Mama Cat and 2 or 3 of her 5 babies. Two babies were playing in the 'trapping area' I created. (Mama Cat was there for a short while). However, on the ONLY side of the building I can approach them the 3rd kitten was eating all alone.
Also, the 18-wheelers were busy as always and I didn't dare spook the kitten because of that.
I then saw the Mama Cat prowl across the yard towards our side garden/driveway at the opposite end of the house. (Where there are no windows). I waited a few minutes to see if she was keeping the cats in the garden bed. She never returned, so I went to the 'trapping area' to see if any of the kittens were still there. (The 3rd kitten that was eating was no longer there). Once I got back there, it was completely empty.
I searched the perimeter of the house and found no kittens or Mama Cat.
This is nuts. I'm exhausted. I have been killing myself since last week, trying to capture these cats. I have to do it by myself, too.