Feral Momma With 5 Babies!

[Kim Osborne]

I've seen feral cat around and she has a nest if 5 kitties underneath my camelia bush. The kittens look about a week old I think. Eyes still closed but they crawl over, under, and around Momma. She lets me get within a foot of nest before she bares her teeth and hisses. I've set a covered crate with the door ooen and have been feeding her daily. I was hoping she'd move the kitties in there but no luck so far! I'm planning to take the kitties to socialize in 3 weeks or so, but I'm concerned about them if it rains! No way us she going to let me bring her in the house...she'll scratch my eyeballs out!! Lol! Shoukd I just hope she puts them in the crate or should i out them in there if it rains?? Help!!

 

[tabbytom]

Hello Kim Osborne, welcome to TCS

Thank you for keeping watch on momma cat and her kittens and having the intention of socializing the kittens.

At this stage, best is try to get momma cat get use to you and to trust you. Remember, momma cat and kittens comes as a package. So, tackle momma cat first and kittens will follow naturally.

You can leave the crate near where they are and use it as a feeding station and get them use to it. Visit them often each day and have treats and maybe a Da Bird to play with momma cat. Do the same routine each time and each time bring the crate closer and closer to the housetoll you are feeding her from your doorstep and slowly move the feeding indoors till she gets comfortable with that part of the house.

I mentioned earlier that they come in a package, so when the kittens go for vaccinations, have momma cat spayed. This way, she won't get pregnant again and have more kittens and keep her indoors please.

She's a beautiful momma with lovely kittens. Please keep us posted of the progress

 

[Sarthur2]

K Kim Osborne

You could move the babies into the crate when mom is not there, and hope she begins to use it. There is always the risk that she will move them somewhere else though.

I would not take the babies away from mom until they are eating soft foods. Four weeks old is too soon.

You really need to trap the mom so that she can a) come inside with the babies, and b) get spayed eventually.

A better choice might be to begin feeding mom in a trap* but without setting it. Once mom is going in regularly to eat you can close the door. Put the trap where you are feeding her now. This could all happen very quickly.

Then bring both mom and babies inside. Have a spare room set up with food, water, litter box and a nest.

Mom may not be truly feral. Mom may just be a stray who is protecting her babies, but who knew enough to set up her nursery in your yard so she could be fed.

Let us know how this goes!

*Have a Heart traps are at Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE Hardware, Walmart, etc. and are under $30.

If you feel you'll never need it again, you can donate it to a rescue group after using it to trap mom.

 

[Kim Osborne]

Great tips! Mom is truly a feral...she was 1 of a litter born under my neighbors porch just last April. I tried to get close to her and was actually able to get my hand on her once....and she tried to tear my arm off! We've been on a speaking basis since as long as it's at a distance of several feet!! She now lets me get within about a foot now. My plan is to get her spayed and then just bring her back and let her loose. I do want to get the kitties vaccinated and find them homes.

 

[Sarthur2]

Great! I hope you can trap mom soon so the kittens can be with her longer in a safe environment.

 

[kittychick]

Lots of good advice from all! What a beautiful momma and gorgeous little "snausage babies" (as my husband calls that size kittens - cracks me up)!. I'll add just a little less than my 2 cents- - - since my 2 cents is usually way too long

Glad you found this site and this particular forum - - it's an amazing place where you can ask any question and never feel stupid (because most of us on here have asked the exact same question at some point). And the folks on this forum are wonderful compassionate people, all who are happy to share their advice (which often comes from experience) - - and a shoulder if you need it (since working with strays - and particularly ferals - while rewarding, can get frustrating).

As said by Sarthur2 -- the absolute ideal solution is to trap momma AND babies (well, not trap babies - but get them and bring them in too) and keep them safe inside until she can be spayed and the babies can be adopted after weaning. Momma might be able to be socialized - but since you know she is a true feral - - it would be ALOT of work, and it's certainly understandable that spaying her and returning her outside (with available shelter, food, and water of course) may be the way you do need to go. No one will judge you on that! But if you've got a spot inside where you can basically place her and basically leave her alone (we've done it many times in a large dog crate - like, really large as in Great Dane size, but smaller than that is fine too in a spare bedroom -- -but it also can be done without a crate). You'd then know she AND babies would be safe and out of the elements and away from predators. She can then just be trapped again - spayed, and released back to her "spot." The other advantage to doing it that way is that then the babies are already in, and used to your voice, smells, etc.

If that can't be done - continue to offer the shelter, and hopefully she'll use it. I'm not sure I'd use it as a feeding station - - it'll draw her in, but will also draw other critters. I'd set up a feeding station right next to it if you have the room (we use a see-thru rubbermaid bin with lid - see thru helps bc you can see if she's in it without walking up on her and scaring her, up on a few bricks so it's a bit off the ground. We cut a large hole on one side - some people do a hole on both ends so there's an "escape hatch"). You'll still want to bring food out early in the morning and take it in no later than dusk so that other critters - who might then discover the helpless babies - don't want that! But if the feeding station is right next to the sleeping shelter (and the food is never out at night) - hopefully she'll explore it eventually and use it!

Lastly - I would also say that I wouldn't bring them in as early as 4 weeks either. I understand that the socializing would be easier - - but it's so much better for the babies' immune systems to have mom's milk until weaned. As tabbytom noted - -- try playing with momma - and eventually babies - with a wand toy like "Da Bird" that'll put space between you and momma and babies (she'll feel less threatened). If you go out and even sit in the yard feet away from them and do things like read aloud softly, etc. - - - mom will hopefully at least warm up a bit so that she's less threatened - - AND you'd already be starting the socializing process for the babies!

Keep us all posted - - - ask any questions you'd like -- - and good luck with all!

 

[kittychick]

Ok - even my LESS than 2 cents is more than 2 cents - - - sorry all