Hey, I need some help! A friendly momma was found with 5 kittens living under a neighbors house. So, we got Phoebe (momma) and had her spayed, caught 5 kittens and had them spayed and neutered. So now everyone is in my storage room and I am keeping them for the next week until another neighbor with more room and experience with cats can take them. Best guess as to the age of everyone is Phoebe is 1-2 yrs and kittens are about 10-12 weeks.
She was nursing when we took her from the kittens but she was only gone the 24 hrs it took to have her spayed. Then when we reintroduced her to them all she did was hiss and growl at them. So we separated her because of that and that she started to be lethargic. The kittens were at a neighbor's house until Sat when everyone was brought over here to my house.
She is healthy now and the kittens are all good but only 1 will willingly let anyone hold him. Now since she is in a small bedroom and bathroom area (free roam of the room) and the kittens are in a large metal dog crate in the room she has started to hiss and growl at me when I come in the room to feed and clean. The hissing started before I even put the kittens in the room with her. But as soon as I kneel down and stay put she comes right over to me for loving. She will rub against me and wants me to pet and stroke her. She will also hiss at me when I start to stand up to move away....is she just being protective of the kittens that are in the crate? Is she just torked off that she is enclosed in the house? I don't understand and this is the first cat that I have ever cared for! I am a dog person, but I would love to do right by these cats if possible. If we can't socialize them then they will be returned to the street and join the rest of the unfortunately large population of strays in our neighborhood.
Suggestions/help/hints/ideas all would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!
Terri
She was nursing when we took her from the kittens but she was only gone the 24 hrs it took to have her spayed. Then when we reintroduced her to them all she did was hiss and growl at them. So we separated her because of that and that she started to be lethargic. The kittens were at a neighbor's house until Sat when everyone was brought over here to my house.
She is healthy now and the kittens are all good but only 1 will willingly let anyone hold him. Now since she is in a small bedroom and bathroom area (free roam of the room) and the kittens are in a large metal dog crate in the room she has started to hiss and growl at me when I come in the room to feed and clean. The hissing started before I even put the kittens in the room with her. But as soon as I kneel down and stay put she comes right over to me for loving. She will rub against me and wants me to pet and stroke her. She will also hiss at me when I start to stand up to move away....is she just being protective of the kittens that are in the crate? Is she just torked off that she is enclosed in the house? I don't understand and this is the first cat that I have ever cared for! I am a dog person, but I would love to do right by these cats if possible. If we can't socialize them then they will be returned to the street and join the rest of the unfortunately large population of strays in our neighborhood.
Suggestions/help/hints/ideas all would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!
Terri