How To Tell If A Cat Is Nursing

[wannahelp]

I've been posting about a stray cat in my area. I just found out that someone who lives in the block down the street, abandoned a cat and that there are or were kittens.
So, at this point, there may be multiple cats in need of spaying/neutering.

The problem is that my town does not support TNR. I can't do it because it's not on my property. I can help the cat that's been coming to my house BUT I don't know if the cat that I've been feeding is the mother, a distant relative, a kitten from another litter, or a kitten from the current litter. Is it possible to tell, without handling the cat or close examination, whether it is currently nursing kittens?

 

[Sarthur2]

Can you post a picture of the cat?

You would really need to look at her nipples. If they are full she is probably nursing.

Do you know how old the kittens would be if they are out there?

 

[StefanZ]

In some variation, you can perhaps present some alternative facts? Whom can prove a cat wasnt at your property, huh?
Just say it before anyone asks and have occasion to become suspcious.

Get yourself a Twitter conto, and write in there some posts about the lotsa of cats whom are on your property. Your best course will surely be to TNR them.

"So it is written, so it shall be" as the old egyptians said.

 

[wannahelp]

If the house was right next door or across the street, that would be one thing but the house where the kittens are aupposed to be is down the street. I can't even see that house from mine. It's in a cul de sac kind of perpendicular to me. I have been calling and writing tnr geoups but nobody will help. There's a rescue about five minutes from me but the woman who runs it won't help. Her address and phone mumber aren't even published. I did post a picture in another thread. I will post another one later, here.

 

[Sarthur2]

So are you thinking of spaying the stray that you've been feeding, but you want to make sure she is not in the middle of nursing a litter?

 

[wannahelp]

Yes. However, before attempting to bring the cat to the vet, I made up fliers and put them on mailboxes in my neighborhood to find out if the cat might belong to someone. As I was handing them out, I was told by someone in the cul de sac that there were kittens from an abandoned cat. They thought the cat on my flier (that I've been feeding) was the mother of those kittens. That's why I had ended up not bringing the cat but at this point, I'm still not certain that it is a female.
I also got an email last night from a neighbor on my own street, stating that he thought the cat in the flier was living under his shed with 4 kittens. He'd called animal control and they're supposed to pick them up-kittens and mother-later this week. So, I've been feeding this cat and had intentions of getting it fixed but now find out that it will probably end up being euthanized by animal control. On top of that, there are at least 2 litters of kittens in my neighborhood, and, evidently, a male somewhere, that needs to be neutered.
I would have liked a rescue group to come in and assist, rather than animal control but I can't find any, and, since the cats aren't living not on my property, I really can't do anything.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Why not talk to the neighbor who called animal control and see if you can foster that family?

 

[wannahelp]

I thought about it but since he already called, I don't know what would happen. Animal control might show up at my door or he might be afraid they'd end up back on the street anyway. If I were an official "rescue" organization, then he might but otherwise, I don't know. I could try but I still don't know if the mother is stray or feral. He did say that he believed the mother was a kitten that used to hang around his house. So, if that's the case, she probably is feral. I wouldn't mind having some kittens to play with but even if I foster the kittens, then what? How would I find homes?

 

[talkingpeanut]

I thought about it but since he already called, I don't know what would happen. Animal control might show up at my door or he might be afraid they'd end up back on the street anyway. If I were an official "rescue" organization, then he might but otherwise, I don't know. I could try but I still don't know if the mother is stray or feral. He did say that he believed the mother was a kitten that used to hang around his house. So, if that's the case, she probably is feral. I wouldn't mind having some kittens to play with but even if I foster the kittens, then what? How would I find homes?

You can still take the family in, even if he has called. They are not rabid. You would just tell animal control they found a home.

You could talk to local vets once the kittens are ready to be adopted, and there are plenty of no kill shelters.

There is no reason for this family to die.

 

[wannahelp]

None of the no-kills are accepting cats. I've tried all the ones in my area.

 

[talkingpeanut]

But they might be in a few weeks when these kittens are older. You could foster for them.

Vets are also happy to advertise kittens.

You have options, especially if you foster.

 

[wannahelp]

I would do it in an instant. However, my unfortunate living circumstances probably won't allow it. I have people to answer to and they, unfortunately, do not have the same passion for helping animals that I do. It's one of the reasons I am trying, unsuccessfully, to start a business. I need a home of my own, where I can do as I please.

 

[Sarthur2]

It's a shame that you are not able to rescue the mom and kittens from under the shed.

 

[wannahelp]

This story keeps getting crazier. I just heard from someone on the next block that she believes the same orange cat had 3 kittens on her porch that are now gone. Now, I'm wondering whether the orange cat that I'm feeding is one of those kittens. There have been reports of this same orange cat in three different areas of the neighborhood, all with kittens. The one certainty is that they are all homeless.

 

[Sarthur2]

This is sad. What's sadder is wondering if there is more than one homeless orange cat with kittens.