Novice Cat Lady - Feral Cat Help

[~MQ~]

Hello!
I have a cute little cat that stays on my apartment porch. I've been living here for almost 2 years and she's been here the whole time. I've been feeding her & giving her fresh water every day since I've been here. In that time she's never let me touch her, but she does like for me to sit outside with her. Sometimes she'll get up on one of the chairs, peek in the window and cry until I come outside and hang out. My problem is that I'm moving in a few weeks and I have no idea what to do about her! I've become quite attached to her and I worry if I don't see her for a day. However, she has kittens and I don't want to take her away from them.
She gave birth sometime in Jan. I can't quite rememeber the date. However, she had them and keeps them somewhere else, not on my porch. I've only recently started to see them (in the past 2-3 months) as she will occasionally bring them to the porch for food and when it rains. There are only 2 of them, I'm unsure if this is the number she started out with or if the others didn't make it. Anyway, there is a "colony" of stray / feral cats in the woods just outside of the apartments. My assumption is that she had the kittens there? I don't know.
My main concerns are:
-If I leave her here, will she be fed by someone else?
-If I take her, will her kittens be ok?

I definitely need some experienced advice!
-MQ

 

[Sarthur2]

M ~MQ~

You need to trap her and her two kittens and take them all with you. I would not separate her from her kittens right now.

She will be puzzled and lost when you are no longer there. She depends on you now. Her life will get worse if she is left behind.

A new tenant may chase her off the porch or call the pound.

Begin feeding her and her kittens inside a large dog crate. Once they get comfortable going inside the crate to eat you'll close the door and bring them inside your apartment.

Do not let them outside again where you are or where you move to. They need to be spayed and/or neutered, vaccinated, and learn to be indoor cats.

They already know you so the adjustment should not be too difficult.

Keeping them in a bedroom with their food, water, and litter for a few weeks will help while they adjust.

Thanks for caring for them!

 

[shadowsrescue]

Please please do not leave her. She has come to depend on you for food and water. It would be very cruel to leave her. She needs to be spayed ASAP and her kittens will need vet care too. When you take the responsibility of feeding a cat, the cat becomes your responsibility. If you allow her to continue to have kittens, her kittens will then breed and the story of all the unwanted kittens in this world begins to unfold. Being a responsible owner, means spaying and neutering.

Using a large dog crate will work. Some people tie a long string to the door and sit a bit away. Once inside, you can pull the string and close the door. I find using a humane trap much easier, but it might be difficult with the kittens. So were the kittens born in January or earlier this summer? If they were born in January, they are already of breeding age and they too need to be spayed/neutered very very soon.

When you bring her home, DO NOT let her back outside. If possible take her right to your new home or keep her in the cage until you do move as it will be hard to get her back inside. She will need a room of her own. It will take a bit for her to adjust, buy many stray/feral cats can adapt. I have brought 2 inside my home to live and care for 3 others on my property. Working on socialization skills is key. There is lots and lots of help here on this site.

 

[StefanZ]

Yes, YOU adopting them and fostering, is the very best solution for all. Even you!

But if its too difficult for you or by any other reason impossible, please make sure they are at least spayed / neutered = TNR. If so done, they should have a chance even if homeless.