Recent Stray Gave Birth Help

[GarageCatChestnut]

Within the last year a stray kitten/young cat started hanging around our house. My husband and I decided to try and befriend the stray and we did. We gave it a name, chestnut, and starting feeding and watering it and since it started getting cold out we let it stay in our garage. We had no idea what sex it was and neither of us have ever owned cats.

We had no idea chestnut is a female or that she was pregnant but tonight we went to feed her and visit her as we do every night but now there is kittens!

Chestnut is very teratorial and came to us and let us pet her but when we tried to approach the kittens she hissed and refused so we allowed her to have her space.

From the looks of it there are 4 kittens and they all seem to be moving around.

My question is, what do I do?

The garage is no where close to being a clean environment but she won't allow us to be close to her to move her or the kittens.

I only want chestnut and the kittens to be safe and okay. We plan on getting chestnut fixed and letting her raise the kittens till they are old enough to be adopted out.

What can I do and how can I make sure they will be okay?

Thank you for any help!

 

[Rachel Warner]

What you could do is hold her take her were she can't see you get kittens take them in make a nest then bring mama to them maybe there own room if that's possible.

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

We have never been able to pick chestnut up, she will let us pet her and she will sit on our lap but she freaks out if we attempt to pick her up

 

[StefanZ]

Yes, you have two possibilites. Do as suggested above - if its at all possible. Ie take them all inside.
Second is, you essentially proceed as usual, make sure she has good food "kitten type", with calcium etc, and hope for the best. She is in any way better off than 99% of homeless moms.
You can lay down some towels or similiar, she can hopefully draw them into the nest...

 

[StefanZ]

IF you want to do something as a catch

We have never been able to pick chestnut up, she will let us pet her and she will sit on our lap but she freaks out if we attempt to pick her up

, you can prob wrap her into a thick towel / blanket, as a burrito, or even the whole her. Immobilized, they tend to calm down and finds themselves in the happenings... And this is better than wrestling catch as catch can - THIS would be high stressing...

 

[StefanZ]

If yo do so, train at first on a doll or dummy. Or better still, on an alive cat - as you dont have a resident, perhaps you can lend a cat from a neigbour?

A dog works too.

 

[KatsPurrrsians]

Being a stray she's likely had other litters before. If she seems to be taking care of them I'd let her do her thing for now without intervening. Your garage is likely the cleanest environment she's delivered in, so although it's not ideal, it will suffice fine for now. You could set up a large cardboard box that's low enough for her climb in and out of and line it with newspaper or some old towels. Place it in a quiet corner of your garage where she can see it, or near her if she allows it. New moms will move their kittens after a week or two (maybe less depending on her worry of a threat). Hopefully she will use the box when she decides to move them. There are no predators that pose a risk as opposed to her choices if you weren't helping.
I'd continue to check on her and the kittens daily. She'll need to be fed & watered more now since she's nursing. And will continue to consume more and more as the babies grow. So be sure she's always got plenty of high protein, quality kitten food (not adult cat food- kitten food has the nutrients she needs until the kittens stop nursing around 6 - 8 weeks or older).

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

I am planning on going out tomorrow to purchase her some kitten food. I think this is her first litter because she was not full grown when she started hanging around our house this past fall.

I will try the box idea and hope for the best. She is curled up in a blanket that's on the garage floor with the kittens right now and they appear to be nursing.

 

[Rachel Warner]

Please don't use newspaper the ink is not good for mama or babies.. Towels are good as long as they were not washed in bleach that is toxic to babies. But if you can distract her for a sec to grab the babies she will follow trust me. Or like above you can just make her a nest in the garage as long as she can't get out and nothing can get in... They sometimes move there babies around to different nest so making two nest is good to see witch one she likes better.lol but inside would be best ... Your doing great though for just caring for the girl !!

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

I am worried about her hiding the kittens but we plan to keep the door shut while she is raising them so nothing can come in or out.

It's her garage and we always have left the door cracked so she could come and go as she pleased.

She does allow a neighbor cat to hangout with her in there but it hasn't been around for a few days (I think chestnut ran it off because she knew she was about to give birth?)

Anyways, I'm hoping to avoid all stress to her so she doesn't feel the need to hide the kittens.

 

[Rachel Warner]

I am worried about her hiding the kittens but we plan to keep the door shut while she is raising them so nothing can come in or out.

It's her garage and we always have left the door cracked so she could come and go as she pleased.

She does allow a neighbor cat to hangout with her in there but it hasn't been around for a few days (I think chestnut ran it off because she knew she was about to give birth?)

Anyways, I'm hoping to avoid all stress to her so she doesn't feel the need to hide the kittens.

Your doing great keep up the good work...One more thing a dewormer from vet only cost 5 dollars without visit cost no need for that just so mama doesn't give babies worms ... Great job though good luck send pics if you can

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

Thank you! Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures once they're more settled in

 

[Sarthur2]

GarageCatChestnut

I suggest that you immediately close the door to the outside so no intruders can enter the garage, and set up a litter box for Chestnut to use.

Also, set up a large dog crate or carrier with towels, instead of a box. Cover 3 sides with a blanket, and leave the door open. Hopefully she will put her babies in it.

If she does, in a few days' time, after visiting to feed her and clean the litter box, and she is more trusting, then you can close the door and bring them all inside your home to a spare room.

Once in, have the food, water, and litter box set up already nearby, and simply open the crate door and just leave her be.

In addition to the kitten food, please also purchase wet food for mom. She needs it 2-3 times a day for nursing.

How many kittens are there?

Thank you for caring for her!

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

A new problem has occurred to me today, the lawn mower. The lawn mower is in the garage where Chestnut and her kittens are. We are not able to move the cats inside due to lack of space and two dogs. Before Chestnut had kittens, she would always just run off when the law mower started and return when mowing was finished.

My concern is that Chestnut will run away and leave her kittens when we get the lawn mower. Any suggestions? Thank you

 

[Sarthur2]

Do you need the lawn mower anytime real soon? Is it a riding mower or a walk behind mower?

Can you not bring them into your bedroom for a few weeks?

It would be disastrous if mom ran off!

 

[KatsPurrrsians]

I would avoid cutting the grass if at all possible. At least in the areas near the garage. As far as her moving the kittens, it's an instinctual protective action to keep their babies safer from predators, and they usually do this (in circumstances similar to yours) whether they are stressed or not. It's simply due to their cat nature, even for most house cats who've never been outdoor or had to worry about predators. So I'd be prepared for it and wouldn't worry too much. As long as you have a spot set up , whether it be a towel lined box or covered crate, she'll hopefully choose to move them there.

If you have any boxes or nooks in your garage those could also be appealing to her so I'd make sure any and all dangerous nooks and cranny's are closed off and unreachable to her.

Good luck! You're doing a great job!

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

We have confirmed there are 4 kittens that all seem to be healthy and latching onto Chestnut. We put two towels lined boxes in the garage of different heights in case she decides to move the babies.

The mower is a large riding lawn mower. I think we are going to push it out of the garage and then shut the door back up before starting it so she won't be able to run away from the kittens.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, that is the only way to ensure that she does not run away. Be very careful that she does not get out when you open the garage door.

Can you leave the mower parked outside until the kittens are bigger?

 

[GarageCatChestnut]

Kittens day 3:

Today we went to check up on Chestnut and the kittens but she has hidden them. Unfortunately, she didn't choose either of the two boxes with towels we put in there for her. We can hear the kittens but did not try to locate them. I'm hoping she will bring them out tomorrow so I can see that they are okay.

Chestnut seems to be more relaxed today and let us get closer to where the kittens were before she hid them. She is also meowing more and wants more attention.

So far so good it seems. Thanks for everyone's help!