Stray Cat had kittens

[KopaMomma422527]

We just had a stray that we’ve fed for a little over a year have 6 kittens….
We suspected that she was pregnant about 4 weeks before she had them (around 40days left)
She disappeared for about 3 days, then popped back up (much skinnier than the last time we saw her.) We followed her after she ate (discrete and low key) to see where she’d hid the babies…..
She gave birth to them and housed them in our unused tractor) once they started to get big enough to move about, she relocated them(there’s an entrance hole hidden behind some plants in our garden that leads underneath our garage)…
We’ve spent time with them trying to get them used to people and being handled. (Momma cat will let you close but she won’t let you pet her…babies 1,2&3 will let you pick them up a bit….babies 4&5 are a little skittish but they’ll come close… baby 6 is momma’s identical twin and won’t leave her side)…
I’ve noticed Momma Cat has brought a few rodents around lately and she’s been taking a couple of babies on walks around the house and in the pastures next to us, teaching them to hunt let’s me know they’re about 5-6 weeks (huntIng and eating their own prey happens around that age)…
We’re still a little concerned about their people skills and if they can be domesticated fully.
We couldn’t bring them in cause momma cat coming in was a NEGATIVE (not that it wasn’t attempted; she just was not having it.)…
If you have any suggestions on how to help us out in this situation please let me know! It’s more than appreciated!!!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Just so I'm clear, you'd like to catch the kittens and bring them inside?

 

[Sarthur2]

Please set traps and catch both mom and all the kittens. Everyone needs spaying and neutering and kittens need further socializing so they can be re-homed. Mom will need to be returned to outside, though she may turn less feral after spaying.

It sounds like you may be able to hand pick most of the kittens, but may need to trap a couple. Are the kittens eating wet food yet? It’s okay to separate the kittens from mom in order to bring them to safety.

It would be ideal if mom and kittens could stay together in a room inside your home for a few more weeks, and learn to use the litter box, but it sounds like mom isn’t socialized enough. In this case it’s time to separate the kittens from mom before you can’t.

If you do not trap / bring them in soon, they will get picked off by predators or disappear once hormones come in, and / or you’ll be overrun with pregnant cats and kittens.

KopaMomma422527