Stray/Feral Advice needed

[Vellamint]

I have a stray/feral kitty who gave birth in my home. She rejected her kittens immediately so I have taken over their care. “Pumpkin” is in a tall multi-level cat condo and her kittens are in a playpen in the same room.
Pumpkin is having a hard time. She hadn’t eaten for over 4 days…basically since I got her. She gave birth only 2 or so days after she got here. The rescue had me bring her to the hospital yesterday. They did a lot of tests, gave a long lasting antibiotic, x-rayed her for potential stillborn still inside and hydrated her.
Believe me she is terrified. It was not pleasant getting her in the carrier. She doesn’t hiss or growl or attack. She is simply scared. Anyway…

I’m wanted to socialize her now. She did eat last night which is great but today I need to deworm her, put revolution on her and take the iV thing out. I feel so bad for her (and me frankly…this was not what I signed up for).

After all these scary things that are happening to her…..do you think it is would be better to remove the kittens from that room? Could they be stressing her more or am I overthinking? My supplies are really well set up in there and it will be much harder for me to find a place for everything but I will if you think it will help her. Or I can keep babies in there zipped in the playpen. Should I let her out of the condo into the room. Do you think that would help her feel less trapped? I have a small bathroom that I could put HER in…

I don’t know what’s right probably from being mentally and physically exhausted from all of this…. Ty

 

[di and bob]

She is terrified out of her mind. 5 or 6 days is nothing in a cat's world, and to have these 'terrible' things keep happening to her is keeping her terrified. Just do to her what is absolutely necessary. Take the IV port out, and maybe put the Revolution on her. Then just let her be for a week. Put the worm medicine in Delectable Lickabels in the stew flavors, I give all my medicines in them. if they are pills, break them up and hide them in cheese. You might try the lickable treat to get her to eat, I use them on sick cats too. Let her out of the condo and have access to her little ones, you never know. Cats are hardwired not to hurt babies, so they should be OK, but observe her if you can. She may go to them at night. Try to let her have peace and hide for a week or so. Sit quietly in the room and talk to her and the babies. Frankly, I am amazed she doesn't bite or attack, she is definitely a good cat, just terrified. Put her food/water/litterbox where she has access, she would most likely use them at night. Make sure she has a couple of boxes with blankets or somewhere comfortable to hide. She may move the babies to one. I know this is agonizing but concentrate right now more on the babies. The mama needs out and left alone to calm down and get used to things. It may help your nerves to ignore her right now. You can always try to tame her later. I really don't think it would take longer than a few weeks. The first step is already taken, she ate! Please come here any time you like to get encouragement and help, that is why we are here. I feel for you, I have TNR'd and taken care of cats for 50 years now and still get sick to my stomach when I have to trap one! You are doing fine, try to relax, feeding those babies every two hours will end, it's not forever, and the rewards are SO great!

 

[Vellamint]

thank you so much for your reply. I cannot give her access to her babies now per the vet and rescues instructions. I don’t know that she is still eating so I don’t want to put the dewormer in her food plus she already had a dose at the Dr yesterday.
I will let her out into the room but keep the babies zipped up…..oh wait. I tried that the first day after the birth and she jumped on top causing it to collapse…. Not to get to her babies….. there was a door open. She was exploring. Drats.
Sigh. I don’t even think I’m thinking straight right now

 

[kittychick]

I'm SO glad you reached out - - -it's SUCH a confusing and terrifying situation for all involved. From newborns, to mama, to you (and other humans involved). And di and bob gave great, compassionate advice. You're not alone - - and your jumbled-feeling brain is more then understandable. You're in crisis mode right now. Things will calm down though and you will think straight again - promise! For you and for Pumpkin.

di and bob is right - - do only what you have to right now (the suggestions of what to do first were spot on - the IV port is likely making her miserable - know I HATE mine in the hospital and I know what I need it - she doesn't!) and then let her be as much as possible. The more she's panicked, the less she's able to think straight for herself or her babies. She IS horrified and confused beyond belief (particularly if it's her first litter). I always try to put myself in the kitty's place and think of it as a "Twilight Zone" episode (I'm aging myself - plus October means endless TZ marathons). The kitties have NO idea what's happening....they can't understand the language they're hearing or know what's happening around them (that language barrier again)....or why the giants are moving them to new scary places. Soft talk, slow movements - -- all go a long way.

Delectable Lickables (or similar - like Chura Lickables) are a godsend for me! The main two ways we use them on really tough cats - - - pull some of the Lickables up into the (needle-free) syringe, then pull up the meds, then finish by pulling up some last yummy Lickables. They completely miss the less palatable meds! (stirring all together and pulling the mixture into a syringe doesn't generally work as well). Another use should you need it - - - let them lick a tube of Lickables while being given vaccines, or even flea med applications w/more frightened cats. They've become a lifesaver for us! (Chura also makes a treat that's like doughy treat wrapper around a super soft center - we shove pills in them for tough-to-pill cats (isn't that all of them?). And we too use them as "toppers" on soft food to entice mamma to eat - squeeze them all around and over the top of the canned food.

You seem like you've got good instincts. And lots of us here to help. Take a deep breath. And keep us posted.

 

[Vellamint]

I feel a little bit (only a bit little) better. She has a box in top of the condo that she’s been hiding in so all I had to do is close the flaps and bring her out. I got the dewormer in her easily. I put the revolution on her easily. I put a towel over her (still in her box) and got the iv port out of her. The tape was pulling out her fur …. The way they taped it there was no way not to have that happen. I don’t know who is more upset me or her. She’s SUCH a good girl. She didn’t fight back at all. Just trembled. I want to cry. I’m keeping her in the condo until she gets the last dose of Panacur. Otherwise I will have to catch her and that will be terrible. This is so very sad. Thank you for your encouraging words

 

[fionasmom]

Her behavior says a whole lot for her overall personality; try to see the hopeful side of this in her sweetness. I believe that cats like her know when someone is helping them. If the tape pulled out fur, it was tugging on her fur while it was still on her leg, so you relieved her of that discomfort. She may be more stray than feral and the condo might be the nicest place she has ever been...safe and secure with food. I don't think that it will be long before she starts to show affection toward you.

You definitely got more than you bargained for and have been so kind to help this family.