Three Kittens...

[EmersonandEvie]

Sarthur2 quick question.

My immediate plans are to try and catch Tiny to spay her this weekend. Two of the three kittens (the little calico girls) have been coming up and eating wet food and dry kibble! However, the third little boy has not come up at all for any food. I cannot catch him (he's a mean little rascal) and I go 2-3 days without even seeing him, which scares me because I always think something got him and he suddenly pops right back up! If we do spay Tiny this weekend, will he come up for food on his own? I would want to keep Tiny in the garage at least overnight and let her heal slightly before putting her back outside (the vets here do keyhole spays on the ferals, so much quicker recovery time), but I don't want the little boy kitten to go hungry, especially since he has never shown interest in the wet or dry food available on the porch.

 

[Sarthur2]

I’m confused. Is Tiny the male kitten or one of the females?

EmersonandEvie

 

[Sylvia Jones]

I was confused too.
Tiny is the mom I think

 

[Sylvia Jones]

They sound so cute I can just imagine the little boy spitting and being tough What you are doing is so great for them!

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Yes, Tiny is the mother of the three new kittens. Mama Cat (Tiny's mom) has already been fixed. It was a lot less confusing before Tiny had her kittens...lol

 

[Sarthur2]

So explain the problem to me again please. You want to spay which one? And you are worried about the male kitten because of what?

EmersonandEvie

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Sorry! It's all quite confusing.

Tiny is the mother cat and she is still nursing. Her three kittens are two females and one male. The two females have been coming to breakfast and dinner with the "big cats" and eating canned and dry food, though they are nursing on a supplemental basis. The male kitten has not come to eat with the rest of the big cats, so he is existing solely on Tiny's milk (they're 8-9 weeks old). We want to spay Tiny this weekend, but I am concerned about her male kitten because Tiny is his only food source. I don't want to stick her back out onto the porch immediately after her spay, but keeping her inside the garage, even overnight, would mean that the male kitten would go hungry.

In sum, I'm concerned about fixing Tiny when one of her kittens has shown absolutely zero interest/willingness to eat food vs. nurse from his mother.

 

[Sarthur2]

I understand now. But if the kittens are 8-9 weeks old, is Tiny pregnant again? Surely she has gone into heat again.

I’m not sure you have much choice but to spay her and put her back out, since she is still nursing. That or the male kitten will be forced to come to the house for food. If Tiny comes up regularly to eat you can check her. Make sure the vet gives her a long lasting antibiotic shot and a pain killer before she goes home.

I had my previously stray (but not feral) mama cat spayed when her 4 kittens were 8 weeks old. They all lived in the house (still do 4 years later), and she came home and immediately nursed her kittens. I did give her 3 days of pain meds.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

If Tiny is pregnant, she is not showing yet. She has also not shown any signs of being in heat. She also got pregnant at one year old, with no signs of heat before the time she got pregnant. We have also not seen the supposed father of her kitten around, who only showed up when she was in heat.

I saw the little orange boy eating kibble today!! I am so relieved. Now I don't feel any sort of way about spaying her this weekend. I think the vets here give the ferals a long-lasting pain shot after the spay.

Thank you for all of your time and advice!

 

[Sarthur2]

Let us know how Tiny is doing after her spay. Also the little male kitten.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Not the best photo but here's an update on the three! They're eating as we speak.