Where Are The Babies??

[girlmom4]

Hi all,

So my semi-feral kitty just had kittens. Before anyone asks, I made multiple attempts to catch her and take her to be spayed and she either attacked or evaded me each time. I have made contact with a local TNR pro who is going to lend me a trap when kittens are weaned.

I saw her mating and thus knew her dates--Friday was day 63 and she was huge. She disappeared until Monday and came back skinny! Monday and Tuesday she was at the back door when I woke up, ate voraciously, groomed herself and rested in the sun for a bit, and then disappeared for the rest of the day. I tried to stalk her to see where she was going but she snuck away each time. Today (Weds) she was here in the morning and evening.
I've been feeding her dry kitten food and I also gave her a can of wet each morning for extra calories.

So, I have no idea how many babies she has or where they are, if she's caring for them well, etc. Is it okay that she's leaving them for an hour or more at a time? Is it likely she will eventually move them closer to her food source, or they'll just follow her when they're big enough? We have woods all around our property, and multiple barns. I've walked the perimeter and listened for any sounds but haven't heard anything. I hate not knowing if these babies are okay!

 

[Kieka]

It's fine that she is leaving the kittens. Mom cats have to get food after all and with her outside its a little more work.

Once the kittens are about 4-5 weeks she will probably bring them to learn how to get food. You might catch sight of them at 3-4 weeks starting to move around if the nest is near. I'd keep your eyes out but as long as you get them once you do see them it will be fine. Ideally, you want to catch mom and kits of course but if she isn't catchable it would still be wise to get them inside around 6weeks old. That would be old enough that they should be weaning but not have picked up a fear of human

 

[girlmom4]

It's fine that she is leaving the kittens. Mom cats have to get food after all and with her outside its a little more work.

Once the kittens are about 4-5 weeks she will probably bring them to learn how to get food. You might catch sight of them at 3-4 weeks starting to move around if the nest is near. I'd keep your eyes out but as long as you get them once you do see them it will be fine. Ideally, you want to catch mom and kits of course but if she isn't catchable it would still be wise to get them inside around 6weeks old. That would be old enough that they should be weaning but not have picked up a fear of human

Okay great. I just assumed she would have them somewhere kind of close to her food so that her breaks from them would be very brief, so when seeing her lounging in the sun I was like what are you doing mama...go keep those babies warm!
Thankfully it is pretty warm here right now, but we are expecting bad weather and heavy rain Friday, so I'm hoping they're nestled somewhere sheltered.

 

[golondrina]

Where are you located? What season of the year? Are you still trying to follow her when she comes to you for food?

 

[di and bob]

My mama had her kittens druing the spring and it was cold and snowy almost through their first month of life. She left them too and they were fine, they cuddle for warmth. They instinctively have a fear of humans, they were hissing at me way before their eyes opened! Don't let them get big enough to run faster than you!

 

[StefanZ]

If she is used to you and your friendly voice you can try to follow her talking reason with her assuring and calming...

Otherwise do as skissed earlier.

 

[fionasmom]

Last summer a female cat had kittens, unbeknowst to me, under my neighbor's house. I assume they were born about May 1 and because I did not know about them I trapped and TNRed her on May 21. Never heard a thing, no hungry meowing, etc. About 3 weeks to a month later, I suddenly saw her with four kittens and almost passed out. Because I feed TNRed cats in my yard, she had been bringing them over to show them where the food was once they were weaned. They are all fixed and now live on my property, no worse for wear.

 

[girlmom4]

Update!
Today we finally found the babies, living in an old boat on the edge of our property. Smart mama cat found such a good spot to keep them contained and sheltered, and they look healthy. There are five, two solid black and three gray striped. I guess they are four weeks this weekend and they all look good sized.

Hopefully I can start socializing them so they’ll be ready for vetting and new homes in a few weeks.

 

[fionasmom]

So glad you found them and can help them on their way.

 

[girlmom4]

Okay so now that I have access to the kittens, how can I help socialize them?
I’m trying to go down and visit them a couple times each day to talk in a calm voice and get them used to me. Two are aggressively hissing and spitting when they see me but the others are less so and I’ve been able to pet one and even pick up another briefly.

I’ve also been taking canned food down to the boat for mama cat and to see if the babies are able to eat it but haven’t seen them try. They’re four weeks now, so when do I start putting out bowls of wet or dry food for them? So far mama hasn’t moved them to where her food is by my back door, so unless she does their only food will be milk until they’re big enough to jump out of the boat themselves.