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Post by smokeynspike on May 27, 2016 2:29:25 GMT
So I had been feeding what appeared to be a stray cat who I noticed was pregnant. She is really a baby herself. I had placed a rubber made tote with a door cut out of the long side with old towels on the porch by her food in preparation, but while she had been in it, she had them in our wood pile instead. She didn't look very big and I was surprised that she had them so soon. She is skittish, but friendly. Before she had them, she would sit and eat by us, but wouldn't let us touch her.
We would never had noticed where she had them, but we wanted a fire randomly on Monday night and my daughter found them. She had two adorable babies. One mostly white baby with large black splotches, and one mostly black baby with white paws and belly. We check on her a few times a day and have moved her food bowl back by the wood pile, along with the tote in case she wants it. In a couple of weeks, I imagine that she will want to contain them a bit more.
She will let us look in on her, but I wouldn't dare try to touch them. I'm sure she would take our hands off! I also don't want her to cart them off somewhere or abandon them. She obviously feels safe at our house since she had them here, but I want to keep the babies so I need to start thinking about ways to handle them so they aren't feral, or kinda feral like her. And I want to get her fixed too (and the babies of course when they are old enough). My DH is against this, as he thinks that she belongs to someone else, but I am just pissed that people get a cat and then don't get them fixed. I'm also of the mindset that inside kitties are safer/live longer.
I've had cats my whole life, but I've never had a momma cat with kittens before, let alone a semi-feral one. How do I make sure that the kittens don't end up semi-feral while also ensuring that she doesn't abandon them or take them somewhere else?
I already have my own indoor cats inside, so bringing her inside (if I could even get her to) seems like it would be more stressful for her. I don't have a garage either.
****Update**** I seem to have worried for nothing. Momma cat was eating on my porch this afternoon and was howling at us. I opened the screen door and she cautiously slunk right in. She had a bit of initial freaking out when she couldn't get back out. I went and got the baby and the Rubbermaid tote bed that I had made her and set her up in the bathroom. I didn't put the lid on it this time and that seems to have been why she didn't want to be in it originally. Surprisingly she has not howled very much at all. We have been periodically checking on her and momma and baby are perfect! She is curled up with the baby in the tote purring away and has even let us gently pet her, although we are letting her run the show as we don't want to push it with her. I am so relieved that they will be safe and that she doesn't appear to be stressed immensely by being inside.
I have a picture on my phone of the baby that I will try and post.
Melissa
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Post by nyxish on May 27, 2016 2:38:22 GMT
If you have a cat rescue in your area you could talk to them, or call your vet and see if they know of one.
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trollie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,580
Jul 2, 2014 22:14:02 GMT
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Post by trollie on May 27, 2016 2:57:54 GMT
In our area, they want your to do exactly what you are doing. Help foster them in place and then they have a spay a release program, where they trap, spay and then release the cats back into the area they came from. I would call your local humane society for information.
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trollie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,580
Jul 2, 2014 22:14:02 GMT
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Post by trollie on May 27, 2016 3:00:31 GMT
and everyone loves a good kitten picture if you can get us one!
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Post by Woobster on May 27, 2016 3:04:16 GMT
I'm no help, unfortunately... But thank you for being so kind to her (and her babies).
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Post by dealsamongus on May 27, 2016 3:33:05 GMT
Aww my girl was a mommy and I would have loved to see her kittens.
No help but thanks for helping this little girl!
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Post by smokeynspike on May 27, 2016 5:17:41 GMT
Yeah, we have a local non-profit that does inexpensive spays and neuters and shots that I have used several times for my own cats. For my almost 1 year old Siamese girls, it was $40 each and that included the spay and their first series of three shots. So, super affordable! I will have no problem spending that on the momma and babies!
I will post pics when I can get a good one! I have a video where you can see the white baby pretty good but I don't know if I know how to upload it here.
Melissa
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Post by smokeynspike on May 27, 2016 5:30:16 GMT
Ack. I tried to get the video, but I can't figure it out. I will have my husband help me tomorrow. LOL
Melissa
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scrappert
Prolific Pea
RefuPea #2956
Posts: 7,811
Location: Milwaukee, WI area
Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on May 27, 2016 13:02:40 GMT
I have a coworker that had the same situation. They did catch the momma cat and got all her babies (she had 5). Took them to the vet right away, the momma did not look good (she ended up with having an infection and had to have antibiotics), she is a true feral cat, she doesn't want to be touched. They ended up putting them all in a large cage in a spare bedroom. She fed the momma and would put the medicine in the food. She wanted to be able to watch the momma to make sure she was taking care of the kittens. Once the kittens opened their eyes, they started handling them so they had human contact. They did lose one kitten. The others are doing great, they are at 7 weeks now. Her problem is letting go of the kittens. She said she will keep the momma, get her fixed and see how it goes. She is allowing the other cats she does have near her, so maybe... Good luck! Hoping to see some cute pictures!
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Post by teri on May 27, 2016 13:16:19 GMT
I think they will also tip the ear if you do the Catch, spay, release. This way it is known that she is a fixed feral
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Post by gailoh on May 27, 2016 13:47:44 GMT
You can train her...I have had several over the years...always talk to her to let her know you are around...food/water and see her several times a day...you can start to teach her that you are friendly,sit out there, not real close and if you can finally get her,scoop her up in a towel and if you have a basement take her there and kitties...I did this to one of my wild mom cats and her 2 babies...I still have one of the grown babies...mom passed away several years ago and her grown other son died a few months ago...old age...they were and Thomas still is a sweet kitty.
The mom cat was young when she had the babies... I have done this several times...it takes patience though...thank you for caring when others would not...hugs
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on May 27, 2016 13:53:22 GMT
My friend is dealing with almost the exact same situation. She had a feral cat start hanging around her house under her deck about 5 months ago. She finally got the cat to the point where she could pick it up, and she felt boobies. A week later the cat went into labor...luckily she was home when it happened and she put the momma in her spare bathroom. She visits the kittens, often as well as having other people visit and handle the kittens. Momma was weary of strangers at first, but 3 weeks after giving birth she's warming up to people. We held the kittens right after their eyes opened, and momma didn't reject them. Oh, and the local shelter will spay/neuter all the kittens and momma at the same time for really cheap: males are $20, females $30, and momma $40. I think they said at 6 weeks to bring them in...it may have been 8 weeks.
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suswic
Shy Member
Posts: 31
Jun 8, 2015 20:59:30 GMT
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Post by suswic on May 27, 2016 14:03:37 GMT
She will likely be moving her babies to another place in 2-3 weeks after the birth, to a place she considers safe (in our case, that was our son's bed, lol)
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Post by gailoh on May 27, 2016 17:39:48 GMT
She will likely be moving her babies to another place in 2-3 weeks after the birth, to a place she considers safe (in our case, that was our son's bed, lol) if you can get her inside in a room with the kittens that would be great...for their safety...get her first...
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Post by smokeynspike on May 27, 2016 19:00:00 GMT
We lost one of the kittens. We got her away from it for a moment so we could remove it. It was bleeding from a mark on its shoulder, like it had been bitten by something. Melissa
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,022
Jun 25, 2014 19:25:50 GMT
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Post by mimima on May 27, 2016 19:12:34 GMT
Oh, I'm so sorry
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Post by smokeynspike on May 29, 2016 5:08:02 GMT
Update in OP.
Melissa
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Post by smokeynspike on May 29, 2016 5:21:25 GMT
Kitten pic
I hope you guys can see the baby. Melissa
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chendra
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,861
Location: The 33rd State
Jun 27, 2014 16:58:50 GMT
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Post by chendra on May 29, 2016 5:29:19 GMT
Kitten pic
I hope you guys can see the baby. Melissa I see the sweet little kitty
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YooHoot
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,418
Jun 26, 2014 3:11:50 GMT
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Post by YooHoot on May 29, 2016 5:29:36 GMT
So sweet. I'm glad mommy and baby are okay. Sorry about the other kitten.
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Post by penguin on May 29, 2016 6:27:44 GMT
Congratulations on the new additions to your family! The kitten is sweet.
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Post by miominmio on May 29, 2016 7:34:16 GMT
Kitten pic
I hope you guys can see the baby. Melissa Awwwww!
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craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on May 29, 2016 7:56:13 GMT
Oh how cute! Thanks you for rescuing them, I'm glad momma cat saw sense and came inside. Sorry about the other kitten.
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Post by pelirroja on May 29, 2016 10:47:38 GMT
Your domino kitten is adorable! Sorry to hear about the tuxedo kitten: life can be so fragile in the wild (male cats sometimes kill kittens that aren't theirs, unfortunately). You've done a wonderful thing bringing her in and keeping her (and her baby) safe. And I love that she will let you pet her: it sounds like you'll have two more in your family since she's adapting so well. And yes, as I read your post, I can almost picture her, side by side with her baby, purring contentedly. You did a wonderful thing in protecting her and her little one.
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Post by gailoh on May 29, 2016 12:23:25 GMT
Melissa, thank you for helping them, I have a mom and her full grown son in my family room.
I have had them for about 3 years now and they were wild as well...
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,022
Jun 25, 2014 19:25:50 GMT
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Post by mimima on May 29, 2016 13:57:45 GMT
Oh, what a sweet face. So glad to see the update
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Post by wezee on May 29, 2016 14:54:25 GMT
awe what a cutie! tfs
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Post by hosschick on May 29, 2016 15:00:05 GMT
Awww, what a precious little kittypuff!
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valincal
Drama Llama
Southern Alberta
Posts: 5,648
Jun 27, 2014 2:21:22 GMT
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Post by valincal on May 29, 2016 15:02:30 GMT
Sweet baby! Thanks for taking care of them. It's against the law to have roaming cats here so we so we don't see too many strays thank goodness.
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Post by leannec on May 29, 2016 16:37:41 GMT
Cutie freaking patootie
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