Accidentally Scared Mother Cat Away

[AAABattery]

Hi, I was visiting my grandmother's house today and decided to check on one of the stray cats that she somewhat took in (she didn't let them in the house but kept her little storage room open for any of them to stop by and eat). I was hoping to see the gray cat (his mother, a calico, took his siblings elsewhere after they grew up but he stayed back with my grandmother and pretty much claimed the storage room as his).
However, I only see a black cat who immediately bolted out of the storage room. I thought that she is also one of the stray cats that visited my grandmother so I kept looking around to see if my gray cat friend is around. But I heard some rustling noise in a carton box and peeped in to see a litter of kittens. I think they were born this week considering their sizes. I have never had a cat before but I heard from others to not touch the kittens so I left the room.
However, I'm still worried that my entering the room scared the mother cat away and she might abandon them. I got inside the house and keep checking on the window to see if the mother cat return but it's beem almost an hour. I did looking up online but I'm still not sure about the case.

 

[Kieka]

Mother cats run to draw away the predators. It doesn't meant they will abandon their babies, but she will wait until she feels it is safe to return. It could be several hours and she might decide to look for food while she is away. But she will return.

 

[AAABattery]

I see, I guess we were causing such a commotion (my grandmother wants my dad to fix the roof for her and cut down some bush so there was a lot of noise). Thank you for the reply, it definetely eased my concern

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
The mama cat will be back. As long as she is able to be there for her kittens, she will be

 

[Dave Brownlee]

Mother cats run to draw away the predators. It doesn't meant they will abandon their babies, but she will wait until she feels it is safe to return. It could be several hours and she might decide to look for food while she is away. But she will return.

That is usually correct in most situations - maybe 90% of the time - but there are times where the mother simply doesn't come back - not from a lack of motherly spirit but maybe because she scared or intimidated and had to make a choice. I have seen this sort of thing before and maybe I am wrong - but I have nursed a couple kittens back to health when they were left out for a day or so.

 

[Kieka]

That is usually correct in most situations - maybe 90% of the time - but there are times where the mother simply doesn't come back - not from a lack of motherly spirit but maybe because she scared or intimidated and had to make a choice. I have seen this sort of thing before and maybe I am wrong - but I have nursed a couple kittens back to health when they were left out for a day or so.

This is true. But optimistic that this will be one of the 90% that do. Checking frequently today and continuing to worry will ensure Mom doesn't come back. Waiting for 9-12 hours and leaving them alone is their best chance for Mom to come back.

 

[Dave Brownlee]

This is true. But optimistic that this will be one of the 90% that do. Checking frequently today and continuing to worry will ensure Mom doesn't come back. Waiting for 9-12 hours and leaving them alone is their best chance for Mom to come back.

A lot of it depends on the weather and the general "surroundings" - if the kitten is in a safe place (no raccoons) and it can survive overnight - you are right. Kittens do tend to dehydrate pretty fast though.

 

[Kieka]

A lot of it depends on the weather and the general "surroundings" - if the kitten is in a safe place (no raccoons) and it can survive overnight - you are right. Kittens do tend to dehydrate pretty fast though.

Also true, but the goal is to get Mom to go back to the kittens. Hoovering humans are still counter to that goal. I have faith that if the Mom isn't back by the morning that the OP will be back to ask advice again. In general, humans tend to overreact and think abandoned well before they should. While some kittens will die without human interference, there are probably twice as many taken from Mom on accident when Mom had not abandoned them. The general advice if you find kittens is to leave them alone and allow mom to come back. Since the OP said it had been an hour, that is the advice given.

 

[AAABattery]

We don't live nearby my grandmother's house and we were just visiting today cause her house is on my way back to college but I've texted my aunt to ask if the mother cat ever came back (cause my aunt said that the the cat was a regular visitor). Still waiting for her reply tho but I really hoped everything will be fine ;;

 

[AAABattery]

My aunt finally texted back and told me that everything is fine. The mother cat came back a couple hours after we left.

 

[Furballsmom]

WOO-HOO, that's excellent news - thank you so much for the update!!