Angry Foster Mom

Eloise613 · May 13, 2019

We are fostering a mom and her kittens. We just brought them home this morning and the mom has been hiding and SCREAMS when you go near her. I left her and the kittens in the spare room but I’m worried the mom is going to be too upset to care for her babies. How do I make sure everyone’s ok? Is there a way to make the mom feel better? This is my
First time and I’m nervous

Hellenww · May 13, 2019

I've never fostered or cared for a recent Mom. Can you set a phone/tablet on record and point it at the kittens? Leave for a while and then get the device and look at the recording.

So others can give better advise:

How old are the kittens? How long since she fed them? Do you need additional info on kitten care?

I'm sure the Mom will calm down. If no one knowledgable about kitten care responds soon you can post in:

Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care

FeebysOwner · May 13, 2019

I don't have a lot of experience with this, so hopefully members who do will come along soon and offer some tips for you.

In addition to what

Hellenww has offered: I would make sure she has plenty to eat and drink and a litter box - along with some sort of bedding or even a blanket lined cardboard box that is fairly closed up but that you can still see in. It would be ideal if you could put up a double tiered baby gate, covered with a sheet or blanket that would kind of close off the room but allow you to peek in and see what is happening.

She is afraid and trying to protect her babies. So, leaving her alone for a while - as long as you can find a way to sneakily check in on her would be best. From what little I do know, mama will nurse and clean her babies when it is the quietest and not a whole lot of activity going on around them.

Eloise613 · May 13, 2019

Hellenww said:
I've never fostered or cared for a recent Mom. Can you set a phone/tablet on record and point it at the kittens? Leave for a while and then get the device and look at the recording.

So others can give better advise:

How old are the kittens? How long since she fed them? Do you need additional info on kitten care?

I'm sure the Mom will calm down. If no one knowledgable about kitten care responds soon you can post in:

Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care

Thank you!! The kittens are around 4 weeks old they said. They can eat wet food but still nurse. We picked her up at 9:30 and as far as I know she hasn’t fed them but they aren’t crying so maybe she did while I was out of the room. I put down wet food but no one ate it

Maybe I’ll cross post there. Thank you

Eloise613 · May 13, 2019

FeebysOwner said:
I don't have a lot of experience with this, so hopefully members who do will come along soon and offer some tips for you.

In addition to what Hellenww has offered: I would make sure she has plenty to eat and drink and a litter box - along with some sort of bedding or even a blanket lined cardboard box that is fairly closed up but that you can still see in. It would be ideal if you could put up a double tiered baby gate, covered with a sheet or blanket that would kind of close off the room but allow you to peek in and see what is happening.

She is afraid and trying to protect her babies. So, leaving her alone for a while - as long as you can find a way to sneakily check in on her would be best. From what little I do know, mama will nurse and clean her babies when it is the quietest and not a whole lot of activity going on around them.

Thank you!! I left dry food in there for her and will try again to put down wet food in a little. She has water and there is a litter box so hopefully they’re all ok for now

Kflowers · May 13, 2019

She won't let the kittens eat the wet food until she calms down a little and decides it's safe for them. Find out what the other lady was feeding them that mom let them eat and offer that. With each passing minute that nothing dreadful happens Mom will become a little more secure. By secure I mean enough to let the kittens eat, not enough to be touched. Not letting them eat is protecting them and teaching them cat safety. I've seen feral toms do the same when protecting queens and kittens.

Eloise613 · May 13, 2019

Kflowers said:
She won't let the kittens eat the wet food until she calms down a little and decides it's safe for them. Find out what the other lady was feeding them that mom let them eat and offer that. With each passing minute that nothing dreadful happens Mom will become a little more secure. By secure I mean enough to let the kittens eat, not enough to be touched. Not letting them eat is protecting them and teaching them cat safety. I've seen feral toms do the same when protecting queens and kittens.

Thank you! She gave me some cans of wet food so I put the dish down and left the room.

Kflowers · May 13, 2019

Atta girl! doing it this way is just what the mom wants. You're really good at putting yourself in her place. She and the kits are lucky to have you.

ArchyCat · May 13, 2019

What is mom's origin story? Rescued feral? Surrendered pet? Stray -- A stray is a former pet.

susanm9006 · May 13, 2019

Eloise613 said:
Thank you!! The kittens are around 4 weeks old they said. They can eat wet food but still nurse. We picked her up at 9:30 and as far as I know she hasn’t fed them but they aren’t crying so maybe she did while I was out of the room. I put down wet food but no one ate it

Maybe I’ll cross post there. Thank you

I am sure the kittens are nursing when you aren’t there. At that age they can be pretty insistent.

Eloise613 · May 16, 2019

Thank you all!!

I think she was a stray / semi feral at least. They didn’t give me her background at the shelter.

I’m happy to say things are getting better!! Mom is feisty but she tolerates us and I even pet her today!! I was so honored she let me touch her! Lol

She has been scooting around / slinking around on her belly and dragging herself around on the floor. Any idea what that could mean? She’s not hurt or anything. She’s just a little weirdo! Let me see if I can attach a pic of her and her babies

susanm9006 · May 16, 2019

I would take the slinking around to mean that she is still fearful and mistrustful of her environment.

DreamerRose · May 16, 2019

What a darling family group!

danteshuman · May 16, 2019

Awwwww they are so cute! And look at color/pattern variation in the kittens!

At that age some fur mice or small toys plus those little jingle balls wouldn’t hurt. Hopefully she will be feeling more brave and bold soon!

JoyM · May 29, 2019

I currently am fostering a mom and her 5 kittens. Trust me, IF they are hungry they WILL let you know! They are ravenous little ones at that age!!
Mom will nurse when you aren’t there. You can sit in there with the kittens while they eat to make sure they are all getting their fill and they will associate you with food.
I have never fostered with the mom before but it’s sooo much easier than bottle babies. She might never come around but that’s ok. Just focus on making the kittens friendly. We take each one out for an hour a day to sit with us, nap and play while we watch tv at night. They come running to us every time we are around but mom just doesn’t care for us.

Angry Foster Mom

Eloise613

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Hellenww

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FeebysOwner

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Eloise613

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Eloise613

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Kflowers

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Eloise613

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ArchyCat

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