Advice Please - New Kittens

[KittyLuna]

Hi all,

Im new here and needing advice.

6 months ago I took in a cat from a home where the elderly owner had passed on. I was told by the family that the cat was a 6 month old male. He fit into our home perfectly, making best friends with the dog and preferring to spend majority of the time outside with her, coming inside for a cuddle now and then at his leisure.

Well, fast forward 9 months and he has turned out to be a she. We now have 4 little cuties. She has opted to hide out and have them under some shrubs out the back, I have tried to move mum and bubs into their own room of the house, but mum freaks, grabs a kitten and like a mad woman tries to escape. I am in no way a cat expert, and the sight of her so stressed scared me. I ultimately let her take her kittens back to where she felt safe.

Its meant to rain and storm over the weekend and Im afraid that the bubbas are going to end up wet, cold and sick.

Any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

 

[StefanZ]

Them being inside is of course best from all accounts. Can you make their room as nice, safe, comfortable as possible?
Food water, litter... Scratching post.
Have perhaps a Feliway diffuser on, calming relaxing music on...
And of course, close the room. so she wont have any option to get out, alone or with kittens. she will land soon enough.

If she is best friend with the dog, and wants his company, let him be in there too. But if you notice she wants to be alone, let her.

Is there ANY reason why she perhaps feels unsecure inside? This being so a great danger she at all costs prefer to be outside??

 

[KittyLuna]

I provided her with litter, food, bed etc in the room, she just put one of the kittens in her mouth and was jumping around like a crazy kitty, Trying to go through the blinds etc... this is extremely unlike her, she’s usually very docile and happy to do whatever.

I’m assuming she wants to be outside as she’s never been constricted to just the house before, let alone a room (she uses he little dogs doggy door to come in and out).

She was ok with me picking them up etc but she doesn’t want them any other place but under the shrubs on the ground - I even tried putting a crate outside as near under the shrubs as I could for her but it wasn’t good enough and she moved them back. I really just want them up off the ground and shielded from the weather. She usually sleeps up on the balcony in her bed, but I’m not game to try and put them up their incase she jumps from the balcony to the roof with a kitten.

This kitty business is tricky.

 

[StefanZ]

Ok, I see. if its impossible, so its impossible. Perhaps later on.

The situation not optimal, and the weaker one will perish. but what to do??

You can prepare some shelter nearby, so she perhaps herself moves in with the kittens..

After all, most cats even ferales, see the wellfare of her children is more important than "freedom".
Its why Im pretty sure she is plainly scared by something in the room you tried to have her in.

Anyways, momma is momma. If you dont want to take them and handraise 100%, she must have the charge.

 

[Sarthur2]

Bring them all inside and put them in a closet or bathroom. Put a box turned over with a door cut for mom, or a crate with a blanket covering 3 sides. Mom and kittens need to feel safe and private.

Put mom's food, water, and litter nearby. Do not let her out of the room. She should calm down and adjust within a day or so. It is not safe for them outside!

 

[KittyLuna]

Thanks For your knowledge Stefanz.

I have enclosed the area they are in as much as I can whilst still allowing mama to get in. And out in hopes of shielding them as much as possible.

I’ve also set up numerous crates and beds in surrounding areas, hoping she will move them herself. She of course can still come inside via the doggy door also.

I’ve done some googling and whilst I can’t pin point anything specific that she would be scared of in the room, it seems logical that she is aware of the high traffic in our household and feels her babies will be safer out of sight.

I definitely would prefer for mama to raise her babies, but I will periodically check on them to ensure that none are in bad health.

Hopefully she will be more comfortable with moving them, once they’re not so new ? I will keep trying none the less.

She will be spayed once babies are weaned (this is when vet advised best time to do so) and we won’t have to go through this again...

 

[KittyLuna]

Bring them all inside and put them in a closet or bathroom. Put a box turned over with a door cut for mom, or a crate with a blanket covering 3 sides. Mom and kittens need to feel safe and private.

Put mom's food, water, and litter nearby. Do not let her out of the room. She should calm down and adjust within a day or so. It is not safe for them outside!

Sarthur2 - I’m worried by her carrying on jumping around looking for an escape, with a kitten in her mouth. What are the chances of her harming a kitten (accidentally) by doing so?

Also, if I force her to stay in there regardless of behaviour will she end up not tending to her litter?

 

[talkingpeanut]

Mom should adjust to being inside quickly. A dark, quiet room will work best.

Mom really needs to stay inside with the kittens too. She can already get pregnant again.

 

[KittyLuna]

Mom should adjust to being inside quickly. A dark, quiet room will work best.

Mom really needs to stay inside with the kittens too. She can already get pregnant again.

Already?! Really? Oh gosh, then I definitely need to figure out a way to get her inside until she can be spayed... I definitely do not want this situation again.