There is probably a topic on this somewhere that I didn't see, but I need some advice about this. My semi-feral I have cared for since December and took in during early April had five kittens 12 days ago. They are currently in a box with three-inch sides under a chair and are in the storage room because I have a male (neutered) cat in the house. The kittens' eyes are open and they can hear a little so they are more active, playing with each other a little and trying to explore. One of them got out of the box and was crawling on the carpet this morning but the mother cat, who was eating at the time, didn't care. The problem is that I don't want them exploring the storage room due to safety issues with too many places to get stuck, although I've tried to block off places they could squeeze into. The mother does not want a higher box. I tried but she was distressed by this, presumably because she couldn't see them and get to them quickly. I have put them back in the lower box and today put a book under the escape route to raise it a little.
Does anyone have a suggestion of how to contain the kittens as they grow? I was thinking of a dog exercise pen but the concern is the bars and little heads getting stuck and I thought of a baby playpen but kittens could climb the mesh. Crates won't work because I have to have an easy in for the mother and yet keep the kittens from getting out. She also needs her separate place for food/water and litter box. I am also going to need to bring the kittens and mother in the house in a few weeks because I live in the South and it will get hot out in the storage room. It's warm now but fortunately the storage room is all brick with a concrete floor that is still cool and there are two screened windows that could be opened a crack if I could get them unstuck but that won't be enough when it hits the 90+ weather starting in June. I've put a fan up on a table to circulate the air. So....what should I get to keep the kittens secure?
Thanks for any suggestions!
Does anyone have a suggestion of how to contain the kittens as they grow? I was thinking of a dog exercise pen but the concern is the bars and little heads getting stuck and I thought of a baby playpen but kittens could climb the mesh. Crates won't work because I have to have an easy in for the mother and yet keep the kittens from getting out. She also needs her separate place for food/water and litter box. I am also going to need to bring the kittens and mother in the house in a few weeks because I live in the South and it will get hot out in the storage room. It's warm now but fortunately the storage room is all brick with a concrete floor that is still cool and there are two screened windows that could be opened a crack if I could get them unstuck but that won't be enough when it hits the 90+ weather starting in June. I've put a fan up on a table to circulate the air. So....what should I get to keep the kittens secure?
Thanks for any suggestions!