Help! Have To Keep Pregnant Stray Safe In Outside Crate

[mailynsca]

I’m freaking out as I type this so please bare with me... I can’t sleep worrying about how to do this.

A very pregnant stray has been coming around our porch and we’ve been feeding her. I don’t know anything about pregnant cats but I think she’s going to give birth any day now. Problem is my neighborhood is very dangerous for strays, if you know what I mean. I feel scared to let her just have her babies wherever she goes (she comes to our house 2-3 times a day) but there’s no place inside to put her.

My house is very small. My mom has a room but she has dementia so placing kitty there is no go. In my room I have 1 cat and a big, sick dog....and my bed. We only have one bathroom so not good either. The living room/dinning room is where our other 4 cats live. Going crazy trying to figure something out I remembered a big cage I got years ago from someone. It’s big enough for a golden retriever and her 4 puppies (that’s where they would be when their house was cleaned by their owner). I got an extra litter box and food/water bowls. The only solution I can come up with is to put kitty in there with everything plus a cardboard box with newspapers where she can give birth.

The bigger problem is that, being in Miami, it can rain whenever. I got a couple of shower curtains and am thinking of covering the top and 3 sides since our back porch doesn’t have a roof. But then I’m worried about the heat so I thought of using our box fan outside the cage?

I’m so anxious over this I think im going to puke. It’s about 73 to 85 Fahrenheit every day but lately it’s gone down to 60 at night. We’re having really crazy weather.

Any help is welcomed. I’m going insane with worry.

 

[StefanZ]

It seems as a working solution!

 

[StefanZ]

ps. How to build safe outside enclosures, for some ideas look also in our subforum for Stray and Feral care.
mailynsca

 

[Sarthur2]

Since she will be in the crate, can you find a place in the house to put the crate for now? It would be best to get it completely out of the weather.

Thank you for helping this mom. She needs lots of food to support pregnancy and nursing.

Do you have a nearby low-cost spay clinic for mom for after the kittens wean?

 

[mailynsca]

It seems as a working solution!

Thanks so much! I feel better knowing at least I’m on the right track. I spent most of the night outside to see if she would show up. Am still waiting for her now with some soft food so I can grab her. These are some pictures I got of her yesterday.

 

[StefanZ]

A true, sweet beautie! With these irregular black and silver marble swivrls (?) she has prob some bengal ancestry. Granddad or so.

 

[mailynsca]

Since she will be in the crate, can you find a place in the house to put the crate for now? It would be best to get it completely out of the weather.

Thank you for helping this mom. She needs lots of food to support pregnancy and nursing.

Do you have a nearby low-cost spay clinic for mom for after the kittens wean?

The crate doesn’t fit inside since our living room/dining room is kind of together. With the furniture there’s no space in between or against a wall that’s big enough.

My cats are in that area but they’re sick so I can’t have them near other cats even if the crate would fit.

Since my mom is disabled there’s a place that does surgery for free. I’ve taken strays there before. It’s a low cost place to help TNR. But mom gets it for free so we’re taking the family to them soon as they’re old enough. Btw, when is that? I’ve heard it’s at 3 months?

 

[mailynsca]

A true, sweet beautie! With these irregular black and silver marble swivrls (?) she has prob some bengal ancestry. Granddad or so.

She is the sweetest kitty ever. I feel so bad for her. She looks like she still a baby.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Mom can be spayed when the babies are 8 weeks old. It would be great if you could get the babies spayed/neutered too. 3 months is a good age for them, though they can be done as early as 2 months/2 pounds.

Can you put a canopy or something over the crate if they must stay outside? It would help with heat and rain, while allowing more air to circulate than a shower curtain.

You will also need to use a flea treatment on mom and be vigilant. Advantage II is safe for nursing moms.

 

[mailynsca]

Mom can be spayed when the babies are 8 weeks old. It would be great if you could get the babies spayed/neutered too. 3 months is a good age for them, though they can be done as early as 2 months/2 pounds.

Can you put a canopy or something over the crate if they must stay outside? It would help with heat and rain, while allowing more air to circulate than a shower curtain.

You will also need to use a flea treatment on mom and be vigilant. Advantage II is safe for nursing moms.

Canopy sounds great! Does anyone know where you can buy one? I’m going to need to buy it today. Yeah I’m taking the babies as well. Thanks for your help!

 

[talkingpeanut]

I would try a Walmart or a camping store.

 

[mailynsca]

I would try a Walmart or a camping store.

Never mind. I checked my bank account and have like $4 dollars. Ugh. This is crazy.

I think the cardboard box I got is too small. How big should it be? They gave me it at the dollar store cuz they were throwing them out.

Thanks again everyone. At least I don’t feel so incompetent thanks to you.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Have you tried contacting rescues to see if they have openings for a pregnant mom?

What is the cardboard box for?

 

[mailynsca]

Have you tried contacting rescues to see if they have openings for a pregnant mom?

What is the cardboard box for?

I got a list of rescues but they are full. One even told me the only way would be to abort the babies. Freaked me out. The cardboard box is for her to give birth. It’ll be tall enough that the babies can’t fall out. I’m thinking of using a couple of towels rather than newspaper cuz it’s more comfy.

I’m attaching pics of the accommodations so far. Tomorrow I get a box from Publix and put towels in it, fill the litter box and food/water and I pray that’s enough.

My mom is 5 feet tall. She’s standing next to the cage for reference. I put clear shower liner on the back so it’s not as dark, and a light colored one up top and around.

 

[Sarthur2]

This plan should work. When do you plan to put mama kitty in the crate?

 

[mailynsca]

This plan should work. When do you plan to put mama kitty in the crate?

Tomorrow morning. I’m putting tuna in so she’ll be tempted. She’s very nice but I don’t want her to be scared of the cage so I want her to go in by herself

 

[talkingpeanut]

I’m concerned that you will have lack of air flow with the shower curtain on the crate. Can you keep it away from the top and the sides at all?

 

[mailynsca]

I’m concerned that you will have lack of air flow with the shower curtain on the crate. Can you keep it away from the top and the sides at all?

I can put it up when it’s not raining and just put it on at night in case it does.

Should I cover any part during the day? I don’t know if she’d feel vulnerable completely uncovered. Also, can I put a box fan during like noon in front so she keeps cool?

 

[talkingpeanut]

If you want to cover for security, you’ll want a fabric that breathes, like a towel.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, cover it with a towel. Only use the shower curtain when it rains. She will definitely want to feel secure. Leave the front uncovered though.