I took in a friendly feral with newborns & have some Qs

di and bob

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You are going through a horrible time, I can tell. And your heart is with your cats. I really feel for you....Are you on Medicare or Medicaid? They have in-house people that would come and help you with your house duties if you are homebound. If you are that disabled, please check into disability benefits if you are not old enough for medicare. It sounds like you are really in a tight spot. I have received nothing but caring from this site, but I know some people get riled up when they think cats are getting the short end of the stick in any way, and separating a mama cat from her kittens is more than some can take. I have taken in so many orphaned kittens, I know they do MUCH better with a mom. I hope your future holds much better for you, I'll pray for you all, I know you will be blessed for your caring.....
 

StefanZ

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Emma attacks my cats ALL THE TIME, not just now that she has kittens. They do nothing to provoke her. They can be in a totally separate area of the house and she will DELIBERATELY go up to them from behind, hiss, swipe at them with her claws out, chase them out of her way, and scream bloody murder as she's chasing them.
I'VE OWNED CATS ALL MY LIFE AND NO CATS PLAY THAT WAY.
She deliberately antagonizes my cats. THIS IS WHY I COULDN'T RESCUE HER. She gets along with no other cats, pregnant, kittens, or not - and the vast majority of the time I've known her, she has NOT been pregnant or a mother.
I consider THAT picking a fight ANY day. They were HIDING FROM HER and she still does that. She and her kittens were in no way threatened. Her kittens are upstairs, my cats are downstairs, HIDING UNDER FURNITURE.
The advice to spay her ASAP now is really good. a) it should calm her some in the long run b) usually we dont advice to spaying nursing moms, because... But the fact is, most often they can continue to nurse, if that is necessary. And she, being a succesfull semiferal, has surely very good healing meat, and should manage the aftercare much shorter than a typical family girl...
So, yes, I second this advice.... Spaying should be done anyway sooner or later. Do it sooner, even NOW...
 

catsknowme

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:alright: You certainly have a full plate and I wish that we were closer to help you. The last litter that I had (I adopted a pregnant- unknowingly) the mamacat terrorized my entire fur family. To me, it sounds like Emma has PTSD - I have seen it happen in unfixed feral females who experience being overwhelmed by too many males. Also, the treacherous person from whom you had to rescue Emma and the surviving babies has caused mental issues that her kitty mind cannot easily process. You were treated shabbily by the state trooper as well, IMO.
One of my former ferals was attacked by an unneutered male even though she had been spayed - she got PTSD and now distrusts the other pets. It wasn't until after she had her leg mangled that I was able to scoop her up, take her to the vet to get anesthesia and treatment. I brought her home and put her in the spare room; she is tame now after confidence building & months of socialization but she distrusts other cats, even kittens.
How is the little cat family now? FYI - if you have a candy thermometer, the formula is ideally served at 100°-102° . And we love, love, love pics :lovecat4::runningcat::catrub:
 
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