Hello...I just found this site and I am so glad to know that there are so many loving "cat" people in the world. I have had many, many kitties over the years and have loved them all...and lost them all mostly due to old age except for my Allie cat (a stray living in an alley that I had to trap to capture, thus her name). Anyway, several weeks ago I found out that a stray mama kitty was living under a porch beside our house. I didn't know she had kittens at first but when I found out, she immediately recognized my interest in them and moved them the very next day. I was heartbroken...I had been working on getting mama used to me when I set out the food but she was not going to allow me to get close to her babies. I initially thought she was probably a stray and not truly "feral" but now I am not sure. So, here is the rest of the story...after considerable trial and error and unflagging determination, I finally trapped mama and 2 adorable kittens 3 weeks ago today. I had a small bedroom ready with everything kitties would need, including a hiding place because I knew that they would need a "den" to call their own while they acclimated. And their hearing is EXCEPTIONAL so they head for their den as soon as they hear any movement close to their room. After several days without any sightings (they were eating, drinking, and using the litter box), I could not stand the fact that I wasn't able to see them to make sure they were OK and I didn't want to invade their safe place. So, I bought a baby monitor and now I can watch them and I feel that they are healthy. The 2 babies (probably about 10 weeks old) play A LOT, especially at night, and they play very hard...running, jumping, attacking one another and playing with their numerous toys. Mama kitty, however, still seems restless...there is a window that she can sit in and watch but I think that she wants out so bad that looking out the window increases her anxiety to escape. I understand that some people recommend "caging" the kitties in order to socialize them but I thought giving them more freedom and keeping them together would be less stressful. My dilemma now is worrying that they will NEVER accept me as long as they can hide. Would anyone care to offer me your insights into this concern? I do have the time to allow them to proceed slowly IF I know that eventually they will come around (and I do talk to them every time I go into the room and I try and sit in the room and talk to them whenever I can). I am committed to keeping all 3 and I have asked my vet if I could hold off bringing them in for a check up and neutering, which the vet thought would be all right. So, now it is just my concern that I may have to come up with a Plan B if the kitties will never make progress in getting used to me when they can remain in hiding. Also, if anyone has any thoughts on whether mama is feral or a stray, I would love to hear your opinion.