New Feral Mama And Kittens

[LittleShadow]

So, yesterday I went out to my back porch for something, and to my surprise, I see a cat...that I quickly realize is a MAMA cat, as I see two small fluffs scurry under Molly's old catio deck through a hole I hadn't thought was large enough for a cat. Mama promptly proves me wrong, as the moment the last kitten is through, she's under the catio too, peering back out mistrustfully. I went back in, got food and water, and set them out for her, being careful to not go too close or ever look directly at the hole she went through.

I worried that I'd scared her off, but the food was gone this morning, and mama was nursing the kittens next to the catio. All FIVE kittens, to be precise. This morning, when I put more food out, she barely waited for me to get back inside before she was devouring the food, and the kittens were peeking out of the hole soon after.

I'm hoping that I can slowly lure her with the food closer and closer to the door to the catio, then INTO the catio, and eventually just close the catio door when she's inside. The kittens are far too small to be kept in by the catio wire, but if I catch mama, the kittens can easily come in to join her, and should do so quickly considering they aren't weaned yet and their usual nest is literally right next to the wire. As they grow, they'll hopefully end up trapped in the catio with mama, and then I can look up a fix clinic and get all six fixed once they get to weaning age. Fingers crossed!

 

[Furballsmom]

let us know how things go

 

[LittleShadow]

Hmm, got a slightly closer look at the kittens, at least one has sort of wrinkled ears that don't stand up straight yet, but aren't totally plastered to the head. It's been years since I've interacted with non-weaned kittens up close, so I'm not too sure about age. Their eyes are open, and they can walk. Anyone have a guestimate for age based on that?

 

[Furballsmom]

This may help;

Kitten Development Stages - Illustrated Guide

 

[Jenniberrie]

Probably 3 weeks? Mine have gotten quite rambunctious at one month old...

 

[LittleShadow]

Aww. As soon as I saw mama cat, I tossed two clean ratty old towels on my bed to start picking up my scent. It was a bit early to start putting my scent outside to get mama and the kittens used to it, but last night it rained pretty heavily, and I was worried, so I took the towels out and tucked them in a dry spot to create a warmer/dryer nest than the bare dirt under Molly's catio.

This morning, mama cat and at least three of the kittens (why are four of them the same color? Makes it hard to count!) are curled up asleep on the towels that smell like me.

Also, yes, looking at the pictures and descriptions, the kittens seem to be in the three week range.

 

[Furballsmom]

This morning, mama cat and at least three of the kittens (why are four of them the same color? Makes it hard to count!) are curled up asleep on the towels that smell like me.

 

[LittleShadow]

Kitten playtime! One tried to rear up and wave both front paws at a sibling...only to fall over backwards. One decided to climb into the water bowl, which took several tries, then once they succeeded curled up and laid down...and then seemed confused as to how this led to being wet. Two proved that they can indeed fit through the catio wire, as they played uncoordinated kitten stagger tag back and forth through the wires after one fell through accidentally. The last kitten watched this all happening, then started sniffing the kibble I'd put out for mama, before losing interest and bumbling around trying to attack a weed.

More exciting? At the end of this, mama realized I was watching through the window, and froze. I was expecting her to send the kittens back under the deck, but after a moment she relaxed. She didn't stop staring at me as I carefully let my gaze slip so I wasn't directly looking at her or the kittens, but she didn't seem to be showing that she felt threatened, just wary. Progress!

 

[Furballsmom]

Progress!

Good for you!!
Your descriptions of those kittens had me seriously laughing out loud, they are so darling and funny!! Put me right on cloud 9 !

 

[mazie]

Can you please post pictures of the little family?

 

[LittleShadow]

I’m thinking they’re getting closer to three and a half weeks than just reached three weeks, but they’re still very bumbling and unsteady, and their ears are noticeably more upright today than two days ago.

 

[mazie]

what a sweet family. Are you still trying to get the family inside? The kittens, at least one of them is eating solid food. Do you have wet kitten food and kitten kibble out for the kittens?

 

[LittleShadow]

S/he didn't actually EAT the kibble, just sniffed at it because mama ate it. The grassy weed nearby got far more attention, it moved! And yes, I'll be trying to get them inside Molly's old catio over the next week or so. I'll pick up some kitten food soon, right now I'm just using what I had.

Also, more progress! I just went out with a little more food, rattling the cup as I went. Mama didn't run! Not only that, she took a step towards me! Only one, but this is so much more progress than I was expecting this fast! And two of the kittens saw me and didn't run!

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[LittleShadow]

MAMA SNIFFED ME!!! I went out and got some kitten food today for my feral family, and went out to give them some when I got home. Mama was growling lowly and hissing softly with uncertain body language. I crouched down and made a point of not looking directly at her or her kittens as I grabbed a handful of food.

I was only intending to hold it out for a moment to help further the connection between me and food, but mama started slinking closer, still growling and hissing, though very softly. I froze, and she actually came all the way up to me, sniffed my hand, and grabbed a kibble out of my hand before backing up a step and scarfing it. I let the rest of the kibbles fall out of my hand, and she was on them as soon as I pulled my hand back. I gave her two more handfuls of food, and then went back inside. I've got some wet food for later tonight, maybe the kittens will try it too!

I am over the moon. This is moving much, much faster than I anticipated with her, possibly because of how hungry nursing five kittens must be making her. I picked up two new litterboxes (one extra large, and one low sided smaller one) and some non-clumping litter, and I've propped the catio door open. I'm going to clean the catio feeder and water bowl, and when I go out next time to feed her, I'll put those back out. I'm hoping she can be tempted into the catio, it will probably be much less traumatic for her to just have the catio door closed behind her than to be caught in a live trap, but I've got one of those too if I need it.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[LittleShadow]

Yep, kittens now eat kibble. I put more out for mama, and the kittens have apparently realized that the stuff mama goes nuts over is food. So I scattered some just on the other side of the catio wire, where the kittens could squeeze through to get it, and made a small trail of more kibble leading to it back through the wire, then put out some wet food and more kibble where mama can get it. All five kittens squeezed through the wire to get to the kibble as mama first paced outside, then discovered the wet food for her and promptly decided the kittens were doing fine, time to eat.

 

[LittleShadow]

Oh dear. I have discovered a problem with introducing the kittens to wet food. Remember the little one who sat in the water bowl? I changed out the water bowl for a larger container so they couldn't do that again, but when I put some wet food out for the kittens, I put it in a shallow bowl so they could get to it.

Guess what kitten who sits in bowls did when I put out the wet food. Yep. Mama cat then proceeded to groom them within an inch of their lives. I sincerely regret letting my phone die, because that was hilarious.

 

[LittleShadow]

I think this is really going to work! This morning I went out with a dish, a can of food, and a cup of kibble. I put the dish down and opened the can, and mama came right out. I dumped the can in the dish, then held the back of my hand towards mama. She came up and sniffed it, and for once wasn't growling, so I took a chance. I slowly, gently ran the backs of my fingers up the side of her face and scratched behind her ears.

This did start her growling, but she also started pushing into the petting, so...I'm thinking her growling is more a warning of "don't push it" than necessarily an indicator that she's angry and upset? I petted behind her ears for 5-10 seconds, until she stopped pushing into it. Before she could pull away, I slowly pulled my hand back and poured the kibble. I'm wondering if she's had friendly interactions with people before, she's taming down so fast....

 

[Kflowers]

sounds as though she was once someone's cat and is thinking about doing it again. Her timing in finding you is good.