pregnant stray

japam

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i have been trying to catch a pregnant stray for two weeks, who is almost fours weeks into pregnancy, saw her mate twice on the 9.01/21.

Problem is unfortunately she witnessed me catching three other cats, one that has been returned, male about 1 year old, who got the snip.
The rest the charity are gonna try and socialize.

She will not take the bait of the large trap with food, although she still comes to me as i am her main food source, as the neighbour nextdoor feeds, as and when. and i feed twice daily.

She is very skittish and anxious, when i caught the 1st kitten, not hers, she sat facing the wall for hours, and then when she came round to eat a few hours later, straight after eating she urine marked, this went on for day s on end, after every meal.

Do i let her drop the litter and get her spayed between the 6 to 8 week mark, and the litter from the 4 month mark, as i generally do feel if i do catch her and she is shipped off, the charity have already told me, spaying her now might be an issue, and they will keep her in a shelter, till she drops, thus probably compounding and elevating her stress levels even further.

i have been told by the neighbour she had two litters last year, and took the kittens away, but she returned, i reckon the neighbours must of handled the kittens or she dumpped them somewhere due to food, shelter and water shortage.

I can not stroke her and after catching the other three, she has started associating eating with something fearful, constantly stopping and starting, when i put the food out i go back in and let her eat, whereas before i could be 1 metre away and she would not be bothered.

what do i do?
 

Furballsmom

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Hi
Can you stop feeding her regular meal or two, and put something irresistibly smelly in the trap?
 
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japam

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Hi
Can you stop feeding her regular meal or two, and put something irresistibly smelly in the trap?
i tried that, not feeding for a day then trying to trap next day in the evening, thats how i caught the rest.

strangely the most cautious one i caught first, followed by the smartest one in the group, then the neighbourhood pest and then the one who acts first think later.

i would probably have to try not feeding for two days and see if she takes the bait.
 
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Sarthur2

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My only issue with not feeding her for 2 days is that she is pregnant and needs the food more than ever now. How about not trying to trap her at all for a week or two, then try again? Maybe she will get less skittish and let you pet her.

Or can the neighbors trap her for you? Is she less fearful of them?
 
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japam

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My only issue with not feeding her for 2 days is that she is pregnant and needs the food more than ever now. How about not trying to trap her at all for a week or two, then try again? Maybe she will get less skittish and let you pet her.

Or can the neighbors trap her for you? Is she less fearful of them?
The neighbour is the reason the mess occured, they witnessed the last two litters, and did not spay her, they must of handled her offsprings as she took them away and they were never seen again, i only picked up on the issue returning back home from working away dec, i saw her mate twice on the 9th of jan, but her and the other two females where in heat from 4th jan, as the tom's were all hovering the garden.
 
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japam

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Over the last week i have been able to stroke her and the feral kitten, tnr'red ,i am only feeding those two.

Problem is there's a tom cat that's in the neighbourhood, who passes thru my garden, who mated with her in jan, got him snipped two weeks back, that i can see causing issues, i have a feeling she will either bring her kittens to me or kill them, i was told by a neighbour, she took her last litter away and they never returned.

my plan at the present is to try and catch her no later than 4/5 weeks into nursing the kittens.

Is there any basis of truth, that if she gets mated whilst nursing, her milk will stop and a second pregnancy will commence.

She has really bad anxiety, especially over food, and will prance around, scratch the wall repeatably and midden heavily, when there is a lack of food.
 
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StefanZ

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Nay, milk doesnt stop because she is in next pregnancy. IF it stops, I suppose its caused by lack of food / calcium...

But it may be true being in new heat / preg, she doesnt have the same dedication to her current litter...

So if its any possibility for you to take her inside before she delivers, it would be swell. But otherwise, when kittens are 4/5 weeks (and still easy to catch and easy to foster).
 
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