Stray Cat and Kittens

[jeanw]

I need y'all's advice please. I've been feeding a family of stray (apparently) cats - it looks like a mom and 3 kittens. I woke up one morning the beginning of last week and looked out my patio door and there they were. The kittens were playing. They are almost all white except one kitten is partly orange. They are pretty little still - probably only 2 or 3 months old - and very cute. They are all terrified of humans and if I even look their direction they run away. I had seen the mom before around the neighborhood but didn't know she had babies. She is sooooo thin.

I put out some food and water and she ate like she is starved. I looked out the patio door one night at 3:30 when I woke up and they were all laying on my patio furniture and looking very content. One night one of the kittens was here by itself and was crying and crying. But eventually the mom came back. They stayed for several days but now they seem to be staying somewhere else - I have no idea where. I fill the food and water every day and I can tell they come at night to eat while I'm sleeping and I think during the day while I'm at work too.

I've only seen the mama cat a few times this week - I think she comes by herself to eat now. I have no idea where to find them. It's getting colder here like it is everywhere - but we're in the southwest so not too cold yet. Any suggestions? Trapping them really isn't an option. The humane shelter here is absolutely terrible and there are no no-kill shelters. There is a huge homeless cat population here and everyone I know has as many / more cats than they want.

Should I just keep putting food out and make a warm bed for them to sleep in?

 

[trixshar]

I have been in your exact situation. Putting the food out is good. Probably part of why she was so thin is that nursing takes a lot out of the mother cat. If the kittens are still surviving, they will come by with her at some point - she may even bring them by.

A couple of years ago two little kittens appeared at my front door, about 4 months old & cute as could be. Well, I had just taken in a brother & sister to add to my existing herd, so I just put food out for them. They showed up most nights, then only one. I put out a humane trap & to my surprise, caught the mother cat - had not realized she came by at all. (Then I just grabbed the surviving baby, as I saw a huge raccoon contemplating him right after I brought in the mother in the cage.) I got her spayed & released her , as she was a year old & could not be tamed. (Her son was young enough to join my family.) She somes by nearly every day & I will feed her as long as she keeps coming.
IF she is a truly feral car, it would be best to trap & spay her & set up some shelter for her outside. One way a friend does this is to buy one of the super-cheap food "colers", the kind made of that white stuff similar to the morlded stuff they pack things in. She glues the top on & makes a cat-sized hole (or 2, for escape). She has feral cats who spend the winter in her unheated barn in those insulated containers.
If she is an abandoned pet that reverted to wild, you will find she will eventually allow & respond to petting, the longer you feed her. Either way, she should be spayed.
There are some vets who will loan humane traps.

Good luck!

 

[StefanZ]

One tip. It they afraid as soon you look at them: dont look at them more than a second! Look a little aside as or look with half closed eyes, as friendly cats do!

And even a feral 1 year old or older feral can usually be tamed and domesticized. But of course usually it takes a lot of time and effort. And most people dont have the time, patience and endurance. this is why normal people should contend with kittens (preferably young! - the big "window" is 2-7 weeks) or cats once tame being astray.
But to get in them and spay/neuter is very good - and release after it.
One big exception: if a feral is sick - and you do nurse it and help it recover - the "window" for socialisation is wide open again - and such a feral grown cat can very often be domesticized fairly easy.

 

[tnr1]

I've only seen the mama cat a few times this week - I think she comes by herself to eat now. I have no idea where to find them. It's getting colder here like it is everywhere - but we're in the southwest so not too cold yet. Any suggestions? Trapping them really isn't an option. The humane shelter here is absolutely terrible and there are no no-kill shelters. There is a huge homeless cat population here and everyone I know has as many / more cats than they want.

Jean...first, you need to contact a feral cat organization. This mom MUST be trapped so she can be spayed. Letting her remain intact will mean even more kittens and will make more more sick. So it is most humane to get her in to a vet so she can be spayed. Below is a list of feral cat organizations in Arizona, I urge you to contact them:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#az

You can also contact the low cost spay/neuter clinics below...some of them will have traps available and you can take the cat to be spayed and return her back outdoors:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#az

Someone else may be feeding her which is why you may not have seen her in a few days.

Katie

 

[jeanw]

Originally Posted by TNR1

Jean...first, you need to contact a feral cat organization. This mom MUST be trapped so she can be spayed. Letting her remain intact will mean even more kittens and will make more more sick. So it is most humane to get her in to a vet so she can be spayed. Below is a list of feral cat organizations in Arizona, I urge you to contact them:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#az

You can also contact the low cost spay/neuter clinics below...some of them will have traps available and you can take the cat to be spayed and return her back outdoors:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#az

Someone else may be feeding her which is why you may not have seen her in a few days.

Katie

I appreciate your post. Since I live in the out-state area the nearest location on either of those lists is more than 170 miles away. I just cannot see trapping the mother when I have no idea where those kittens are or how they'll be fed and cared for.

 

[tnr1]

I appreciate your post. Since I live in the out-state area the nearest location on either of those lists is more than 170 miles away. I just cannot see trapping the mother when I have no idea where those kittens are or how they'll be fed and cared for.

The problem is....without trapping and having her spayed, she will likely become pregnant again and that will wear further on her body. Especially if you have no idea about where the kittens are...I would take her to be spayed and return her the same day (perhaps someone has already adopted the kittens). If none of the low cost clinics are in your area...call the one that is closest and ask if they are aware of any reduced rate clinics in your area. Given that there are many strays in your area...you may even want to reach out to Alley Cat Allies about getting the word out and getting some help in your area:

http://www.alleycat.org/

I would also reach out to the Best Friends Network:

(435) 644-2001 ext 123, or e-mail them at [email protected]

They can send an email out to other individuals in your area who could possible help.
Katie