Stray mama

Kay Doyle

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Hello, there is a very friendly stray cat down our country road that we noticed Sunday, Sept. 13th. Someone dumped. I live trapped her on Monday. I trapped her late evening Sunday and I found her trapped Monday around 7:30 am. She's friendly and sweet and I was able to take her out of trap and check her. I was all ready to take her to a foster. However, when I checked her she had enlarged breasts but I couldn't quite see signs of nursing. I decided I needed to take her back since she was nursing, but if babies were very young she was away from them for possibly 12 hours. I've been feeding her morning and night. The first day she devoured everything. She meets me on top of a hill on the shoulder of our dirt road usually at night, not always in the morning. I'm getting restless, I see no kittens, hear no kittens, and can't tell where she has them if she does. This morning she was walking down the road back up to the hill where I feed her when I drove up. I picked her up and tried to check her belly. She has fluffy fur around nipples and she doesn't have the milk she had when I first found her. I feel her nipples...all is dry under her. I would like to bring her home so she stays safe...but kittens? Any thoughts?
 

moxiewild

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Hello, there is a very friendly stray cat down our country road that we noticed Sunday, Sept. 13th. Someone dumped. I live trapped her on Monday. I trapped her late evening Sunday and I found her trapped Monday around 7:30 am. She's friendly and sweet and I was able to take her out of trap and check her. I was all ready to take her to a foster. However, when I checked her she had enlarged breasts but I couldn't quite see signs of nursing. I decided I needed to take her back since she was nursing, but if babies were very young she was away from them for possibly 12 hours. I've been feeding her morning and night. The first day she devoured everything. She meets me on top of a hill on the shoulder of our dirt road usually at night, not always in the morning. I'm getting restless, I see no kittens, hear no kittens, and can't tell where she has them if she does. This morning she was walking down the road back up to the hill where I feed her when I drove up. I picked her up and tried to check her belly. She has fluffy fur around nipples and she doesn't have the milk she had when I first found her. I feel her nipples...all is dry under her. I would like to bring her home so she stays safe...but kittens? Any thoughts?
Post on the pregnancy forum here, they’ll probably have more insight. (Pictures always help too!)

If you’re still not sure what’s going on after that, I would personally take her to a vet (doesn’t seem like she needs trapping), and have them evaluate her to see if they can discern anything that might be helpful.

If the kittens were very young, well... unfortunately, sometimes this happens :(

These are your options -

1. Make an appointment with a vet to see if they can tell you anything useful. Even if her kittens are young, she’ll only be away from them for a few hours if you have to release her after the vet so that she can continue to care for them until they’re older/she brings them to you.

2. Give it a few weeks. Momma’s - especially a friendly one - often bring their kittens to eat where they do once the kittens start weaning. Usually when the kittens are 6-10 weeks old they’ll start showing up (and as early as 4 for a friendly stray). Keep an eye on Momma’s belly just in case she ends up pregnant again during that time.

This situation is always tricky. I’ve been dealing with it a lot lately, so I understand the antsy feeling!
 
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Kay Doyle

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Hello, I had a vet appointment set up for 10 am yesterday just in case mama would be there waiting for food, had the carrier etc. but she didn't show up. Had to cancel. When I fed her last night, all food was gone and she wasn't there, but when I started to leave, I use our atv, I saw her crossing up the road and going toward the food. So, she's around. Thank you, Kay
 

moxiewild

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Can you try getting her on a feeding schedule? That will make coordinating MUCH easier.

Things like silent dog whistles help accelerate the transition.
 
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