Taming a feral mama kitty and her sweet kitten

[Crabbysquatch]

The dirt trick really worked for me. Luckily I kinda knew where they used the the bathroom and scooped some of the dirt from there. Not sure if that made a difference or not but they started using the litter box right away after that.

4 times now I’ve had kittens born in our barn. Only once did I know it was going to happen so we were able to get the mom and kittens inside like your situation. 2 other times I was able to befriend the mom cat by befriending the kittens first. Once the mom cat saw me playing and hand feeding and snuggling the kittens without eating them she would come much much closer. So hopefully when those kittens start running around and Greta sees you not hurting them it will open her up to you more.

 

[Cindy_123]

Love your photos- thanks for sharing and for sharing your story AND for bringing lovely Greta and Wally inside where they belong and deserve to be - in a forever loving home

You're girl Greta appears to be a semi feral imo and I think her transition will be pretty easy for you though it might take awhile being she has so much space in an entire room- this is also a little more challenging for litter training into a box

Greta starting using the litter box last week (two days before the kittens were born). It was in front of me, and she stepped into the litter box and then looked back at me to see if I minded her peeing on my box of dirt, LOL. After that, there were no more pee pad hits (though I still left them out just in case). I had two boxes set up, one a regular open box and one very low and shallow with litter on the bottom and a layer of garden soil on the top.

We made HUGE progress yesterday. She had sniffed my hand the day before, and I had gone in to the room and laid on the floor, pretending like I was sleeping, while Wally (the older kitten) was climbing on and off me and taking a short nap on my back. Then yesterday she really wanted out of the room and I figured she wouldn't go too far with the kittens still in there. So she came out and met my other cats, walked around and toured maybe half the house, and then sat under the couch like a football with one of my cats (Cookie) sitting about a foot away. She sat there for about 15 minutes until she looked worried and wanted to go back to the kittens (I had the door closed to that room while she was out). And the best part, she rubbed on my legs as she came out of the room and as she returned to the room! Today she's not hissing and she let me sit on the floor very close to her and the kittens.

 

[Kwik]

Greta starting using the litter box last week (two days before the kittens were born). It was in front of me, and she stepped into the litter box and then looked back at me to see if I minded her peeing on my box of dirt, LOL. After that, there were no more pee pad hits (though I still left them out just in case). I had two boxes set up, one a regular open box and one very low and shallow with litter on the bottom and a layer of garden soil on the top.

We made HUGE progress yesterday. She had sniffed my hand the day before, and I had gone in to the room and laid on the floor, pretending like I was sleeping, while Wally (the older kitten) was climbing on and off me and taking a short nap on my back. Then yesterday she really wanted out of the room and I figured she wouldn't go too far with the kittens still in there. So she came out and met my other cats, walked around and toured maybe half the house, and then sat under the couch like a football with one of my cats (Cookie) sitting about a foot away. She sat there for about 15 minutes until she looked worried and wanted to go back to the kittens (I had the door closed to that room while she was out). And the best part, she rubbed on my legs as she came out of the room and as she returned to the room! Today she's not hissing and she let me sit on the floor very close to her and the kittens.

Fantastic!Wonderful progress report....

Even better ,seems Greta was a stray!This is really a gold report

 

[Mamanyt1953]

That is a huge step forward, whether she is a true feral, or a stray. She's now marking you as hers, and has accepted you as part of her life.

 

[BellaBlue82]

Just checking in, how is Gretta, Wally, and the newbies doing?? I hope all is well!

 

[Cindy_123]

Just checking in, how is Gretta, Wally, and the newbies doing?? I hope all is well!

Hi Bella, thanks for asking! Greta is allowing me to pet her (though not all the time), and she will come rushing to the door to be let out for a 10 minute break without the kittens and she sits in the other bedroom for a little bit while one of my cats, Cookie sits near her. I will be close by and open the "kitten room" door for her when she's ready to return. Meanwhile, she moved the kittens a few days ago to be under the bed. So more space for them to almost toddle around but less chance for me to get a good look at the babies. I spy on her with the nanny-cam so I can make out the basics. She's doing well with the litter box and I'm going to add a cardboard tray for the kittens to have a litter box just as soon as I see that they are walking. She doesn't like me laying on the floor and looking in on the kittens but I am sure to do it for about 5 minutes each day in spite of her scowls. But she hasn't hissed at me for a while.

I can tell that once the kittens are adopted out that she's going to adjust to being a member of the household. It's been a slow progress but it is so, so worth it.

And Wally is the best kitten in the world. Such a character and he gets along with everyone.