Trying To Rescue Feral Moms & Kittens

[cats5]

Well, it seems that we have 2 Moms around my house that have had kittens. Mom # 1 just had a litter of 3 & Mom #2 which actually came from Mom #1 had a litter of 4.
Got me a cat trap & will borrow 2 more from a friend & hope I can catch everyone. Did manage to get the Dad which actually he's the only one that would let me touch him & pet him so I just took him in & got him neutered, vaccinated, dewormed & defleaed & will bring him home today. I plan on putting him in our building out back until I can find a forever home for him so I hope he will not start spraying & cause too much damage. Once I get the other 2 traps I plan on putting them out Sunday night & hope that someone will be in them so I can take them to the vet on Monday. We already have 5 indoor cats plus a golden of our own so I really can't take in anymore but I hope that I can place the kitties & at least get the Mom's spayed so we will not have anymore additions. So I'm glad to see this site for feral cats & get any advice or recommendations as I know this will be a long process plus an expensive one as well.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Thank you for wanting to help these cats. The mom's and their babies really need to be spayed/neutered now so that there will not be any more kittens.

I would not set the trap and leave it unattended overnight. Leaving the mom or her kittens in the trap outside would be very very stressful for them. I like the set the trap and then watch and wait from a far. Once I get a cat, I quickly cover it with a light sheet and take it to my basement or garage until I can get to the vet. My preferred time to trap is at dawn. That way I can trap and then off to the vet. Yet, I have trapped at night and kept the cat in the garage over night.

 

[Jcatbird]

Some areas offer assistance with spay:neutering costs. I am not sure about your state. You might go online to look for services in your area. I have had luck calling humane societies, feral rescue groups and other, similar organizations. Some counties are getting grants to help cut down of feral reproduction and they help out. It can be expensive. The advice you were given here on trapping is great advice. You might also like to know that many cats that seem feral can be socialized and tamed to be pets. Some are also just lost or dumped pets that are just surviving in the wild. You might be surprised how many people would be interested in adopting the mom cats as well as the male. You are doing a great thing by rescuing as well as the spay/ neutering. If you need assistance, post for help. This is a great site for gaining info. You will find lots of supporters here. I hope all goes quickly and smoothly for you and the kitties. I will be interested to hear of your progress so please post back.

 

[ashade1]

Do you know how old the babies are? Or could you post a picture of them and we can help you guess?

 

[cats5]

Do you know how old the babies are? Or could you post a picture of them and we can help you guess?

Haven't caught them yet but I think they look to be about 8 wks old.

 

[cats5]

Some areas offer assistance with spay:neutering costs. I am not sure about your state. You might go online to look for services in your area. I have had luck calling humane societies, feral rescue groups and other, similar organizations. Some counties are getting grants to help cut down of feral reproduction and they help out. It can be expensive. The advice you were given here on trapping is great advice. You might also like to know that many cats that seem feral can be socialized and tamed to be pets. Some are also just lost or dumped pets that are just surviving in the wild. You might be surprised how many people would be interested in adopting the mom cats as well as the male. You are doing a great thing by rescuing as well as the spay/ neutering. If you need assistance, post for help. This is a great site for gaining info. You will find lots of supporters here. I hope all goes quickly and smoothly for you and the kitties. I will be interested to hear of your progress so please post back.

Well, the good news is that I use to work for a vet for 40 yrs so I get a 50% discount which helps tremendously. I have rescued stray cats before & either kept them or found them homes so I know that they can be socialized given patience & time. I know the kitties will not be a problem once I capture them & get them use to people. I'm picking up 2 more cat traps from a friend today & put all 3 out in different location & hope for the best. I will keep trying until I rescue them all. Trying to find good loving homes will be the hardest to accomplish as most of my cat friends already have cats including me which I have 5 of my own.

 

[cats5]

Thank you for wanting to help these cats. The mom's and their babies really need to be spayed/neutered now so that there will not be any more kittens.

I would not set the trap and leave it unattended overnight. Leaving the mom or her kittens in the trap outside would be very very stressful for them. I like the set the trap and then watch and wait from a far. Once I get a cat, I quickly cover it with a light sheet and take it to my basement or garage until I can get to the vet. My preferred time to trap is at dawn. That way I can trap and then off to the vet. Yet, I have trapped at night and kept the cat in the garage over night.

Once you trap them do you just keep them in the cat trap over night?? What if they have to go potty or want food & water & they are just in the cat trap??? I've never used a cat trap before so not really sure how this works. Also, don't really have time to just sit & watch plus if they see me off they go as the kitties have found refuge under our house. Mom is very protective & aggressive when you get too close to her kitties so we are sorta wary of her.

 

[Jcatbird]

First. You can leave them in the trap overnight. I would line the bottom with a thick layer of newspaper or the pads used for training puppies. I have a very thick plastic fiber air conditioner filter that I put over the pad or paper. That lets fluids drain through so kitties have less to step in and the cage doesn’t hurt their feet. It is washable. Just make sure you don’t prevent the trap from being set off or closing properly. They won’t like being shut in but just cover the trap with a breathable cloth and put them somewhere quiet. I have had good luck by using a carrier to feed them in. Once used to the carrier they readily go in. A large one gives them room for a potty, water and food. If you are afraid the mom might scratch you can used a frying pan lid as a shield to get your hands in the carrier. You may just feel safer getting her in a trap though. If you had time to devote I would suggest spending time just sitting at a distance while they eat. I sit very still and they do come out to eat. The first few times they notice me they bolt but over time they get used to my prescence. After I get them used to seeing me I sit behind the carrier at feeding time. When all are inside I quietly close the door, cover the carrier and bring them into a small bathroom. It is a little less traumatic if you can do it. If not then just go the trapping route. There are many people here who have massive experience trapping. Do a search on this site and you should get lots of good information. It’s fantastic that you are working to get them. Thank you for doing that. I wish everyone cared enough to help. Keep posting so we know how things progress. Good luck!

 

[shadowsrescue]

Yes, you can leave them in the trap overnight. I would just not set the trap and hope for the best in the morning. Instead I would set the trap and watch for them.
When you catch them, you can place the trap in the garage or your basement. I always line my traps with puppy pee pads. I place the trap on a tarp so if they pee, it is easy to wash. I cover the trap with a towel or old sheet. I often leave a small light on and will play soft music.