Question about newly found kittens in our backyard?

Question

Hello everyone. My family and I currently own 6 cats that found our house in one way or another and we are blessed to have them in our family. Recently, actually yesterday, I was out in the backyard and found a mother cat with her two baby kittens. Two of our cats that are living in our house were left in our backyard previously by this same mother. Now, I was just wondering what advice you guys had. I feel really bad leaving them out there but I know that the mother is more than capable of raising her kittens. We left some food out for them and leave wet food for the kittens. I was just wondering if you guys know whether or not our touching the kittens will cause the mother cat to abandon her young? I really wouldn't want this to happen due to my impatient nature. 6 weeks from now we are going to see if the mother will let us take her in and have her spayed since she is feral and I don't want her to constantly give birth to more kittens each mating season. Let me know about any advice

Answer 1

How old are the kittens? If they are old enough to eat wet food,then I would take them from the mom before she has a chance to move them.I did this 9 years ago when a feral cat had three kittens in our neighbor's garage.She was a young cat and kept moving them,and a tomcat was after them,so when they turned three weeks old,I took them,and fed them kitten milk replacer and canned kitten food and they did just fine.Also,will the mother let you touch her at all? If she will,you're lucky.I had to buy a Hav - A - Hart trap to catch Oreo ( the mom),who had crawled up into a car engine ,got caught in the fanbelt and had a terribly damaged front leg,and gangrene.The leg had to be amputated and she was spayed as well.If you can,you should get her spayed asap,because if you wait 6 weeks,she could be very pregnant again!

Answer 2

Touching the kittens shouldn't make mom reject them. If they are feral, it's best if they are handled as much as possible to begin to socialize them to humans if you plan on taking them in or trying to find them homes. As soon as they can eat solid food, you can bring mom in to be spayed (as long as she is returned to them the next day - and she will still be able to nurse them after she is spayed). The kittens should be spayed as soon as they reach about 5 pounds.

If mom is feral, some clinics will let you rent a live trap, or even borrow one with just a deposit. I would definately have her spayed since she keeps choosing your yard to have kittens.

Answer 3

If you wnat to catch the mother cat without getting bitten or scratched, you could try to get ahold of a cat trap. It's basically a metal cage with a trapdoor, so that when a cat goes inside to eat the bait, the door flips down behind it and locks it in. I don't know where you'd get one, though. Ask your vet or call the animal control office or something. They would know. Or you could call animal control to come pick up the cat and kittens, so that they could get all of the medical care, food, and shelter they need, and then get adopted out to good homes.

Answer 4

You said that you left food out. The mother cat will go to where there is a continuous supply of food. It is instinct. She needs the food to make milk for her babies. To her, your house is a 24 hour buffet. So she has not abandoned them. If you took them inside, she may be looking for them. If she knows that they are alive in your house, she may be waiting for you to let them go outside, so that she can nurse them, teach them to hunt, groom them, etc. Like I said before, she is behaving instinctively. By the way, if you keep leaving food outside, cats will keep appearing in your back yard. Trust me. I speak from experience.

Answer 5

I would just keep feeding the cat, but leave the kittens.
Get to know the cat and let her learn how to trust you, then she might let you interact with her more.
I also think spaying her is a great idea!
Hope this helps.
Cheers

Answer 6

I would take them all and neuter tham all, I have done this before. But it means you are responsible for them all, too. I had 9 cats until last week; I rehomed 4. Well, you sound sensible enough, so if you are willing and you can afford it, and you know what you are doing, then go for it, catch them, neuter them and re home them. I know that is what I would do. Pointless going to an animal shelter as most likely they will be put to sleep anyway, as most are so over crowded. Wish you luck, you sound sensible enough

Answer 7

Leave the kittens where they are. Mom will go hunt and come back to feed them throughout the day. If you can catch mom and are willing to have her spayed, God bless you.

Answer 8

Track down the mother and try to get her fixed.....she is giving you guys way too much heartache by making so many babies.