# Trapped lactating Mum without kittens



## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Hi, I haven't been here for a long time but I really need some advice. I think I messed up big time. 
We had 5 feral houses on our porches last winter and on the 15th and 16th of this month we realized we had a momma cat and 4 babies in each of the 2 biggest ones. The one, Sunshine, I knew was pregnant but she has always just come to eat and I've never been able to get her in. The other, Sookie, is just a wee little thing and I had no idea she was even old enough. They have been nursing each others babies and get along fine. Sookie went into heat again last Wednesday and there have been 3 big toms fighting and trying to mate with her ever since. She doesn't seem to want to mate with any of these males and cries and hisses at them when try to mount her. Sunshine has moved her kittens twice since the toms came but always brings them back. Last night she moved them across the street and they nearly got hit. I'm really afraid one the kittens is going to get injured in all of this.

I bought a drop box trap and caught Sookie this aft. The toms finally left. I can't get her spayed till Monday and she is up in the spare room in a crate. I'm moving her into a bigger one tomorrow. The kittens are still in their house. They're eating solid food but still nursing and I believe they're about 8 weeks or more but am not sure.They are not coming out and I don't know how to trap them if they aren't coming out to eat in the trap. I should never have trapped Sookie without the kittens and am thinking of letting her back out. Sorry to ramble and hope this makes sense as I've only had a couple of hours sleep each of the last 3 nights. The ultimate plan was/is to get both mothers spayed and release them, get the 8 kittens in, socialize them and find them homes. Any advice?


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Also need advice on how to keep Sookie comfortable. I know 2 days is 2 long to crate her.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Are the kittens really 8 weeks old? Since they're eating solid food already, they can get along without their mother. Keep them as safe as possible, provide them with food and water and as soon as Mom cat is recovered, bring her back to them. 
I know it's stressful! 
Don't worry, you're doing the right thing. It's only a few uncomfortable days for the Mom cat, so please, don't release her now! She will be fixed and back with her kits in no time. It just seems forever when you're in the thick of it, stressing out and doing some second guessing.

I went through the same thing once and felt terrible about taking the Mom away from 3 nursing kits, but they started to warm up to me quickly because of the delicious food I brought them. Within a few days the family was all trapped and back together.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Oh, and - two days is not too long to leave a cat in a roomy carrier or crate, as long as she has a litter box, even a tiny one, and food and water.
It would be best to trap the kittens and bring them to Sookie - if you release Sookie to the kits, she might move them.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Thank you Greenport. It can be overwhelming sometimes and I sometimes wonder whether I'm doing the right thing. We have 6 house cats, 3 of them feral and 2 of their offspring plus one stray and this is the first time I've ever actually trapped one and I think I'm feeling guilty. I usually start the socializing outside and talk them into coming in. The 2 feral house girls were pregnant when they arrived and gave birth inside so this whole thing is different and I worry so much more with outside babies.
Do you have any advice on transferring Sookie to a bigger crate? i have a big plastic dog crate but am worried about her getting loose and not being able to crate her again for the vets.
Thank you again.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

If Sookie is wild, the vet might prefer to have her in a smaller crate or trap. Most vets in my area are used to spaying ferals who arrive in humane traps. Right now it will only be a little over 24 hours that she has to be in there - not that long if she has all the essentials. 

I would definitely bring her back to your house after spaying and trap the kittens as best you can. Bring them inside to her and reunite them.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

That's what I was planning. The kittens are definitely coming in. Whether Sookie stays in for long after she recuperates depends on what she can handle, I guess. There is no litter box in the crate she is in as it's not very big but she does have food and water. That's why I wanted to change her over. I didn't really expect to catch her so I could have been better prepared. Maybe I'll just change her over to one the same as the one she's in but put a little box in. Thanks you for your help.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

I've trapoed a lot of cats so feral that I didn't dare transfer them... I handled the litter box situation by putting the humane trap up on blocks and putting a shallow litter box under it, so that the litter was actually pushed up into the cage, if you can picture that. 
At least it will give the cat a place to go. 

Food and water I could push in from the trap end while the cat cowered in the back. 
Not ideal, but it's only temporary.

How is Sookie doing?


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

She's mewing quite a lot and hissing when I lift the towel. Poor baby. My one year old ginger boy is talking to her through the door. We transfered her from the trap to a small metal crate and then to a plastic one with a towel in it, as well as food and water.
If I thought I could get her crated again I'd let out as she's in the cat room and there's a box in there.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

In the future I wouldnt move a truly feral cat or freak out cat out of a trap to a crate. It would be challenging to get them back into a trap. Most vets who do s/n want them in the trap. Easier to give them a shot in a humane trap, to help put them under or examine them. 

This is the type of trap we use. We like it cuz it has a prong fork to move them to the other end of a trap so you can put in food or water or transfer them.

http://http://www.trucatchtraps.com/30-ltd-light-duty.html



















Like Greenport said about litter boxes underneath the trap or we put puppy wewe pads underneath the trap which is up on two bricks.

Have you tried putting traps baited with food out to get the kittens ?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Merry, for some reason the link you provided, isn't opening to a working web page??
Thanks! Sharon


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Tru Catch Traps | June Special hope this one works! Thanks Sharon.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

3 of the kittens have barely been eating, I haven't even seen them. The other has joined the other momma's clan.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Don't panic! You only caught the Mom cat yesterday afternoon. Offer the kittens some milk replacer or something really tempting like Fancy Feast. 
Take some time to strategize.
Eight week old kittens are fast enough that it could be really hard to catch them. Are they so wild that you wouldn't be able to grab them, even with heavy gloves on? 
You would need to go without gloves if you tried to scruff them. 
If they are wild, your best bet is the trap. I once spent two weeks trying to catch a litter of three. I grabbed one (she bit me), caught one tiny one in a squirrel humane trap and had to prop a full-size trap open and trip it with a string to catch the third kitten. Hang in there.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Thank you. I needed that. I'll keep trying. I've been trying both the KMR and the FF mixed with Wellness as that's the only canned food their mum would eat. They're very shy, much more then Sunshine's and haven't had as much human contact. We have 2 front porches and they're on the opposite one to the food and trap but have been taking food to them at their house just to get them to eat as they're no longer coming to this one. Will move the trap over to their porch. I just feel sick worrying about all of my porch kitties.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

They're out and eating and Sunshine is nursing 2 of them!!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Mikayla, YAY! Aww, That's Great news! Sounds like Sunshine has taken them under her wing!


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

We have Sookie in another crate with a litter box and fresh towel, a bit of food and some water. The poor wee girl is so stressed. I know this is the right thing to do for her but it's hard to see her like this. I will definitely be trapping Sunshine during the week and getting her kittens at the same time. Lesson learned.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Merry, I checked around about the tru-catch traps around here and no luck. It's something that's not really in the budget right now as the box trap and 2 spays will be deplete me this week. Thank you for the suggestion though and will definitely be lookig to order one online as it would make things much easier.


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Sookie is at vets. My vet has a new receptionist who said he didn't have time today when I called first thing this morning but she asked and he said to bring her in and he would make time. I truly am blessed to have such an understanding vet.

...and I trapped 2 of the kittens. Unfortunately they were Sunshine's, not Sookies but am on a roll now!! Sunshine's kittens are in much more danger as she keeps taking them across the street to where she usually lives and has nearly gotten them killed a couple of times.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Mikayla, 
I can't offer any help, but I sure can offer SUPPORT as you are going through this with the two Mama's and their kittens!!
You've got your hands full and I do know about the stress, and worry, about all of them, is causing!
Hang in there!
I've got ALL Paws Crossed for your Success! !
Sharon


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

Thank you Sharon. I really appreciate that. I'm a little overwhelmed and keep second guessing myself but I really want what is best for all of them. I've never socialized kittens this age so am reading and watching videos. I do have the love, patience and time to do this and having socialized 3 older ferals I'm hoping the experience I've gained helps. Can you tell I'm pep talking myself here, hehe.


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