# Feral cat and kittens



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I discovered one of the ferals had kittens when I was walking out my door and she began hissing furiously at me. I couldn't imagine why - until I saw the little ones!! Now they're living in my back yard, since a neighbor cut my front lawn. Mom and her three little ones. Cali is fascinated by them.






































Kitten t.v.


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## Minami Kaori (May 24, 2009)

Aww how sweet!! 
I remember discovering kittens from a feral mom when I was very little, it was so exciting, I couldn't get enough of them. 
The way they just pop out of nowhere, on their little wobbly legs... :luv


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

Congratulations! :wink: 

What are you going to do?


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

They are so cute! Momma sure was kind to have her kittens in your yard so that your girls could watch them grow up.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

If the same neighbor who cut my front lawn also cuts my back yard, they'll be gone. The long weeds are a safe place for them right now.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Can you ask him not to cut the lawn for a few more weeks?


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## Minami Kaori (May 24, 2009)

We had wild baby bunnies born in our backyard about 2 years ago, so we haven't mowed for a couple of months, they had quite a jungle out there.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I didn't ask him to cut the FRONT lawn! :? If I see him, I certainly will ask him to hold off on the back yard. I imagine he'll show up when I'm out getting the mail or something, because I'm sure he'll expect to be paid. He's cut my lawn before, but only after asking if I wanted him to do it. grrrrrrr


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Can you sneak over and take the spark plug out of his lawn mower :lol: ?


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Awww, they're so cute. Good job on the pictures -- that couldn't have been easy.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I saw the guy this morning and told him about the kittens, so he'll check back with me to see when it's safe.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Aww, you have some good neighbors Marie.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Turns out it wasn't my neighbor, it's some guys working on the property. He came up to my car this morning and said he'd cut my back yard for $15. I guess the front was free, but I felt bad. I gave him $20 for the front and told him I'd pay him again for the back yard when it's okay. 

They're lying in the sun out back right now. SOOOO cute! But when I open the door, the little kittens scatter under the steps. My neighbor feeds the ferals dry food and has water out for them, but I've also been giving Mom and her kids the food that my girls won't eat (pate-style). I watched the little kittens eat it last night.


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## china_cat84 (Apr 27, 2010)

How CUTE! Too bad I don't live in San Diego. Love the pic of them laying out in the sun - my kitties do that every time I take them outside.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Right now, the little gray boys are wrestling and their little white sister is watching. Mom is sleeping on my dryer - I guess she needed a break!!


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

marie73 said:


> Right now, the little gray boys are wrestling and their little white sister is watching. Mom is sleeping on my dryer - I guess she needed a break!!


My God, how adorable that sounds! It reminds me of Mallie and her litter.

I fed Malibu and her kittens under my hay-shed and at about 4 or 5wks old ... she moved them and I thought I'd never see them again. But, about 4wks later, all five came back! I was getting ready for work and saw movement outside the front window and Mallie was sitting in one of the cushioned chairs and watching her four kittens play among the shrubs bordering the patio. I started putting out cat food. After about a week, I put it in the garage and left the door up about 8". A few days later I went out the back door with the garage remote and when I counted heads at the food bowl, I activated the remote to close the door. 
Viola! I had trapped my first cats!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Last night I heard some scratching in the kitchen and it was by the back door. I thought, oh crap, don't tell me my girls want *out*, they never have before!

It was momma feral. I hadn't brought out their plate of food at the usual time. :?


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## P&R (Sep 10, 2009)

How cute!


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

marie73 said:


> It was momma feral. I hadn't brought out their plate of food at the usual time. :?



Haha, when it comes to food, they certainly learn very quickly, don't they?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Marie, here are some organizations who will help with feral cats. It would be best to socialize the kittens asap. The Humane society will lend you a humane trap. Otherwise, the population will just continue to grow. Some vets and shelters will help adopt them out and spay or neuter them. Try a few phone calls. You would be their angel!  

http://www.bing.com/search?srch=106&FOR ... s+by+state.


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## cat1963 (Mar 9, 2005)

I too am in the process of trying to catch a mother and her two kittens. 
Someone in our complex decided that it would be okay to put her cat
outside to fend for herself, and then they pulled a midnight move. 
Of course she was pregnant at the time. Her kittens are adorable, but
because of all the kids in the area, she is very leary about letting them
get too far from her. They are about 5 - 6 weeks old now, and she is 
constantly moving them from place to place. I have tried putting out food
for her, but I just keep getting a raccoon and a groundhog at the dish. 
Wish me luck in finding her and trying to catch her. In my opinion, anyone
who is willing to help out strays and ferals have hearts of gold.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

If you feed only in the daytime, and lift the food at night, I think you'll discourage the raccoons and groundhogs. Good luck! Thanks for caring.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I've tried looking for places that will take them, but even the Feral Cat Coalition only helps with spaying and neutering. Not trapping or taking care of tiny kittens. 



> *What does the Feral Cat Coalition do?*
> 
> We conduct spay/neuter clinics for feral cats. We also help to educate the community about feral cats in order to help improve the lives of these homeless animals.
> 
> ...


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

Jeanie said:


> If you feed only in the daytime, and lift the food at night, I think you'll discourage the raccoons and groundhogs.


What about crows? When I was feeding my stray/feral I had to wait until I saw the cat before putting food out. Somehow the crows could sense it even when I put it in the carport.


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## bluemilk (Oct 3, 2005)

Great pics,Marie! Fascinating! It's like having a family of tigers, lions,or jaguars right in your own backyard!!! Besides tall grass,it looks like you've got brush in your yard-THAT must be fun to cut! But it looks like mom and her kittos are right at home there! But could there be other critters hiding out that are dangerous to cats?

OT do you get snakes?


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## cat1963 (Mar 9, 2005)

Jeanie said:


> If you feed only in the daytime, and lift the food at night, I think you'll discourage the raccoons and groundhogs. Good luck! Thanks for caring.


Thanks for the advice Jeanie, however, the groundhog and the raccoon are both
daytime critters. 8O I am not sure, but I called wildlife control and they advised
me to stay away from the raccoon as it might be sick in some way. :yikes When I asked
if they would come out and live trap it, they said that it wasn't their responsibility
to catch the wild life, just to look after the ones that were brought in. :fust 
Well, there goes my donations. I'll just give the "extra" to our local Humane 
Society instead. At least they are trying to help me with the problem. They have come out to my place, and have given me kitten food and formula to try and coax the little ones out from under my steps. :catmilk (Yep, that's where mom has decided to keep them now). I almost caught the one kitten, but man they are quick little buggers. :lol: They are a joy to watch during the day, but as soon as I go to get the camera, they are gone like a shot. :dis I'll keep you posted on my progress.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

bluemilk said:


> Besides tall grass,it looks like you've got brush in your yard-THAT must be fun to cut!


Fortunately, I don't have to cut it, I pay someone to do it. But I must say, the entire field in back of my house is a huge fire hazard, and that worries me.



> OT do you get snakes?


I've never seen one, but I think this momma cat could handle it. 8O


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I emailed two rescue groups about the kittens. One of them says on their website that they'll take feral kittens up to 6 weeks old. I sent pictures. Pictures are hard to resist. 

Wish me luck! As much as it breaks my heart, I will take them from their Mom to give them a better life. I've been struggling with this, it really will be hard for me to do that. 

Then Mom needs to get fixed.


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