# Neighbourhood outdoor cat just had kitten in my back yard



## Markl9999

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum and the thread title say it all really. The mommy cat is really friendly and had a litter last year. I think she had owners, but they never seemed to take care of her. They did take care of the kittens until they were given away. Now she's just had another litter and is keeping them in the treeline in my back yard. It's a bit of a wild area, so there may be possums and racoons around. I'm concerned for the cats safety, but as I already have 2 dogs and a cat I don't want to bring them indoors. I was thinking of moving them into a sheltered area under my back stairs and making a rain proof box for them to stay in. I have no idea if moving them so soon after birth, they're maybe 3-4 days old, is a good idea. The mother comes over to my back door for food, then goes back and stays with the kittens. I could take batter care of all of them if they were closer, but don't know if moving them will have a bad effect on the mother since she already picked out a decent spot on her own. Any help or advice from those in the know would be much appreciated.


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## Markl9999

*Moved kittens and Mommy*

Ok, so it rained last night and so we moved them to in the garage.


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## love.my.cats

Moving them should be fine - as long as Mum is happy with the new place you choose, or she may move them back. When Samson and his sister were found, they were only about a day or two old, and were under some bushes in a backyard. We moved them into a bedroom in the house (my ex's Nan's house - she'd been feeding the stray Mum cat). They laid a board across the doorway that was high enough to keep the kittens in and Mum cat could jump over and come and go as she pleased. She never attempted to move the kittens from that room but I know that lots of cats are very stubborn and will constantly move their babies away from where the people have put them. Good luck. 

It's such a shame the neighbours didn't have her spayed.


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## mrs_lovette

This is what I'm afraid of. It seems that although I live in Suburbia, there are four or five "stray" cats that I've seen. My boyfriend always tells me that he sees them in one person's yard on the regular but I also see them roaming around alot. Not that I don't love babies, I do, but I have two cats of my own now and a dog. I can't be tempted!! Besides, if your neighbor really owns those cats, you might be able to nail them for cruelty or neglect since, you know, you're the one taking care of his pet.

Good luck.


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## Lenkolas

What beautiful little ones! I love orange kitties.

I would recommend you move them into that sheltered area you name. Also, try to get closer to the kitties, handle them if mom accepts it, so they can get socialized at an early age and have better chances to be adopted. 
Also, if you could spay this mom as soon as possible you would be doing her a great favor...poor kitty must be exhausted from living outside abandoned and having babies, also now you have a litter of little ones that will become stray cats if not socialized and adopted... 

Thank you so much for taking care of this mom and little ones, many of us have done that and it is very tiring... but the reward is immense. 

Big hug, and thank you again! good luck!


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## Markl9999

*Moved Kittens*

My other reply seems to have gotten misplaced so I'll try again. 

The pictures are of the mother with kittens, the other one is of my 2 dogs and cat, Olive. Notice the similar colouring between Olive and dark kitten? We think this mother is also the mother of our cat, who we found as a month-ish old stray last summer.

They are all staying in my garage now. We moved them almost immediately after my last post, as the weather was turning. They are all doing well and the mother is no longer starving. She has an enclosed box, food/water and litter, I think she's quite happy for now. The problem will come as the kittens get a bit bigger and start to wander. we have a large doggie fence that sets up in a ring, that should hold the kittens while allowing mommy to get out. 

If anyone wants to adopt...... The gingers are all boys and the dark brown one is a girl. It'll break my 8 year old daughter's heart, but we can't keep them all.


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## Kitty Cristoff

I agree with LDG & Mrs Lovette...if there's a Spay program around, the neighbor needs to know and let him know you've been taking care of HIS responsibility...if you can reiterate that in kinder words LOL!! 

If not, maybe it's best to contact ASPCA? 

BTW, the 8 y/o little girl in me is screaming "WHY CANT WE KEEP EM ALL?!?!?!?"


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## orrymain

Thank you for providing them with a safe place.


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