Lupis fosters lots of cats. (Another kitty.)

[Lupis]

What do I do?

Some backstory: A stray cat recently decided to start living in my garage. She's a small grey and white cat, never seemed very people-friendly. Well, the other day we heard mewling, and today I saw momma cat carrying a plump little kitten up to a hidden area in the rafters. Only a few minutes ago, I found one of the kittens on a shelf right below their nest.

Their eyes are open and they're moving around, but I'm not sure what to do now. Ideally, we'll take momma + her kittens to the humane shelter, unless someone claims her as their own. Still, we want the kittens to be socialized. More feral cats isn't a good thing. What should our plan of action be? It's hard to get up to their nest, but I'd like to be able to socialize them and make them friendly towards other people. Should we do that at all? If so, when?

We're pretty sure they're two weeks old.

[Rawr]

If their eyes are open and they are moving a round that is the perfect time to start getting them used to people. I found Lord Marrowgar in a bush outside our apt about that time, still so tiny with blue eyes.

[Miyon]

Careful so she doesn't abandon them at the smell of humans, but I guess there are other ways to take care of them if that happens. Maybe if she sees that you are not doing them any harm, that she will come to you aswell?

[CrystalKitten]

I would suggest starting by putting some catfood and water out in the garage for them. Let them find it and whatnot for a few days, and after you see that they've been eating from it, maybe take a chair and a book out and sit on the opposite side of the room and read until they come out while you're around. And just slowly get them used to people that way, is what I'd suggest. You could also try getting some treats, or catnip, to see if you can get them to come up to you, though make sure you wash thoroughly and all that after, since you don't know about their health. You could even try putting out a box with some old blankets/towels in it to see if they'll move the nest.

If you're going to call animal control/humane shelters to come pick them up, you might want to make sure you choose a no-kill one for them to go to. In most places there are too many cats, and they might choose to humanely put them down instead of running all of the tests to see if they're healthy enough to adopt out, and so on. I know that some of the shelters/vets that my roomie volunteers at aborts ALL pregnant stray cats that come in, no matter how close the cat is to birthing, because of those issues. She said she once had to assist in one where they were probably only a few days from being born :/ I'd like to THINK that the kittens already born would make a difference, but unfortunately, I wouldn't trust it unless the shelter was strictly no-kill.

Another option, if you can socialize the kittens well enough, and lock them in the garage so they can't escape (either to become feral, or pick up diseases), you could try and find homes for them yourself.

[cowmuflage]

I'd take them to the pound so they can get a good home :3 Unless you want to do that part yourself. Kitties allways get picked up faster than adult cats.

[Lupis]

Yeah, we're definitely putting them in a no-kill shelter. There's one nearby. And luckily they are indeed young little kittens.
Unfortunately they're in a very high up place, and the garage is a mess. Hard to get to them. Over the summer I'll try to get some food out there and maybe a little box, then start sitting out there. I want to get them used to humans, or else they might not get much luck at adoption. >.<

[GormanGhaste]

Many shelters will loan/rent humane traps. If you felt up to it, you could trap the mother, and then move her and the kittens inside until they are old enough to wean. I'd suggest waiting until they are at least eight weeks to place them in a shelter. Many shelters have vets that will do early spay/neuter at that age.

[cowmuflage]

Yeah we got traps from our vet. Thats how we caught Sylvester and his bro Jasper back in 1993. Haha long time ago that was and he was wild as all hell back then!

I know the pound where we got Lucy and Minnie would desex the males before putting them in the community cage (that's if they get along with other cats) so they don't mate with the females but they only desex the females when they get adopted as it takes longer to do and is easyer on the cats.

[Serendipity82]

If you don't have lucky making Momma Cat or her kittens friendly, you might want to try to find a rescue that specializes in rehoming feral cats as barn cats. Horse farms/ranches etc can always use cats for rodent control.

[Lupis]

Good idea, Seren. We'll keep that in mind.

Pictures! There are four in all, plus the mother. The pale one is absolutely precious, and I love those dark brownish tabbies.







Sorry for the low quality, had to take them in near complete darkness, no space, and only a blue-tinted flashlight.

Anyway, they look old enough and the mother isn't too vicious- she just hisses a little but doesn't move. She does have an eye infection that I'm worried about, though.

We'll put out a little cat food today (she's so tiny…) and maybe try reaching a hand into the nest, let them get used to our presence.

[Miyon]

I actually think those look closer to four weeks, rather than two weeks, but that may be just me.. My almost two week old kittens doesn't look that big xD They are adorable though. <3

I just noticed that the kitten in the bottom pic looks a little bit like my Speshy..

[Lupis]

Aww *Hugs for Miyon*

I wish I could give you that kitten, but I think you live a little too far away from Michigan to do that. >.> And you know, I think you're right. Three or four weeks.

[Miyon]

Yeah.. I sorta live in norway, so not sure how America goes about shipping live kittens. There's a kitten in my princess' litter that has stolen my heart though, he is very pretty.

[Bonita]

Ooooh if I could have another cat Id come take some. Theyre so adorable and the mom is pretty.

[Lupis]

Update, they're friendly! Sort of, at least. I climbed up and was watching them, and momma cat hissed at me again, so I talked to her quietly and put my fingers over the edge so she'd see them and get used to them. When I did that, she started purring- really loudly- and put her head down. Eventually I just reached in and let her sniff my fingers, and she promptly rubbed her head against my hand and let me pet her and the kittens.

I'm thinking abandoned pet, or lost pet. No collar, though.

[cowmuflage]

Sounds to me like a pet. It might be chipped?

[Lupis]

Perhaps. I hope we can get her to a vet without upsetting her too much, because of her infected eye. Plus we can scan for a chip that way.

If she's not chipped, we'll be putting up "FOUND" posters and ads. If nobody claims her, then I'm going to assume she was abandoned because of her pregnancy.

[Rawr]

Maybe get a blanket for them to lay on too, and something for the kittens to occupy themselves with, or you could be finding kittens all over the place in your garage.

[zedxrgal]

I know this may pushing it but I would suggest if possible removing the kittens to a large cardboard box with only a small entrance hole and putting the kittens in there. Mom will follow. That way you wont have to climb into the rafters which will /can be very dangerous for the kittens when they start to venture beyond the nest.
Also this will make socialization easier and a better chance of less stress if you happen to take her to the vet. Make sure the box is big enough that food and water can be placed in there. Idea is that this nest is better then the rafters

[Lupis]

I moved the kittens into a new nest and the mother seems to like it. We don't have any cardboard boxes so we used a chicken brooder, but we also closed the garage door so it's only just open enough for her to slip out. But then, I don't think anything will keep her from raccoons unless we locked her in a closed room, and she's a hunter, she wouldn't like that. I'm just glad they're away from that ledge, the kittens were trying to jump down (too far) and there were so many places where they could slip. Heck, as we were making the nest, one of them slipped and couldn't get back up- I had to run over and jump up to save it.

She's starting to really trust me. Let me pick her up and spent a lot of time next to me.