The stray cat that I have been feeding gave birth to a liter of five kittens two weeks ago. The box that they were living in was too small and smelled awful so my neighbor and I decided to transfer the kittens into a bigger box. We used the same bedding as the old box and moved them rather quickly as the mom was eating.
Now two of the five kittens are missing and mom won't go into the new box to feed the remaining three. What do we do now?
Robyn Fed
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 398 Posts
March 27, 20100 found this helpful
She is stressed and will keep on moving them. I would take the kittens that are not getting fed and bottle feed them and put them in the bathtub on some blankets or rags that keep them from getting on the cold porcelain and put a heater in the bathroom, using caution about fires, and also put a sock filled with rice knotted and microwaved about a minute or more and cover that with a rag or a hot water bottle. I like to keep it warm in there but not hot..each time you go in there, change any soiled areas, and wash bed blankets frequently. I like this because I can assure myself they are having bowel movements and are not dehydrated. I would bottle feed them all if she is going to abandon them which strays often do. Here is my favorite homemade formula, better than store bought.
Baby Kitten Formula
1/2 cup evaporated milk
enough homemade pedialyte to make it liquefy
Spoonful of Mayo, real mayo.
Three small drops infant vitamin drops from the store
I had about nine kittens to feed so I would mix t his up and feed them with an eyedropper or bottle you really have to cut the hole in the nipple pretty bi or they cant get it out if you buy a bottle from the vet.
After I would put it in a eyedropper and later little tiny bowls for them to lap it up. I would clean their faces and paws with aloe baby wipes and go over their pee pee area with a piece of toilet tissue, wet, and hold their butts over the trash can and see if they pee. The really young ones will just leave a wet mark on the tissue and the older ones will have a stream.
They will die without this. Also go over their butts and pee pee areas each time they eat. Tell them they are so good when they are peeing, it scares them. always lovingly talk to them.
Love them all through this whole thing, this is scary. Use aloe baby wipes to bathe them and it repels fleas in young kittens.
Have fun loving these babies and when they are about seven weeks or six weeks, put them on freecycle.org, choose towns nearby, and offer to deliver or meet halfway at a grocery store parking lot, and specify a good home only and don't give them to the first one who replies, go over each email and screen them by looking at what kind of environment they will be going to.
Excect for freecycle, if you put an and in the paper, charge an amount so there will be no bunchers, fighters or otherwise undesirable people collecting them. If you have the time write the local humane society or call and ask if they have vouchers for neutering or spaying and don't do the surgery before they are mature..it stunts their urethral growth.
Wondering what to do if you’ve found an outdoor cat? If you suspect the kitty has been separated from his owner, or if she’s a stray that needs medical attention, it’s critical you find a safe way to catch her and get her the help she needs. But luring and catching a cat—especially one who’s afraid of humans or feral—can be tricky. We teamed up with the ASPCA to share some tips on what to do if you’ve discovered a cat who’s less than thrilled about getting in a crate or being picked up.
You’ve Discovered a Stray Cat…Now What?
The first step is to identify what she may need. Maybe you’re her owner, but she won’t come to you because she’s scared. If your cat is not familiar with the outdoors, all of the new stimulants can make her confused or nervous. In other cases, there could be a stray or feral cat in the area that requires medical attention, such as spaying or neutering before she’s released back into the community. But because you need to be cautious with any unknown felines that could have contagious diseases, this method won’t require you to pick up or handle the cat in any way.
How to Bring The Cat Out of Hiding
In the area you’ve seen the cat, choose a location that’s secluded—somewhere quiet and with few distractions. Samantha Nigbur, ASPCA Behavioral Sciences Team Counselor, says that you’ll probably need to lure them out into the open using food. It will probably take several days prior to actually catching the cat, but Nigbur says you can try to win the cat over by feeding her consistently in your presence.
“Feed the cat at the same time every day so she learns to come at this time,” Nigbur says. Leave the same dish of food in the same exact spot every day, and as the kitty becomes more trusting she should start to visit the area more often. As you put the food out at the same time every day, the cat will notice and begin to come around when she’s expecting a snack. Dry cat food certainly works to get their attention, but wet food might be even more enticing. Try out baby food, catnip, sardines, anchovies, or cooked chicken. The smellier the treats, the quicker she’ll learn.
How to Catch the Cat
For this part, you’ll need a cat carrier or kennel of some kind (try these before resorting to a trap). Once kitty is hooked on the daily food, try leaving the carrier near the feeding station. Over time, begin to move the food closer and closer to the carrier and observe to make sure the cat is still comfortable. Start to move the bowl a few inches every meal, until it’s settled all the way inside the kennel. Once the cat’s full body enters the carrier, shut the door and cover it with a towel to keep her calm. Bring the cat to a safe location until you’re able to see a vet.
“If luring the cat into a carrier is unsuccessful, you can work with a local TNRM (Trap-Neuter-Return-Monitor) program or your local shelter to access a trap and get training on how to set it up,” Nigbur says. “Since cats can become injured or medically compromised if kept in a trap inappropriately, it’s important to follow TNRM recommendations on trapping.”
Once you’ve got kitty safe and sound in the crate, bring her to the vet immediately. They’ll be able to check for a microchip to find the owner, if the cat has one. If not, they will administer any medical care, spay or neuter the cat if needed, and release it back outdoors post-recovery.