abandoned new born kittens. DESPERATE for help.

SILLY6PAK · #1 09-21-2008, 10:59 PM

we have a barn with several feral cats.

Several weeks ago a mother cat had maken the mistake of moving her kittens from the loft to an empty stall where the dogs could and did get them.

Miraculusly I got all 3 back from the dogs and put them up in the loft.
The mom never returned so I started bottle feeding. I have them up where the other cats are but penned off. Anyway they are growing and mostly on solids.

Several conerns:
Would the mother take them back? Even after several weeks? This one cat always watches me with the kitties. She has gotten closer and tonight they met. She tried playing with them from behind a hay bale. All the ferrals are interested in me but not as consistantly as this one.
I feel horrible. Maybe I steped in too soon. Should I leave them and hope the mom steps in? The kittens did not seem interested in the cat and ADORE me.

I do not particularly like cats and up until recently resented the time they take. Now I feel heartbroken if the mom sees her babies. If I step back what if no one steps up and cares for them and if they go cereal I will not be able to fix them.
I realized tonight how much I love them.

Caney Creek · #2 09-22-2008, 12:46 AM

Poor kitties

I honestly have no idea whether she would take them back or not. I think you did a good thing by getting them from the dogs though; mother cat probably wouldn't have risked that.

How long could you leave them to see if she comes for them? Would they be safe waiting for mom that long without you coming back? Can mother get to them without any other dangerous animals getting to them?

bucca · #3 09-22-2008, 05:48 AM

living in a very wooded area i have raised and taken care of many kittens and i know how hard it is. in a few cases mom did come back and step right in and took control of her kittens with no problem but of course i still watched to make sure. make sure when feeding them you use a kitten supplement and no milk for them. you also have to stimulate them to go to the bathroom like the mother cat would but by now im sure you know. i have also seem other mother cats who have had a litter adopt and take another cats kittens, one night we watched a mother cat take three two week old kittens and carry them to her spot and placed them with her kittens and fed them, later on mom got her kittens back it was kinda funny. if you keep having contact with them and get them used to humans as you are doing, you wont have a problem with getting them and having them fixed they are used to you, good luck and remember to keep them warm and fed and lots of contact and hopefully mom will return and take over.

Gruntsmom · #4 09-23-2008, 05:11 PM

Bless your heart! You are a good and special person to take such loving care of the kitties. I hope everything works out for them and for you. Sending out lots of good vibes for all of you.

SILLY6PAK · #5 09-26-2008, 08:13 AM

thanks for the replies. I ended up at the vet with my kitty family. The vet said to keep them seperated cause the ferrals could kill them because they now smell so different.

The reaso for the vet visit is we found ANOTHER kitten. This is the worlds cutesy. About the size of an 8 week old but a bag of bones. Deaths door. I gave her sub Q fluids that night. Even though she is tripple the physical size she weighed the least.

Dr. Told me to keep her seperated from my three. I understood when she was weak but she is now eating on her own and seems lonely.

I spend the lions share of my spare time with my 3 little kittens. I also have the dogs, kids and horses. How am I supposed to do this. I had a good cry last night and ready to go again.

The vet cannot spay until 4 pounds. My heaviest is 13 oz.

Should I put the kittens together for my sanity? I do not want to risk the kittens. My dogs miss me and I want a life beyond the barn.

Keep in mind I have always been scared/indifferent to cats so this is quite the journey I find myself on.

On the plus side the kittens have stopped eliminating on me.

bayleighmom · #6 09-26-2008, 08:53 AM

The vet said to keep all the kittens away from the feral cats? But also keep the first litter and the new kitty separate from each other?

I would probably combine all the kittens together just because it would be easier. It could be that your vet said to keep the kittens separate from each other due to feline leukemia. But if they are all from the same area, chances are if one has fl, they all have it.

If you do combine, be prepared for hissing! Are you keeping all of the kittens in your house?

Caney Creek · #7 09-26-2008, 01:20 PM

Was there a reason for keeping this new one away from the other kittens, besides it being sickly? As long as it's doing better I would go ahead and put them together. They are pretty young (from what you've said, I think) and really too small to do too much damage, IMO. Cat fights I've heard of, but kitten fights? I think the most you'd get would be hissing, like bayleighmom said. Besides, if they're going to have serious issues with each other, you'd see it immediately and just remove the single kitten. It's better to get them together sooner than later. Supervise their first meeting, and as long as they are only hissing just leave them be and maybe they'll settle down after a while (still should keep an eye on them though). If things get physical you should step in.

suzyqdogsmom · #8 09-26-2008, 02:25 PM

I would keep them separated from the adult feral cats. Sometimes an adult might try to kill them, particularly a male. Sometimes another female will mother anothers kittens, but at this age (several weeks) they don't need much mothering. You mention them eliminating on you, mama kittens eat their babies excrement (like most animals) until the kittens are old enough to follow her around and figure out how to use the litter box/outdoors. If they are on solid foods, not going to the bathroom all over, you can assume they have figured this out (it is usually natural for them to seek a place to bury their pee & poop). If you intend to be around them all the time and feed them and have them fixed, they are extremely unlikely to become wild themselves, they will continue to look to you as a source of their food. So they are already not feral cats. If it is your intention that they stay outdoors or in and out I would wait till they are fixed and big enough to fend for themselves around the other cats. I'm not sure how long they would stay with their mama in the barn, but not very long (maybe 4-5 mos? I'm guessing). Once they are out of the breeding/mating/searching for food cycle they don't have much in common with the wild cats, but will come in contact with them. As far as putting the other kitty with them, as they have all been in the barn and more or less in contact with other animals, I would think the risk of passing any diseases is a moot point. They have all been in contact with who knows what at this point. You are a very kind hearted person to take on raising these helpless babies. I have always liked having cats, I think you will find yourself in for a treat. They are in their own way wonderful pets. Good luck to you.

SILLY6PAK · #9 09-27-2008, 09:15 PM

I combined the 4 kittens in a large kennel up in the front barn. Not as many ferral cats which were getting too used to me and assertive when the babies were out.

One last question ( I hope).

The last kitten to join the group has gotten more shy. She sleeps and eats and plays independent of my 3 even though they occupy the same space.

My three get very excited to see me but the other hides out until I leave the pen. Should I let her find her way or force interaction? She can planely see the other three have positive interaction with me.

They have only all been in the new location for a day.

suzyqdogsmom · #10 09-29-2008, 02:16 PM

I think I would let her approach you. She will need a little while to adjust to her new surroundings and the other kittens. She may be shy for a while, she may not be as outgoing and social as the others, but give her a little time. I hope this all works out for you. Good luck