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Location: Los Angeles>Little Rock>Houston>Little Rock
6,489 posts, read 8,819,005 times
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So I'm sitting here resting after a stressful morning of teenager driving lessons and hear a tiny little mewing sound. At first I think it is just a bird chirping or maybe the dryer making a weird noise. I stopped the dryer and listened again, but didn't hear anything. I got up to get some water and out of the corner of my eye see movement on the widow ledge outside our breakfast nook. Looking closer I see it is a kitten...probably 5-6 weeks old.
I ran to the stairs and called my son to come down and we went outside with a plate of food. It darted under our covered grill as soon as I approached it and my son saw another one scoot under there at the same time.
I've put some food and water out for them and sat there quietly waiting and calling a bit, but they took off. I'm sure they smelled the food, though, so they should be back.
Unfortunately, we are leaving town tomorrow morning for an overnight trip. I will leave lots of water/food in some shady place, but otherwise I don't know what else I can do. I have been looking to adopt a new baby after Catfish passed away, but I didn't really think it would happen this way and certainly not two of them.
Any other suggestions on getting them to come closer? I can't wait to get back from Austin on Saturday afternoon. I hope the Tropical Storm Don doesn't get too bad and cause them harm.
It's generally far easier to socialize ferals before 8 weeks than after that, so you've still got something of a window to get them to adapt more easilt to human contact. And a pair of kittens will keep each other entertained when you're out of the house.
As for rain, look where likely hiding holes are, and make sure they're got higher ground there they can reach if the rain starts to get heavy.
Location: Los Angeles>Little Rock>Houston>Little Rock
6,489 posts, read 8,819,005 times
Reputation: 17514
Turns out there are at least 4 kittens and the mom hanging out. I got a picture of two of the kittens through my back door window.
I'm thinking that I will make a tent-like contraption out of the grill cover and the chairs and leave food and water there while we are gone. When we get back I'll look into trapping them and spaying/neutering. I want to keep at least one, possibly two.
I had a similar situation happen to me once. A mother and two kittens (~10 weeks old) showed up. They had mange and the mother was already again pregnant. I kept them and the mother gave birth to four kittens. Many in my family complained--until they saw the cream colord kittens, which were quickly placed. A friend of my parents took the mother cat and spayed her and my parents kept the two kittens, who were also spayed. And I ended up adopting a completely different cat. All's well that ends well.
I know for a fact that those cats were meant for me. A neighbor told me she had seen and tried to pick up the mother cat, who bit her. And that cat, as well as her kittens, never even so much as scratched me.
Sounds like a plan. I would keep two, but that's just me. Just keep in mind that cats always know who to seek out--it isn't as random as it would seem.
I've tamed feral kittens. I think the key to success was getting them used to me. I initially put out a dish of food for mom and kittens. Then I used to bring out a patio chair and sit near where she kept them as often as possible. (I'd bring a book and pretend I was paying no attention to them.)
As the days went by I'd move the food dish closer and closer to my chair. They got used to me, I got used to them. Pretty soon they were sniffing my feet then the braver among them hopped up onto my lap. We kept two and found homes for the rest. Including Mom. Best cats ever!
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