Stray cat gave birth in my car..... (kittens, eating, food) - Cats - - City-Data Forum

fierce_flawless · 07-08-2008, 04:42 PM

I have a piece of crap "extra" car that runs fine but I'm currently not driving (it's a gas guzzler!)... but it has a window that won't go way up on the driver's side. Today I noticed a cat jumping out of it, not terribly surprising because it's been rainy.... but then my elderly neighbor's daughter, who was chatting with me, says "Hey, that cat WAS pregnant!"....

So, sure enough, we go look and there are 4 little babies about 2 days old, in the floorboard, passenger side (away from the rain at least).

What do I do?

The mama is fairly feral. I don't have a problem with her using the car as a nursery..

I just hope they'll be okay in there. We didn't want to risk moving the babies and have the mom freak out and not come back for them. Do you think they'll be okay? It's currently rainy and humid and warm and when the rain stops it will be sweltering again. I can put other windows down for air circulation....

There's a big stray cat problem around here. The elderly neighbor lady is already feeding a ton outside and has had many (well almost all, obviously not this one) of them spayed/neutered (she has a deal with her vet who will do it at $10 a cat!). She's been feeding the mama, and sees the cats as her responsibility and is very much emotionally involved in their welfare although they aren't "her" cats. Y'all know what I mean.

I have donated food to her in the past (I have 2 cats of my own)... and I am going to offer to help pay for spaying/neutering of this mama cat and the babies if I can. This mess started with another neighbor who moved and abandoned 4 or 5 cats who were all intact.

Our city shelter is trying to completely switch over to a no-kill system and last I heard they were not accepting any more surrendered animals.

I'm hoping I can help find them homes when they're weaned (should be around 8 weeks right?), but my neighbor says her vet won't spay/neuter before 3 months. Is that usually the case?

Katie1 · 07-08-2008, 05:35 PM

Well best just leave them But heat can kill them! Try trapping mom & put her & the kittens in a large dog crate. Room for litterbox & kitten box & food & water bowls.

leorah · 07-08-2008, 06:28 PM

The AVHA endorses spay/neutering as early as 8 weeks, but not all vets agree with that protocol and many prefer to wait until kittens are older.

As for whether you should move the kittens or not, I'd leave them be for now and perhaps open another window to create some air circulation. If the car is in the sun and is likely to turn into an oven when the sun comes out, you may need to move them but be prepared for momma cat to move them again if she doesn't like the place you choose.

It's nice of you to be so understanding and let your car be used as a nursery!

Katie1 · 07-08-2008, 07:56 PM

Can you put a fan in the car to circulate the air?

riveree · 07-09-2008, 09:23 PM

Wow, that's a tough one. I'd hate to disturb her and her kittens, and she probably knew how warm it was in the car before she gave birth in it?

Maybe try to set up a nearby alternative in hopes that she might move her kittens there. Maybe a sturdy cardboard box with towels inside sitting under some shade? It's hard to lure them to these though, I've tried in the past.

Taking on the Trap Neuter Return (TNR) is an excellent idea and you will see results. We had a neighbor do this in a neighborhood with a ton of feral cats and after a few years the colony started to noticeably decline.

Here's a resource for feral cat info and hopefully you can find a local resource to help with the cost involved in the TNR:

Alley Cat Allies

st33lcas3 · 07-10-2008, 12:14 PM

I'd crack another window so air can circulate. I'd also put some food and water in the car so mama can be closer to her little ones.

bigcats · 07-27-2008, 12:59 AM

Thank you for being so kind to them (and to your neighbor who has been caring for them).I'd leave the windows cracked and trust mama to know what's best for the kittens. She'll move them if it's not a suitable place. You will want to start handling the kittens earlier than 8 weeks if they are not to be feral themselves. Kittens will start eating solid food around 4 weeks. When I'm dealing with feral moms and their kits, I usually remove the kittens at around 5-6 weeks and take them inside (a bathroom works well as a nursery). They're usually eating solid food well at that point and are still easy to tame at that point. I spay the mom then.I get kittens fixed at 8 weeks / 2 pounds. A few vets won't do it that young, so I don't use them. They then can get adopted.Good Luck!