Found mama cat and kittens in yard...what to do (Goodyear: house, landscaping) - Phoenix area - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

Italy04 · 07-05-2015, 10:24 PM

Hey all, I know there is a big problem with ferrel cats here (there are several in my neighborhood). While landscaping today we found a mama cat and 3 kittens have taken up residence in our side yard :/ what do I do? I'm fine leaving them alone but I don't want to add to the problem by not spaying/neutering them. But I have no idea how to catch the mama and then what happens to the kittens if I do take her in? I mean, honestly my family would love to be a foster family for kittens but there's no way I can have 4 adult cats around 😣 I'm so confused!

smoochaz · 07-06-2015, 12:16 AM

Hi Italy04 -

I was in this same predicament 3 years ago 4kittens and their mom. If you have a cat carrier try to capture the kittens first and then the mom if you don't have a carrier or don't think you can do it - better to get someone who knows what they're doing -

I looked up the nearest pet rescue in Goodyear - and found this shelter - if they don't trap then they may give you a phone # of someone to call who can come with a trap and set it up in your yard.

After they trap they make sure alls well and neuter. If they're friendly they try to adopt them out if they're not friendly they return to the outside but at least they won't reproduce.

Good luck to you!

V H S Clinic
13555 W McDowell RdGoodyear, AZ 85395
(623) 535-4582
Animal Shelters

Italy04 · 07-06-2015, 05:09 PM

Thank you for the info but what a night I had. The rain woke me up and I heard them screaming so I ran out and all 4 kittens were soaked, displaced and drowning. Mama was gone. So I scooped them up and warmed and cuddled them. Their eyes aren't even open. After awhile mama came back, I didn't know what to do. So I did what my gut told me and put them back where I found them and she came and took them to a different place. I feel like I did the wrong thing, I should've tried to catch her and now I'll probably never get them again! I feel terrible but I have zero experience with feral cats. I have raised kittens before and even bottle fed when mama died, but in this instance I kind of panicked and just gave them back to the mama and now they're gone! I feel awful. But at least they all survived the storm. And they most likely wouldn't have if I hadn't intervened.

pbenjamin · 07-06-2015, 05:12 PM

If their eyes were not yet open it is way too early for them to be separated from their mother. Short of trapping the mother too, you did the right thing.

smoochaz · 07-06-2015, 08:27 PM

You definitely did the right thing - thank goodness the mom found them - baby kittens can definitely be adopted out and are not feral yet - the mamma kitty too may not be feral - the cats I saved (a day before hurricane Sandy) the mother was amazingly friendly and all the kitties were adopted out I kept one and I've never had such a sweet and loveable kitty my Duke has my heart. The mom too she was at the 11th hour shelter and the owners fell in love with her they kept her! lol - so these kitties hopefully are adoptable and hopefully find a happy and safe home. All the best!

Italy04 · 07-06-2015, 08:39 PM

Thank you very much for saying I did the right thing and putting my mind at ease!

PoppySead · 07-06-2015, 09:32 PM

They will move them once someone touches them. Don't worry, now a neighbor is in your predicament. lol If the mom took them after you touched them that means she is pretty use to the wild living. Otherwise if she was just an abandoned house cat she would accept food and try to move her kittens in your home. There is definitely a difference.

Once they are that wild you can do little for the mom but trap and fix her, your neighbor will probably do this. I'm sure your neighbors are calling around to see what to do, don't worry. You may have felt a loss because we all care about these little guys but try to remember, it will fade and you will realize what an undertaking it would have been. I've done that once, long ago. I was picking flees off kittens for a week in my garage. Bottle feeding them, not sleeping through the night for a month and then adopted them out. Exhausting venture!

If she's a neighborhood stray you'll probably see her around again.

smoochaz · 07-07-2015, 03:44 AM

Hi Italy04, Thinking about this and I think it's still a good idea to give a call to the shelter anyway and see if they can come and TNR (trap, neuter and return) these kitties - if you have a lot of ferral cats this will at least control the population.

Italy04 · 07-08-2015, 05:57 PM

Thanks, I am going to try to watch them for awhile to see if I see them hanging out and I will try to catch them all if I can. Mama included so I can get her spayed

maggiekate · 07-08-2015, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italy04

Thanks, I am going to try to watch them for awhile to see if I see them hanging out and I will try to catch them all if I can. Mama included so I can get her spayed

try leaving some food out for the Mama cat we had a real hungry cat who had 5 kittens. A peson left food out and they left the garage open a tiny bit soon the Mama and kittens went inside. The lady did keep the Mama cat and her daughter kept 2 kittens. a local vet had them all fixed tru cat crusades who homed the others.