Mum and three kits have moved in to my lean to. Advice needed URGENTLY!

[Hippykitty]

Have started an update thread about these. I now have them, but they have flu....

I'd still be waiting for a trap if I hadn't bought one!

[Hippykitty]

Have PM'd you Adel. (I think, my pooter went all funny on me when I tried to send it!)

[wharfevalley catsprotection]

We're lucky in our branch to have three or four people who trap all the time, but I know this isn't the case with all branches. Perhaps call CP HQ to see if they can out-source a trap for asap. If you're anywhere near Leeds we can help.

It might also be good to get CP on board anyway if there's a long term feral population. Again, this is the main focus of our branch, but i'm not sure how active others are in feral work

[Hippykitty]

I've fed them and when the adult pair got out of the bed there were three kittens underneath them.

Everyone I ring about borrowing a trap is saying "next week sometime". Was hoping to trap the adults over the weekend and get them to the vet on monday! She could already be pregnant, though doesn't look it yet.

[Janeyk]

Most of our ferals pair bond but not all, for example Tiggy next door was ex-feral and 4 latch on to him - he takes them into his house. Also a couple are loners.

[Hippykitty]

Thanks JS, I'll be making calls today.

I've just had a look at them in full daylight.

They are cuddled together in the box and there seem to be two adults and a kitten. They all have the same markings and are part of the local feral population. The kitten is suckling from one of the adults, half-heartedly.

Something I've noticed about the local ferals is that they pair bond, even though cats aren't supposed to. So I think I may have a mum and dad and kitten. Unless they are lying on a kitten.... so confusing....they are a furry heap at the mo.

If I have a male and female, she may already be pregnant, in which case it's imperative that I trap her so she can be spayed/aborted. Not nice, but I can deal with this, morally, in the early stages. I'll ring round to try to borrow a trap or two. The kitten can be rehomed, even though he/she looks bigger than in the early hours (I don't think this is just the bowl of food I gave them!). 

They may have other kittens somewhere because I'm certain there were two or more playing with the mop at about 4am......I keep odd hours.

Fingers crossed I can catch them. If not, they have a dry, snuggly place to sleep!

[JackSpratt]

HK, you're great. With regards to getting Mum spayed could you ask for a local rescues help with that and rehoming? 

[Hippykitty]

A feral mum and three kittens (who seem several weeks old, they are eating proper food - I'm not good at ageing kittens) have moved into a small lean-to/verandah at the back of my house. I noticed a cat hanging around a few weeks ago, when it was really cold, so put a cardboard box in there with lots of old jumpers. She's using this as a nest.

I only noticed them tonight. I heard noise out there while in the kitchen. I looked through the glass in the back door and was surprised to see the kittens playing with an old mop! They're gorgeous.

I would like to trap mum before she gets preggers again. So the situation is urgent: the kittens seem to be weaned and she'll be in heat again soon! 

 The kittens shouldn't be a problem to home. Fred and Vic don't need the back room anymore, so I can put the family in there. Trouble is, if I do TNR, where do I return mum to? I'd rather rehome her. BUT NOT WITH ME! I can't afford any more cats. 

They seem tamer than last year's feral rescues. I'm wondering how to trap them. If I use a feral trap, mum (and maybe the other kittens) will see what happens and either move, or just refuse to go into the trap. (This is how I failed to catch the mother last year.)
 I think mum will move them all. I'm wondering whether to take the time to befriend them and coax them into the kitchen: then I'll have a mum and three feral kittens loose in my small kitchen. 

I'm still in shock from discovering them. As you may have surmised, I don't go into my garden much in the winter so only discovered this tonight. This may explain why Sam's been in a bad mood the last couple of days: hissing at Polly, Fred and Vic.

Any advice would be welcome. They came to me for a reason, methinks, so are now my problem. I don't just want to hand this over to the RSPCA, who would pts, nor to CP as the local one pts FIV cats.

I would especially appreciate advice concerning catching them all.