Catching feral kittens - success anyone?

[Josette]

I realize others have this problem too when animals are dumped or left behind at neighboring farms. Now, it has gotten to the point of really wearing me down and frankly depressing me. Over the years, I've rescued and rehabbed several strays to keep myself as indoor cats. Our current cat was caught on our property a few years back after several weeks of feeding, gaining trust then capture/immediate neuter. I managed this without setting a trap for her.

Anyway - we discovered a litter of 4 very young kittens who have moved into the garage. My immediate concern is one has a injured swollen leg and imo if I can catch it may need to be PTS. An amputated kitten is difficult to rehome let alone all the kittens and cats in shelters. I've been feeding over this weekend in hopes of gaining their trust to catch them ASAP - especially the injured one.

My issue is getting the adults who appear to be very wary and stay off in the surrounding woods. I'm nervous about setting traps because of all the raccoons, skunks and possum here. I am so frustrated and just needed to vent. I'm going to make some calls this morning and see if I can get assistance from TNR - trap, neuter and release. Hoping they can at least rehome the kittens.

[Chisamba]

i successfully caught two litters of kittens, but it took much longer to catch the adults. what i did was put a dog crate in the area, and fed in the dog crate. at first i just put feed in and left. each time i fed i stayed a little closer. as soon as i had the opportunity with all four kittens in the crate i slid the door closed and latched it. i gave them a litter box and fed them in the large dog crate for a few days before attempting to handle, vet or in any other way assist them. both litters tamed easily and made good barn cats. One of my friends in a NY apartment adopted one, and his is apparently quite a wild man in the apartment, so perhaps apartment homes might not be the best.

[Josette]

Thanks Chisamba - I like that large crate idea. I mentioned to my sister that I was going to buy one and she kindly dropped one off this evening. Next, the challenge to get them eating in the crate. They are so fearful hiding in the garage. I'm going out tomorrow to get large traps for the adults. A local rescue group will take the kittens if I promised to TNR the adults. They will certainly take longer to trap and I expect I'll get some other critters too. I am still very concerned over the injured one that it did not come out to feed today.

[exvet]

When I was helping out with TNR, kittens were more than welcome. Also for the years I spent in shelter medicine I will tell you that rescues DO NOT have any trouble adopting out amputees especially kittens. If there was a chronic medical problem, yes; but, amputees or the ones missing an eye, it was like I was selling crack. They'd be adopted and often the adopter would be contacting us to see if we had more. Ditto on the dog crate idea. It always worked at my farm(s)/ranches. Good luck and thank you for all that you do.

[Chancellor]

i successfully caught two litters of kittens, but it took much longer to catch the adults. what i did was put a dog crate in the area, and fed in the dog crate. at first i just put feed in and left. each time i fed i stayed a little closer. as soon as i had the opportunity with all four kittens in the crate i slid the door closed and latched it. i gave them a litter box and fed them in the large dog crate for a few days before attempting to handle, vet or in any other way assist them. both litters tamed easily and made good barn cats. One of my friends in a NY apartment adopted one, and his is apparently quite a wild man in the apartment, so perhaps apartment homes might not be the best.

As you know, I have two Siameses so never feral....and I can tell you that the girl is a wild one (as evidenced by FB posts). So, it may also be that boy you mention above is just a wild child. We call Georgia the minister's daughter!

[demi]

I hear you, Josette. I had 4 kittens born in the hay barn about 10 weeks ago. I had been trying to catch the momma without a trap for the same reasons (coons, possums, skunks). I am angry with my neighbor because the momma was born under his house and another neighbor has offered several times to help him TNR but he just keeps feeding his feral colony and letting them breed.

Well, the kittens were easy to socialize because I found them before the eyes were open and momma allowed me to handle them. I finally caught momma in a large dog crate (like Chisamba described). I had to bring the kittens in the house when they were 6 weeks old because the were getting under the truck hood and other dangerous places.

They are all neutered and vaccinated now and I found homes for two. I am reintroducing them to the barn again and they will be good barn cats. What a lot of extra work though!!

[demi]

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So, success!

[Josette]

Demi - So glad you had success with your kittens but that neighbor is a butt head. I am determined and can cope with the catching the kittens and hopefully someday the adults. My anxiety and concern is that MIA injured kitten who I have not seen in 2 days. This morning the other 3 had no issues eating in the large crate - they simply hide as soon as I open the kitchen door. So tolerance of me will take time. However, our garage is packed with stuff including my mother's former power bed frame (not needed when she moved into nursing home in February) - plus the huge lawn leaf fold up cart. This is the area where they are hiding behind these heavy items and some recycling. Do we attempt to move stuff to find MIA kitten? Do we risk scaring the others when I'm slowly getting their trust? I keep hoping I don't start to smell something bad...... This is the decision I'm trying to make.

[LeoApp]

Can't you put the dog crate in the garage somewhere? Start doing that so they get used to it and then move it out where you can see it so you can close the door when they are inside.

[Josette]

I've had immediate luck with the dog crate and they are being fed inside 3x daily - confined in the garage. The tuxedo kitten is no longer climbing up the shelves into the eaves. The black kitten is very tolerant and hangs out where I can get very close to it. Only the tabby with the injured foot continues to hide but comes out immediately for food. If there was a 4th one it disappeared - maybe escaped as there is no sign of it. I've been in contact with a TNR group and will probably foster as I'm gaining their trust. I'm betting we will end up with at least one and the fearful ones may be TNR on our property....... The TNR and rescue groups are short of volunteers to foster - so I do not want to dump these animals unless they have a positive outcome. I am such a sucker.

Plus - no sign of the adults except a random sighting in the evening of the large orange cat - who I always thought might be a tom because it is just so darn big. Also, I purchased a 'have a heart' trap and will pursue using it.