There is a kitten trapped- UPDATE I have THEM *3*

First of all, YES, you have done the right thing. If you hadn't gotten the babies inside then the coyote might have gotten them, and you might never have been able to get them tamed!!!! If that happened, then there would be mom plus 3 kittens running around unaltered! :eek: As long as they are eating the KMR, then they will do just fine! Mom might surprise you and become more trusting in time. Just keep putting food out for her and talking softly to her when you have seen her around. Kitties hide, but they are always nosy to keep watching!!! Some time when you have just seen her ... stay outside and talk to her, even though you can't see her. Let her see you place the food bowl out, maybe even move it a bit closer to the direction she ran to, so she knows you intended it for her.

Now..... give those little tiny (LUCKY) babies some kisses for me!!! I love the names!!! Pat Daddy Richard on the back for his help as well! You know how I love those Cat-Loving Men!!! :D

Again, if you need ANYTHING, just give me a call again!

Hugs,
Kim

Oh bless you Lori for helping these little babies, you certainly did the right thing. That little gray baby is soooo precious! I'm in love with him. :) I hope everything works out with all of them and momma too!

That's great that you rescued the three little kittens.
I wish you luck in getting the momma cat too.
I hope you are recovering well from your surgery too.
I would love to see photos of the little tuxies when you have a chance. :)

Lori, I'm glad to hear that things are going well with the kittens.:) I also think that you did the right thing. Take care and please continue to keep us updated about them. I'm also looking forward to pictures.:)

How are your other furkids reacting to the kittens? I'm sure that you have them secluded in another room but I bet they sense that something is there.:)

I guess I know we did the right thing but we saw the momma out the calling and looking for them and it broke my heart. Of course as soon as she saw us in the window she ran under the deck but that is something, she usually runs out of the yard. She's been eating the food we put out.

KAK - My guys are acting normal as long as they don't see them but when they could see them through the french doors in the sunroon with us today they got a little riled. R&R are the worst. They both get hissy and spend all their time blowing at anything that moves, including us. They seem to get it over as soon as we put the kittens back in the office and out of site. Suprisingly Ripley is being rather laid back about it all.

Here are pictures!
This is the first one I found, the one with some lungs. Trouble aka Mouth
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...06/Trouble.jpg

This is the gray one and the largest. He looks really blue in some lighting. Pops
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...-2006/pops.jpg

Finally the smaller and quiter one, Silent Bob or SB.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../1-2006/sb.jpg
He has less white on his front paws.

Pops and SB together.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...006/popssb.jpg

I'm guessing they are 2-3 weeks old. Do you think I'm off? They are fairly coordinated on their feet and Trouble is very playful. He even plaid with some jingle balls today. They are amazing at climbing already too.

I couldn't tell you how old they are except that they're very young. They sure are adorable and very healthy looking.:) The grey one does look like a blue grey. My Storm is also considered a blue cat.

OMG, they are so sweet! I'd be in 'kitten love', too!!

They are some lucky little guys.

Lori, they are older than 2 weeks for sure. I am guessing closer to 4 to 5 weeks. Their ears are completely up and they look older in the face. It's hard to tell in pictures, but if they are climbing around then I think so! They will probably learn to use the potty box soon too, so I would go ahead and introduce them to one! Feel in their mouths for teeth .... they might even be able to start nibbling something wet.

They are ADORABLE! :D

Kim

I am SO happy for the 3 little ones, and so glad that you are caring for them. Since they can't say it, I will: THANK YOU! :)

Since the mom is so wary of you - of humans, not just you - getting her used to things "may" help the process. If she is a true feral, then being in an enclosed area will be scary initially. Is there an open porch or area with a roof or covering where you could put a litter box? Maybe with something scented from her kits in it? Do you have a cat carrier you can leave out there with a food dish in it, so she gets used to walking inside?

Maybe a local pet store, hearing this story, would volunteer a trap? Or even a large dog kennel? Keep the kittens in there for a bit with an old towel, to set their scent and then put it outside for her to investigate?

I am grasping at straws here. I got frustrated reading that none of the rescue groups has been able to get in touch with you. They would have some suggestions. Continued GOOD LUCK!!

They are adorable!!!!!!!!!

Kim, they have teeth, oh do they have teeth. Trouble is biting the heck out of me already. How old would that have to make them if they have teeth?

We already showed them a little litter box but for now they are just playing. Trouble hopped out and then peed in the floor a few feet away.

I have a question - I know Trouble is peeing without me having to stimulate him but I have yet to witness the other to going and they seem like they might be struggling to go. I keep using the warm washcloth and they like it but nothing happens. The towels they are sleeping on were soaked earlier today but it's been a while. The towel I put in with them at 3 pm was still dry at 8 pm. Of course I'm letting them run around the office for play and they might be going under the desk where I can't see. I've checked but not well. Any suggestions?

I'm also afraid I'm overfeeding them. Is that possible? They keep eating and won't stop on their own. The KMR tells how much by weight but I don't know their weight and trying to feed three it's hard to tell who is getting how much.

One more question. How do you tell sex? I looked at a diagram online and then we looked at them. The two tuxies look very similar and the gray looks a little different but I can't tell for sure.

Can you tell I've never been around itty bitties before? :D

Jazzcat - ok, here is a nutty idea...call pet stores or neighbours with dogs - even the rescues again, maybe they have dog cages. Put the kittens in a SMALLER cage (not too small) that will fit inside the dog cage.

Then mama cat can see them and smell them. Again, you'll have to be watching.

It would break my heart too, hearing her cry for them...that's why I think letting her see them would get her into a cage.

The net mentioned earlier might work, but would really freak her out.

Poor mama! I hope you can get her soon - work on the dog cage thing...

Maybe, as Freedom said, something with the kittens' scent on it would work just as well.

HUGS!

They are so sweet, and Thanks To You Jazz cat, they have a new lease on life.
You have Three Gold Stars by your name in Pet Heaven.

We may try our luck with a large pet crate and kitten scented towels tomorrow. We opened the windows in the sunroom today while we had the kittens in there so she could hear them while she was hiding under the deck just outside. We haven't seen her since that one time this morning but Big Gray the dad was out there and ate some food, although he doesn't need it.

Richard is concerned about what all we may catch in a live trap (of course not using the kittens but food). We have raccoons that visit nightly, skunks, opossums, rabbits, squirrels and even a few years back a little fox that my little dog chased and bit. Oh yes, coyotes too but I know they are too large. Anyway, point is the raccoons and other critters act more tame than this little momma and we may catch all kinds of things. I sure don't want a skunk! Maybe the pet carrier during the day while we watch will work.

During the day when you can watch is best...and put it near momma's hiding place. I hope you can get her...she may be more ok when with her babies.

Fingers crossed!

Lori, kitten's teeth start to show at about 4 weeks and they are still wobbly walking then. I really think these kittens are at least 5 weeks old. You will have to keep them in a small confined area with a shallow litter pan. Pick them up after they eat and put them in it, even take their front paws and teach them how to dig in the litter! They should be able to eat wet food now as well. Try giving them some canned food, you may have to force a bit in their mouths, but they will soon take to it. If at all possible, try to get some of their pee or poop and put it in their litterbox. If you let them run in a large area, it will be too easy for them to potty anywhere they want! You want them to be confined and forced to go in a litterpan!!! This age is also crucial for them to develop a bond with humans ... handle them as much as you can!

I will try to attach a couple of pics to help you with sexing a kitten ... these are pics I took and posted on PT a long time ago! The first is a boy .... much more distance between parts .... the second is a girl .... two "holes" close together! ;)

Kim

We have pee and solid poop in the litterbox!!! YIPPEE! No pictures though, but I wanted too.

While watching them closely I realized they (Pops and Trouble) were looking for a potty spot so I grabbed them and put them in the litter box. First Trouble took right to it and peed and covered it and then later Pops did the same. Unfortunately SB didn't get the drift and peed on a towel. A little later Pops looked odd so I put him in and out came a nice solid poop and then Trouble sniffed the air, climbed in and out came another solid poop. YAY! Still no poop from SB but he didn't feed to much yesterday. He is definetely catching up with eating now though.

We plan to get the cage from R&R put up tomorrow and move them in with a litterbox.

Kim, thanks for the age evaluation. Boy am I clueless! They are a little wobbley still but tonight they really began playing and wrestling and even running a little. I'd say from what you've said and what I've read online they are definitely around 4 weeks. We will go get kitten food and start moving them over to solid. I've been reading on how to do it.
Thanks for the pictures too. That helps a lot. I don't see anything that looks like your little boy pic at all. At first guess maybe I have three little girls, hmm.

Thanks Kim! Nothing like my very own personal kitten expert!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jazzcat

I don't see anything that looks like your little boy pic at all. At first guess maybe I have three little girls, hmm.

Thanks Kim! Nothing like my very own personal kitten expert!!!

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Yea, I was afraid of that picture too ..... many little boys aren't that "obvious" for quite a while!!! ;) The main thing is the DISTANCE between parts. :D

You are more than welcome, I'm glad I could be of a little help! You're lucky that they are so far along, much easier to deal with at this age!!!

Kim :)

Oh gosh Lori, they are so darn adorable. Bless you and your hubby for taking these precious babies in and keeping them safe.

Good luck with mama and I hope you are feeling better.

GREAT JOB ON THE RESCUE LORI!!!!! You did the right thing! If you had not gotten them now then chances of catching them later would be darn near impossible. At this stage you can tame them and hopefully find them homes where they will be loved. If you had left them with mom they would have been feral and chances are they wouldn't have survived very long at all. Not to mention they would have eventually made you lots more babies! :eek: I know its sad to take them away from momma and that is heart breaking. Hopefully you can get them all together again.
The small cage in a larger cage is a good idea. At least if you get her then you can get her spayed and put her back out once the kittens are weaned.

I agree with Kim that those babies are at least four to five weks old. You need to offer them mush because they are going to require more than just KMR at this point. Mash some canned food and mix it with some KMR and see if they will eat. I have a feeling they will! I would still supplement with bottles several times a day but I would get them eating soon.

They are absolutely ADORABLE! It looks like Tennessee is having the same run as Kentucky....black, black/wht, and gray have been in abundance this year!