Help!!

[Edwina's Secretary]

My niece just called me from home. She recently moved in with us and lives in the basement. She was done there working on her homework and heard "a racket" so she went outside to investigate. She found a momma cat and four kittens in the window well. She says there are lots of flies around and the kittens look to be only a couple days old. (My niece has had as many as 11 barn cats at one time so she knows better than I.)

It sounds like one of the cats I saw i(and fed) in the front yard the other night.

I told her to take food and water to the momma while I figure out what to do. The first issue I'm worried about is protecting them from the raccoons (and possums) that wander at night. Both will, I believe -- eat kittens.

If I put a screen over the window well how will momma get out to do her business?

Naturally, my husband is out of town....

Short term ideas????

[Randi]

What a situation! Do you have an extra litterbox? - and a spare room? Perhaps you could take the whole bunch in for the night and think about what to do tomorrow? Or do you have a large box you could put by the window, which could function as as house for tonight, with blankets in? That way, the mum would be able to protect the kittens better!?

Good luck!!! and goodnight!

[TheAntiPam]

Just don't forget that these little babies will have fleas - even at that age.... If you bring them inside, be ready for those unwanted critters!

I don't want to discourage you from helping - I wish I could help you! But, fleas are a fact of rescue - Blah!

[aly]

Could this place help maybe?

http://www.hhforcats.org/

Its a cageless, nokill shelter in Chicago for cats. I know its kitten season and everywhere is probably overfilled with kitties, but they may be able to help or at least give you some connections of groups who may be able to take in the kitties.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Oh no! But then again, Oh boy, Kittens!!

Is the window well in a shaded spot? Even if it is I would try and get them out of there first. I only say this because I've seen dead mice in our window wells one day, and the next day there is nothing left but bones. Now I don't know if this is because someone poisoned them (wasn't me) and the poison ate them away like that or if the heat had something to do with it (decomposing them faster than normal). If it was the heat I would hate to see what the kittens would look like tomorrow, even though it wasn't that hot today.

Even if you don't want to bring them in the house because of Edwina, is there maybe a place in the garage you can set something up for them? Or maybe a quick run to Home Depot for some temporary fencing that you could set up a "fenced in" area for them? Not too high so the momma can jump out but the other critters can't get in. Oh what a dilemma especially since you're husband isn't home, and neither are you! Your niece sounds like she would be delighted at this new turn of events.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

[aly]

Here's a couple other no-kill shelters in the Chicago area. You might already know of them but I'll post just in case.

http://www.acl-op.org/

http://www.animalwelfareleague.com/about.cfm (this one might be a kill shelter actually, maybe you could call and ask)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by aly
Could this place help maybe?

http://www.hhforcats.org/

Its a cageless, nokill shelter in Chicago for cats. I know its kitten season and everywhere is probably overfilled with kitties, but they may be able to help or at least give you some connections of groups who may be able to take in the kitties.

They have a kitty named Avid that looks exactly like Pam's Trevor! I wish I could take all of them, especially Tri-pod. A 5 year old black boy with only 3 legs. Poor kitty. At least it's a no-kill shelter and these wonderful kitties will have a place to stay and food in their bellies until someone decides to take them home.

Don't know if this will work, but here's a picture of Avid.


And here's Trevor (hope this was ok Pam).

[Edwina's Secretary]

There is a no-kill shelter by me called "Red Door" which I support financially. I'll try them. My niece has put food and water down for her (had to use a ladder -- it is a very deep window well and Leslie is not as tall as I am!) Momma jumped out when Leslie climbed down. I am amazed she can do that.

It is a very shady spot so it should be cool enough. My biggest fear again is the coon and possum. A possum got into one of the window wells before and could not get out. We had to put a board down there for it to climb out.

Hopefully there is enough "other stuff" for them right now.

As luck would have it...the big Harley is in the shop for a couple weeks so maybe there is extra room in the garage...

[zippy-kat]

hmmm....Red Door...and Harleys....

1. Elizabeth
2. Arden
3. Fat Boy
4. Sportie/Sport
5. Dottie (in memory of your scenic rides--"DOT FIBERGLASS"-- lol)**

Actually....Lady Edwina and Lady Elizabeth would make a good duo.....

**for the story on DOT FIBERGLASS click Here

[Edwina's Secretary]

Oh Zippy...kudos for creativity! Great names...might Fat Boy become a self-fulfilling prophecy though?? I now think of momma as Elizabeth!

I am baffled and befuddled right now. The window well of the kittens is on the garage side of the house. I pulled in last night. Four kittens balled up together but no momma (did the car scare her???) We kept watch for momma out the windows but I became worried that we were scaring her off. We could hear the kittens through the basement window. When they were quiet did that mean momma was back and feeding them?

So far my niece is the only one who has seen the momma.

This morning there are only two kittens -- and no momma -- down there. Some of the cat food has been eaten. No other critter could get down the well [IMG]and back out[/IMG] so I assume momma is moving them elsewhere as she has the energy. But where?!?!? Most of our neighbors have dogs -- so I doubt she would go there. Our property is heavily bushed (is that the right word?) so there are lots of placing she could be hiding.

We want to help her but where is she??? My husband suggested taking the two babies out and trying to feed them. I think we should see if momma comes for them. She can feed them much better.

But the flies!!! I am so worried.

And if you're wondering about Edwina....she is oblivious!!! I even took her to the basement and let her hear the kittens through the window. She said..."huh? Oh look is that something new on the book shelf?" My sweet baby was NOT at the head of the line when brains were being passed out!

[zippy-kat]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
My sweet baby was NOT at the head of the line when brains were being passed out!

Any Hank the Cowdog fans out there?

In one of the books, Hank and his nieces/nephews get into a "singing fight" with a Momma Alleycat. Hank and crew sang (to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"):

When God made a cat he was desperate,
For something to make himself laugh,
He gave it the brain of a monkey--
But dropped it and broke it in half!
Can't remember the rest of the song...

(Fellow cat-lovers don't fret--Momma and kids belted out (to the tune of "America the Beautiful"
Your momma wears tow sack drawers
And holds them up with twine.
She has a ringworm on her nose
And picks it all the time!
Your momma's combat boots smell bad
So do her dirty socks.
Which goes to show what all cats know,
All dogs are just a putz!")

Now to the serious stuff...
If Momma hasn't carried off the last two kittens by lunch/early evening--I would seriously consider bottle feeding.

Have any fly tape? I know from first hand experience, flies can do horrendous things--esp. if they smell blood.

Best of luck, let me know if I can help in any way!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I don't think I'll be much help on this one - no experience at all with new kittens, much less wild/feral new kittens. I would do like Zippy says though, if momma's not back by this evening and the kittens are still there, sounds like your niece is going to be pretty busy for the next couple of days. Maybe some of the others out there with more rescue/feral experience can help. Moosmom, are you in the process of moving? Sorry I can't be more help. Don't know where you are in the Chicago area, but if it does turn into bottle feeding, maybe I can stop over some night to help out.

My sweet baby was NOT at the head of the line when brains were being passed out!

That's because she was at the head of the "looks and style" line. Not too many kitties out there can pull off a bonnet and visor like Lady Edwina.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Debbie,

My husband thinks if momma doesn't move the last two today we will bottle feed (he is home now) but what to put in the bottle??? Where do you get cat milk?

We are on the northern edge of Chicago city limits. We are suppose to go to a reunion of husband's family in Toledo this weekend. I would hate to have a reason to miss that.

Oddly enough...it appears momma took the smallest two first. I wish I undertood all of this better

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I'm not sure, where's Aly? She would definitely know. I'll see if I can email her directly. I work near North Ave and Western so the Northern edge wouldn't be too far away. Maybe I could stop over after work or something. I would also love to meet Little Miss Edwina herself. Let me know what happens.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Sara, I called the second shelter that Aly suggested. She said if you go to a petstore (Petco, Petsmart, any pet store) they should have Kitten formula and the one you buy depends on the age of the kittens. She gave me some milestones to help tell the age, but it sounds like these are younger than what she gave me.

Eyes open about 10 days
3 weeks they start standing and wobbling around
by 6 weeks their eyes start turning to their permanent color

She said if the kittens are still there, the mother might still be coming back and feeding them even if she moved the others. One way you can tell if she's not coming back is if they are very vocal. If they are crying their little heads off, they are very hungry and you need to help. If they're not crying, feel them - but don't handle them too much - to see if they are cold. They can't regulate their own body heat so they can't be cold, so if they are they need to be brought in and warmed up.

The lady was very helpful and nice and said to call back if you/we need more advice. Hope this helps!