# Newborn Feral Cats



## CavePaws

When I return from vacation, I will be taking on 5 newborn feral kittens. I plan to put them on a raw diet as soon as they are off of a milk replacement formula. I will be home tomorrow around 8 p.m., will be crawling under the porch of my mother's office early Tuesday morning, and taking the five kittens. We will then set a trap out for the two feral cats who live at my mothers office; hoping to either tame them and if this is not possible, to just spay and release them back at the office where they are cared for. The kittens though, I know they will take A LOT of care. I plan on using one my dogs large crates as a place for their nesting box, heating pad, litter box, and as they grow larger we will probably transfer them to the large x-pen we have. I need to find them permanent homes and will be reaching out to my co-op to find other raw feeders. The kittens will be free of course, I'll send them to their new homes with a few days worth of food and other little necessities. If the permanent homes do not plan on feeding a raw diet I guess I'll need a list of cat/kitten foods that are high quality. Any suggestions? I plan on sending the kittens to their new home with a sheet on raw feeding and then high quality commercial foods. My sister told me to just put them on a commercial food for sake of ease...I cannot justify wasting my money to be honest, it would cost me WAY more to feed them a high quality commercial food than to feed them raw. 

If anyone has ANY suggestions, PLEASE post. I've already contacted several cat rescues and they have all told me that they are either full or their funding was cut. It's sad and I can't justify sending these kittens to the humane society where other cats will have to be put down to make room for these kittens when I have the time and space to foster right now....and, feral animals will always have a place in my heart.


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## DaneMama

Is there ANY way to get the mother cat and kittens earlier? Then take them away from her around 3.5-4 weeks? I know that sounds really early but if those kittens are ever going to be house pets the earlier they have contact with people the better. Five weeks is pretty late for human socialization for most kittens....some will sure learn to love humans but some may not. Good luck!


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## CavePaws

They will be about a week old when I get them. I don't want them out there any longer than they need to be. I read their critical socialization periods are much shorter than dogs...if this is the case I need to get them ASAP. Seeing what 7 weeks in the wild did to two of my pups is enough for me to justify pulling them from the mom now. I have to trap the mom unfortunately, I assume she will take longer to catch.


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## werecatrising

How exciting! I love raising feral kitties! Do you plan on raising them on a home made formula? I have never had luck with the store bought milk replacers.


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## MollyWoppy

I've been thinking about you and wondering how its going with the kittens. Hope everything is ok and no problems. Can't wait to see some pic's of the little darlings.


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## RescueToAdopt

I TNR Feral cats, It is best they stay with the mother as long as possible. For the ferals I usually leave the kittens with the mother for the first 5 weeks. They are pretty easy to tame 5-9 weeks old, I do it all the time. I Fix adults here in saint louis but sometimes it's too late or there are a few im having trouble trapping that produce. I then get the kittens fixed and adopted. I do bottle feed kittens where the mother has been hit by car/or killed or simply 'dissapears' but I would NEVER take kittens less than 3 weeks if possible.


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## DaneMama

Any update with these babies yet? Pictures!!!


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## lmgakg

AWWWWWW.......I just adopted a baby feral kitten. We think she is 8 weeks old. She was with her mom up until about 7 weeks. Mom is a stray - sort of. She thinks she lives at my aunts and is friendly with all of us and we visit often, so we've handled the babies since we found out they were there, probably 2 weeks. She is eating raw great, I cut up baby pieces and smash bones for her and she loves to eat. But I'm wondering about the drinking...she doesn't seem to be drinking at all. I can't tell if she is peeing. Pooping is good - small, but good. But she is only maybe 2-3 pounds. She uses the litter box good. I know they won't drink as much because of the water in the meat so I kind of think I'm just being paranoid, but just want reassurance!!  I have had her home since Monday, and I swear she hasn't drank anything. She is active and seems very healthy. 

My daughter reading Nahla a bedtime story, while Raja and Jivago watch...







Nahla


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## naturalfeddogs

I've just in the last three weeks or so, taken a new job at an all cat vet clinic, and we have several ferel kittens there now and I can tell you, the sooner you can get a hold of them and start handling the better. We have been handling the ones at work daily to get them ready for adoption and they are really coming around.


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## CavePaws

We were told not to take them away from the mothers until they turned 3 months. So, the trapping of the _kittens _has just begun. We took the two feral mothers in and had them spayed and their ears were tipped. The two mothers have really come along, I've been working with them and they will take food from my hands and follow me around. Now we caught two babies today, they are coming around really nicely. Though they are COVERED in fleas. I gave them a diluted flea bath and am thinking about getting capstar for them. They have worms, it's pretty obvious. I'm keeping them away from my dogs because I don't know what they might have other than just worms. Pictures coming soon, I have them in a medium precision crate in our dining room that we never use. The dogs so far are really unhappy about the kittens presence. For some reason once the kittens hissed it was on and now the pups are running around with their hackles up, growling. /sigh

They are all bloated looking from eating god knows what and having tape worms. We had been feeding the mother cats Kirkland - that is really the only cat food I can afford for these guys other than PMR. I have pork heart for them to eat tonight until I get my case of turkey hearts in. Will pork heart be okay? I can go to the grocery store and get chicken heart if that seems more appropriate. I feel bad for not putting the mama cats on PMR but there is no way, they like to eat in privacy and it is no guarantee when they will come to eat so who knows how long their kibble and canned food sits out in this heat. I'm just glad I can switch these kittens to PMR.

Seriously, if anyone is in Texas and wants a kitten I will meet you half way for one of these guys!


edit: ALSO. Should I capstar my dogs when I captstar the cats? I hate doing this kind of stuff but the presence of fleas is undeniable. They are everywhere, a few even hopped on to me. I was thinking about getting those nematodes SerenityFL has been raving about. They sound awesome.


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## DaneMama

Pork hearts should be fine they just might end up with diarrhea. I'd get them started on smashed up chicken wings in the next few days if possible. Also, I would give your dogs a capstar as well if they've been exposed. 

Keep us posted!


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## CavePaws

I have chicken necks...Should I mash those up? I know they need heart though...I can definitely go get them some chicken hearts tonight if you think it is best. Chicken wings, I really doubt I will find any that are not enhanced unless I visit whole foods which is not open tonight. :[

And I'll give the pups some capstar as well. They haven't been in contact but have been in the same room so you know, well, fleas jump. x__x


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## CavePaws

Pics of Day 1.
Simple "den", I gave them some cardboard boxes to hide out in.









grey kitten


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## CavePaws

white kitten

























They are really cute. Cole is already attached to the white one. He was the one who was able to hold it first. I keep saying NO. ]:<


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## cprcheetah

They are so cute! Kudos to you for helping them out. My Tiggles was semi-feral when we got her, she was like 6 weeks old and had ringworm so severe she lost almost all the hair on her body. So she was constantly being medicated which didn't fare too well for her loving us. We took it slow, and now at a year she is one of the goofiest, sweetest cats in the world...she is still a little leary around strangers but she's a sweetheart.


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## DaneMama

Chicken necks are perfect. I would give them a once over with a hammer or kitchen mallet. 

Heart in any form is good. Hearts from red meat are best IMO. 

Super cute kitties...wish I could have cats :frown:


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## CavePaws

Okay, how long do you think I should wait before giving them some heart? I will give them some chicken neck in the morning, hopefully they will be well and hungry by then.

And, well, I wish I had room for kitties but I don't. It's so hard to keep saying no. :| There are a bunch more kittens living under my mothers office so these guys are just the first to get out of there. I still think it would have been better to get them when they were much smaller. The feral cat group who loaned us the traps seemed to think it was best to leave them with the mom. I just know if I had left my puppies out there as long as these kittens were left out the behavioral problems would have been way worse. These guys don't seem to bad. Definitely not fond of being reached for, but so far they will sit in your lap and let you stroak them.


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## minnieme

Awwwwwwww, I wish we could have cats too. Alas....minnie eyeballs all cats like they are freakish, skinny-tailed squirrels....so I don't think THAT dream will ever pan out... O_O


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## CavePaws

I thought my dogs were great with cats until the kittens hissed at them...Then it was like a war had begun. ;____;


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## CavePaws

Finally got the kittens to eat but it was canned food. Grr. I think tonight I am going to give them some canned mixed with chicken necks and some pork heart...I was so worried they wouldn't eat and get some sort of issue I just had to give them something. :| I tried mashed up chicken necks earlier with salmon oil on them to tempt them...No go. Maybe they will get a bit hungry and accept some later!


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## CavePaws

They had pork hearts tonight and acted like it was the best thing ever. They were eating it over the canned food 96% salmon!!  Raw is so awesome. I love how instinctual it is.


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## CavePaws

GRAND NEWS!!!!!!!!! 
White kitty is a female, she has a new forever home, she is getting her shots for free, she uses the litter box, and is sweet as a little pink button. I LOVE this cat. She is going to a good family, Cole and I know them well, they also adopted one of my feral puppies a year ago and he turned out absolutely fantastic with no behavioral problems what so ever. I think this kitten is going to be the bomb when she gets older. :] Unfortunately they will not do the raw diet for the kitten right now. Kinda sucks but it is taking some convincing that cats don't need kibble. They are going to be feeding Orijen, the chicken and fish formula, and merricks before grain wet food, also supplementing with cooked meat. I'm loving it! I gave them 4 cans of Merricks and 3 cups of Orijen to get her started...That should last the kitty about two or three days...They will need to pick up a bag of Orijen soon.

Grey kitty needs a home. Anyone in Austin or close, I will drive this kitty to you if you'd like it. Let me know. It will come with shots and some food to get you started should you choose canned or kibble! No rehoming fee.


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