Urgent- just found newborn kittens

[CabbagesAndKings]

I posted this in chat and was advised to come over here

My DH has just found a nest of kittens under a hedge in my neighbour's garden. There are feral cats who hang around the waste land at the end of the gardens, and he has spotted one going in and out of this bush all day.

There are four kittens, they are very newborn, it's starting to rain and it's windy, the hedge isn't that sheltered, my neighbour is lovely, but he has a dog and kind of needs his garden. No sign of the mother cat. DH didn't touch the nest or disturb it in any way

What do we do???

[Fuzzymum1]

Contact a cat rescue and get some lactol in the mean time if you can. Where abouts in the country are you? Someone local to you might be able to help.

[Allthelittlefoxes]

Call the Cats Protection League, we had a nest of feral kittens in our school playground when I was wee (you can imagine the excitement!) and they came and rounded them up. They were flipping wild though even as tiny kittens, scratched and bit right through a leather gauntlet the guy was wearing, I remember him walking along the school corridor dripping blood on the floor

[isseywithcats]

definitely contact a cat rescue they will know what to do they will put a trap out for mom, is there any way you could put a shelter out for them even a cardboard box on its side with a bin bag over it to stop it getting wet with a blanket or two in it would keep them warm put it near the nest and hopefully mom will move them in there mom will have seen you and wont be far away but look out for her because if she thinks they are in danger she will move them, when we rescued two older feral kittens the mom moved one and we never did find out what happened to him or her

[thecatneuterer]

Thanks for the pms people. Sorry I've only just come online.

I was going to say exactly what issey said. The mum cat will be around, but it would be great if you could give them something that could be used as a shelter. And put out food for mum of course. But yes, do be careful, because as issey said mum cats do move their kittens if they are worried.

And then contact Cats Protection or any other local cat rescue as they will need trapping. The best way would be to trap with mum using the kittens in the trap. Mum could then be neutered and returned once the kittens are old enough to leave her and the kittens could be socialised and hopefully homed. However you will need some expert help and equipment for all of this.

Where in the country are you?

[CabbagesAndKings]

Thanks so much everybody. I updated my other thread- the mum has come back to the kittens, and we have put some food on our side of the fence which she can access without being too close to the nest. She has eaten it, and seems to be quite friendly with DH. My neighbour has blocked off the bottom of the garden, where the kits are, so his dog can't get near them. We'll put a box/ blanket near the nest today and hopefully mum will get the message. She looks fairly healthy and is an adult cat, so we think she's hopefully quite sensible.

My neighbour says it has happened before, and he called Cat's Protection and they aren't interested until the kits are about 8 weeks, but we'll give them a ring anyway.

I'm in N.I

[LoopyLa]

Any update Cabbage? How are the kitties doing?

[CabbagesAndKings]

They are doing OK so far. They are still in the bush,all snuggled up the mum cat has been eating loads. We've put an old blanket just by the fence so hopefully she'll take it for them

[LoopyLa]

Awww keep us posted, love these stories