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Original poster

Help! There's a stray cat having kittens birth in my porch!

55 replies

castille · 30/04/2009 11:38

This cat appeared on Sunday and my DDs took pity on it because it seemed lost or stray and had no ID. It's a nice cat, friendly and not agressive. They fed it and made it a little bed in a box in the porch.

This morning it was miaowing a lot when we left for school and now I see there are 2 kittens in there!

How many is she going to have?!

What on earth do I do with cat and kittens?

OP posts:
bella29 · 30/04/2009 11:40

Is it an enclosed porch? Has it got a door? Can she be shut in there and left alone?

Dumbledoresgirl · 30/04/2009 11:41

DD once found a mother cat (which we already knew) had had kittens in our garden. IIRC she had 3 or 4 and I think this is the usual number. Aren't they absolutely adorable?

Anyway, fortunately we knew the owner as she was the previous tenant in our house and had only moved a couple of streets away. She had several cats and most of them preferred our house (their old house) to hers - and when I took back the kittens I could see why as her house was a cesspit and very chaotic.
I wish I had not told her about the kittens (she did not even know the cat was pg!) and kept them myself.

None of which is any help for you. I can only suggest you offer the cat some food and see if anyone comes looking for her. Ring round a few vets to see if anyone has called missing her?

foxytocin · 30/04/2009 11:43

just remain unobtrusive (ie forget she is out there) as if there are more kittens in there you will disrupt her birthing process.

call the rspca in the meantime.

Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 11:43

No, it's only enclosed on 3 sides and it's wet and breezy out there.

Should I put them in the utility room? I'm allergic to cats but as long as I don't spend too much time with them and they don't roam the house leaving hair everywhere it should be ok...

OP posts:
ZoeC · 30/04/2009 11:44

I wouldn't move it without getting advice from RSPCA or ring a vet and ask.

bella29 · 30/04/2009 11:44

Can you put anything on the front to shelter her? Best not to move her if you can.

Agree call RSPCA.

Dumbledoresgirl · 30/04/2009 11:47

Please ring the vets first rather than RSPCA. She is 90% likely to be someone's beloved pet and they may be frantic looking for her (my cat went missing for 48 hours over the weekend and we did nothing but look for him all Sunday. I was going to ring the vets on Monday but he turned up safe on Sunday night).

Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 11:47

We rang round vets and local police on when we first found her and the DDs put up posters with a photo in the area but no one has claimed her.

DDs have got very fond of her (she's rather nice) and had planned to keep her, though she'd have to be an outdoors cat. But we can't keep a litter if kittens as well! They are utterly adorable. But NO, we can't.

Will call RSPCA equivalent - I'm in France - but the DDs will go mad if they take her, which they will have to if we can't keep them in the house, won't they?

OP posts:
ZoeC · 30/04/2009 11:49

I imagine they would prefer to give you advice on care rather than taking them themselves for cost aside from anything else, if you are prepared to take them in. Just need to be careful with moving them while she still may have kittens to birth.

Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 11:57

She must have had the 2nd kitten a good 4 hours agoo I think, as they were both clean, dry and fluffy (aww) by the time I got home 3 hours ago. Is she likely to have more even now?

Because I've just checked on her and the box (cardboard) is getting damp which can't be nice - do you really think I should leave her there? What might happen if I did move her inside before she's finised birthing? The porch has a very high roof so doesn't offer much protection from the elements.

OP posts:
bella29 · 30/04/2009 12:05

Can you call a vet for advice?

Dumbledoresgirl · 30/04/2009 12:05

I found this for you

Scroll down and there is advice about how long the birthing process takes. The implication is that she has either finished, or is having problems getting the unborn ones out - gulp.

Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 12:14

Eek that's scary. She looks quite normal now though, doesn't seem to be in distress and the kittens are feeding, but to be on the safe side I'll call a vet...

OP posts:
bella29 · 30/04/2009 12:14

She could be finished or she could be having trouble.

I would really truly honestly call a vet.

bella29 · 30/04/2009 12:15

xpost - good move.

Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 12:32

Spoke to vet. Very reassuring. Said that she would look ill and distressed if anything was wrong. She might have more in a few hours, or two might be her lot, but as long as she's looking after the kittens and behaving normally it's safe to assume all is well.

Have also called local animal rescue service, and they can take all 3 and look after them, check them over and ID them before passing them to the RSPCA for adoption. And we can take the mother back if we want to.

OP posts:
bella29 · 30/04/2009 12:33
Grin
Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 12:41

Have moved them inside now as it's tipping with rain, and she's been purring loudly all snuggled up in a clean box with the kittens in the warm utility room

Thanks all!

OP posts:
claricebeansmum · 30/04/2009 12:43

So you think your DDs are going to let you take cute kittens to animal rescue centre....

ScorpiowithabigS · 30/04/2009 12:44

it really is no hassle having a cat and the kittens you know the mum does everything pretty much, even litter trains them. in 10 weeks they can be sold, and you can keep the mum, save sending them to RSPCA where they may stay for a very long time

Original poster
castille · 30/04/2009 13:11

I know my DDs will be totally besotted the minute they get home from school

And the vet said just what you did, Scorpio, about how little attention they need

But I'll be wheezing and sneezing in no time if they stay in the house. So the garage would be the only option, where the mum wouldn't be able to get out of her own accord, so it's not ideal.

Any solutions? I don't want to have to send to animal rescue either, particularly as DH has already found a possible home for one of them with a colleague...

OP posts:
ScorpiowithabigS · 30/04/2009 13:13

Do you have no part of theh ouse where you can go less? utilty room, corner of the kitchen..? they really don't need alot of space.

My mummy cat (we had a litter last year and now some just born on saturday ) just pops out for a little while, but will jump through a left open window to get back in. Upstairs yours could go, downstairs toilet?

OrmIrian · 30/04/2009 13:14

If you were thinking of keeping the mother anyway, could you put a cat flap in the outer door of the utility so she only had the run of that room and the garden, but not the rest of the house.

How can they take the kittens away from the mum so soon?

ScorpiowithabigS · 30/04/2009 13:14

Garage window open in the day, but close them in at night?

Hassled · 30/04/2009 13:16

Ex-DH is allergic to cats but seems to build up a resistance to cats he knows quite quickly. So he's fine with his cat, reacts to friends' cats. You might only be sneezy for a couple of days....