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

[castille]

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?

Awww... will be watching for that "do you keep 'em" thread 10 weeks hence!

Today the mum has been out 3 times for a couple of minutes, and seems fine. She's eating like a horse too. But she has now taken to lying on the tiled floor next to the box sometimes, leaving the kittens curled up together sleeping. She gets back in to let them feed, but seems to like it on her own the cold floor. Any idea why she might be doing this?

at you folk thinking we're going to keep them! DH has a couple of colleagues who are interested, we can't have 3 cats. DH went predictably soppy (in an entirely manly way, of course) when he saw them, and is being very attentive, bless him.

We have a few pics but they aren't very good so will post some when they are bigger and cuter.

castille, it's to stop them overfeeding.

if she stays on top of them 24/7 they'll feed 24/7 so she stays close but keeps a few feet away from them.

i have my girl in a travel cot with her basket in it (toddler proof ) and she alternates between lying on the floor of the travel cot next to the basket and climbing in to feed.

you'll probably notice whenever she eats herself she immedietly climbs in to feed them... it's instinct because in the wild she'd hunt for food, eat it and them return to her litter, some of these behaviours continue even in domestic cats.

lots of cat like to lie on cool surfaces too which could also be the attraction with the tile floor, my parents cat seems to overheat easily and is constantly floping on any cool floors she can find to cool down, if your girl is used to being an outdoor cat she may be finding it a little warm in you utility room.

You are a mine of useful information, PinkTulips, thank you

It's been a while - is there any news? (hopeful)