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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Just found 5 kittens in my kids playhouse!

75 replies

HereLittleKitty · 05/09/2012 18:42

Theres a cat that used to come for food, she seems to just flucuate from house to house with no real owner but lots of 'feeders' IYKWIM?

The bloke down the road who also feeds her said that he thought she was pregnant, sure enough I saw her a few days ago with a round tummy but she darted.

He knocked on the door to say she was slim again so check the garden ect... and I could hear a tiny mewing in the playhouse and there was 5 kittens under a chair!

I've found mum and they are all curled in a crate with a blanket in the kitchen. Got cat food in the cupboard anyways (in case she came back for a snack!)

Bit shocked to be honest!!

OP posts:

AnnoyingOrange · 05/09/2012 18:47

Awwwww

Original poster

HereLittleKitty · 05/09/2012 18:48

If I keep the kittens here can I take her to be spayed when they are older? I'm sure this is her 2nd litter now and no-one seems to be properly responsible for her?

OP posts:

PallySally · 05/09/2012 18:49

Oh, how exciting! And I'm so pleased you've taken them all in, you kind thing.

Have you had kittens before? We've just brought up foster kittens from birth (they're 4 months old now) so I'll keep an eye on this thread in case I can be helpful.

The very basics: give her kitten food, rather than adult cat food, as it's more calorific. Let her eat as much as she wants at the moment. Keep them warm and dry and if she seems to like it, give her lots of affection and stroking, even while she's feeding them - it all helps with the endorphins. She'll deal with them perfectly well if she's happy and well-fed. Enjoy!

PallySally · 05/09/2012 18:50

Yes, you can get her spayed as soon as they wean, Kitty. That won't be for six weeks at least though, so try to keep her indoors as if she does a bunk, hand-rearing is an enormous commitment. She is likely to be fine with that idea - our kittens' mother is a young former stray and four months on she's showing no signs of wanting to go outdoors at all!

5inthebed · 05/09/2012 18:51

First things first, you are breaking the LAW by not posting pictures of the kittens

Secondly, yes you can take her to be spaid if she does not belong to anyone (by the sounds of it she doesn't)

Have a little tear in my eye that you would be so kind as to take a cat and her little family in.

stinkyfluffycat · 05/09/2012 18:53

Awwwww - jealous! You sound lovely, you should definitely adopt her and get her spayed.
Also, you can't mention kittens, especially tiny ones, unless you put photos up!

stinkyfluffycat · 05/09/2012 18:55

Cross post with 5inthebed regarding the obligatory photos - it's not just me then!

Original poster

HereLittleKitty · 05/09/2012 19:09

Lol! I'm not sure how to do photos but I will try.

She seems a bit skittish, more so than she was in the past so I've just left her in the kitchen.

She just comes and goes, we may not see her for weeks on end.

I know she had another litter and was an excellent mum, we were thinking of getting her spayed before this but she did a runner for a whle and the thought passed. ... untill now!!

Can I let her out for the toilet? I really don't want a litter tray in the house

OP posts:

glastocat · 05/09/2012 19:14

Ohhh kittens, you lucky thing! But where are the pics?

5inthebed · 05/09/2012 20:28

Hmm, if you're not wanting her to do a runner, maybe a litter tray would be best for a few days while she gets used to her new home.

Original poster

HereLittleKitty · 05/09/2012 21:00

Pic on my profile,i think.

Will get a tray tomorrow.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 05/09/2012 21:10

She looks like a good mom - very protective.

Original poster

HereLittleKitty · 05/09/2012 21:12

She is purring SO loudly! Its lovely.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 05/09/2012 21:13

Awww.

I think a tray is quite good as well if you're going to keep her - at least until the kittens are mature. It's somewhere for the kits to use when she's training them.

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/09/2012 21:13

Trays aren't that bad, she'll teach the kittens too this way.

Pinots cats mom vanished when the kittens hadn't even been weaned.

Are their eyes open? They can't be that young if they are open. She might have moved them.

Sparklings going to be so jealous..

dikkertjedap · 05/09/2012 21:15

What a lovely photo. How nice that you have taken them in.

For tonight you can just use an old cardboard box as a litter tray with some shredded newspaper or sand. If you don't have a box then a thick layer with newspapers with some ripped newspaper on top. Not brilliant but better than the risk that she does a runner and you having to handrear the kittens.

5inthebed · 05/09/2012 21:31

Aww very sweet. How old do you think the kittens are? Are their eyes open?

Original poster

HereLittleKitty · 05/09/2012 21:34

They're eyes are closed and have dried cords still attatched.

OP posts:

5inthebed · 05/09/2012 21:47

They are brand new then. Mum will probaly not want to leave them very often s you may be in luck re litter tray until tomorrow.

5inthebed · 05/09/2012 21:48

have you paged Dr Pinot?

crazynanna · 05/09/2012 21:50

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/09/2012 21:58

Homebargains do litter trays very cheaply, as do wilkos. No point spending loads on them.

Sparklingbrook · 05/09/2012 22:04

When am I going to get some kittens turn up in my garden? Not fair.

Sparklingbrook · 05/09/2012 22:05

But the photos gorgeous.

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/09/2012 22:07

One day sparkling, one day.

It seems to happen to people who dont already have a cat though.

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