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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

Yet another stray/uncared for cat . WWYD

9 replies

StillMedusa · 14/06/2018 22:55

There has been a tiny.. young female cat around our street for a few months. At first I assumed it was someone's kitten , but then my neighbour came to ask if I knew were she was from as she was pregnant (the cat ) and very thin.. We asked around and no one knew.

She has appeared to have had her kittens... but she is always outside, begging for food and she is desperately thin and hungry, still with visible nipples. No idea where the kittens might be :(

We are feeding her as much food as she can eat (she is keen to come in, understandably). But I am worried where the kittens might be...if she has an owner they are not looking after her very well.

Would it be ok if I took her to the vets to find out if she is chipped? If not, would they let me pay to have her spayed? I don't want to get into trouble, but the poor little girl needs caring for.

OP posts:

ErrantBakedBean · 14/06/2018 23:50

I think I would take her to the vets to see if she's chipped - they'd soon point you to the owners if she has some. Maybe put notes in people's doors too if you think she's very local? I might also follow her to see if she goes to her kittens - I'd want to know in case the vet needed to keep her in for treatment.

ErrantBakedBean · 15/06/2018 00:20

Also, Re the spaying - if the vet can get in touch with a cat rehoming centre that will take her, they are sometimes able to cover the neutering cost (funds are tight though so I'm sure you'd be their favourite person if you were able to offer a donation towards it).

thecatneuterer · 15/06/2018 09:51

Of course you can have her spayed. And there is no chance she will be chipped. However you can't take her away if there is a chance her small kittens are still around somewhere.

So wait until around 7 weeks after you think she may have given birth. Then have her done and return her two days after the op in case the kittens are still around. Then, after another five weeks or so, if there has still been no sign of kittens, you can then try to rehome her or whatever.

Can you tell us where you are in the country?

wormery · 15/06/2018 09:57

Poor soul, keep on feeding her, can you follow her to see where the kittens are, she might let you if you make encouraging noises, put a box or carrier out in the garden with a blanket in it, somewhere quiet and safe, she might move the kittens into it if you are really lucky. Would you be happy for her to come into the house, again she might bring the kittens in if she thought it was a safe home for them all.

colditz · 15/06/2018 09:58

If you can bring yourself to let her in, and mak her comfortable, she may chose to bring you her babies

chemenger · 15/06/2018 10:05

You could try speaking to your local Cat Protection branch, they might come out and help you track down the kittens. If they have space they might be able to take them in for fostering and adoption. They may also be able to help with the cost of neutering. I know our branch would send out the kitten trackers! Under a shed seems the most popular place for our strays, could you put some notes through you neighbours’ doors asking them to check their gardens? Well done for feeding her, she will be ravenous, kitten food is the best thing for her.

Original poster

StillMedusa · 15/06/2018 22:08

Update... I did some detective work and found the owners. Actually what I did was head for the scruffiest house in the neighbourhood as I'd seen her sitting outside there :O
The owners are, um, a bit rough for want of a better description but not bad people. They had another cat who was a decent weight. Cat has had 5 kittens (they said that two are going this week, which I suspect is way too early but not much I can do) and is still feeding them all. She IS booked to be spayed, so I am hugely relieved. and will just keep feeding her extra as she really isn't getting enough and is starving.

Today I have fed her 4 full packets of food so she should have enough milk for her babies tonight!

My DS12 commented that I am feeding at least 3 extra cats to my three at the moment (one is defo a stray but me and two others feed him daily, tho he won't come close). Then again Thelma is feeding Obie a lot so it feels like a 'pay it forward' kind of a deal :)

REALLY hope I see her spayed soon!

OP posts:

EachandEveryone · 16/06/2018 04:08

I had similiar last year and wondered if its just that the owners feed them the same amount of food which makes them lose weight when they are nursing.

thecatneuterer · 16/06/2018 10:55

If you don't see her spayed soon I would go round again and offer to take her to the vet/pay yourself. That's often the only way I can get people to do it.

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