Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The litter tray

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

Help! Stray young cat has given birth to 4 kittens in my dads garden

9 replies

Cleanmean · 25/07/2024 23:39

My dad is elderly and never had pets. A few weeks ago a cat moved into his shed and this week she gave birth to kittens. I convinced him to let me put a house out there for them and I've been feeding them. Mum is feeding the babies well but is only a kitten herself. Poor girl. I've been careful not to touch or move the babies.

I've ring every rescue locally and they're all full. There's no room for mum or her babies. Whilst it's warm she's in her outdoor house with food and blankets. I'm worried about the cold weather and also about her getting pregnant again. How soon can she be spayed? I know if she wanders she'll be pg again. The kittens can't stay in the small outdoor house forever and I'm panicking about getting them housed.

I have a rescue cat who is anxious and stressy. I'd love to adopt the mum cat but firstly I don't think I could afford another set of insurance fees, but I'm also slightly worried about my own rescue cat.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I be doing anything for the mum and her babies other than leaving food water out for mum and making sure they're warm and safe? I'm so so tempted to adopt mum once her babies are settled in homes. I can't sleep thinking of the poor girl, she's just a baby herself and she's had babies before according to others in the area.

OP posts:
Autumn1990 · 25/07/2024 23:54

Cats protection offer a chip and neuter for farm and feral cats for £10 per cat.
Ask round your friends if anyone wants a kitten but try and leave one with mum if she won’t be having anymore. Or they could stay in your dad’s garden. They would need neutering and would need suitable housing for all seasons
I have a lot of farm cats. They just keep turning up and a couple of last years kittens live in the house. Nothing is insured and if it costs too much to fix the cat would have to be put down. It’s different to having a pet cat and that’s ok

Autumn1990 · 25/07/2024 23:55

It’s local vets that do the spaying for cats protection so you would have to ring up and ask and then there’s a form to fill in.

HucklefinBerry · 26/07/2024 03:10

They'll be big enough ouch before the weather turns cold.

HucklefinBerry · 26/07/2024 03:10

No idea why I've added 'ouch' in there

Mia184 · 30/07/2024 19:33

How are the kittens and mom cat doing?

Pudmyboy · 30/07/2024 21:35

Also hoping for an update when you can @Cleanmean , hoping for good news...

Cleanmean · 07/08/2024 04:25

They're doing great. I rang some local vets and none of them are spaying for CP anymore. The costs of spaying are over £160! However I'm happy to pay. The issue is the vets at saying we should wait 6-9 weeks after birth but the mum is already out and about and I'm scared she will get pg again.

OP posts:
Milkyway1213 · 07/08/2024 05:37

Could you get them registered at the PDSA?
I think they may spay and chip them if you're on a low income, or maybe they could be registered in your Dad's name instead?

I'm concerned that foxes could get to them (especially the kittens as they'll be tiny) before long, so I'm wondering if your Dad would allow them in the house before the kittens are old enough to be rehomed.

Sunshineandrainbow · 07/08/2024 05:41

Autumn1990 · 25/07/2024 23:54

Cats protection offer a chip and neuter for farm and feral cats for £10 per cat.
Ask round your friends if anyone wants a kitten but try and leave one with mum if she won’t be having anymore. Or they could stay in your dad’s garden. They would need neutering and would need suitable housing for all seasons
I have a lot of farm cats. They just keep turning up and a couple of last years kittens live in the house. Nothing is insured and if it costs too much to fix the cat would have to be put down. It’s different to having a pet cat and that’s ok

We had a similar situation with kittens born behind the shed. They were taken in by a rescue but sadly all but one kitten died. We had mum and surviving kitten back and mum turned on him when he was about 20 weeks old, hissing etc.
Apparently it's quite common and a natural reaction for mother cat to encourage kittens to leave home!! It was quite upsetting.

I would try and house kittens in pairs where possible.

Can you shut them in the shed with a litter tray?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page