Abandoned Newborn Kittens Rescued

Summer is kitten season and my husband and I search daily in the woods for abandoned kittens in feral cat dens. 

A few days ago we found a den of six kittens that appeared to be newborns.  We watched the den but mother cat was nowhere.  Normally the mother cat will not leave newborn kittens and we suspected that she either abandoned her kittens or that she may have been trapped and taken in for spay and vaccines. We were not sure of the mother cat’s whereabouts but knew that we needed to care for the newborn kittens.

We rushed home to get a box and lined the box with a fleece blanket and grabbed a twin cotton sheet to cover the box and a flashlight.  We went back to the den and I needed to crawl into the den to catch all of the kittens.

All of the kittens were caught and taken to the veterinarian’s office. They received an exam, a combing for fleas and then were fed KMR®Powder Milk Replacer.  The kittens are in safe care and veterinarian in seeking a foster mother cat.

 I recommend that every animal rescuer should have on hand PetAg® Emergency Feeding Kits for newborn kitten. If you happen to rescue a newborn kitten to six weeks this kit will provide you with everything that you need; Kit contains 3/4 oz. pouch of KMR Powder, 2 oz. nursing bottle.  

If you are new to nursing a newborn kitten then this helpful kit includes a pamphlet to teach you how to feed a new born kitten with replacement milk.

View this video to learn how to bottle feed a kitten:

Catching a Stray Kitten

Now that weather is warm the feral and stray cats that have not been spayed or neutered are breeding and there are sounds of kittens meowing in the woods.  

Kitten season is here and it will run from spring to fall but when the weather starts to cool down then the cats will stop breeding. During the cat breeding season the city and neighborhood shelters will become inundated with thousands of adorable stray kittens that need homes desperately.  The kittens that are not caught and taken off the streets will be left to fend for themselves and will become feral. 

Yesterday I found a stray kitten hiding under my neighbor’s deck. The first thing that I did was look for the mother cat.  The kitten may be weaned or she may have been moved to this area by the mother cat.  

I informed my neighbors that there was a kitten under their deck.  I asked them to watch for the mother cat and let them know that I would trap the cat family. 

We all watched for the mother cat and did not see her.  This was an indication that the stray kitten may be older and had been weaned.  

Since mother cat was not around I decided to approach the kitten to find out if it was people friendly.  The kitten hissed at me which was an indication that this kitten was probably feral.  She did not run from her hiding place but instead held her ground and in her "cat way" told me in so many hisses to stay away.

See bellow feral kitten cards that I designed at my zazzle shop. The images used are of cats that I care for at the colony. See mother cat watching black kitten in the background.  This little kitten was not weaned.

Feral Cat Adoption Postcard 

Feral Kittens in Garden Postcard 

Catching Stray Kittens

Get ready to catch a stray cat by showering with hunter’s soap.  Lather up with this soap and it will take away the human scent.  

Gather cat supplies; cat carrier that is lined with newspaper, feliway behavior modifier spray and a half can of kitten food that is diluted with water.  Mix the food and water well to make gravy.  

Before I go out to catch stray kittens I will spray heavy leather gloves with the feliway. The gloves will protect my hands from being bitten or scratched.  I will wear protective clothing: leather boots, socks heavy denim pants and long sleeve shirt.  All clothing will be treated with Feliway behavior modifier spray 75 ml.  I spray the formula onto my clothing, boots and socks.  

Feliway behavior modifier simulates a cat’s natural pheromones and it comforts the cat by relieving stress.  I find it is helpful when trying to catch stray kittens or cats because it creates a state of security and helps the cat to cope with a new human, crate or home.

Put away all phones as any noise will frighten the kitten.

The first step to catching a stray kitten is to communicate with food and water.  A hungry cat will get close to the human that is feeding them.  I find that a strong kitten food like salmon and ocean fish entrée for kittens will attract stray cats quickly especially if they are hungry.

Note if you are not an experienced cat trapper then do not attempt to catch a stray kitten.  Instead contact your local cat network to inquire about trappers in your area.

Approach the kitten where it is hiding by walking slowly.  Do not make eye contact with the kitten as they will feel threatened.  

Sit down on the ground and keep your eyes to the ground.  Set the food and water directly in front of the open cat carrier, close enough so you can grab the kitten by the scruff and put into the carrier. 

If the kitten will not allow you to grab them then plan to catch with a live animal trap.  Obtain a trap by borrowing one from your local animal control, humane society, and veterinarian or contact your local cat network.  Ask to borrow a trap and follow instruction on how to safely set up and trap cats.

Note: 
The scent that your body is projecting is that of a cat’s natural pheromones.

The stray kitten will approach the food slowly with cautious steps.  Be prepared to wait awhile because the stray kitten may linger in their hiding spot and approach the food very slowly. 

It is best to sit quietly and refrain from speaking to the kitten, as your voice may frighten them.  Think positive thoughts and project a calm energy.

Sgolis recommends these Cat Adoption Guide posts.

Socializing Feral Cats and Kittens

Communicating with a Feral Cat

Trapping Feral and Stray Neighborhood Cats

Crate Training Your Cat

Training your cats when they are kittens to go into a crate is a method for providing your cat with a safe and secure den environment.

A few of my cat photos.  I use crates for rescues, and for cats that are ill.  I also have taught all cats to not fear the crate.  The crate is their safe place and is where they go to sleep or when they are frightened, such as when there is a thunderstorm. 

Every single one of my personal and rescued cats at the shelter has been trained to go into a crate. The crate provides the kitten or the cat with its own home.  When the cat becomes tired, scared, or anxious they immediately go to its crate for safety or to rest.

Crate training a feral cat is a quick way to socialize the cat with the human. The feral cat will learn to trust the human. The crate will provide the feral cat or kitten with all that they need, a bed, litter box, and water, however, the food will come from the human and the feral cat will depend on the human for nourishment.  Crate training teaches the feral cat or kittens desirable behavior.

Another reason to crate train a cat is that it provides you with peace of mind especially if you are away from the house for a long period of time.  A crate will prevent your kitten from misbehaving by damaging your home and from getting hurt.

Getting Started with Cat Crate Training:

Before you bring your new kitten or cat home buy the essentials including a cat crate.  There are many crates available for cats.  I recommend one that is large enough for a litter box; a sleep area leg room as well as water and food bowls.

For feral cats set the crate in a room away from household foot traffic. Feral cats need to bond with one human and need peace and quiet.  It is best to set the cat crate in a room where you like to spend time; your home office would be good.  Feral cats will be put into the crate immediately and the door will be shut until they are socialized, or bonded with humans.  By crate training a feral cat the socializing process is quick.

Positive Cat Crate Training

Familiarize your new cat with a crate as soon as you bring them home.  This will eliminate negative habits from forming. 

Set the crate in an isolated area in a room, a low human traffic area such as a dark corner or behind a chair.  Make the crate comfortable by setting a cat cuddle bed in the back of the crate, Spray the bed with catnip.

  

Add a small bowl of water, and a few toys made for cats, and set a few cat treats on the floor of the crate.  Drape a blanket over the crate without covering the entrance. The cover makes the crate cozier and den-like.  Then leave the crate door open.  

Release your new cat into the room where the crate is and the cat will be drawn to the crate due to the scent of the catnip.  Your cat will relate to the crate as being a positive area and will go there to sleep and to be safe.

Note:

Crate training a cat helps especially if you need to travel with your cat or take them to a kennel. 

If you intend to keep your cat in a crate while you are working then I would recommend a large crate.  When you get home from work, release the cat from the crate and spend quality time with your pet; petting, talking to them, and playing or clicker training your cat to do tricks or to come to sit and stay.

Never use the crate as a punishment.  

 

Training Tips for Your Cat

A cat has a short attention and the trainer must keep the cat focused with repetitive training and treats as a reward.    In order to successfully train your cat you must implement a routine.  Plan on training your cat at the same time every day and reward them with a treat and your cats will please.  

Source: catster.com via CatCentric on Pinterest

I clicker trained all five of my cats with a daily routine.  I use the training period to interact with all of my cats.  The time is well spent as it is good for overall cat behavior. 

 

My cats are well trained to the clicking sound.  I can easily call them to the training room even when I am sitting at my desk.  One click and my cats will stop whatever they are doing and will run to where I am, and sit all around my feet.  They wait patiently for their delicious treat.  

The cats will respond to the clicker but if I do not deliver the treat then they will become disinterested and will display signs of bad behavior; hissing, snarling and overall grumpy behavior.

Tips:

• I started training classes for my cats on a daily basis. The daily training is a good way to improve the cat and human bond.  
• Give your cat a small portion of the treat, so they get a taste.  It is better to give your cat a small treat to get their attention. If your cat loves the treats they will follow you anywhere.  Which means cats that need to shed some extra pounds will eagerly follow you and your clicker all over the house.
• Provide your cat with treat immediately after training the cat a new trick or after you click.  
• Click once per behavior, if you click multiple times you will confuse your cat.

Notes: 

• All rescued cats are clicker trained immediately as it helps with the adjustment period of being taken into the shelter. 
• It is best to get all cat acclimated to a daily routine.  I find that the training helps the rescued cat to bond quicker with the human.
• Cats that are trained with a clicker are more social.