Momma and Kittens living in Hedge= Help!

I'm home on a medical leave and I discovered a momma and about 5 kittens
living in my hedge. Momma is just a youngster herself and after discussing
with my apt maintenance guy (and cat lover) we determined momma is a stray
who has been living at our apt complex for most of this year. I do not
believe momma is nursing anymore- kittens are adoptable age and are beginning
to accompany mom on short trips out of the hedge. My apt is ground floor
and only 15 feet from the hedge- my patio is easily accessible to the kittens
so I and feeding Mom wet food and kitten food and the kittens are also eating
some kitten food. I also have water out for them. Mom is aware of my
presence in the window and so are kittens. Not comfortable with me outside
yet though. I really want to eventually capture both Mom and kittens and
take to shelter but I am not sure how. My fear is that the kittens are old
enough that if I capture one the others will move. I have two indoor cats
(who are enjoying watching the show from the window too). I do have a
garage when i could put any "captured kittens" until all have been captured.
New at this... Please help.

Amy
Mukilteo WA

If you cannot catch them by hand, boy or borrow a have a heart trap. Trap
them all and take them to a no kill shelter or find homes for them. You are
wonderful to care for them.
Gail
"abmouse" u23284@uwe wrote in message news:621d1bb82792f@uwe...
I'm home on a medical leave and I discovered a momma and about 5 kittens
living in my hedge. Momma is just a youngster herself and after
discussing
with my apt maintenance guy (and cat lover) we determined momma is a stray
who has been living at our apt complex for most of this year. I do not
believe momma is nursing anymore- kittens are adoptable age and are
beginning
to accompany mom on short trips out of the hedge. My apt is ground floor
and only 15 feet from the hedge- my patio is easily accessible to the
kittens
so I and feeding Mom wet food and kitten food and the kittens are also
eating
some kitten food. I also have water out for them. Mom is aware of my
presence in the window and so are kittens. Not comfortable with me
outside
yet though. I really want to eventually capture both Mom and kittens and
take to shelter but I am not sure how. My fear is that the kittens are
old
enough that if I capture one the others will move. I have two indoor cats
(who are enjoying watching the show from the window too). I do have a
garage when i could put any "captured kittens" until all have been
captured.
New at this... Please help.

Amy
Mukilteo WA

Any tips on catching them by hand?

Gail wrote:
If you cannot catch them by hand, boy or borrow a have a heart trap. Trap
them all and take them to a no kill shelter or find homes for them. You are
wonderful to care for them.
Gail
I'm home on a medical leave and I discovered a momma and about 5 kittens
living in my hedge. Momma is just a youngster herself and after
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
Amy
Mukilteo WA

abmouse wrote:
Any tips on catching them by hand?

If you cannot catch them by hand, boy or borrow a have a heart trap. Trap
them all and take them to a no kill shelter or find homes for them. You are
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
Amy
Mukilteo WA

Hand catching takes longer, but is often less traumatic... they have to
become used to your presence as a neutral object. Spend time on the patio,
but don't look at them or call them. Just sit there, with the food & water
out, read, work your flowerboxes (If you have them!), etc. Be calm, move
slowly, you know the drill. It takes time, but eventually they will stop
seeing you as a potential threat, and come close enough for you to catch them.
If you're willing to wait longer than that, you may even tame the kittens to
be held & petted w/o too much trouble.

Yes, a good step by step approach.
Gail
"WorththeWait" u23279@uwe wrote in message news:621e35cb32644@uwe...
abmouse wrote:
Any tips on catching them by hand?

If you cannot catch them by hand, boy or borrow a have a heart trap. Trap
them all and take them to a no kill shelter or find homes for them. You
are
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
Amy
Mukilteo WA

Hand catching takes longer, but is often less traumatic... they have to
become used to your presence as a neutral object. Spend time on the
patio,
but don't look at them or call them. Just sit there, with the food &
water
out, read, work your flowerboxes (If you have them!), etc. Be calm, move
slowly, you know the drill. It takes time, but eventually they will stop
seeing you as a potential threat, and come close enough for you to catch
them.
If you're willing to wait longer than that, you may even tame the kittens
to
be held & petted w/o too much trouble.

Thank you! I acutally took a book out onto the grass today and put out wet
food for Momma- she wanted to come eat it so bad- but I was there- after much
discussion (she meowwed a lot) and me not really paying her any mind she
came onto the patio and chowed down on the food. I'll keep doing this and
hopefully she will let kitties come out to eat too. Thanks for the process :-
)

WorththeWait wrote:
Any tips on catching them by hand?

[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
Amy
Mukilteo WA

Hand catching takes longer, but is often less traumatic... they have to
become used to your presence as a neutral object. Spend time on the patio,
but don't look at them or call them. Just sit there, with the food & water
out, read, work your flowerboxes (If you have them!), etc. Be calm, move
slowly, you know the drill. It takes time, but eventually they will stop
seeing you as a potential threat, and come close enough for you to catch them.
If you're willing to wait longer than that, you may even tame the kittens to
be held & petted w/o too much trouble.

abmouse wrote:
Thank you! I acutally took a book out onto the grass today and put out wet
food for Momma- she wanted to come eat it so bad- but I was there- after much
discussion (she meowwed a lot) and me not really paying her any mind she
came onto the patio and chowed down on the food. I'll keep doing this and
hopefully she will let kitties come out to eat too. Thanks for the process :-

Awww, at least she probably isn't feral if she got that close to you so
soon. I hope it goes smoothly and you can get them all fairly easily.
It's not good that you are on medical leave but it's good that you will
have a little time to devote to this project. Good luck!

Candace

abmouse wrote:
I'm home on a medical leave and I discovered a momma and about 5 kittens
living in my hedge.

when mamma runs from you, take all her babies and put them in a box

set the box near your apt door, she will hear them crying for ninny

tie a string to the lid of the box... (slide the string through the
mail slot in your apt door)

put a sign on the box that says... "NO TOUCH THIS BOX OR YOU DIE"
(that way nosy neighbors won't foil your plan)

once you hear them stop crying, pull the string so as to trap the mamma
and babies

OR borrow a real trap...

What are you wanting to do with them?

are you able to keep her till the babies are weaned?

Ok, so I figured Momma out- She was a pet of a resident and was abandoned
when they moved out- she's very friendly- she lets me love on her and she was
coming running as soon as I walked out the door and she comes when I call her
"momma kitty". The kittens are getting big- but I haven't had any luck
getting them to come out near me. The past few days I haven't seen much of
mom or the the kittens= I think they are starting to travel around.

At what age do they go their separate ways? I am thinking the clock is
ticking on me getting the kittens. I could pick mom up and take her in the
house no problem, but getting the kittens is difficult.


Candace wrote:
Thank you! I acutally took a book out onto the grass today and put out wet
food for Momma- she wanted to come eat it so bad- but I was there- after much
discussion (she meowwed a lot) and me not really paying her any mind she
came onto the patio and chowed down on the food. I'll keep doing this and
hopefully she will let kitties come out to eat too. Thanks for the process :-

Awww, at least she probably isn't feral if she got that close to you so
soon. I hope it goes smoothly and you can get them all fairly easily.
It's not good that you are on medical leave but it's good that you will
have a little time to devote to this project. Good luck!

Candace

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