FINALLY!!! The Cat Distribution System chose me!!!

[u/Elmolou90]

Born under a neighbours decking these babies were seen about a week ago exploring her garden, within 48 hours my partner and I successfully trapped and fostered 4 kittens and a mama (who is very obviously pregnant again).

All of our local rescues are full so we’ve become emergency placements 🤣

Mama is struggling with separation, so we’re placing one kitten on with her every couple of hours and this working to help them both, mum is now going longer between frantic searching for her babies.

One of the kittens (Long haired Ginger) was struggling to feed so has gone to a more experienced fosterer and is doing really well.

Mama will be neutered (and termination) next week.

And these little three have gone from hissy murder mittens to love bugs in less than a couple of days. Will be ready for adoption in the coming weeks, we’ve fallen in love with the little short haired ginger and he will be staying with us and our two resident cats who have actually taken to the current lodgers really well.

Only said to my partner a couple weeks ago that it would be wonderful to find a litter… whoops!!

Names
Mama - Doris
Grey - Dio (f)
Black - Ozzy (m)
Short haired Ginger - Axl (m)
Long haired Ginger - Lemmy (m)

[u/Elmolou90]

There are a few reasons for the separation. Mum is feral, and socialising her is a much more specialist process than with the kittens. Keeping them together would likely slow the kittens’ progress, as they feed off her anxiety.

The kittens are estimated to be around 8+ weeks old, so they’re fully weaned and at the ideal stage for human socialisation and rehoming.

We also suspect mum may already be pregnant again, which can increase protective behaviour and stress levels. She’s booked in to be spayed (and pregnancy terminated if needed) in the coming week, so separation would be necessary regardless.

We are managing it as a gradual transition, we do allow one of the more confident kittens to spend short periods with her to help reduce her stress, but overall the kittens are settled, eating well, and are not actively seeking her out as they have consistent care from us.

[u/melitini → u/Elmolou90]

Im sorry but taking her kittens and terminating her current pregnancy is fucking brutal. Theres gotta be a better less traumatic way of doing right by this mama. She should be with her kittens at least until after her pregnancy is terminated.

[u/Elmolou90 → u/melitini]

I understand why it sounds harsh, but this is actually standard practice in rescue situations and is done for welfare reasons. Mum is a feral cat, and repeated pregnancies are a huge physical strain on her. If she is pregnant again, spaying now prevents another litter being born into the same situation.

The kittens are around 8+ weeks old, fully weaned, and doing well; they’re at the ideal stage for socialisation and rehoming. Keeping them with a stressed feral mum at this point would actually make that harder on them.

We’re not just removing them abruptly either, we’re doing a gradual separation based on her behaviour. That’s actually kinder for her, because it allows her to adjust over time rather than going to the vets and suddenly coming back to no kittens at all, which would be far more distressing. She wouldn’t be placed back with her kittens after surgery, risk of infection etc.

All of this is being done to reduce overall stress and prevent further suffering long-term, not to make things easier for us.

[u/melitini → u/Elmolou90]

Thank you for explaining it is a gradual separation and not abrupt. This poor mama has been through a lot.