Wild kittens? UPDATED WITH PHOTOS

[zitiqueen]

I was out in the yard last Sunday (the 13th) when I heard adorable mewing coming from our old henhouse/shed. Dammit. H had seen a cat coming and going from there for the past month or two, and now we know why. So he went in and discovered four wee li'l kittens in one of the egg boxes (actually three wee li'l kittens in one of the egg boxes and one wee li'l kitten on the floor). So we put the kittens in a box on a shelf so they wouldn't fall again. At this point momma kitty would run for the cornfield if she even saw one of us, and stay there for hours.

Based on the Internets, when we found them they were probably between 2-3 weeks old. Miracle of miracles, we achieved the impossible and managed to find homes for all four of them within two days of their discovery.

They're currently doing the wobbly walking (getting a little better with each passing day) and are starting to lap up milk (I bought some KMR from the pet store to supplement what momma gives them when she's not out whoring around in the cornfield) and eat canned cat food. We're playing with them every day to friendly them up to humans -- my H works afternoons so he has morning recess and I have afternoon recess when I get home from work. Mom now takes off running if we get within 50 feet or so instead of at first sight.

Here's my question. I'm reading varying info online that says they can be separated anywhere from 8-12 weeks, but if they're "wild" kittens they should be taken from mom as early as four weeks to get them completely acclimated to humans. Would you consider these to be "wild" kittens? Mom is wild, no doubt about it, and she leaves them for hours at a time, but are they, since they're kind of used to us?

I would like to move them to our front porch and start litter training them instead of letting them run around the craphole that is our shed (remember, it used to be our henhouse, so that craphole description is literal). It's an old wooden shed, probably 100 years old, and with a little effort something bigger could easily get in there and get them. As it stands now, mom has to climb through an open window to get in.

[audnicole]

Here's my $.02

If you think momma won't move them, and you can continue to play with them.... keep them with momma till at least 6 weeks. The milk they get helps their immune systems, and you are already playing with them. Plus momma starts to help them learn to use the litter box.

I would wait until at least 5 weeks, regardless. I lose a lot of 4 weekers but 5 weeks seems to be a magic age of viability without momma.

It sounds like they are coming along fine with humans, regardless of momma, with your handling. So you should be fine.

And, once they're gone, TNR momma!

[mrssavy42112]

I agree that it's best to wait until they're older. Right now, they're not leaving the shed to venture outside, right? If so, then I really don't think they're learning any of the mother's outside wild tendencies. Why not put a small disposable litter pan in the shed for them? It can start them off on learning to use litter, but still keeping them with the mother.

[zitiqueen]

Oh goodness no, they don't venture outside anywhere without an adult human! Mom is the only one who comes and goes as she pleases. The shed has three windows, two of which have missing panes, and that's how momma gets in and out.

[jennipea382]

My FI's parents have an outdoor cat. Back when she first started coming around again, she has a litter out in a small trailer in their yard. They live in a woodsy area so we were worried about coyotes and tomcats and such. Freckles (mama cat) was pretty feral at that point. She didn't really like us at all. But she let us handle her kittens. Now she's somewhat friendly (still a little skiddish, doesn't like FI for some reason, and will never be an indoor cat.. she's about 12 I think?) and has had her last couple litters up on their deck.

Anyways, my point is that handling them, in my experience, is fine and I encourage it. Their instincts as kittens make them hiss a little sometimes when you pick them up, especially when their eyes are still closed. They'll probably cry a bit too, but they're fine. As long as you don't take them away for a long period of time, it won't hurt them.

I'd keep them with mama until at least 6 weeks. You can start giving them kitten food as early as 3 weeks but you have to wet the food since their little teeth won't be fully developed. The faster they get used to regular food, the faster they can go to a home. By the way.. don't be shocked if she moves the kittens. Freckles just moved her litter from FI's parents' deck to their shed for no reason. They're safer on the deck, but cats (especially feral cats) have the instinct to move the kittens around. It usually happens if she feels threatened, but she could do it for any reason.

Cats also have a natural instinct to use the litter box. In the past with her kittens, we take them to their new homes and put them in their litter box right away. The idea is that they'll go, then remember where it is. Well most of the time they won't go, haha. But we've only had an issue with one kitten who peed in a plastic bag that was on the floor. Other than that, I haven't heard any issues with that from anyone we've given kittens to.

Something to know too - the kittens might end up with fleas or worms, especially if mom brings them any rodents to eat. As far as I know, only one of the kittens we've given away had worms, but it's a big possibility. Not a big deal to get rid of, but something to know.

[SpicedApplePie]

There is a great video series about taming feral kittens. Here is Part 1:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpEcxIgMhyQ

I didnt read most of the replies, but I personally think Mama stays until 4 weeks when they are fully weaned, then mama gets taken to the vet and spayed. Mama will try to move the kittens, so they need to be separated early, but if you dont wait until 4 weeks, they will not be getting the nutrients they need. I also highly recommend some type of contract with these homes you found to ensure they get the kittens spayed when they are big enough (2.2 pounds, apx. 10 weeks).

[zitiqueen]

May 25, 2012 17:28:38 GMT -5 SpicedApplePie said:

I also highly recommend some type of contract with these homes you found to ensure they get the kittens spayed when they are big enough (2.2 pounds, apx. 10 weeks).

I bet the lawyer who's taking one of them would get a charge out of that.

They're all going to very experienced cat owners who would rather contract syphilis than deal with a litter of kittens! I have absolute faith that they will be spayed/neutered as soon as their respective vets okay it. They all have cats at home; they won't risk introducing a new furball into the mix until they've been through their well-kitty check.

[zitiqueen]

This was taken on May 14.

[zitiqueen]

May 14.

[zitiqueen]

May 14.

[zitiqueen]

May 14.

[zitiqueen]

Today. Using foster mom as a jungle gym is exhausting!

[zitiqueen]

Anybody wish to hazard a guess on how old they are based on the pictures?

[niemand88f]

I have no idea, but they're very cute! It's great you're taking care of them!

[jennipea382]

I'd say they're around 4 weeks, but I'm definitely not a professional or anything, just basing it off of the kittens I've seen. They are SOOO cute, I want the white one and the light grey one! I love baby kitties! :-)

[seesaw]

I agree they look around 4 weeks by their size. They don't look old enough to be weaned yet to me. Do they have any teeth?

The kitten pile in the wheel barrow is SO CUTE!!!!

[zitiqueen]

Oh yeah, they have teeth. Believe me.

[audnicole]

I'd say 4 weeks as well, but here's a link to a really easy guide: rescueguide.com/orphkits.html

[zitiqueen]

I'm at work right now so I don't have the little furballs in front of me to verify by their teeth, but just by reading from this Rescue Guide link I've got to guess they're older than 4 weeks.

2. Eyes: They begin to open at 7-8 days and all eyes should be open by day 10. Their eyes generally change from blue to blue/gray then yellow/green between 6 1/2 to 7 weeks of age but can vary kitten-to-kitten and litter-to-litter.

Their eyes are definitely changing to blue/gray, except for the white kitten. Her eyes are still blue, and from what I've read and been told, the white fur/blue eye combination means she's most likely deaf. She doesn't seem to respond to noise.

3. Ears: Their ears stand up at 3-1/2 weeks of age.

Their ears were standing up the day we discovered them, and that was May 14. The egg box and wheelbarrow images I posted are from May 14. That's two weeks ago yesterday.

5. Mobility: They are unstable on their feet until they are around 4 weeks of age and can run pretty well by 5 weeks. If you see kittens running around a yard, they are at least 5-6 weeks old.

They were unstable for about the first week or so that we had them but now they're little speed demons. They're climbing and jumping and running around quite well.

6. Eating: They generally are eating on their own between 5 and 6 weeks of age.

They've been eating on thier own for almost the entire two weeks. They started lapping up KMR towards the end of the first week we had them. We did the KMR from the start and canned cat food within a day or two of their discovery. They are little piglets!

[audnicole]

It looks like in the May 14th pic that their ears had JUST stood up... they look a little droopy still. So, IMO, i'd age them from that. 3.5 weeks on May 14th, and go from there.

White and blue eyes can certainly mean deaf. S/he looks like there's some color there, like a siamese. I've only run across one deaf cat in the shelter (that wasn't deaf from old age/ear mite damage), and it was an all white, blue eyed one. no points to it or anything.

[mrsd2006]

How sweet. I'm glad you are taking such good care of them.

[calico]

Cute!

[kellbell191]

In the May 14 pictures they look 2-3 weeks old to me. Aud is the kitten queen so I mostly defer to her advice. Personally, I would grab them at 6 weeks old before they're too mobile and keep them together for another two weeks for socialization. I do spay and neuter before I adopt out, or charge a $50 refundable adoption fee with proof of spay neuter if I know the adopters. Even smart people with good intentions can let those things fall by the wayside. Or you could make the appointments for them, I would call around for appointments now b.c. it can be a wait to get into the low cost clinics. I think we had to wait four weeks last year just to get an appointment. Also, make sure your shed is warm enough, one of the easiest ways to lose a kitten is from a cold environment b.c. they have a hard time regulating their own body temperature. Usually Mama will keep them warm but yours sounds like she wanders so that's tricky. I'd try to handle them for 30 minutes a day to help with socialization with people.

[SpicedApplePie]

So sweet looking! I agree that I would assume they were about 3.5 weeks when you found them. What cute fuzzballs.

[zitiqueen]

Well, the little boogers are all gone to their forever homes. The last one (Whitey) went yesterday to a co-worker. I may or may not have shed a tear or two after I handed him over. :-( But I was over it very quickly and even though it was a lot of fun taking care of them, I am glad to get our house back. One day of freedom and now we get to dog-sit for my MIL for the next 10 days!

[kellbell191]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!