Hi Everyone! We have had a small gray tiger female in our vicinity for several years possibly because we have a large yard ~ surrounded by yards containing barking dogs. We call her "Miss Kitty". I can never get very close to her and have been feeding her once a day our scraps mainly chicken bones, skin, chicken broth, crumbled whole grain bread ~ never commercial pet food. One time she had two kittens but we hardly ever saw them. I thought that she looked a little larger than normal and told my husband. He said that she didn't. Well, yesterday I looked out our window above the sink. There she was on the grass relaxing with a playful kitten! Then there were two that turned into three! Finally, I counted four lively bundles! They looked so sweet! I have started to put out food in the morning and at night. I would like to rescue at least one kitten from being wild ~ but I can't seem to even get close no matter how softly I talk to Miss Kitty. Any suggestions will be appreciated!
Blessings to you all! Jayna

GreenAngel, thank you for wanting to help this momma kitty. First, please no more chicken bones. They are dangerous for cats.

I would suggest you place a trap and catch the kittens and eventually Miss Kitty so they can all be spayed and neutered. You may want to keep them as a feral colony (then the vet will make a notch on their ears, to signify they have been s/n)

If you are unsure, you may want to contact the Humane Society in your area and ask if they know about someone that deals with ferals. They could provide you with traps and maybe even low cost s/n clinics.

as Jo mentioned you need to get a humane trap to catcth them. You can rent them at the humane society or even try locating some rescues in your area they may have some you can borrow. Once you have a trap set it and put some yummy smelling food in it to lure them in. Some knd of yummy human fish in a can usually works best. Also remember once you catch them you arent going to be able to just cuddle the kittens right away they are feral. Keep them in a small area such as a bathroom and slowely introduce your self. Let them decide when they are ready to surrender the feral lfe. It may be a slow process but its defiantly one that can be done. I have 2 ferals and 3 feral kttens in my house right now. My male I have had comng in and out for about 4 months and he still wont let me pet him willingly. He is also very cautious as to who is around when he comes back insde from being out. Like I sad its not always an easy process. Pepper was only about 4 or 5 months when he claimed me so he was young.

I also ditto the no chicken bones thing they are not safe for any anmal because they split can do major intestinal harm, better to not feed at all.

You might need to accept going into this that the kittens are feral and you might never be able to handle them. Years ago, before I knew anything about cats, we lived in the country and there were lots of ferals near us. One mama cat for some reasons always brought her babies to our yard. Once she left them there and we ended up raising Snowball. Although we fed her and cared for her almost all her life, we had her till she was 16, Snowball was never completely domesticated. She had a feral streak in her. We made her an indoor only cat when she was in her teens, but she disliked being inside,and all her life was known to Disappear for up to 2 weeks at a time. SHe was off in the woods just doing whatever.She never liked being handled or petted, but wasn't mean about it. She was a good cat,but about half feral all her life.

You might end up with these cats not as pets, but as steralized ferals that you feed. And that could still end up being a good life for them.

I've been told that Kentucky Fried Chicken also works well in traps..

I have heard of a few cases of ferals becoming great companions but in general, a lot of them are more cautious and may never totally bond with their human.

Many are simply keeping them as a managed (all spayed/neutered) feral colony and provide for them.

Thanks for your advice! No one seems to want to rescue ferals here. When I first was acquainted with "Miss Kitty" I tried to find some. I have contacted Leo Grillo of D.E.L.T.A. Rescue but he has not responded either (Probably snowed under with kittens, too!) He says not to donate to The Humane Society because they kill the animals and RENDER them (for pet food!) My hubby was raised in Hungary where they still feed chicken bones, table scraps, etc. to their cats and dogs, no commercial food. Never a problem! There are so many lies here in this country because so many companies want your business! Bones hurting critters is one of them! Meantime commercial foods are killing left and right! The kittens are a couple of weeks old it seems. When is the best time to try and trap them (to tame)? At least I would like to rescue one. I know where they are. They're such a beautiful looking family on the grass. The mom is so elusive and scared of me. I like reading about your experiences! Thanks!

GreenAngel, let me talk to some friends that do a lot of work with trapping ferals, to see if they have an idea when to start trapping the kittens.

I would say if they are weaned, or look to be eating your scraps good they are old enough. You want to get them early in hopes to tame them easier however you dont want to pull them away from Mom too soon. Judge it on how well they seem to be eating. Set up a trap but if you end up with Mom PLEASE take her to get fixed or this issue of kittens will NEVER go away.

Dustbuster, my only concern is if they weight enough to set up the trap?

GreenAngel, I do hope your plan is to trap them all and have them spayed and neutered. If not, you'll have a never endind story of kittens.

I think they would be fine setting off the trap, they dont take a lot of weight just make sure the food is behind the trigger plate. If nothing else if she sets it daily and feeds them out of the trap they will get used to eating out of it and when they finally are big enough to set it off they will do it with no fear of the trap.

Thanks everyone! I am going to pray about it because He holds them and us all in His Hands! Blessings! Jayna

I now have 7 indoor only cats...strays, rescues, and 2 were ferals.
The first feral weighed less than a pound but was eating can cat food, so she was about 6 weeks old. Caught with a humane trap. After only one day inside my house, she was ready to settle down and play with my other cats here and let us pet her.
My vet says feral kittens socialization with people is critical during the first several weeks of life for them to be tamed...I'm not sure of the exact window of time.
Feral #2 was about 8 months old when we got her (the first feral's sister from a previous litter). She joined our cat family after a few weeks but doesn't like to be touched by us. Have had her 2 years now, and still have to catch her sleeping every month to administer flea meds or she'll run from us. Progress with her is alot slower than with the younger one, but she is progressing slowly.
If you want to tame a kitten, get it as soon as it starts eating can food, about 6 weeks.
Do trap mom cat and get her spayed, as well as the other kittens when they are old enough to spay as well.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 6catsmommy,

sad progress report. Early a.m. a Mockingbird was scolding a crow (for eating her baby) then a whole bunch of crows were crying at "Miss Kitty" (waking me up). Seems she nabbed one of their babies the day before. Yesterday I saw her with another bird in her mouth. Seems she wants to eat only birds now and not our food. So, no more food from us. Today I found where she and two of her kittens were at the time. I told her that she could not eat the birds here (as I did before) and she hissed at me. I cleaned up the area (finding a bird wing and foot) and told her to find another yard to live in. This may seem cruel but I am really for the birds ~ and not those that prey on them. She is a survivor and I really believe that she understood me. I will see if she is back in our yard tomorrow.

Remember the cat is FERAL she is doing what she knows to do, its all part of nature. You are thinking by puting some food down for her you have domesticated her but she is a wild cat and is NOT domesticated. I understand you not wanting her to get the birds but she is a cat and that happens even with domesticated cats, its all part of the process of life. Also Moking birds are very aggressive especially with babies in the nest, have you ever thought Momma kitty as just protecting her babies against the birds? Mokingbirds will come after and chase anything they think is to close to their nest? Watch things a while it may not be kittys fault after all.

DustBuster is right. She's only doing what she can to survive and teach her babies to survice. It makes me sad that you don't seem to plan on trapping all of them to have them spayed/neutered. Soon, you will end up with a lot more cats, thus a lot more killed birds.

Birds will "dive bomb" cats outside...swooping down on the cat and pecking them, pulling the cat's fur out. Mocking birds are probably the worst kind. One made a nest in our mailbox post vine, and the Daddy bird swooped us when we were going to the mailbox, and that HURTS when they hit you on the head!
I agree with the above posters that Momma cat is probably protecting her babies, but most cats outdoors (even when well fed) will chase birds, squirrels, etc. It's just in their nature to keep their hunting skills sharp.
Please reconsider your decision about the cats.

Another report! The birds were singing all day in our yard. This was probably because "Miss Kitty" and I believe that two other feral friends were not to be seen in our yard all day. The Mockingbirds chase the cat or bird (crow) that killed their babies. We see it every year. They fly all over the area after them. It is so mournful! Personally, because of my experience, I have come to believe that feral cats are four legged bird terrorists in the urban setting. I look forward to the day when the lion (big cat) lies down with the lamb. Don't you?