In ups.com,
Peggy Fair purred:
About a month ago, I took in a pregnant stray that has been in my
neighborhood for a couple of years. I was getting tired of her having
babies, so I decided to take her in so she can give birth in my home.
I gave her a flea bath on the first night and now a month later she is
still doing well. Her stomach has gotten bigger and I think that she
will give birth any day now. I have gotten a carboard box, turned it
upside down for privacy, with some old blankets and put it in a
corner hoping she will give birth in there.

I have a few questions:

Bless you for taking in this Mama Kitty!



1. I think she has been a stray all her life, and when she was out on
the street I fed her often so she knew me before I took her in. She
lets me rub her head but won't let me touch the rest of her body,
especially her stomach. She just stays under my bed and comes out to
eat, use the bathroom and whenever she feels like allowing me to pet
her. But if she sees me coming, she runs. How long will it take for
her to stop running away from me? She should know that I don't want
to hurt her by now, right?

It all depends on the cat and her age. If she's older and has always lived
on the street, she may never become used to being loved and cared for. It's
part of her insitnct ofr survival - anyone and anything can hurt you at any
time. If she's young, she may get over this and come to trust you, but it
may take time, and then she may be fearful of anything "new" in the house,
be it a visitor or a piece of furniture, for the rest of her life.


2. When she has the babies, I am guessing that they will be
urinating/pooping right there with her in the bedding. What are your
suggestions for making this as hassle free as possible? Do they have
anything on the market for newborn kittens to relieve themselves in?(I
looked but couldn't find anything)

Newborn kittens do not urinate or defecate unless stimulated to do so by
their mother cat (or human surrogate). Stimulation comes in the form of
Momma licking their behinds (or in the case of a human surrogate, gently
rubbing their nether regions with a soft cloth or tissue), so that when they
do eliminate, she ingests it and there is no waste left to attract predators
(yes, cats, although predators, can become prey themselves, especially
helpless newborn kittens). When they get older, say 2-4 weeks of age, they
will start going on their own - you will need to provide them with a
litterbox that they can get into (they are still toddlers at this point, and
not coordiated enough to be able to get into the deeper litterboxes). Make
sure that any litterbox that they can use is filled with clay (non-clumping)
litter (or shredded paper, anything but clumping litter) as any clumping
litter will be ingested by them as they clean themselves (they start to do
that at about a week old - merely imitation of Mamma), and may solidify in
their gut, causing death (just think of it like eating cement).

3. Once the kittens are weaned, I plan to take mother and kittens to
the vet to be fixed, shots, tested for diseases and all that good
stuff. Are there any agencies that will help offset the costs for all
these cats?

Some area humane agencies (Humane Association, Humane Society, Society for
the Protection of Animals, or even the local animal shelter itself) will
offer finacial assitance for the lower income. Where I live, there is a
Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP for short), and also a medical
assitance fund for those who need help when their pet is injured or very
ill, and they can't afford it. You will have to check with your
municapilty.

Kittens can have their first official vist to the vet at 4 weeks of age, but
they are still too small to be tested for the nasties at this point, nor
will they be given any shots, but they will probably be given worming
medicine to ensure that they have no intestinal parasites. Mamma can
accompany them for this visit, and will probably get her shots as well as a
wormer.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Peggy