Need help gaining stray kittens trust, appears to be working, then raccoons showed up.?

Question

A stray cat brought 3 kittens into our yard and moved into the shed. The mom has mostly abandoned them and we think she’s pregnant again and that she used to be an abused pet, so she definitely doesn’t trust us. We think kittens are 4 months old now. We’ve spent 2 months getting them to trust us and now they’ll come into the house for food and play, seem friendly and interested, but are still scared of us. We want to gain their trust and adopt them, so started leaving the cat door propped open at night with food inside, and that seems to be working. The problem is that last night the kittens were all inside eating when I went to shower and when I got out there were 2 raccoons inside eating their food. Kittens are fine, but I’m worried that they may be in danger by the raccoons. However, I don’t want to lose the kittens’ trust by trapping and forcing them into the house. How do I get kittens to come in voluntarily without inviting raccoons? Will raccoons go after 4 month old kittens?

Answer 1

Don't trust a stray cat or kitten because it may carry a disease or something else really bad!  So you should just  leave it alone!

Answer 2

Raccoons are dangerous. And certainly not something you'd want in your home.

I have a 10 week old cat - a deal younger - who barely survived a coon attack two weeks ago.

If they're playing and interacting with you, I'd say you could try taking them into your home and attempting to tame them further. If you have perhaps a room available they can be separate in during the first crucial week or so, that'd work best and also against destruction of your house.

You'll want to consider it asap, as they'll need a lot of TLC and training, and in the next month they'll have to be separated (from s*x and/or the outdoors) or fixed. At five months, they'll be sexually mature, and it's not going to matter to them if it's interbreeding, or a stranger they find in the streets.

Answer 3

4 m o kittens are not so small.  Since you've been interacting with them for the last two months, there is a chance you can gain their trust, but for the most part they are and will remain Ferrel.

As for the coons - They are interested in food, not fighting with felines.

In short, I don't think you have very good odds of success.  However, it is possible IF you attempt to hand feed them.  Watch out though, you may get bit or scratched.

Make no sudden moves and be very patient.  It can still work.

Good luck.

:)

Answer 4

You are not going to gain the trust of a wild animal by leaving food unattended at night.  It just is not done.

Dogs have been domesticated for something like 1,500 years, cats only a few centuries (the ancient Egyptian cats were not really domesticated).  Cats do not have the personality developed in their psyches to truly bond to humans as "family" the way dogs do, and their life style is entirely "independent" anyway.

If you leave the cat door open at night, sorry to say the raccoons are going to claim their free lunch to rights.  I am not aware of how adult raccoons and adult cats would fare in an altercation, but I assure you that a baby cat is no match for an adult raccoon, should the raccoons corner one or more kittens in your home in an angry territorial dispute.  But then, would they be enemies or would they just accept each other?  I do not know the answer to that.

Do the kittens live in the shed still?  You might try bringing the food in one bowl and fresh water in another bowl out to them, and "visiting" with them in the shed when they eat, then when they are done, taking the food bowl back with you to be cleaned.  I always wash out the water bowl each time I fed my pets and gave them clean water.  Maybe they will call you "momma" and follow you around then?

Answer 5

just take them inside.  They are going to protest, and tell you that you are horrible, but you are really doing what is in their best interest, because being inside full time you can socalize them quicker.  When they realize that being inside is not going to kill them, they'll get past that initial trama.  I did it with an outdoor kitty I found living in a nearby dumpster.  You should have heard the swear words coming out of that kitten's mouth, but after a day she settled in and realized being inside was way way better.  and honestly, there is no keeping raccoons out with out keeping the kittens out.

Keep them in one room with just one hiding place that you can easily take them out of.  I bought a large cat cage to help me socalize kittens (man I wish I could spell today)   You need to be confident, and ignore their protests.

When you hold them, do your best to comfort them, cuddle and coo.  Humming helps a little.  Letting them hear your heart beat too.  Do not let them escape your grasp.  If you do, they will constantly look for an out while you are holding them.  Carefully put them down on the ground or other stable surface (bed, couch, etc) so they feel safe and learn to trust you aren't going to hurt them, or put them in a bad situation.  Sometimes it is hard and they escape before your ready, and they end up looking like they hurt themselves, which pushes back your progress.  Just go slow, impose yourself, do not force anything that is obviously too much for the kitten.  Playing a TV or Radio helps them get used to noise, noise of humans, noise of household, etc.  Will aid a lot in taming.