Where were the mothers...feral situation?

Question

My sister and I just spent the afternoon catching kittens in some woods near her house. We got 4 but there are LOTS of them out there. Maybe 100 we saw. None were over just a few weeks old. My sister saw some adults earlier this morning but this afternoon it was just kittens. They all have various stages of eye infections from teary eyes to eyes pouring pus. One poor kitten had lost an eye. Most are feral but we caught 2 who wound around my legs and were obviously dumped. So I don't understand where the mothers were. It seems they would have been franticly gathering up the kittens. Any ideas?

Answer 1

If the kittens are old enough to be running around, mom was hiding.  That's so sad...and people wonder why it's so important to get their cats fixed.  Check around your area for some rescue groups.  You can borrow some live traps and they might be able to get the cats spayed and neutered and re-released.  (The feral ones, anyway.   I would hope some could be adopted).  Good luck!

Answer 2

sounds like a horder dump... probably was getting complaints, and then an explosion of moms all having kittens at the same time. So they decided to dump rather than get help. That would explain no mothers and some of them being friendly. I am very happy to here your helping them. My sister lives off a busy highway and has an old barn for storage. EVERY single year there are dump offs at her barn. Old cats, kittens. Some in cages even. ITs ridiculous. Every year it seems some ferals go and have babies in there too. Its a major stray cat attraction.  

Answer 3

that is so strange, do you think they (the mothers) might have been off hunting? congratulations for catching those 4. i wish all of us cat people were there to help you! the poor little things...keep us updated! edit..i have a different opinion from the answerer who said there is no bond between the mother cat and her kittens. my family and i have witnessed very strong bonds between ferals. the mothers are extremely protective...

Answer 4

Thank you for caring.  Try calling animal control for help in this sad situation.  I hope people who abuse animals spend eternity in h**l!!

Answer 5

some community's have huge population control issues

obviously there isn't enough food in that woodsy area for all

those cats best bet:call animal control/animal rescue/what is

available it's cruel to have them all competing for food and for

mates

hydrogen peroxide on a large cotton ball works on eyes and so does sneaking Schiff brewer's yeast into a little wet cat

food (now my secrets out/neighbors don't know my secret)

really,it makes their eyes clear and beautiful their fur too

Answer 6

You are just the nicest....

People dropping off unwanted animals ---that is a criminal act !!!!

Why don't you guys hide in some bushes and get some license plate #'s and report these monsters.

The poor kittens are victims of a crime. If people would bring their female cats in to get spayed this wouldn't happen.

Answer 7

Dear Pretty Kitty,

The mothers were more than likely out hunting during the day time or hideing.  They aren't going to come "rescue" their kittens.  I promise, that there is little to no "kinship" between a feral mother and her kittens unless you walk up and surprise her while shes in the nest with a litter of newborns.  Then the mother is liable to stay put and hiss and do everything she can to scare you away.

Otherwise, the adults are going to run off and hide when they see you coming an hope that the older of the kittens will follow them and hide as well.

About the only way you guys are going to be able to rescue the adults is to try and borrow some live traps, again from a local vet who may let you borrow one they may have,or from a shelter or purchase one of your own.

Set the live traps with food and check them often.

Feral cats will freak out inside a live trap and they will dump their water and food easily.  If its hot where you live it won't be good to leave the trap unattended for more than a few hours every day.

If you do go the trap route, you may want to consider throwing a tarp over the top of it to help keep the sun and rain out of it.

I'd be happy to have you e-mail me, or check out my profile and join me over at my website where we can offer any and all support possible.  Even if only moral support.  Please be careful to avoid scratches and bites.  I hope your wearing leather gloves.

Highest regards.

Answer 8

Sounds like a major drop-off... probably aren't any mothers left, any that were there probably ran away from the commotion.

Answer 9

This sounds like people may have just been dumping their unwanted kittens.  Or most of the time an eye infection comes with an upper respiratory infection and the mothers may have died from it.  It is really strange that there were no mothers.  Thank you for taking the time to save these poor cats!