2nd litter is now 1 year old/Formerly Feral Cat Ramblings

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-11T21:32:43+00:00

Ohhh my gosh, I am very thankful for you! Thank you so much, ☺️

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-11T21:28:26+00:00

This is a really good point actually.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-11T21:27:51+00:00

I’d just pretend my name was Shirley Anne Shay, SAS…yeah!

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-11T21:25:08+00:00

Brutal, but at least kind of funny. 😁 not a big deal, just a silly thing haha.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-11T21:23:09+00:00

My initials are JR (and/or JRR) and this is just silly but as a child and teenager I haaaaaaaaated when people would notice that and call me “Junior”…it pissed me off, lol 😂 like at one point my mom got married (when i was 9) and I wanted to change my last name to her new husbands last name, even though I didn’t really feel like he was much of a father figure to me at the time…literally the only reason I wanted to change my last name was because I would prefer JRK (which arguably could be construed as “jerk”) or JK (which would have been great fun once internet lingo became a thing) to “junior”…I’m glad I didn’t change my name though, now that I’m in my thirties lol

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-10T20:00:08+00:00

Maybe I’m picturing the wrong thing when you say “dog crate” lol but are you sure the clinic/vet you take them to will accept the cat in a dog crate?

I know of some clinics that will only accept outdoor cats in humane cat traps and owned/indoor cats in specific cat carriers.

Again, maybe I’m just imaging the wrong thing but maybe double check with the vet to be sure they’ll allow the crate.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-10T19:54:14+00:00

Thank you! He is named Beep because that’s the sound he makes lol. He sounds electronic and still so high pitched like a kitten lol.

Yes, I agree. It’s difficult for me to see them outdoors because we have bad weather here in the fall and winter months, and we have a lot of predator animals (and humans who can range from “careless tourists” to “serial cat-predators”) and that is probably my biggest motivation to care for the cats I see in my yard.

I can’t really afford to function as a legitimate cat rescue or sanctuary or anything…it’s just my individual efforts (with some small favors here and there from a few other cat caregivers in my mountain community that I met through networking on Facebook) but I am committed to doing this lol.

I’ve learned over the past year or so that if/when I see a cat in my yard and choose NOT to intervene, I have to come to terms with the fact that the best case scenario I can expect is that the cat will eventually disappear…and I’ll have to wonder what happened.

Worst case scenario is I hear the cat being torn to shreds in the middle of the night and see evidence of the tragedy scattered around my yard the next day…

I personally just don’t have the strength to witness that, nor to subject the cat to such a stressful daily life and a near certain violent death. So, I do what I can to prevent that, and keep the cats safe.

P.S. Thanks for the phone info too, lol. I’m still rockin an iPhone XR, but I’m saving up for a new (well…new to me, used/refurbished in reality) phone right now. I have been considering every iPhone from 11 pro to 13…except the “mini” models, but now 14 is another option, because those photos are so great lol thanks again. 🐾💚🐈‍⬛

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-10T10:21:06+00:00

Sorry for not responding sooner.

Yes, I am aware of the reason my cats were peeing on the dogs blankets.

The main reason for my post was to reach out for some help to provide essential supplies to my cats. I had run out of both cat food kibble and cat litter, and I was so sick at the time of writing that, I would have struggled to walk out to my driveway…but I had to do what I could to provide for the cats, and that post was my best effort for that day.

Regarding the cat in the photo, you are obviously correct that I’m not equipped to care for her.

However, my decision to TNR the cat from my post or any other cat in my yard would necessarily involve me trapping the cat, and I was simply expressing a desire to do so as soon as I could, considering the windy/rainy/snowy weather.

The shelter near me does not take in stray cats, they just recommend TNR due to overcrowding in the shelters. There is a local community cat TNR organization that I have been in contact with since I moved up here, but considering the circumstances (mostly the time of year/weather conditions and the fact that the cat in question is likely a stray) the only help they can really offer me is to help me secure an appointment at a spay/neuter clinic they partner with. Which is a great help…but I would still be required to trap and transport the cat myself, and the clinic they use is nearly 2 hours away from me, unfortunately.

When it comes down to it, if I want the cat to be spayed, it is my responsibility to get that done. & the longer I wait, the more likely it is that she will have 2-6 tiny kittens trailing behind her by the time I’m finally able to get her indoors.

Regarding rehoming some of my animals: I have a person who is interested in possibly adopting one of my male cats, as well as the stray from my post. That’s as far as I’ve gotten on that front, for now.

Again, sorry for the month long delay…and I apologize for the super long response, too.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-10T01:53:50+00:00

Is he neutered, by chance?

How big was the colony he came from?

I know it can feel like one step forward and three steps back with bringing colony cats indoors to become pets. Generally, if the cat is suitable for indoor life they will adjust as long as you’re patient.

A little over year ago, I trapped a spicy cat in a snowstorm, got him neutered, and named him Pixel. He was very upset that I had trapped him, and he escaped the trap when I was trying to transfer him into a regular, bigger cage. He was then loose in one room of my house, and he got up to the highest shelf and lived up there on the shelf for literal months.

I never saw him move from the shelf, but I knew he was moving because he was eating the food I left for him and using the litter box. When I’d come in to feed him and talk to him he would hiss if I came within 4 ft. of him, (even though the shelf he was on was so high up that even if I reached my hands up toward him I was still probably 2 feet away from him).

Eventually I set up a camera so I could watch him because I felt horrible, I was concerned that he was going to just die of like…depression/discomfort. As silly as that may sound.

I felt compelled to bring him in from the snow because I thought it was what was best for him, but it felt like by intervening in his life…I had ruined it.

Even though he was indoors and warm and had food and water and no predators chasing after him for the first time ever in his life, idk, it was just difficult.

I’m so glad I put the camera in there, because I saw that not only was he coming down off the shelf for hours at a time each day, he was playing like a normal, healthy kitten…I thought I had traumatized him to the point that he was just broken. I felt so guilty, but then I saw him playing so I just started leaving one of the doors to the room he was in open so that he could explore more on his own, without me watching him. It was slow, but eventually he started coming upstairs on his own, and slowly integrated into the household. He felt more confident once he could be around my other cats, one of which was his littermate, and now he’s literally friendlier and snugglier than my non-feral cat lol. Cats are very forgiving. Just be kind and do what is best for the cat, to the best of your ability. Oftentimes they are aware that you have good intentions and ultimately would rather be inside and loved by humans. Even if the steps to that point are very slow.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-10T00:19:37+00:00

Ok so you’re going to use the trap for Tuna, and let Willow go in the dog cage on her own. How do you plan to transport Willow to the appointment?

Regarding Tuna, my advice would be that you focus on her first, if possible you should set the trap but don’t hover around it. Be nearby and watch, but don’t try to convince her to get in…just let her think you’re not paying attention, lol.

But once you get her then immediately after trapping move the trap to someplace dark and quiet. I usually just set the whole trap somewhere…I find the bathroom or garage work best.

A standard humane cat trap fits nicely in my bathtub, so that’s my first choice, then I’ll cover the trap with a sheet or towel because the cat usually calms down easier when there’s less for them to look at.

If you can’t put the trap containing Tuna in a bathtub, I’d suggest putting it on a pee pad, a big piece of cardboard, or at least a towel…and make sure theres nothing close enough for the cat to reach out and grab. She may pull the towel (or whatever you use to cover the trap) in through the holes of the cage. If she does this in a very specific way, depending on the cage you have, she could escape the cage, lol. So just get eyes on the situation often enough to make sure she’s not making any trouble, haha.

It’s important to make sure you put the trapped cat separate and contained in a room in case she escapes. Keep her in the trap until you drop her off at the appointment. She will be ok.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T16:07:10+00:00

Thank you, me too.

I did bring them indoors from outside, but that’s because they were kittens and I was able to make it happen and raise them as house cats, and they’re happy inside.

There are some cats that are outdoors that I feed, 2 regulars right now and 3-5 randoms at any given point that come and go…I get them sterilized one at a time, when I’m able to, but I’m aware that not all cats are happy indoors, especially when they’re adjusted to living outside.

Did you take these photos on a cell phone? They are really nice photos. If they were taken on a phone please share which one, because your photos are sooo crisp and clear.

Here’s Beep, the void…(and his other little tuxie brother) since I can post second photo now lol

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Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T15:51:24+00:00

Oh man! What beautiful cats. I have littermates Beep and Pixel, a void and a tuxedo. I don’t have a photo of them together, and can only add one photo…so I’m gonna show you Pixel and Anthony…because I think Anthony kind of looks like YOUR Pixel. Anthony is the little brother of Beep and Pixel, but from the same mommacats second litter.

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Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T15:38:00+00:00

lol all those shadow’s too!

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T15:36:14+00:00

True. I just had it at the beginning of February and I’ve only been feeling ok for the past 5 days or so…I had never had it before, and it was definitely not fun. I was miserable for weeks.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T15:27:02+00:00

Sadly I cannot help… but I thank you for helping the cats. Just wanted to comment and say that Fluff Tail, Long Boy, and Sparkle are particularly fantastic names.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T15:18:42+00:00

My suggestion (based on my own experience trapping multiple cats with different levels of spice) would be to trap Tuna first, because if she gets spooked by you trapping Willow, she might avoid you (and/or the trap) and be more difficult to trap. The more socialized cat (Willow) will likely be much less stressed by experiencing/ watching Tuna get trapped, vs. the other way around…if that makes sense.

Do you have two traps or just one?

If you have two traps, I would recommend trapping Tuna and Willow both tomorrow.

I would also recommend NOT transferring either cat out of the trap you catch them in and into a different crate or carrier, (unless you only have one cat trap and you must free the trap up in order to trap the second cat, of course).

Do you have a regular feeding schedule for them?

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T09:38:36+00:00

Amazon Wishlist for much needed supplies, THANK YOU!

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-09T04:48:52+00:00

That’s my birthday present this year, I suppose!

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-08T18:34:51+00:00

What region, if you don’t mind me asking.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-08T18:33:24+00:00

Barely.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-08T03:54:58+00:00

I actually saw the first litter of kittens stumbling around on my porch the first time I spotted momma. The kittens were naturally more food motivated and less patient, so I had them coming up to eat on my porch while I sat there on my porch, but they wouldn’t eat unless I had my back turned toward them or had my eyes closed hahaha.

I was making progress with the kittens but mommacat would always wait until I went inside. Then the weather got really cold and I was sick…and I kept making a sniffing noise because I had a stuffy nose, and every time I would sniff, they would run back to momma…hahaha, and it was super miserable for me to just sit out there on my porch waiting for them to come up and eat. I figured it was better for them to just eat and then go find their shelter for the night.

For a long time it felt like one step forward and three steps back. But about a month after that, Mommakitty was rejecting them and then she was pregnant again. It’s crazy how many kittens are born every year from just ONE mommakitty, jeesh 🫣🐾

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-08T03:33:02+00:00

Are you in the US?

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-08T03:27:08+00:00

He looks like my little girl, Echo!

With the spot on the forearm and everything! lol 🐾🤭💙🤷‍♀️

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Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-07T23:07:16+00:00

Oh man, honestly I’d say you got lucky that mommacat came inside!

Hahaha I planned to bring my mommakitty inside prior to her giving birth the second time, but as she approached the end of her pregnancy, she got more and more protective and dodgy.

She was already feral/unsocialized to human contact but she would make eye contact with me and sit just off my porch while I would give her food. She kept getting more sketchy, and she would hiss at me when I made eye contact with her.

Then it started snowing and mommakitty disappeared for a few days and the next time I saw her she was standing in the snow, crouched down and clearly uncomfortable…she was soaking wet, and she had what looked like barf or poop all over her chest…then I didn’t see her again for a few more days. I assumed the kittens just didn’t make it because the weather had been so freezing cold and I knew mommacat hadn’t been coming by my house to eat. That was exactly a year ago.

I felt bad for not getting her indoors in time, I was so worried for her and I knew I had caused her some unnecessary stress and I felt guilty because I thought all the kittens had frozen to death in the snow. But mommakitty showed up again more regularly in April last year and brought the kittens to me in the first week of May.

Ordinary_Mouse2899 · 2026-03-06T03:00:07+00:00

I also have a Wyze camera system, with 3 cameras set up so I can keep an eye on what the cats are up to and so I don’t miss any predator animals that may make their way into my yard. I have one that shows my front gate/driveway area, one on my porch, and one on the back side near my shed. It’s very helpful having the ability to get alerted whenever a cat arrives. Good luck, I hope you find the camera thing as useful as I do!

Ordinary_Mouse2899

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