Desperate for advice.

[nadyne81]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone out there will know what to do.

I found a cat in my shed some months back. I have done everything I can think of to find her owners to no avail. She seems to have adopted us which is fine as she's a lovely little thing. How ever she seems to want to live in my shed. Anyway yesterday while I was outside feeding her I spotted a little kitten about a week old. I didnt det a good look as it ran and hid somewhere. Since then I cannot find the little mite although the mother is still living in the shed about will not let me back in the shed to see if the little one is ok. Any advice would be most appreciated

Thanks

[lilynmitz]

If it's your stray friend's kitten, she will look after it, and if she won't let you near her, you may just have to trust in her abilities. Make sure she has plenty of good food and clean water meanwhile if she has just had kittens - she will need all the support she can get. When you say she won't let you in the shed, what do you mean? She may need your help, so it would be worth you at least braving it out and going in very gently to check she's ok, and to see if she has kittens and whether you can provide extra bedding etc to help her.

If they are hers, you will need to get them somewhere safe ready for rehoming, so they don't end up producing more kittens themselves in the next 12 months. And the mum will obviously need neutering as well. Perhaps you could contact CPL to see if they can assist, perhaps in lending you a trap so that they can be caught and neutered, and the kittens rehomed. Of course, the sooner they get socialised to humans, the better their chances.

[Lyn from Australia]

If you try to enter the shed bearing gifts, i.e. some plates of food, water and kitten milk, you might at least be able to get to the entrance and take a look around. If they are her kits and she is protecting them fiercely you may just need to wait outside and see if she'll approach you. Once you sort out if there are kittens and how old they may be, you will definitely need to trap her and get her neutered, as cats can become pregnant again even while they are lactating. Best of luck with you new baby girl.