Coming back from my morning run on Saturday, August 15, there was a pile of three kittens on my front walk next to my deck. They were tiny, and I estimated they were three weeks old. They were old enough to move into my bushes before I could get a box.
The next couple of days, I kept seeing a cat roaming the area. Some of the markings were the same as one of the kittens. So, I thought she might be the mama. I think I saw her jump through an open window in my neighbor’s garage in early June. There is a small opening under his garage door. So, I thought the kittens were in the garage. My neighbor never goes in the garage.
On Thursday, August 20, I started leaving some food on my back patio in the evening. It was gone three mornings, but left uneaten on another. That Sunday night, I saw the mama cleaning herself next to my other neighbor’s garage, then walking off.
Around dinner on Monday, I saw the mama again. Then another little one near the corner of the garage. I was able to entice the mama to my patio with food. She walked over and ate a little. While she ate, I circled to see what else was there. The kittens were a blur as they moved into the area between the garage and the shed, climbing over a pile of bricks. I think I counted six and only got one picture. We think they are four to five weeks old.
When I went to give the mama food on Tuesday night, she would not come to the patio, so I placed the container near her and the kittens. She came to eat, and to my surprise, a few kittens followed her after she started eating and stuck their noses in the container. A little later, I left a second container. The kittens would not approach until mama ate some.
Wednesday morning, they were gone. When I got home around 4 pm, they were back. This time, I placed six plates with food. Still, the kittens would not approach until the mama started eating. After eating some, a couple of kittens still wanted to nurse. They were at the solid-food-to-not-quite-weaned stage. Even though all the food was gone, one kept its face in the bowl.
When I went to leave food this morning, they were gone. However, I saw mama around 11 am in front of my other neighbor’s house. I guess they move to a safe spot at night. We’ll see what happens tonight.
Within 250 meters of my house, across Chatham Heights Road, there is a large colony of feral cats, with more than 50 adult cats and kittens. I’ve seen at least three litters as I walk/run by each morning. People leave out food. But they never do anything to stop the reproduction.
If I can, I’d like to TNR mama and neuter the kittens when they are old enough. If not adopted, they will remain outdoor free-range felines.