Pregnant stray cat...tips!

anniehoo

Update for anyone who followed Mollys story in March. Its been 5 looooooong long weeks but FINALLY (big relieved sigh from me) she has decided she wants to be "owned"..or at least try anyway. My poor other cat Beanie has been through the mill with her aswell i tell ya (hes been a trooper) but so much progress has been made.So,

Week 1-2: constant wailing at all hours of the day and night. Completely hand shy and wanting to get out all the time.No windows can be fully opened either.Basically in a nutshell, she was a pyschopath, as a result of just sheer wildness,nervousness and just not knowing how to behave as a domestic cat.
Week 3: wailing calmed down but she then started to bully Beanie (cat bite infection to him resulted) and continually robbing his food while he was eating.She dominated everything he did...even when he slept.Poor Beanie! Very slight improvement in her demeanour towards me though so i could see light at the end of the tunnel.
Week 4: wooohoooo she finally lets me pet her only when shes "high" on the hormones from seeing the stray tom cat outside. I take full advantage every evening and make sure she gets 10 mins hand contact continuously when hes on the opposite side of the window.She also dealt spectacularly well with 2 little dogs i had for the weekend.One "hiss" from her and they knew she meant business.She was surprisingly relaxed other than that.

Week 5: im so delighted!!!!She has turned a major corner and has finally given in. She now no longer runs from me, has being playing chasing with Beanie (hes having great fun with her now) and yesterday and this morning shes acting like a "proper" cat...head rubs, purring when petted, standing and waiting for her food beside me. My god the satisfaction is UNREAL


So, anyone in the same boat, my tips are PATIENCE, ENDURANCE,PERSISTANCE & more PATIENCE lol! She was meant to be getting neutered this week now but im waiting a few more weeks (we've gone this far,i can wait a bit more). I want her a bit more "hand savvy" and i havent tried picking her up yet, never mind crating her.

So, thats it folks.Its been a fun few weeks to say the least but this week just made it so soooo worth it. I honestly thought she was never going to come round..i may just have a lovely cat on my hands in a few more weeks time fingers crossed.

Heres a pic of her and Beanie chillin on my bed before the "bite"



The infected bite she gave Beanie



Finally....the ice is beginning to thaw

Bubs99

BUT...shes way too shy and doesnt go in to my home.

Mainly, I live in a small complex of apartments and theres 3 feral cats here, two black and white and one tabby/tortoise shell.
Ive been living here for just over 2 years and they come to me daily to be fed. I cant resist as they're so cute.

The tabby is only a year old and one of the black and white ones has impregnated her so shes due VERY soon and shes still so small and young.
Im fairly worried about where she'll have the kittens and how she'll be because shes so young and still just a kitten herself.

Last year, i tried to sort things by spaying them and i rang the KSPCA, Im based just outside Maynooth. They would'nt answer the phone, I emailed and got no reply.

I rang a cattery in Naas and they said to get a cat trap myself and spay them but the local vet said she doesn't have one (I dont understand how she doesn't!) and I cant afford to pay for the surgery either.

Any suggestions?! I also spoke to a Dublin lady who catches ferals and neutars but shes only based in Dublin and Co. Dublin.

Im moving in a few months and Im worried about the cat population increasing annually.

poptart1980

Annihoo, I had a similar experience to yours with the stray cat 'adopting' you! Our one had 3 kittens in October, after hanging around our back garden since August. She had the kittens in a little cat house in the garden, but when the snow arrived we brought them all inside - she was quite anxious at first but has adjusted to house living very well indeed! One of the kittens died unfortunately, we found a home for another one, and kept the third. The mammy and kitten bullied our 'original' cat a lot at the start and it was quite stressful, but they all get on grand now. I also found the feliway plug in great for keeping them all happy!

In terms of neutering her, we got her done at about 7 weeks, it was a bit of a job to get her into the carrier - we borrowed a top opening one from the vets.