Wild cat pregnancy

[Flockincrazy]

Fortunately no wild cats here. Our laws here though protect wildlife and only wildlife rangers would be called if found wild life of concern but we do not typically ever have a reason to call. If you called an animal would be gone by the time they arrived.

That sucks i wish you luck

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I grew up on a horse farm so saw plenty of feral cats. I'm in a rural location and there's feral cats here. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about cats. Maybe some live in loose knit colonies, but most just get together to breed.

Dear friend.. I am extremely knowledgeable about poultry along with knowledgeable enough about MANY other species..

Anyone who considers themselves to essentially know it all on ANY subject is a damn fool.. A closed mind is a waste of space..

No matter WHAT I THINK I know.. there is ALWAYS something more to learn!

Guess what.. hens CAN crow AND grow spurs.. sometimes even have spontaneous gender change and grow male saddle feathers! Rooster have sat on nests like a broody hen. Vultures HAVE attacked live prey, and so on!

One thing I've learned here on BYC.. is assume nothing.. what applies to one species or keeper may not apply to another at all. Even then.. among the same classification ie.. can-id, feline, etc.. not all species will behave in the same manner.. Lions live in prides, while tigers live solitary and both are cats. In birds.. some raise their young as a couple while others only the female raises young and male is history. In can-ids.. wolfs mate for life and raise offspring together while bears mate in season and females raise offspring alone. These statements are for general purpose to show how things closely related can still be so different in behaviors.

Cats effect your native wildlife as well. even if they are feed constantly they will still hunt and catch things either gorging themselves or saving for later.

Interesting you say cats breeding depend on the weather.. according to the research I've done.. it appears as though.. a cat's ovulation hormone is LIGHT triggered similar to chickens.. But different than chickens.. they actually may NOT ovulate if NO male is present! I too was surprised when I learned of cat colonies from a documentary (not the same source as light/male stimulation) but they are quite incredible actually.. with some of the females working together to raise the offspring taking turn babysitting and such.. thinking "cat island".. maybe near Japan??

Yes.. a well fed and healthy cat has plenty of energy to still do it's natural behaviors.. I decided that if there was going to be a "stray" cat living in my pole barn.. it MUST be in good condition same as any other animal here. Genetics I cannot control, nutrition I can HELP and ALL things health related including immune system and organ function DEPEND on adequate nutrients.

My (neutered) feral barn cats.. indeed only hiss and spit or yowl.. they have not meowed. We have seen them carrying rats and even squirrel they caught but usually on the smaller side. They always eat the feed I put out.. plus enjoy all offal offered from fishing or harvesting poultry, failed chicks from shipping or hatching, even any euthanized bird for injury or predator victims that weren't consumed before interruption. Any kills found on property from the other 2 once feral boys are also given to "Tortie" and "Ding Dong".. who look beautiful and healthy now.. just trying to figure out how to treat for fleas (ideas??).. since they showed up this year.. All my other animals have been treated already.

I adopted 2 feral kittens, and tamed them.. They were barn cats and hoped to be rat hunters here.. instead they hunt all the birds and some of the rodents in the yard including gophers.. rodents like rats and gophers actually fight back.. and an average domestic cat will never be proficient at hunting without being taught it by their dame. They never went to the barn because Ding Dong and Tortie showed back up.. if they actually had been out there at night etc during the adjustment phase to their new home.. I'm sure they would do their part in the barn instead of the pasture... but the wrecking of SOME song bird populations on my property is evident! They (Jack and Johnny) don't eat their kill at all.. that I've seen so far.

It took one of my dog's about 6 years before she figured out the insides of her kills were delicious.

I have trapped and tamed feral kittens in the past when I was even more clueless than I might be now... Google didn't exists back then. It is totally doable but does take a lot of patience. Understanding and support offered from someone trusted who has worked with feral cats or any specific species you're working with can be hugely insightful and calming to a new guardian. Even then all are individuals.. My mini pigs had me in tears nightly thinking I couldn't do it even with all the internet info available.. Alas, my trusted veterinarian.. calmed my fears in one or two sentences.. this is how it would behave with siblings it no longer has.. NOT aggression, just communication.. Piggie style!

My current cats have been with us since weened.. more than a year now.. Johnny is super friendly, purrs loudly even when he just sees you approaching, likes everyone, and very confident.. was always the more confident of the two and a bit lazier/laid back. Jack avoids new people and visits in the middle of the night to make biscuits on me when the house is least active, basically approaches when being avoided and avoids when being pursued by people. He doesn't purr easily or loudly.. it's seldom and soft, more nervous. He tucks under my hand to make me pet him and insists on licking me when I'm sleeping but HATES being detained against his will. Spends most of his time out hunting and comes in to eat, and nap with the family next to the dogs on the bed or couch. Jack only enjoys folks who are not all up in his kool-aid or loud/obnoxious. A wonderful loving fantastic pet when given the chance but certainly not for everyone or easy to find a home for back in the day. He attaches to people just at a much more reserved and reduced rate than his brother is is super food motivated. Experienced folks have great tips to help the animals adjust that may not ever be considered by us.

My sad face response to your plan was mostly about it not being quite a complete plan, to ME.. but it does sound like you are working on it and coming along well. As another poster mentioned.. the humane society loaned me extra traps and didn't cost me.. The other trap I bought was about $50. It wasn't a sad face for you directly though.. I recognize we are ALL doing OUR personal best.

If you trap her (does she have a name you call her?).. whether she is pregnant now or not.. it would be wise choice to have her fixed either way.. even if it means doing it once the kittens have been born.. it can be done while she is still nursing. I would allow her to raise the kittens in a large, private enclosure of sorts with a litter box and ample feed instead of bottle feeding kittens myself.. IF possible. HS also offered to loan me an extra large kennel if needed while waiting for the appointments. They help with transport, blankets to cover traps, and everything IF needed. For feral cats called by them "community" cats aren't treated the exact same way "pets" are, HS asked zero income questions and took care of business to help the cats and the community. So community cats usually get one or both ears tipped and tattooed so they are easy to identify from a distance as having already been neutered. They did share the cost of procedure etc and note that ANY donation helps.. in my small town of about 7,000 people.. HS is helping fix 50-100 cats, dogs, etc.. EVERY month! They even arranged for my pair of opposite gender bunnies to be fixed for the same cost as a cat.. about $60.. My personal vet and others quoted me $350 - 400 each. It cost me nothing to add them to Amazon smile.. and they get small donations every time I shop. They usually want "pet" owners to contribute something to show their commitment to the pet.. I've talked two community members into fixing their breeding mutt dogs last year and paid for it personally.. after previously living in a city that puts down over 3,000 stray or surrendered cats and dogs per year, every year!

I would ALSO be sure ALL kittens were neutered or have a neuter appointment before going to new homes or being released back to their original location... if you are able to get one of your local organizations to help like mine have.

Each situation is a new learning experience for me.. and each location has it's own challenges... Best wishes whichever way you go!

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

just trying to figure out how to treat for fleas (ideas??)

I'd try an oral treatment. Probably best to trap and feed it to them to make sure another animal doesn't eat it by mistake though.

 

[NatJ]

No matter WHAT I THINK I know.. there is ALWAYS something more to learn!...
In can-ids.. wolfs mate for life and raise offspring together while bears mate in season and females raise offspring alone.

New fact for today: bears are not canids.
Dogs & wolves are canids (family canidae), but bears are in family ursidae.
Both are carnivores (order carnivora).

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

New fact for today: bears are not canids.
Dogs & wolves are canids (family canidae), but bears in in family ursidae.
Both are carnivores (order carnivora).

True but they're both in the suborder caniformia.

ETA: "caniformia" means dog-like, which might in part be why people think bears are canids.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

New fact for today: bears are not canids.
Dogs & wolves are canids (family canidae), but bears in in family ursidae.
Both are carnivores (order carnivora).

Point and case, lol!

Thank you!

 

[Marie2020]

I'd try an oral treatment. Probably best to trap and feed it to them to make sure another animal doesn't eat it by mistake though.

Not advising anyone as I'm not a qualified vet but sharing what I do

I give my cat a good wash with a flannel and he just loves it. I add a tiny bit of castelle liquid soap salt, lavender and geranium oil into the water then rub in bicarbonate soda to his coat when he dries out.
The fleas and eggs just burn and dry out, be careful of the eyes if you try this.
Then later in the evening he will be rubbed in with oil to suffocate any remaining fleas.

I panicked at first with the flies and used a spot on treatment, but found my old routine worked much better and the washes this far has kept them away.

 

[Waves]

Hi all, thank you again
I read all your opinions! Like the first thing, i'm looking for a trap.
Me and the cat (we call her Ceffa) are making progresses. Today i walked near her while she was eating and she pretty tolerated it.
I will talk to my family about sterilization and let you know

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Not advising anyone as I'm not a qualified vet but sharing what I do

I give my cat a good wash with a flannel and he just loves it. I add a tiny bit of castelle liquid soap salt, lavender and geranium oil into the water then rub in bicarbonate soda to his coat when he dries out.
The fleas and eggs just burn and dry out, be careful of the eyes if you try this.
Then later in the evening he will be rubbed in with oil to suffocate any remaining fleas.

Thank you for sharing!

A little dish soap and vinegar added to a bath can also go a LONG way towards breaking down cell walls and desiccating the eggs.

Sounds like that works well for your tame cat.. but have you ever tried it on a feral?! Or any ideas how one might treat a feral cat for fleas?

They do hang out on a pillow.. anyone use sevin dust, etc.. and think dusting the pillow will "help" at all?

I know permethrin based products are NOT safe for cats. Is Carbaryl? Of course I will do my own follow up research.. so mostly just thinking out loud for anyone else who also faces this.

Would love to see a photo if you ever get the opportunity to snap one! Hope she continues to thrive and be healthy.

No matter whether your family agrees to sterilization or not.. thank you for taking the time to consider it/her!

 

[Flockincrazy]

Thank you for sharing!

A little dish soap and vinegar added to a bath can also go a LONG way towards breaking down cell walls and desiccating the eggs.

Sounds like that works well for your tame cat.. but have you ever tried it on a feral?! Or any ideas how one might treat a feral cat for fleas?

They do hang out on a pillow.. anyone use sevin dust, etc.. and think dusting the pillow will "help" at all?

I know permethrin based products are NOT safe for cats. Is Carbaryl? Of course I will do my own follow up research.. so mostly just thinking out loud for anyone else who also faces this.

Would love to see a photo if you ever get the opportunity to snap one! Hope she continues to thrive and be healthy.

No matter whether your family agrees to sterilization or not.. thank you for taking the time to consider it/her!

I use cedar chips on my outside cats for bedding fleas hate the smell of cedar and lavender and other strong cents like that