Well, shit. Bertha has a cat question and doesn't have the answer.

[bertha katzenengel]

I need my Foster Kitten Guru, Jennifer. But she doesn't work at my vet's office anymore. She's just become an officer in WDC's animal control dept. Good for her but bad for me! I don't have her number. The vet won't give it. She's not listed.

Mommy Cat wants to take babies down to the basement. There are a lot of places down there for a kitten to get trapped. But I think Mommy Cat is bored. I don't want her to be unhappy, and it'll be at least a month (2 more weeks til adoptions, plus getting her spayed) before I can set her free.

:(

Thoughts?

[bicentennial_baby]

1. My experience...

My mother, sigh, has far too many felines...But, when certain females have had their babies, we have generally let them take them where they are most comfortable. We've never had a stuck/trapped kitten problem in our basement, or attic, or bathroom, or underbed...Just my experience. :)

:pals:

[bertha katzenengel]

4. thanks, BB

Another reason I think I should keep her upstairs is that the home cats have their litter boxes down there. It may seem appealing to her now but she'd have to kick twice as much ass with every cat parading down there all day.

thanks for your thoughts :pals:

[Flaxbee]

2. hm. I've had kittens squeeze into impossible places before, though

if they got spooked. Any way you could close off the tiniest places kittens could hide (meaning, places it'd be impossible to rescue them from)?


But ultimately, Smudge (that's Momma, right?) can just deal with it... we kept Novi enclosed (until she ripped through the screening to go out vamping it up trying to get preggers again - which thankfully, she didn't before we spayed her). Anyway, while I could tell Novi was restless, really, it is definitely in her best interest to stay put. She's probably just feeling the pull of hormones again.

[bertha katzenengel]

5. Yes, Smudge. Whatta memory.

Oh, my! Hormones again! After giving birth just five weeks ago? God, one question, one learning opp, just opens up more questions & more learning opps. :reeling: :dunce:

:hi: Thanks, Flaxbee

[Haole Girl]

3. If you put a cardboard box, in your basement, where she wants...

...to take them (maybe with towels in the bottom of it), would she be happy then? She might be thinking she's protecting them...it might be instinctive. :shrug:

[bertha katzenengel]

6. I'm pretty sure it is instinctive.

It might also be in "stink" tive -- it's impossible to keep up with her box and the kittens' boxes. No matter how much I scoop, next time I go in the room, there's more. And more.

Yes. I love cats. Sigh. :hi: