Should I return these feral kittens to their mother?

by Chloe08
(Dayton, OH)

Today I "kittynapped" four kittens from their feral momma. They seem to be doing OK. They are six weeks old, doing a little bit of hissing at me, but they are eating. I got them to the vet today and got them on eye drops to clear up infections.


My issue is the momma is outside crying. I tried to talk her into coming inside but she won't. Should I give in and take the chance of not getting them back? How long will she mourn?

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starstarstarstarstar 		I would not return the kittens to the mother
by: Kurt (Admin)

Some will dispute this, but if the mother cat is truly feral (rather than a stray), then some would argue she is not adoptable. If that's the case, she should be trapped, spayed, and returned.

If the mother is a stray and not feral, she could be adopted out. Either way, the first step would be to trap the mother cat and get her to a vet.

I would see if you can call around and find a local rescue or someone who works with Alley Cat Allies and does Trap-Neuter-Return work. If you feel up to doing the trapping job on your own, see if a local shelter can lend you a trap.

Once the mother cat is evaluated, you can make a decision as to whether to return her or find her a home.

The kittens should be young enough to adopt out, but they are in a crucial phase where they need to get use to humans. Since you've already got the kittens and taken them to a vet, I would stand firm and not return them to the mother at this point.

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