- Joined
- Aug 10, 2023
- Messages
- 16
- Purraise
- 22
Hello, A mother cat (friendly but will not let you touch her) had 3 kittens and I saw them this past week living under my next door neighbor's porch. (I learned later that they had originally been living under yet a different neighbor's porch on the other side, but he has a dog so she moved them a yard over). They look around 6 weeks old (presently) and started to eat solid food I left out for their mother and two other cats these past few days. They established a schedule and were very content in my next door neighbor's yard as well as my own adjacent property (basically the perfect area for them to be), I got attached watching them..even their presumed father would watch over them, play with them, sleep with them and groom them. Mom was relaxed and kittens had many trees to climb and a safe area to play.
Their antics were adorable and I was glad I did not have to worry about the father cat with them, nor the other tom cat who also is unbothered by them and very sweet with them. I don't even know if my nextdoor neighbor realized they were there since he doesn't come into his backyard much and I never got the chance to approach him when he was out..I was hesitant to bother him, although I know he must like cats since I saw him try to give shelter to one of the tom cats awhile back.
I wanted to get the kittens trapped safely and off to a rescue/foster, along with mom, but a week ago (a few days after first seeing the kittens), a COYOTE came into my yard (never has this happened in all my years living here, it's a suburban neighborhood) and tried to lunge at mom and her kittens right in front of me as I was sitting behind the screen door watching them eat. I charged it, running out yelling and it went away, did not manage to get any kittens or cat. After that, I have been out every single night (for about 8 days), all night watching over the cats and kittens and being prepared to haze the coyote with an air horn. I called around about the situation with the coyote but did not hear back from anyone. It came back 3 nights ago and I hazed it with the air horn. It left, it did not attack this time, just was sniffing around near the opposite side further away from the porch with the kittens. I have only been feeding them during the day due to this coyote situation. Mother cat did not seem to realize it came a second time and was acting normally, but about 36 hours later it became apparent the kittens were moved or gone somewhere as they never came to eat in the morning at their usual time. (I wonder if she somehow caught wind of it again and I did not realize it.)
The two toms came to wait and eat just fine and the mother cat eventually came too but she did not go back to the porch, she went around the front yard of my neighbor's, down a few yards over and I was not able to see where she went. She did this twice. The third time she came back to eat, she went a completely different direction behind my house and seemed to be staring at something. I thought she was calling her kittens whilst near the food before she left (could not hear her because of the AC but I can usually tell when she calls them due to the way her body moves with the utterance) but I couldn't tell for sure. No kittens came. No movement in the trees/"woods" in-between my backyard and those behind me, where she went toward. I have no idea what she was/is doing. When she came back later that day (yesterday), she just lounged after eating, as if in no hurry suddenly..and then she did finally go back to the porch and sniffed around, laying down for a few minutes..I could not tell if she was looking for her babies..she walked around beyond the porch too, at a snail's pace..this concerned me. Then she disappeared beyond my line of sight.
I have not seen the kittens since 3am yesterday morning when they were nursing from their mother on my neighbor's porch. This was after I watched her trot off for a bit with one of the tom cats in the middle of the night..which was odd to me, as she has not left her kittens at night until that moment. I was relieved when I saw her back at 3am, nursing some (or all) of her babies. That was the last time I saw them. I was still up all night and morning going outside constantly, so I'm sure I would have heard or seen evidence of a coyote attack. I only came back inside occasionally and sat near an open window to listen incase of an attack. There is no sign of them under the porch or anywhere I usually see them. I was panicked when they did not come to eat and started calling more numbers for help or advice later that morning since they were clearly gone and mother cat was going somewhere else. It did not make sense to me, since I had JUST seen them a few hours before they usually come to eat.
I did reach someone who would only be able to help if I could figure out where the kittens went to, they thought flyers to my neighbors would be a good idea (since I don't know them well and people hate when others ring their doorbell here). I made up a text flyer as fast as possible about the kittens, the coyote, and gave my number to be called incase someone saw them. I went out, no sleep, in the afternoon sun (not thinking straight, as I burn in 5 minutes) and placed them at the houses I thought she might be near. But I was so rushed and out of sorts because I needed to sleep and just wanted to get the word out fast due to the coyote. I worry I did not word things that well and may have given slightly bad instructions in the possible case of the kittens being lost or abandoned (rather than the other possibility that they were moved) since I advised not to leave food out, especially at night..due to the coyote (so I am worried the kittens could starve or dehydrate now if they are lost or can't get back here, with no other food/water source). I also advised to only scan their yards (and vehicles) and not to disturb things too much incase the mother is nearby and gets spooked, or incase the kittens scatter. Now I am thinking I should have said to look more extensively in their yards incase the kittens are trapped. I forgot to mention garages too.
I don't think I can put another flyer or note on all those houses as a follow-up, people might get mad, but I am also mad at myself for possible bad advice. For all I know, some of these people could hate cats and the flyer was a mistake but I was/am desperate. I already encountered one rude person that afternoon, and I gave more out later in the day (printer needed more toner)..where, right after talking to a couple of very pleasant people and feeling confidant in the effort, I encountered two very hostile individuals who screamed at me for merely taking a step onto their driveway to go to place the flyer. I ended up frozen in place, then shaking while I TRIED to explain what I was doing (on deaf ears) because I thought they were going to shoot me. The woman was screaming like a banshee at me in broad daylight as if I was a bear or a rabid animal, she yelled to her husband or some man in the house about me and he came out screaming at me too, it was like I suddenly walked into a trailer park of insane people (no offense but that's what came to mind)...it was worse than it even sounds. I ended up crying in the middle of the road once the man heard "missing kittens" and somewhat backed down..but then he went back in as I said to him "You scared the sh*t out of me." through tears. After that, I could not finish because I was so shaken up. Two of my own neighbors saw me and heard it as they were walking their dog and they just turned away and walked back..they probably think I am nuts since they did not see what preceded. All I wanted to do was act fast and help the kittens as well as inform my neighbors about the coyote and direct them to info about keeping their own pets safe. Now I'm scared to walk back down my own street.
Anyway, that's my dilemma. The neighbor who had them on his property before they went to my next door neighbor's porch, is communicating with me so that is good. Keeping an eye out. We both want the kittens found and eventually all the cats to be rescued or spayed/neutered at the very least. But I have no idea how to find these kittens, especially with some hostile neighbors who might be alerting others and fear-mongering about me..I live in a US state where people are known to be incredibly rude and withholding, but the screaming encounter was on another level. I wanted to go look at night since the kitten's eyes will reflect with a flashlight and it will be quieter, easier to look from the street..and I have done that before when this SAME cat was pregnant a few months ago..I never found that first litter (which was larger as mom cat was twice the size versus her second pregnancy) and idk what happened to them. However, that was back before anyone knew I was looking and when it was cold out so people were less likely to come out and bother me. My goal was the same it was back then..find the kittens so that the mother can also be trapped and then no more pregnancies or kittens in danger. I can't move forward with the adult cats until I know what happened to these kittens and if they are alive and in need of their mother still. Also the coyote issue..neighbor issue..it's a mess. I need advice or any help or support you guys can offer. I'm already an insomniac and am running on empty..I am going to have to sleep eventually but I am up trying to watch where the mother cat goes, calling rescues, etc..worrying like crazy since I LOVE cats and have done all I could to keep these babies safe..just for this to happen. I am very upset.
Sorry for the length. Any help or comments I would appreciate, thank you!
Their antics were adorable and I was glad I did not have to worry about the father cat with them, nor the other tom cat who also is unbothered by them and very sweet with them. I don't even know if my nextdoor neighbor realized they were there since he doesn't come into his backyard much and I never got the chance to approach him when he was out..I was hesitant to bother him, although I know he must like cats since I saw him try to give shelter to one of the tom cats awhile back.
I wanted to get the kittens trapped safely and off to a rescue/foster, along with mom, but a week ago (a few days after first seeing the kittens), a COYOTE came into my yard (never has this happened in all my years living here, it's a suburban neighborhood) and tried to lunge at mom and her kittens right in front of me as I was sitting behind the screen door watching them eat. I charged it, running out yelling and it went away, did not manage to get any kittens or cat. After that, I have been out every single night (for about 8 days), all night watching over the cats and kittens and being prepared to haze the coyote with an air horn. I called around about the situation with the coyote but did not hear back from anyone. It came back 3 nights ago and I hazed it with the air horn. It left, it did not attack this time, just was sniffing around near the opposite side further away from the porch with the kittens. I have only been feeding them during the day due to this coyote situation. Mother cat did not seem to realize it came a second time and was acting normally, but about 36 hours later it became apparent the kittens were moved or gone somewhere as they never came to eat in the morning at their usual time. (I wonder if she somehow caught wind of it again and I did not realize it.)
The two toms came to wait and eat just fine and the mother cat eventually came too but she did not go back to the porch, she went around the front yard of my neighbor's, down a few yards over and I was not able to see where she went. She did this twice. The third time she came back to eat, she went a completely different direction behind my house and seemed to be staring at something. I thought she was calling her kittens whilst near the food before she left (could not hear her because of the AC but I can usually tell when she calls them due to the way her body moves with the utterance) but I couldn't tell for sure. No kittens came. No movement in the trees/"woods" in-between my backyard and those behind me, where she went toward. I have no idea what she was/is doing. When she came back later that day (yesterday), she just lounged after eating, as if in no hurry suddenly..and then she did finally go back to the porch and sniffed around, laying down for a few minutes..I could not tell if she was looking for her babies..she walked around beyond the porch too, at a snail's pace..this concerned me. Then she disappeared beyond my line of sight.
I have not seen the kittens since 3am yesterday morning when they were nursing from their mother on my neighbor's porch. This was after I watched her trot off for a bit with one of the tom cats in the middle of the night..which was odd to me, as she has not left her kittens at night until that moment. I was relieved when I saw her back at 3am, nursing some (or all) of her babies. That was the last time I saw them. I was still up all night and morning going outside constantly, so I'm sure I would have heard or seen evidence of a coyote attack. I only came back inside occasionally and sat near an open window to listen incase of an attack. There is no sign of them under the porch or anywhere I usually see them. I was panicked when they did not come to eat and started calling more numbers for help or advice later that morning since they were clearly gone and mother cat was going somewhere else. It did not make sense to me, since I had JUST seen them a few hours before they usually come to eat.
I did reach someone who would only be able to help if I could figure out where the kittens went to, they thought flyers to my neighbors would be a good idea (since I don't know them well and people hate when others ring their doorbell here). I made up a text flyer as fast as possible about the kittens, the coyote, and gave my number to be called incase someone saw them. I went out, no sleep, in the afternoon sun (not thinking straight, as I burn in 5 minutes) and placed them at the houses I thought she might be near. But I was so rushed and out of sorts because I needed to sleep and just wanted to get the word out fast due to the coyote. I worry I did not word things that well and may have given slightly bad instructions in the possible case of the kittens being lost or abandoned (rather than the other possibility that they were moved) since I advised not to leave food out, especially at night..due to the coyote (so I am worried the kittens could starve or dehydrate now if they are lost or can't get back here, with no other food/water source). I also advised to only scan their yards (and vehicles) and not to disturb things too much incase the mother is nearby and gets spooked, or incase the kittens scatter. Now I am thinking I should have said to look more extensively in their yards incase the kittens are trapped. I forgot to mention garages too.
I don't think I can put another flyer or note on all those houses as a follow-up, people might get mad, but I am also mad at myself for possible bad advice. For all I know, some of these people could hate cats and the flyer was a mistake but I was/am desperate. I already encountered one rude person that afternoon, and I gave more out later in the day (printer needed more toner)..where, right after talking to a couple of very pleasant people and feeling confidant in the effort, I encountered two very hostile individuals who screamed at me for merely taking a step onto their driveway to go to place the flyer. I ended up frozen in place, then shaking while I TRIED to explain what I was doing (on deaf ears) because I thought they were going to shoot me. The woman was screaming like a banshee at me in broad daylight as if I was a bear or a rabid animal, she yelled to her husband or some man in the house about me and he came out screaming at me too, it was like I suddenly walked into a trailer park of insane people (no offense but that's what came to mind)...it was worse than it even sounds. I ended up crying in the middle of the road once the man heard "missing kittens" and somewhat backed down..but then he went back in as I said to him "You scared the sh*t out of me." through tears. After that, I could not finish because I was so shaken up. Two of my own neighbors saw me and heard it as they were walking their dog and they just turned away and walked back..they probably think I am nuts since they did not see what preceded. All I wanted to do was act fast and help the kittens as well as inform my neighbors about the coyote and direct them to info about keeping their own pets safe. Now I'm scared to walk back down my own street.
Anyway, that's my dilemma. The neighbor who had them on his property before they went to my next door neighbor's porch, is communicating with me so that is good. Keeping an eye out. We both want the kittens found and eventually all the cats to be rescued or spayed/neutered at the very least. But I have no idea how to find these kittens, especially with some hostile neighbors who might be alerting others and fear-mongering about me..I live in a US state where people are known to be incredibly rude and withholding, but the screaming encounter was on another level. I wanted to go look at night since the kitten's eyes will reflect with a flashlight and it will be quieter, easier to look from the street..and I have done that before when this SAME cat was pregnant a few months ago..I never found that first litter (which was larger as mom cat was twice the size versus her second pregnancy) and idk what happened to them. However, that was back before anyone knew I was looking and when it was cold out so people were less likely to come out and bother me. My goal was the same it was back then..find the kittens so that the mother can also be trapped and then no more pregnancies or kittens in danger. I can't move forward with the adult cats until I know what happened to these kittens and if they are alive and in need of their mother still. Also the coyote issue..neighbor issue..it's a mess. I need advice or any help or support you guys can offer. I'm already an insomniac and am running on empty..I am going to have to sleep eventually but I am up trying to watch where the mother cat goes, calling rescues, etc..worrying like crazy since I LOVE cats and have done all I could to keep these babies safe..just for this to happen. I am very upset.
Sorry for the length. Any help or comments I would appreciate, thank you!