My mom and I had a surprise while we were visiting the duck pond last Friday.
My mom saw something white moving on the opposite side of the pond. I couldn’t make it out exactly either, and so we made our way around to the other side.
As we got closer, I realized there was a mama cat, and at least one kitten, getting a drink by the water’s edge.
They scooted into a brush pile. I saw the kitten’s white feet as she dove into the pile.
My dad’s car broke down recently, and he borrowed mine. So, I had no way to go get a trap. I was very lucky to find a neighbor who was home, who had one. His wife had gotten it, and neither he nor I knew how it operated. We finally figured it out, and I set it up by the brush pile, with food inside.
The black mama cat got in very soon afterward.
I put her in my bathroom, and while trying to transfer her to a carrier so I could reuse the trap, she got loose, and climbed my wall and shower curtain. I thought she was feral, but it turned out she was very tame. She must have either thought I was trying to kill her, or she’d never been inside a house before.
She seemed nervous, and I am sure sure was worried about her baby. Someone must have dropped them off by the highway, which was close to the brush pile.
I brought the trap back through the trees, to the brush pile, checked on it every couple of hours, but no kitten appeared.
I went back around the pond to the same spot, the next day, and left the trap out again. Much to my surprise, when I came back to check the trap, there was a tiny black-and-white tuxedo kitten inside. I was so relieved.
I put the trap in my bathtub and she looked right up at me, mewing. She didn’t seem feral either, and I carefully opened the trap door. She came right out, and let me pick her up. I put her in the carrier where her mom was resting, leaving the door of the carrier open in case they needed to use the litter box.
I could tell the mama was very relieved and happy. She calmed way down, started eating like crazy, and wanted lots of belly rubs.
The kitten was shy at first, but within a couple of days, she and her mom both greeted me with upturned bellies, for belly rubs. I am calling the mama Bindi, and the kitten Jojo. For now, they are staying in my bathroom.
I have been leaving the trap out, now for a couple of hours a day, but no more kittens have shown up. I hope there are no more out there. Update: I put the trap out for eight days, checking it every couple of hours, and no more kittens appeared. I still hope these are the only two that were there.
Please spay and neuter your pets and please consider adopting a pet.
