Expert: Jessica - 3/25/2010

Question
I have an outdoor cat that has had kittens in a hollowed out, rotten tree. I am worried about rain coming. I am not sure that I can get to the kittens but if I can, should I move them? Thanks.

Answer
Hi Melody.  I think you have three choices.  

BEST CHOICE: You can move the kittens along with mom to an enclosed area such as your home, a barn or a garage.  Allow mom to finish weaning her kittens, and then you can have her spayed before releasing her back outdoors.

OKAY CHOICE: You can take the kittens indoors and raise them yourself, using a bottle.  This is sad in a lot of ways.  Mom will be confused about where her babies have gone for a while, and it's a lot of hard work.  The great news is, you'll be able to find them all good homes, whereas chances are that most of them will not survive their first two months outdoors.

LAST CHOICE: Leave the babies where they are.  

In my opinion, I don't feel that moving them to another area outdoors is a good option.  Mom is likely to move them very soon on her own, and I would suggest waiting it out, even though the place she's chosen to keep them for now seems dangerous.  Cats are keenly aware of the predators that surround them and have chosen their nests carefully.  Chances are that the kittens will be safer where they are for now than if you try to move them to another location outside, and they start making a loud fuss.  Hopefully that tree will hold through another storm!

Good luck with all!

Jessica