Sadly, many cats go without homes. These homeless cats are called feral cats. There are an estimated 50 million feral cats in the United States. Taking care of pregnant animals can be difficult, but also rewarding — who doesn’t want a new litter of kittens? If you want to learn how to take care of a pregnant feral cat, read this article.
Trapping
A trap is needed to bring the pregnant cat into the house, as she will be aggressive or run if you get too close to her. These traps are usually cages with a trap door. The trap door encloses the animal in the cage when the animal activates a lever on the bottom of the cage. These cages can be bought for under 30 dollars. To trap the cat:
1. Put wet and smelly food into the trap.
2. Hide the trap, leaving the door open.
3. Don’t feed the cat the day before setting the trap. The cat would be likely to go into the trap out of hunger.
4. If the feral cat gets caught, immediately take them inside the house. They will be aggressive and panic, which may cause them injury when in the cage.
5. Let the cat out of the cage and let it calm down. Only do this if you are prepared to care for an animal that may not trust you, or may act aggressively towards you.
How to Take Care of A Pregnant Feral Cat
1. Give a lot food to the feral cat to avoid pregnancy problems. These cats are usually malnourished and need to be fed two to four times per day.
2. Mix kitten food with her adult food. In the final days of her pregnancy, she should be eating only kitten food.
3. Give calcium supplements to the cat. When pregnant, calcium inside of her body drops and puts her at risk for elcampsia, a life-threatening disease.
4. Have a comfortable place for her to sleep, where she can also safely have her kittens
5. Have the litter box near the cat, and provide quality, clean litter for her.
6. Trim the hair around her nipples so her litter will have easy access to her milk
7. Do not play with kittens until they are six to eight weeks old. Playing with the kittens before this age could cause the feral cat to abandon her kittens before they are weaned or become aggressive towards you.
Find A Veterinarian or Animal Shelter
Caring for an animal, let alone a feral one, is hard work. A veterinarian or animal shelter will have the necessary facilities and supplies, and will know how to take care of a feral cat. In any case, take the feral cat to a veterinarian for an examination, as diseases and pests are more common in feral animals. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three, high-quality veterinarians in your area. Our service is free, and you will be speaking with the right local professionals in just minutes!
