How to catch feral kittens?

A
Archedenoé Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice because for about a week now, a mother cat and her three kittens (about 2 or 3 months old) have taken up residence at our place... I might have done the wrong thing, but they were so hungry that I started feeding them, and since they were shivering with the cold, I set up a box for them in my garage...

I’ve just tracked down the mother cat’s owner, who explained that the cat moved the kittens about a fortnight after they were born in her garage and she’s been worried ever since because she hadn't seen her again. There were six kittens originally, and she thinks another animal might have attacked, which is why the mum left the garage. I’ve since found out that another neighbour had been looking after them, but they’ve had some recent health issues, which is how the cats ended up in my garden!

The mother is semi-feral but lets you get quite close, but the little ones are far too skittish—she’s taking very good care of them, but watching her, I think she’s having trouble urinating. I’ve warned the owner about the risk of stones and told her she needs to get her to the vet as soon as possible.

Anyway, she’s happy for the kittens to be rehomed, but how on earth do I catch them????

Thanks in advance for your advice...

See you soon

Translated from French
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4 answers
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    • Beaujabote
    Beaujabote Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, Get in touch with a local rescue to see if they can lend you a trap. They’ll also be able to handle the adoption of the kittens if they aren’t too feral. You need to trap the mother to have her spayed as well, and your neighbour can't object if the cat isn't microchipped. Keep up the feeding station as it will "anchor" the cats to your place. I have stray cats roaming around my workplace – so I trap them and a local rescue checks to see if they’re adoptable or not. Last month, I caught three – two males and one female – and the vet said that by spaying her, we’d actually saved her life because she had a mammary issue.
    Translated from French
    Blue_Cat
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    Hi there, No, you haven't done anything 'wrong' by feeding them; on the contrary, it’s a lovely gesture. A nursing cat is always famished. If she doesn't feel safe at her owner’s, she’ll often find somewhere else to look after her kittens. Her 'owner' sounds frankly negligent and irresponsible. This cat isn't getting the care, food, safety, or affection she needs at home. She really needs to be spayed as soon as possible, but with an 'owner' like that, I wouldn't hold your breath...
    Translated from French
    M
    Michèledubleau Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    Get in touch with a local animal rescue to borrow some traps, and above all, to get the mother spayed (in cases like this, I don't even consider the cat to belong to anyone; in my book, letting an unspayed cat roam outdoors is a form of neglect). This way, the kittens can be adopted by responsible owners. Try not to handle this all on your own, or you'll end up completely overwhelmed. You can find a list of rescues in your area on websites for local animal shelters or through organisations like Cats Protection.

    Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, I’ve always managed to catch kittens, even feral ones, by luring them with play: a little toy on the end of a string, a long twig, that sort of thing. You definitely need to wear gloves though, because if they’re really skittish they’ll struggle with all their might. A gentler way would be to just put some food inside a carrier to set a bit of a "trap" for them.
    Translated from French

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