# Advice please re feral kittens



## kittenwoman (Jun 13, 2014)

Hi 
Im Linda and have fostered kittens for many years but usually just one litter at a time. I rescued 3 little ones the other night and their mum, thats working well. I last night have been asked to help 5 feral kittens from a rescue , I have no problem with this as have some experience re socializing them. Im just not to sure the best was to do this :
1. A separate room on their own in a kitten pen ( just for now ) 
2. Or bring them into my living room area , where the other 3 are now enjoying the cat trees etc. I would of course cover the pen and gradually reveal more to them once over the initial shock of being picked up tonight and driven to my home. My feelings are telling me that perhaps feral's seeing the litter I have enjoying themselves they can perhaps learn from them
Can any one advice me please as to what I should go for , a separate room , or my living room area with the others, I would appreciate some tips please if you can help me. Litter I have are 7 weeks , i have got mum booked in for next week to be done, feral's are 7 weeks and there are 5 of them, just want to do what's right for them , all are wormed and flea treatment 
Thanks
Linda


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

Best interest for the ferals is probably to integrate them but thats possibly not the best for the others. How old are the others? 

It might be best to take your cue from mum cat. If she is ok with the ferals then its possible, if she's not they're just going to be seeing more of the spitting and snarling that they've always had and you want to avoid that if possible. 7 weeks is quite old to start socialising them (they say success is rare after 8 weeks) and you really don't want anything that could hinder your efforts which I think is amazing and wonderful of you :smile:

I think this is where I demand pics of the kitties...its almost obligatory


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## Eddie78 (Apr 11, 2014)

Kittens adapt very well and learn from other cats, they will do best being dropped in ass soon as possible with the older ones as well as human touch!! If they have longer interaction with cats they will become feral!


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## kittenwoman (Jun 13, 2014)

Thank you so much for your replies, its great to have a bit support, my head has never stopped this morning lol what to do for best. Ones i have just now are 7 weeks I would say , weighing in at 700 gram's and under ( meant to be 10 which I doubt) 
They are doing very well, I started them off in kitchen area for litter training time , they pop through here in the evening , they are in kitchen in their wee bed just now and seem happy through there. They will have run of kitchen, bedroom and large hall, plenty things out there and play time for them. Mum is in here with me.
I think for tonight I will close of my living room area to mum and bring new ones in here with me so they can get most of my attention and getting used to household noises , phones etc.
There are 5 - 7 weeks old ( again lol ) one being trapped as we speak ,Im taking them from another rescue who just don't have the time to at least try and socialise , yeh 7 weeks a bit far on but think we are in with a chance, its worth a go, if it fails then we will still re home just might take a lit longer, so thats my plans for tonight , hope this sits well with you all  please stay close for support


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

kittenwoman said:


> Thank you so much for your replies, its great to have a bit support, my head has never stopped this morning lol what to do for best. Ones i have just now are 7 weeks I would say , weighing in at 700 gram's and under ( meant to be 10 which I doubt)
> They are doing very well, I started them off in kitchen area for litter training time , they pop through here in the evening , they are in kitchen in their wee bed just now and seem happy through there. They will have run of kitchen, bedroom and large hall, plenty things out there and play time for them. Mum is in here with me.
> I think for tonight I will close of my living room area to mum and bring new ones in here with me so they can get most of my attention and getting used to household noises , phones etc.
> There are 5 - 7 weeks old ( again lol ) one being trapped as we speak ,Im taking them from another rescue who just don't have the time to at least try and socialise , yeh 7 weeks a bit far on but think we are in with a chance, its worth a go, if it fails then we will still re home just might take a lit longer, so thats my plans for tonight , hope this sits well with you all  please stay close for support


You're giving them a chance...how can it not sit any way but well? As they are around the same age I think they should get along just fine. Mum is the only issue but I should imagine shes more than happy to have plenty of time out these days

Hope it all goes well and enjoy your rather hectic night...10 kitties wearing what sounds like hobnail boots = hectic heaven I think


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## Little Zooey (Feb 4, 2014)

I've had success with ferals 14 weeks old. We've also taken on a load of escaped ferrets over the years. The last one was a bundle of nerves, but we stuck her in the room with our other 11 ferrets and she has just copied what they do. She is now the friendliest, most playful little girl


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## kittenwoman (Jun 13, 2014)

an update  I picked them up last night and brought into my living room. Not what i expected at all , all a good weight and look 8-9 weeks. Got them in their pen and all got a turn of the human touch  Not much input from me last night as was late . This morning im up and feeding time, shortly after they are climbing the pen to get out , clever kitty's know where the opening is lol . So Im thinking let them out for a wee wonder, so at present minute they are all asleep under my recliner lol wrong move by me letting out to soon perhaps ? Im thinking now, only tool on my side now will be food to encourage them out. Food back in pen or feed out of it ? I would say the lady who has rescued them has done wonderful with them, not much hissing , ears back so yes very afraid at first but I do have hope that the label Feral will be gone in time. Have had each of them on my lap so would love to be able to do this often.
Mum and other little ones are doing well , not allowing mum into living room yet, will follow your tips and tricks . Much appreciated . Linda


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