What do I do? Kittens..... Update2: They're both alive!

[thomsbrain]

it's too cold out there for it, you should try to capture it. you may even be able to borrow a safe cage-style trap from the local animal shelter. also, realize that it's likely that the food was eaten by a racoon or opossum, so keep trying during the daytime, and try just scooping the food onto the ground so it's not so scary.

my cat was the same way, an orpahned feral kitten, starving to death. he was a month older than yours but only weighed 1 pound by the time i'd been feeding him enough to capture him and get him to the vet, which was at least a couple weeks of regular eating for him. now he's my best buddy, although he will always be afraid of strangers until he gets used to the person.

 

[iwearnosox]

Bumpage for Eli, what's going on?

With regard to capturing it, be careful. I would call around and find someone who will loan you a humane trap, capture it that way. If you make sudden moves towards it and are unsuccessful you run a good risk of it fearing you and other people. Only you can make that call, though. If it looks approachable, perhaps sit down near the food and give it time to check you out and come up to you. With its mother being gone it's probably looking for companionship.

Also, have you located any others in the litter?

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: Azraele

Might want to try kitten chow mixed in warm milk, smells like crap, but kittens seem to love it especially in the winter time

Milk might upset it's tummy. Water works too.

Do not feed the kitten cows milk, it may do harm. It lacks the "stuff" kittens need to survive. If it's eating the cat food then go that route. Also note, just because the food is gone doesn't mean the kitten is the one eating it. You may be attracting other preditorial animals (Raccoon, etc) with the offerings.

In a word, get that kitten out of danger, man. Give it a happy christmas, you're going to feel terrible if it winds up dead...

 

[xEDIT409]

Would this scare the hell outta the kitten, or would it be ok:

Put a little trap contraption like this....

then, take the kitten in the home, inside a room, close the door (oh and dont forget food and water), then let the kitten loose, and then, just put food in your hand and wait for him/her to come to you...

 

[Eli]

Well, I went out there today, and to my surprise.. they were both in the box! The one I had been seeing bolted away too fast for my reaction time, but I caught the smaller one. It must have been hiding the whole time, that's why I didn't see it before. It definately didn't like being picked up, but I think it will get over it once it figures out I'm not going to eat it. That explains how so much food was disappearing so fast.

I made a nice home for it in our shed(since we don't have a room in the house suitable..). I'm going to put some food out there for tonight, and then try and make friends with it in the days to come. It didn't like being picked up, but it didn't mind being petted.. so that's good.

Looks like the two kittens adopted us.

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: Liviathan
Bring closer to you with food...it will probably take a few minutes.
After that if you can't keep them take them to the humane society...they won't be destroyed there and hopefully will find a good home.

Leave some food out to see if the second one shows up.....

You have to call your local Humane Society first because they do not all have the same policies. SOme only keep animals for a certain amoutn of time and then they kill them even if they are perfectly healthy.

But if they are friendly enough with you, and you want to keep them, go for it. Have them spayed/neutered and you're all set.

My wife and I have 3 cats of our own and 7 strays that live behind our house. We put food on our deck and keep them well fed. One is friendly enough to pet (but not pick up) and a couple others are getting better. But they are happy being stray/feral/wild/whatever so we just let them be.

 

[Eli]

It wasn't exactly friendly.. It sounded like it was going to die when I picked it up, lol.. but it will get over it.