help with cats!

Hello, Krithika

I am sorry to hear about what the dogs have done to ruin your domestic tranquillity. I don't mind dogs, but I far prefer cats for how much more dignified, clean, and well-behaved they are. So, I'll let the dog lovers take over from here in advising you how to proceed!

I hope you manage to regain your equilibrium soon.

Ansuya

Hi

I know this thread has been sleeping since 2008. But since the title of the thread is exactly what I am looking for at the moment, I chose to post here.

My situation:
I am not a big fan of pets in general. From a distance, I am happy to admire them but thats about all that I can do. Handling them is a big NO NO for me too. I have three cats that visit my home backyard and frontyard everyday. They sometimes have their siesta in the afternoon under a tree or bush and walk around in the backyard sun bathing. They come and go as they please and I really have not been worried about it much. One of the cats belongs to our neighbour and the other two, I am not sure. Maybe stray cats.

A couple of days ago, two of them started to fight and were making a racket and also made the dog next door go crazy with their noise. I drove them away, but the white cat kept coming back to the backyard. Only later I noticed that I have been hearing a strange noise from one of the bushes. I thought it was some bird and let it go. But yesterday it occured to me that it must be a kitten. The white cats had a kitten. So that is why she keeps visiting the little one often to make sure he/she is ok.

Is it normal that a cat can have only 1 kitten? We tried to have a peep into the bush when the mother cat was not around and found only one. We did not touch the little one, as my friend told me that if we touch the kitten and if the mother smells something different on her baby, she will abandon and go away. Oh! poor thing, I did not want that to happen so we kept a distance.

I want to know something here - I don't want pets, but do I still feed the mother cat as she will be nursing the kitten ? Cat food from the supermarket - will that suffice? Do they have some special food that they need to have ? I have noticed the mother scavanging for food during lunch time as that is when she leaves the little one and wanders around and then comes back to snuggle up to her little one. If I provide food, the cat will obviously expect it regularly and will not leave our home ?? is that right? I don't know what to do. Should I just leave it and let them be ? They will find a way to survive I guess. But I also see the other two cats coming and approaching this mother and the kitten when they are sleeping. I have tried to shoo them away whenever I see them. Hopefully they will not harm the kitten. Tried calling the animal rescue department and they told me that rangers will not come and collect the animals. I could hire a cat trap or a cage and return the animals to the pound once we caught them.


Anybody there who can shed some light or help me please???

Thank you very muchly.