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So I am in a predicament. About 4 months back, a local stray female cat started hanging around the house. We occasionally put food outside for her to eat but eventually it became a regular thing.

Later we noticed she was pregnant and about 2 months back she decided to move her litter of 3 tiny kittens to the front yard. She had birthed them elsewhere (in the bushes according to the local kids). Since I didn't know what else to do, I continued giving food to the kittens as well.

Now the kittens seem to believe this is their home and are finding ways to get inside.

The problem is I really don't have room for 4 more cats. I already have a cat and a dog. The only people who want to adopt the kittens are 100 kms away and can't travel due to restrictions. there are no agencies in the area.

The best place for stray cats to find food is a nearby fishing hamlet where there are many cats, many people have cats as pets, and the local stray dogs don't kill the cats. Mainly because there's no shortage of food.

So the most pragmatic thing may be to relocate the kittens to the fishing hamlet.

  1. Will the 2.5 month old kittens be able to find their way in a new place?
  2. Related to 1., is it better to move just the kittens or also the mother cat?

I think having their mother with them might make it easier for the kittens. But I don't know if an adult cat will have difficulties adjusting to new surroundings, and maybe kittens will adjust more easily on their own.

This is a difficult question for me and a difficult thing to do as well. Were there no lockdown restrictions, I might have gotten them adopted as well. So any other suggestions are also welcome.

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    Kudos for caring! I hope that you can get the mother neutered, or that story is almost certain to repeat itself.
    – Stephie
    May 2, 2021 at 4:47
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    The best thing you can do (and the only real solution for stray cats) is to neuter the mother and the kittens. Please speak with local vets and animal welfare organizations, they might give you a discount or monetary aid.
    – Elmy ♦
    May 2, 2021 at 11:13
  • @Stephie and Elmy I can neuter the mother but kittens are too young. But I think you both are avoiding my real question.. Is it better to relocate just the kittens or also the mother? They can't stay here and are starting to think of this place as home. So I should take them away sooner than later.
    – Ahron
    May 2, 2021 at 13:24
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    We know that these comments don’t answer your question (hence posted as comments). That said, for the kittens your place is already “home” - the only one they know. And it seems that the mother feels the same way. Would waiting just a bit longer - until the worst of the pandemic is over - be an option? And then maybe rehoming the kittens with your friends? 10 weeks is imho too young to have the kittens fend for themselves, especially if they are not going to a home where they will be taken care of. And depending on the distance, the mother may decide to come back.
    – Stephie
    May 2, 2021 at 13:29
  • They won't have reason to come back. It is about 5 km away but almost every household there is in the fishing business. Lots of fish waste for strays to feed on. As a first step, maybe I'll put up a couple stickers with pics in a couple of shops in the area and see if someone wants them.
    – Ahron
    May 2, 2021 at 13:49

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