Hi,
I think I screwed up... I found 3 kittens in my yard early in the morning and I moved then to a very small tent out of reach of my dogs dog run, where mom had initially left them. I waited for mom to come back but she didn't for almost a full day and so I got goats milk and began nursing them. Eventually mom showed back up but I was hesitant to just let mom take them because I live in a canyon with coyotes and raccoons and mountain lions and various kinds of snakes, owls etc and I had already witnessed her leave them for an entire day. So I put the little tent inside of a bigger one so mom could visit the babies but she wouldn't nurse them right away, probably because she was nervous. Anyways, I kept trying to reunite them while trying to ensure that the kittens remained in the safe space and eventually mom stole one of the babies and ran off. I didn't want them to be separated, but I was still worried about letting mom just take them so I kept the other two. Which I now realize I shouldn't have done. Now I can hear mom under my house calling for babies Constantly and I'm hoping the other one is still safe. What should I do? Just leave the other two outside so she can take them? I'm really worried that something will happen to them if I just let her take them but I know it's not my place to intervene but I realized this too late. Please any advice is appreciated
Dear Erin
I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner.
Yes, please leave the two kittens out for their mother. Most likely, she has hidden the single kitten in a safe spot to protect it from coyotes. Fingers crossed your scent didn’t affect her, and she will recognize and nurse the kittens again. The best place for a kitten is under the care of its mother, as her milk contains essential nutrients that help them build a strong immune system. If the mother is around and the kittens are doing well, it's best to let them stay with her outdoors.
If the mother doesn’t return or cannot care for the kittens, these little ones will need extra-special, round-the-clock care, including bottle feeding. Please follow this neonatal kitten care guide for assistance. https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/caring-for-neonatal-kittens/
I hope this helps.
Melina