Momma Kitty (a/k/a Molly) is the mother of the litter we are fostering. Momma Kitty is a feral cat (approx. 2 1/2 to 3 yrs old now) that we have been feeding for over 1-1/2 years. She had her first litter of 2 early in March 2005 and kept her babies under our deck for most of the first 5 months to be near her food source. She moved the kitties several times but always returned to our house. Upon one of her returns, she just had Sammy. Something had happened to the other kitty. She was a wonderful mother; very affectionate and devoted to her babies. I was able to observe from a window as she taught them to climb a tree. She had endless patience; prodding them to take their first steps in the grass, which was a major traumatic experience that took several attempts to get them to join her, and encouraging them to follow her when she took them for their first adventures away from the security of the deck.

She eventally left Sammy here and only returned to eat sporatically. Sammy remained under the deck and only came out to eat twice a day when I brought food out for him. He was terrified of humans, but eventually became brave and trusting enough to come on the deck when I called him to eat. Finally, I was able to touch him and within days, he allowed me to hold him and brush him. Within a matter of days, he had moved inside to be pampered and cared for as I wish we could have done for his Mommy, but, while she became trusting of me, to a point, the odds of her being domesticated are beyond remote.

The following photos are of Momma's new litter of four that we were able to capture, along with Momma and have moved into a secure room inside. We will keep the babies until they are weaned, hopefully, find good homes for them. We will then have Momma spayed, vaccinated and, if she adapts to being an inside cat will continue to live with us and our 3 cats, Sammy and Buddy, (former feral kitties) and, Chloe, our gorgeous princess ragdoll.