How to Training a Barn Kitty

[TN Belle]

We have had a stray cat hanging around lately and she had three kittens a few weeks back, but she will not allow anyone near her or the babies. I've sat for hours trying to lure the babies in closer, but they won't come. I have no idea how old they are, they just started to explore and are still tiny. They are all jet black and the babies have blue eyes while momma has bright yellow/orange eyes. Who knows what daddy was. Momma looks to be very feral, terrified of us, running and leaving the babies most of the time. How can we lure them in to start feeding them in the barn to make barn kitties. We will have to befriend them eventually to catch them and get them fixed and get shots and stuff. Even if I went and bought a cat, how do you teach it where home is? I am afraid to just leave food out, as we have a family of raccoons that are around and would eat it too. I'm stumped, short of setting out an animal trap. I have never had an outdoor kitty before.

 

[Ashley]

Food typically wins any cat. We had a wild stray, actually 2 of them come in so far. THe one is semi friendly, but I dont work on him as nobody here likes him. THe other with in 2 weeks was comeing up for scratches. Now about a month later the second you step out the door he is in and out of your legs, I can no longer leave our patio door open as he is in surfing the house.

Dont leave alot out, just a bit. Get cans of soft food, try to get them to come to that. You might have to leave it for them to get used to eatting it, but it should be that they start putting you and food together. You may not ever be able to tame mom, but if you start now with the kittens you should have a good chance.