New York City feral mama cat gives birth to 4 kittens, local family catches one of them, determined to save the whole litter

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Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jul 14, 2026 9:30 AM EDT

New York is not an easy city to grow up in, and imagine being a little kitten off the streets. 

In Reddit's r/StrayCats, a feral pregnant mama roams the streets alone.  This family saw the pregnant mama cat and figured she had her 4 kittens. They're probably about 6-8 weeks old by now, and they run around and play in the backyard of this family. They've been trying to capture the kittens to rescue them, but the kittens are turning out to be a little bit more difficult than expected. They're also trying to trap the mama and make it one big happy family. They've only caught one kitten and it's been in the house for 14 hours but he's not eating. He probably misses his siblings and mama, but hopefully it's the start of the rescue mission for the other cats. They're doing their best to take care of the cats despite them being outside. They see the kitten is terrified, and they're worried. They're going to try and trap more, but they turn to the internet for advice on next steps in the situation. Read the full story below for all the information and what happens next. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10646775808
    via Sol Vazquez Cantero / Canva

    Litter of kittens in New York City

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    Hi. I'm in central NY. A stray cat we feed had 4 kittens. They are probably about 6-8 weeks old.
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    Maybe older. They run around and play in our backyard. We began trapping them to take
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    them to a rescue. We are also going to try to trap the mama to get her fixed. So far we have only
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    caught one kitten last night. It has been in the house with us for about 14 hours now and has
    via u/Big-Divide2623
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10646775552
    via Gundula Vogel from Pexels / Canva

    Stray pregnant cat in New York City. 

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    eaten nothing. And they were eating the cat food we put outside. I have it in a large dog
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    crate in my room. Keeping it quiet in here as we have 2 other cats. It has a litter box, food, water, a soft
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    towel, and a small box to hide in. It is absolutely terrified and I'm just really worried because it isn't
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    eating. My mom wants to try to catch at least one more before bringing it to the rescue. We are
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    going to try to trap more tonight. They really only come out at night and hide during the day. Any advice?
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    ChaudChat OP, pls follow the below - you have great intentions but the process needs refining.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    • Do not keep this kitten isolated any longer than necessary. The priority should be to trap the entire family as quickly as possible - all
    via u/ChaudChat
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    remaining kittens and the mother. A lone kitten experiences much higher stress than one housed with a sibling.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    Trap every night until everyone is caught. Do not wait days between attempts.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    Remove food from them several hours before trapping (while ensuring water remains available) so they're motivated to enter traps if you think this is needed.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    If another kitten is trapped, house the siblings together. Put them in the same large crate or a larger enclosure. Siblings generally calm each other dramatically.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    Do not force interaction - just let them share space. If no additional kittens are trapped within 24 hours, contact the rescue immediately.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    A rescue may have additional traps, experienced trappers, or foster space.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    Don't delay intake simply waiting for another kitten if the current one continues not eating.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    No handling kitten except when necessary. No petting. attempts. No picking it up repeatedly. Stress suppresses appetite.
    via u/ChaudChat

  • I have only been to New York City once, and honestly it wasn't my favorite city. Growing up on the central coast of California, it was just too busy, packed, and uninteresting. Cities can exhaust a person. I'm more of a small town kind of girl anyway. A little rustic beach town, where everyone sort of knows each other. Where there are green rolling hills on both sides of the road, where you can smell the ocean wherever you go, where you can feel the silence of nature around you. New York is just so big, it was so hard to get from one side to the other. I couldn't imagine being a little newborn kitten there. They can barely do anything themselves or open their eyes, they can't be expected to care for themselves! I'm glad I live in a small town with my little kitty. He can roam free outside and not have to worry about something happening because it's such a rural area. 

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    Make the environment feel safer. Cover 3 sides and the top of the crate with a blanket.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    Cheezburger Image 10646775040
    via oversnap / Canva

    New York City bridge. 

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    Keep the room dim and quiet. Sit quietly nearby for short periods so it gets used to human presence but don't stare.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    Offer more tempting foods. Examples: . Warm wet kitten food.
    via u/ChaudChat
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    . Churu or similar lickable treats. Plain cooked chicken. . Sardines or tuna packed in water (small amounts).
    via u/Big-Divide2623
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    Leave food and walk away. Many frightened kittens only eat when completely alone.
    via u/Big-Divide2623

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kitten cat rescue Cats new york city
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