Ok I've copied this over as no one answered (yes I know its quick but its been a night already and I'm stressing)

Hi all,

I know of the pet section but thought more traffic here and need ideas. The other day I picked up two stray cats, as in stray people had feed them enough to catch then wanted to get rid of them so it was a come get it or I'll hit it on the head thing.

I got them anyway, one was a male kitten 6mth ish all good the other a stray not so friendly female, pregant (as in hugely pregnant !) Chuck them in the car and they stressed etc so called home to grab a cage and the girl got out, my god for a pregnant cat she could jump and move. Anyway she disappeared now I think she is still about.

One of my cats ran out last night and got in a fight, hasn't been a fight here for ages (talking years) so I'm thinking it was the escaped girl, I'm think she has holed up somewhere to have her kittens. I dropped the boy at the RSPCA (pretty sure they are going to be put down, but kinder then a hammer), but anyway what would you do about the girl?

My options I've thought of so far are

-trap if still pregnant all good,
-trap if had kitten, problems -keep and kittens die
-release and leave for awhile
-release and try to track somehow
-leave it - either for now and give a couple weeks until kittens would be mobile
- leave it and contribute to the huge problem of stray/feral cats

I'm thinking a letter box drop and cage, for a letter box drop how the hell do you explain it ?

Sorry I feel crap that she got away, I feel crap she's not friendly, I feel crap the people she would tolerate decide she rubbed around their feet and it wasn't acceptable and I hate that someone dumped her in the first place. We are in Townsville and atm the pound/RSPCA is over run and not so popular in the press which doesn't help. I'm not after anti cat post but help in know how to deal with this please.

That's hard - the kittens are a complication!
I guess I'd wait and keep a look out for her and kittens over the next few weeks? She'd have to keep hunting for food though, could you leave some out?
Then try to trap them once you've located them all?

I'd go the trap, and if she's had the kittens, release and try to follow. If not, I'd leave food out for her in the hopes that when her babies are old enough, she'll bring them near. And I'd send a letter around saying you were fostering a stray pregnant cat and she escapes - if anyone sees her or finds a nest of kittens to let you know.

She might not have been friendly due to wanting to have her babies in a safe place and not being sure your house was the place for it?

Food is out, and it disappears. It's only been Monday I brought her home and she got out. Trouble is dogs want out about 4 am to pee and I'm not sure if its her or the dogs. She comes from miles away and the people that fed her left the food out then when she got friendly she 'rubbed around their feet and it was annoying' so the guy said he'd 'hit her over the head' and thats when the trouble started.

About 4 weeks ago when I saw that I emailed and offered to pick her up, nope they let it go until she started getting fat, I get a phone call (distressed) from the lady, they think she's pregnant, another cats turned up too and the boyfriends about to hit her over the head. I dropped everything, left work and got her unfortunatly I had nothing with me and she was loose in the car with the other cat. Peeing, poo, howling started so as I had miles to go (having already done miles with them) I stopped home to get the cage and while we got her into it, before the door could be locked she hit it and got away out the front before we got in the house.

I feel bloody awful, the kittens are a big problem, I've never had a pregnant cat before that wanted to get away and had no idea they could move so fast or jump so high (cleared a 6 ft fence). I've left the shed open in the hopes she'll go in there but really think she is next door. (RSPCA said the stess would bring the kittens on and I think they may be right, she was huge in the belly, panting hard and not friendly).

I'll put more food out, do the drop and maybe set the cage over the weekend as I'll be home all the time.

If you can feed her it shouldn't take long to gain her trust & be able to calmly catch her. Good luck & thank you for caring for these cats even if the end result is euthanasia at least it will be as gentle as possible.

Put the food up high so the dogs can't reach , then you know its a cat taking the food.

Good luck, I also posted some ideas on your other topic about humane traps from your council. If you are quick you may get her in time. Yes stress can bring on labor but i have also seen many ferals hold out for some time after being trapped even when they looked ready to pop.

Good luck

Urgh. That is a horrible problem!

All I can suggest is that you keep putting food out, and alert your local neighbours to the fact that your foster cat has done a runner, and is likely to have dropped her bundles somewhere nearby. I'd do a letter drop, and probably a classified in the local paper if you think that will get to more people.

Second the idea about lifting the food off the ground, and making a space 'available' to her, that is safe and warm. She might move her kittens there afterwards. Make sure there is 'nesting' bedding available too.

Oh, and access to clean water. Most cats will get very friendly over clean water.

Also let the RSPCA know that you are looking for her, just in case another would be good samaritan collects her and her litter and drops them off there. Ditto the vet's.