Kittens in our skunk trap - need answer fast

In My Humble Opinion
1

So we have a skunk living under our house, and the guy we called about it set up a humane trap.

No skunk - two kittens. Eyes are open but they look pretty young. We have a lot of stray cats around here and I don’t think these kittens are socialized. They look terrified every time we approach the trap.

We are calling all the shelters we can, but in the meantime I’m not sure what to do with them. I don’t really want to leave them outside in a trap, but I have no cat carriers and I don’t know if they’re rabid or anything about them. We have a four year old son with no danger awareness so we can’t exactly let them run around in our house.

They look young enough to still be nursing.

What to do? Most of the shelters are closed for the day. We may have them overnight.

Any advice welcome!

2

Let them go, but put out some food and water.

3

Depending on how young they are, food might not help. Hopefully Spice_Weasel can get hold of a rescue that can take them. Very young kittens need their mother, or someone who knows how to take care of them.

4

Oh poor babies! Can you maybe leave the trap open and disabled so their mother can get to them while you figure out the next thing?

5

True, but it could help the nursing mother.

6

The first suggestion is to give the mom kitty a little time to come back. Perhaps put out a little cat kibble for her so she can make milk for her babies, she’ll take care of feeding them. If not, that website above has a link for feeding kittens part way down the page.

First thing I’d do is call the person who placed the trap and have them come back and release the kittens so their mom can reunite with them.

Then some watchful waiting before you need to do more than put out water and food for mama cat.

It’s high kitten season, most likely every cat rescue/humane organization in the country is overwhelmed and over capacity, even if they could answer the phone.

Call the person who set the trap to release the kittens. Put out mom cat food and water. Watch patiently from a distance.

@JaneDoe42 might have helpful advice, as might @Johnny_L.A or other Mumpers.

7

The neighbor knew a lady who knew a lady who knew a cat rescue. They took the kittens with the trap and will get them out, and they will be taken care of.

I was not aware of this but apparently they were in there all day.

8

Good grief. I hope they’re actually cats. Not skunk kits.
Black and white? Eeek!

9

Yes, that’s a good point.

10

Good news!

As to putting food and water out- helping the nursing mother-

Absolutely. Many kitten die when mom can’t get enough food.,

11

Mama may still be out there. And may still be hungry. And may even still have kittens to feed – two may not have been the whole litter.

12

Excellent points.

13

If they’re black, you can get some white spray paint & prank your wildlife guy.

14

If we’re gonna make jokes, I’d just like to note that every time I see this thread I get Skip to M’Lou stuck in my head.

15

Wait?! You have to build skunks?

16

Heh. I’d accidentally on purpose lose the stinky gland.

17

Whelp. Now we’ve got a groundhog. Come on, skunk.

18

Are you playing some weird slot machine???

19

I can hear that skunk snickering all the way from here.

20

Them’s the breaks kid.

You trap what you trap. That’s an actual hunter/trapper law.

Thank the stars we are not having to feed ourselves on these fickle laws.
(I’m assuming groundhog makes a better stew than skunk. Kitten veal wouldn’t work either)