Could someone please tell me how long a mother cat can nurse kittens.
I am feeding a feral cat, and she has had kittens 5 or 6 weeks ago I think. I give her good quality and variety of cat food, and I have also been putting kitten food in the dishes in case the kittens are now able to eat by themselves. However, I am not sure they always have access to the food because of a very busy street. They shelter on my side of the street. Crossing to get food can be dangerous at certain times of day. I am not allowed to feed on my side and have to put the food across the street in the preserve. I am in a condo association and my neighbors hate animals. I am wondering how long the mother can continue nursing the kittens to augment the food I am putting across the street if they are not able to get over there to get it. The 4th of July weekend was very hectic and scary for all the animals and they may have had trouble crossing to get the food.
I think the kittens are about a month and a half old, and could eat my food if they could get to the food. I did see one over there once a couple weeks ago, so she may be taking them over there on a daily basis, I don't know. I don't want them to starve, but as I said, I am not allowed to feed on my side. I am hoping that she can still nurse them at those times when they cannot get over to get my food.
Thank you for any help.

The mother will continue to feed the kittens until she is ready to wean them which will be between 8 to 12 weeks or produces another litter. I have listed a link below for you so next time you will not have to wait for someone to answer you. I hope that it will be helpful to you.

http://www.peteducation.com

You should call animal control because those cats will grow up feral and eventually will not be able to get homes.

you should call animal control because those cats will grow up feral and eventually will not be able to get homes.

The "kittens" are now 4 years old.

Please check the dates of posts before replying.

Even though the answer may not have been helpful to you or whoever originally asked it, but I was searching for information on what to do about stray kittens I now have some. Plus, all "lamby27" was trying to do was help.

I agree with carli1221.

Even though lamby27 answered the question 4 years later and it may not be helpful to you current, all he/she was trying to do is help!

Not only that, but these forums may be visited years later by someone also in search of an answer. Again, even though the reply was much late, the answer may be very helpful for others in the year 2011.

I am on other forums (ASP.NET) and I frequently respond to other people on the internet that have questions/problems/etc about programming and development. Many times I see a question that remains unanswered for a few years. When I respond to them, I sometimes get a reply that although they accomplished the task a different way, by me responding gave them helpful information for future projects.

I am also on the reverse end of that and I have a technical issue, I post it to the forums and I may have resolved it via a different but non-preferred method, I now have a solution for when it happens again or when I want to do it the org. way!

John

My cat had her kittens over 2 months ago and a few times a day I see the kittens latched onto her. They are eating dry and wet cat food also, but they still nurse also. It's not for long, but she must still be producing something for them to still latch on the way they do. For anyone in the same situation I would try to find them homes. Some local papers will let you place a free add so you can find the kittys a home.