When fostering a mom cat and her kittens, we prefer to use a large dog crate as their home base. This keeps the kittens safe, reduces stress for mom, and is much easier for you to clean. And within that crate, it’s important to give mom a smaller nesting space where she can nurse her kittens. If mom is feral, we’ll use a cat carrier for the nest. That way we can safely close her inside the carrier for a few minutes to clean the cage or weigh kittens. Place food, water and litter for mom - and of course, soft blankets to relax on.