Sounds dumb but I watch my backyard ecosystem a lot. Like a LOT. I smoke on the back porch so like I say. A lot. I’ve carefully cultivated this nice little nature preserve and have watched the birds raise families. All families that return year after year and grow their own families. I recognize them and know their patterns and that’s helped me to feed them and their young at the times needed and in a way that minimizes their vulnerabilities. Same with squirrels, possums, etc.

It hurts when you see one of your babies fall prey to something bad. Hawk, neighborhood cats, nature, and worse, humans.

But I began to recognize that’s the price I have to pay to be involved. Realistically I shouldn’t be involved and in an ideal world humans would leave all animals be, but I live in suburbia and animals are sometimes dependent on us here.

But being involved is a precious thing and sometimes it just hurts. Remember that you’re likely right about the kitty falling prey to another animal. But don’t fault that animal as they are simply doing what they know. Just be ultimately grateful that nature recognized you as a safe person/safe place and that’s a pretty awesome thing. Let that thought lift you up when the dark underbelly of nature shows itself.

Nature is a cold hearted bitch. Worse than any person you have ever encountered.

Starvation, hunger, exhaustion, untreated injuries, fear, pain, and death.

Humanity is what we bring to the table. This whole fiction you and I get to inhabit where everything’s warm, everything’s clean, the store is full of food, someone comes to help you and take care of you if you’re sick or injured, humans made all that shit up, piece by piece.

Keep it going. Wild place is wild place. Human place is human place, and it’s pretty fuckin far from perfect so far. It’s good enough now that if you’re from the lucky countries you can see the heartless inhumanity in the natural world by way of contrast. But it’s for damn sure not done yet.

Wild cats are very rough on local ecosystems and I think it's generally recommended not to help them in any shape or form.

If she and/or the adult male return, see if you can connect with a local TNR group which can trap, neuter/spay, ear tip and release them. Better than doing it yourself so the cats don't associate it with you, plus they may have donations to pay for it. When the cats come back, they'll continue to hold the local territory without reproducing further, and will live longer because of less physical stress. I assume they're too wild-minded to adopt.

My local one is Kitty Bungalow Charm School For Wayward Cats, which also sets up fostering for the kittens so they'll become adoptable, and finds farm and business jobs for cats who aren't afraid of people but don't want to be pets. Your local situation may be different but it's worth looking into.