Is this a regular cat tactic?

Yes. Someone found an interesting thing to play with and got all 3 litters snatched up. Those kittens don't look especially hungry.

Edit: further reporting says they were hungry: https://nypost.com/2022/06/09/kind-man-saves-kitten-on-road-...

"This" isn't well-specified here, you might want to clarify your question.

The kittens appear to have been abandoned. And ... are making national news.

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/09/1104025935/louisiana-man-resc...

I've never owned a cat so I don't know anything about their behavior. Is this something that they do regularly? Send one out, and then the rest of them comes.