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Original poster

Help? I've acquired a very young kitten?

962 replies

softplayfail · 20/10/2022 16:21

We've had a female cat visiting in the garden for about 7 months. We actually thought she belonged to someone but we discovered she had no home and was a stray. We were planning on catching her a couple of months ago but she disappeared. Anyway she reappeared and had a litter in my garden. Well I say litter. One kitten. Numerous attempts to catch her have all failed. She was happy to take food from anyone but would never let us touch her

Mum cat was found dead on the side of the road this morning. I feel so guilty as it is.

Anyway I've got the kitten inside. It's pissing it down. He's soaked. At a guess I'd say he's at most 6 weeks. He's been eating the food we've left for mum. He fits in the palm of my hand. I know nothing about cats really. Especially one this small

So I've booked him into the vets tomorrow. Earliest appointment

I have a 2 year old and a husband in bed from an appendicitis emergency.
So I'm on my own really

So questions
What do I do?
What do I feed him?
I've dried him with a towel and he's now all fuzzy but he's screaming murder

My 2 year old won't leave him alone but I can't split them cos she can't be left alone and he's like a tiny little thing. Any suggestions? Could I put him in a box for now? Just so he can sleep without being poked

Ok I don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
73
Teasall · 21/10/2022 20:09

He is absolutely gorgeous 🥰

I must warn you though that sweet little face could well turn into a very proficient 'bringer of presents' when he gets older .... the M on his forehead stands for 'Mouser' Grin

Pieceofpurplesky · 21/10/2022 20:03

He's got tiny a cat ear pattern between his eyes

OrangePumpkinLobelia · 21/10/2022 19:56

aaaaah his little pink nose.

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 19:46

Teeny boy

Help? I've acquired a very young kitten?
OP posts:
HappyChickenEggs · 21/10/2022 19:40

Congratulations on baby Peppa! I wasn’t a big cat person but 4 years later, no regrets

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 19:38

Orange what an amazing cat. Mum's neighbour's cat seems to think my mum is her mum. We haven't yet heard what the neighbour thinks, except they told us she doesn't usually approach other people.

CuriousEats · 21/10/2022 19:32

Another bonus activity for you to start today is touching him everywhere - especially between his tiny, tiny pink toes. It teaches him to accept it in case you need to remove grass seeds or other things from his fur without needing medical treatment yourself (and it makes scratching small children less likely).

and yes to this. I got my kitty when she was 6 months old and she will not let me anywhere near her claws unless in a straitjacket which means I need to armour my lap when she comes in for cuddles 😬

CuriousEats · 21/10/2022 19:28

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 18:29

this sounds like you've got three hands 😂

cats do find you for sure.

Show quote history

😂I've got a very accommodating BIL who comes round to do Pediclaws, skworming and fleeing (literally)

Frazzled2207 · 21/10/2022 19:17

Aw lovely thread
congrats on the new addition to your family.
well done for doing the right thing!
it seems lucky that he is old enough to not need to be hand fed etc. with kitten milk and food he’ll be fine.
Personally I’d try to subtly change his name to Pepper

Soubriquet · 21/10/2022 19:15

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 18:48

"Another bonus activity for you to start today is touching him everywhere"

things I did not expect to read on MN #765239

A brilliant idea and wish it was one I implemented. As mine has long hair she gets klingons. Gotta clip them off. Which means pinning her down from one person and quickly snipping with the other. Then dashing back and making sure we all have our limbs Grin

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 19:14

@Allergictoironing that had me in stitches. Pets at home sold hamsters. I did wonder why the vet said give him half a tablet today and that should do it. When I got home and checked the bottle I had 5 tablets. I just thought it was a dose or something.. he must have known what was going to happen

OP posts:
LeMoo · 21/10/2022 19:10

with him. This has made a huge difference to DS. he tells cat all his secrets and sobs into her fur when he needs to.

That's so lovely, making my remember my childhood cat who fulfilled the function of favourite teddy and best friend all in one

Soubriquet · 21/10/2022 19:08

softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:35

I wormed him!!!! I googled how to scruff him and he went all floppy and I thought I'd broken him and panicked so let go In terror. Did it again and sort of popped it In and stroked his chin as someone suggested. Followed him around for a bit and apart from looking annoyed he appears to have swallowed it.

I decided not to go for the towel. I still have flashbacks about trying to swaddle my daughter as a newborn

That’s hilarious!

Im glad you’ve got to experience the proper kitten flop.

OrangePumpkinLobelia · 21/10/2022 19:06

ilukp · 21/10/2022 18:26

Apparently all I needed was a kitten because I don't think I've smiled so much today in a long while

Cats/kittens have a strange habit of showing up in your life when you really need them, even if you think you don't want one and aren't a cat person.
It's a special kind of cat magic - cats/kittens who need a person magically get paired up with a person who needs one.

This is true. We had a cat for a couple of years who kept going to live with our elderly neighbour who was very frail and homebound. After a few weeks of going over to collect her several times a day I eventually conceded defeat and went over with her little suitcase packed with toys and her blanket and our lovely neighbour had herself a cat. They lived together for 8 years and our neighbour's daughter says freely that the cat extended her mother's life and certainly gave her quality of life. Then sadly our neighbour passed away- but thankfully in her own home and quite peacefully so our cat came back to us. I have a DS who has a number of SEN and was being bullied badly at school. The first day cat came back she just climbed into the lap of DS2 and essentially never left. If he is home, then cat is on his lap or in his bed with him. This has made a huge difference to DS. he tells cat all his secrets and sobs into her fur when he needs to.

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 19:03

Allergictoironing · 21/10/2022 18:57

With the discussion about worming, I had to attach this. But not until AFTER you'd managed, so it didn't put you off!

i think my sister wrote that 😂

Mistysmom · 21/10/2022 19:02

@softplayfail I have loved reading this thread, he is a gorgeous little boy! Previous posters are right, a cat always chooses it's owner and he's chosen you. Looking forward to more kitten pics! (Much more fun than packing my hospital bag even though baby is due in just over 3 weeks) lol xx

Allergictoironing · 21/10/2022 18:57

With the discussion about worming, I had to attach this. But not until AFTER you'd managed, so it didn't put you off!

Help? I've acquired a very young kitten?
coldfeetmama · 21/10/2022 18:56

OP .. is he getting a sibling ? 🤭

Please don't throw anything my way 😂

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:48

@EmmaH2022 oh my god that really made me laugh

OP posts:
Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:48

@NeverDropYourMooncup I have no idea who suggested it originally but usual typical two year old is doing everything to benefit peppa

I even got her to brush her teeth with 'we need to brush your teeth or peppa won't come near you with stinky breath'
Usual teeth brushing ends up in tears, usually mine

I will get him used to being poked and prodded

OP posts:
EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 18:48

"Another bonus activity for you to start today is touching him everywhere"

things I did not expect to read on MN #765239

NeverDropYourMooncup · 21/10/2022 18:44

Another bonus activity for you to start today is touching him everywhere - especially between his tiny, tiny pink toes. It teaches him to accept it in case you need to remove grass seeds or other things from his fur without needing medical treatment yourself (and it makes scratching small children less likely).

And it's really entertaining I don't get out much to be able to tickle a sleeping cat's toes and have him spread them out with the pointy bits gently wrapped around your finger.

By the age of about 3.5, by the way, he'll probably be supervising bedtimes for your DD and waiting until she goes to sleep before strolling back in as if to say 'OK, I've done my bit, now it's time for you to fuss me whilst I rest from my babysitting duties' - and I found that 'You need to lay still and keep your eyes closed in the dark for him to stay with you' was very handy for keeping small children in bed, rather than having more curtain calls than on Broadway.

LeMoo · 21/10/2022 18:40

@softplayfail yea scruffing is really effective when they're kittens! Bit less so when theyre grown but is handy tool in your Feline Management Kit

Congrats on your first worming!

QuestionableMouse · 21/10/2022 18:37

softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:35

I wormed him!!!! I googled how to scruff him and he went all floppy and I thought I'd broken him and panicked so let go In terror. Did it again and sort of popped it In and stroked his chin as someone suggested. Followed him around for a bit and apart from looking annoyed he appears to have swallowed it.

I decided not to go for the towel. I still have flashbacks about trying to swaddle my daughter as a newborn

I'm sorry but "I thought I'd broken him" made me LOL!

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:35

I wormed him!!!! I googled how to scruff him and he went all floppy and I thought I'd broken him and panicked so let go In terror. Did it again and sort of popped it In and stroked his chin as someone suggested. Followed him around for a bit and apart from looking annoyed he appears to have swallowed it.

I decided not to go for the towel. I still have flashbacks about trying to swaddle my daughter as a newborn

OP posts: