I've found a newborn kitten in Lara Beach Turkey. What should I do?

[whatisdrowsybutawake]

Hi, posting here as I've tried every other avenue with no luck. This morning I found a newborn kitten outside our hotel in Lara Beach. It still has the cord attached to its belly so can't be more than a day old? Mother was nowhere to be seen, hotel staff looked everywhere and couldn't find her. We left kitten where we found it for ages but nothing. There were four other mother cats in the nearby area and we tried to merge kitten with those families but no joy, mothers rejected and hissed.

I took kitten to my hotel room and have fed it baby milk (I know not ideal but tried supermarket and there is no kitten milk). Couldn't find any condensed milk etc either as I've heard you can mix that up in an emergency. It's drinking and peeing as normal.

We leave tomorrow night, the local vet will not help as they can't commit to looking after a kitten so small. Reception unhelpful too. I've reached out to local groups on fb and nothing.

I don't suppose there are any mumsnetters in the area who would like to take the kitten when I leave? I'm honestly considering putting in my cardigan pocket and bringing back to UK but I know there's a hefty fine attached to that option if caught.. On hol with husband and 2 toddlers but managing to keep regularly feeding kitten, feels like having a newborn!

Picture below of course!

God bless it

You can't bring it home so you will have to search for rescues within a distance you can reach.

Someone better qualified as to care will be along.

No help whatsoever but what a cutie

There is some sort of cat shelter at the Delphin Be. It's really the guests looking out for cats, I haven't been yet but I saw mention of it when looking at their fb page.ill try and find out more and come back to the thread

Thank you we are very close to Delphin. I have spoken to a helpful lady from an organisation called HOTSA but she is 90km away and unable to help.

This was posted on the fb page 6 days ago

"The hotel has created a cat house, near the lazy river, with shaded huts with plenty of food & water for them 💙"

Good luck

You need to wipe its bottom regularly with cotton wool dipped it water. This will help it pee and poo regularly.

Yeah I've been wiping and it's been peeing.

I can't see that post on the fb page - I will keep looking.

I stayed at Delphin b last year, they have lots if cats/kittens that look well looked after, I would definitely go ask them (or just go to the ground and release the kittens there)

Well this won't be popular but I would have left it where it was so it would perish pretty quick. There are loads of feral mangey cats around there. What kind of life is that for the poor little bugger to look forward to.

It will need fed by hand every couple of hours and hasn't opened eyes yet

Try here?

https://www.facebook.com/Birliktehayvankorumadernegi/

I had the same situation a few years ago in Lara Beach, except it wasn’t a newborn kitten, and tried to reach out to a few rescues unsuccessfully. I have screenshot their info and our conversation if you wanted to give them a try x it is heartbreaking, almost puts me off going on holiday to be honest 😩

Sorry, try th8s. https://www.facebook.com/TurkishAnimalGroupT.A.G

its the tag Turkish an8mal group.

I’d risk the fine and smuggle it home

I’m afraid I’d have paid the vet to euthanise it humanely.

Thanks I've messaged a few of those.

I'm really considering taking home with me.. it would sit cuddled in my pocket. I've had it down the front of my top for the past 2 hours asleep.

It would probably be very happy tucked in your bra for a few hours

Wouldn’t they notice in security?

Only if they have body scanners at Antalya airport? If it's just the metal detectors then I imagine it wouldn't beep.

You’re really going to risk a fine and going over by Border Force for a mangy kitten? One of thousands of feral cats all over the Med?

bloody bonkers.

If you don't want to risk being arrested and potentially put on no fly lists do not do anything stupid like sneak it through security. They will catch it in the airport xray scans and you will be in massive "police pointing guns" at you trouble. Can you explain in turkish "this is just an orphaned kitten and not an endangered species I am illegally smuggling"?

You absolutely can not smuggle him back home, not only would you get into trouble and risk fines the kitten would be put down too.
Very cute kitten though.

I know I know it's a stupid idea and I won't take it home. We leave tomorrow night so I will find a place for it to go in the morning. The woman from HOTSA is going to phone around and get back to me.

But until then it looks like I'll be making a cosy bed up and doing night feeds tonight

Awful comment.

I'm really considering taking home with me.. it would sit cuddled in my pocket. I've had it down the front of my top for the past 2 hours asleep

You would need to be seriously bonkers to even consider this. The potential consequences are not worth it

You're kidding yourself if you think it'll stay hidden the duration of your boarding, flight etc