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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who is being unreasonable? Found a kitten in garden.

212 replies

Deathsquito · 10/08/2021 10:43

I know this should go in the litter tray but posting for traffic before our guest disappears as we don’t know what to do!

Kitten is a female, looks around the age where you would buy one but I didn’t think they are supposed to be running around outside yet. She’s currently playing with my bemused old rescue cats tail in the garden.

Dh thinks we should just leave them to find their way home. He thinks it’s the feckless estates couple who keep buying animals then chucking them outside.

I think we should bring them in and call the local vets to check whose they are. We live on a very busy main road, lots of dogs around (and a neighbours cat has been killed previously).

It’s such a young cat I’m worried it could easily get killed running around loose and I think there is a frantic owner somewhere.

What should we do?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
ConstanceGracy · 10/08/2021 12:07

Another who thinks she’s not as young as you think but I’d still get her checked for a chip as of she’s not neutered then she’ll end up pregnant by the end of the week Sad

icedcoffees · 10/08/2021 12:08

I have a 5yo cat who is similar to that size, lol. Everyone thinks she's a kitten but we've had her since 12 weeks but she was the runt and she barely grew after 4-5 months. She barely weighs 2kg.

She looks absolutely fine to be out and about.

user1493494961 · 10/08/2021 12:08

I would have left it where it was.

sashh · 10/08/2021 12:08

My cat is about that size.

he has all the neighbours conned that she is a poor starving kitten. She's 10.

Here she is 'helping'

Who is being unreasonable? Found a kitten in garden.
TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 10/08/2021 12:09

Mine were spayed at 5 months because I have a brother and sister pair and we were afraid of accidents. I told the vet this and she said “as soon as possible!” There was a minimum weight for girl kitten before they could do it but I can’t now remember how much it was.

MilduraS · 10/08/2021 12:09

I disagree with the people saying let her out. She doesn't look recently spayed and could come across an intact Tom. It took over 3 months for my three girls to grow back their fur properly after being spayed (closer to 5 months for one). Best to wait for the owners to get in touch as you've posted about her on the lost cat pages.

EmmalineC · 10/08/2021 12:13

I thought you'd found a tiny abandoned kitten, not a young cat out exploring the world. Someone will claim her, she looks well nourished.

Who are the feckless estates couple? Not social housing tenants?

nocturnalcatfreetogoodhome · 10/08/2021 12:13

Oh baby 💙 she’s tiny! Far too young to be out! We were always told never to send them out before they were spayed so at least six months! She can’t be older than twelve weeks.

I would be extremely tempted to make her the newest member of the family if no one comes forward OP. Go on… what’s her name going to be? ;)

Original poster
Deathsquito · 10/08/2021 12:18

Neighbour’s dc just came home and he knows someone a few streets over across the main road who got a kitten that looks like this one. He’s trying to get in touch with them.

I’m a bit flabbergasted at the replies saying that she looks like someone’s four year old cat. I never knew adult cats could be so small!

Hopefully will hear something soon. She’s just sat with our cat still in the garden.

OP posts:
BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 10/08/2021 12:21

@goldierocks

Ah, she's lovely OP. Well done for being 'chosen'!

I've fostered and adopted a number of cats over the years. The vet should be able to tell you how old she is and whether she's been spayed, which you could also add to your list of questions if a potential owner shows up.

I'd be very worried that a random would try and claim a free kitten. If she does have an owner, they must have lots of pictures of her already and can show them to you (who doesn't take photos of their kitten?!!)

I'd also suggest worming her, plus check for fleas and treat if necessary. Flea infestation can be serious in very young kittens.

So....if you keep her, what's her new name?Smile

It's ironic that you say you'd "be very worried that a random would try and claim a free kitten".

Because that's pretty much what you're telling the OP to do.

Original poster
Deathsquito · 10/08/2021 12:21

Who are the feckless estates couple? Not social housing tenants?

Snobby and rude.

No, they are both professionals who are out at work all day and who drive us all mad by leaving poor howling/barking dogs out all day and who also don’t bother securing their garden so we often have to take them back round when they escape.

OP posts:
lking679 · 10/08/2021 12:22

It's probably older than you think it is, looks old enough to be the 16 weeks or so when they've been vaccinated and let out.... but i think fine to take it in, has it got access to get out and go home if it wants to? Keep posting locally in case owner getting worried and get its chip checked at the vets if you're worried. When i let my cats out for the first time they had collars and were chipped.

SheABitSpicyToday · 10/08/2021 12:22

We had a cat who never grew past 12 weeks, apart from his tail. He had a loooooooong adult size tail on a little kitten body.

NeedNewKnees · 10/08/2021 12:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

me4real · 10/08/2021 12:24

So cute

DukeOfEarlGrey · 10/08/2021 12:25

😍😍😍

OP, she’s mine. Please post her back immediately.

Aprilx · 10/08/2021 12:26

@Deathsquito

😂 it wasn’t a ‘trans’ thing. I’m fairly sure it’s a female from googling but I’m no expert so wasn’t entirely sure!

Yep, I agree that for some reason she looks huge on the pictures but she really doesn’t look that big in real life! I’ve never seen a cat out at this size?

I think it was because I was zooming in and cropping the pictures to avoid identification/my messy house. I do have another picture where she is stood next to DH and you can see how small she is but he won’t let me post it!

You need to post a photo alongside an every day object so people can get some perspective. As it is, I would also say this kitten is much older than you have indicated.

I have a six month old kitten and I think he is too young to go out, but he has made one or two bids for freedom as he sees our older cat go outside. If it were mine missing, I would hope a neighbour would take him inside not leave him to find his way home. I would then be checking the local Facebook page and would knock on some doors to see if anybody had seen him.

I don’t think a young cat would be microchipped yet, ours isn’t and the vet and I have earmarked it as something we will do when we take him to be neutered (as we don’t intend to let him out before then if at all).

Original poster
Deathsquito · 10/08/2021 12:27

Neighbours son has managed to get in contact with his friends family. The friends mum is headed round now with some pictures but it sounds like we may have found her owner!

OP posts:
ittakes2 · 10/08/2021 12:28

I think you need to knock on a few neighbours doors with the photos and ask whose it is!

ichundich · 10/08/2021 12:32

That kitten looks bigger than most when they are sold, which is usually around 8-12 weeks? So it might well be already in its new home (area)? I would put a post on Facebook and also get the vet to check for a microchip.

Sparklfairy · 10/08/2021 12:33

Oh no! Quick! Hide her in a cupboard and pretend she escaped! Grin

mam0918 · 10/08/2021 12:34

@MilduraS

I disagree with the people saying let her out. She doesn't look recently spayed and could come across an intact Tom. It took over 3 months for my three girls to grow back their fur properly after being spayed (closer to 5 months for one). Best to wait for the owners to get in touch as you've posted about her on the lost cat pages.
She very well could be an adult who was spayed years ago... people are assuming because she is 'small' she is only a few months old, many adult cats are small though as you can see by comments here.
RoastedHazelnutLatte · 10/08/2021 12:34

Happy memories. My (late) Gran had a small female tabby that was frequently brought back to her as being too young to be out. A few times she had the vet called her after it was handed in.

Honestly, the last time it happened the cat was almost 10 years old!

userxx · 10/08/2021 12:36

@Sparklfairy

Oh no! Quick! Hide her in a cupboard and pretend she escaped! Grin
:)
AngelDelightUk · 10/08/2021 12:37

I’d be tempted to hide her too 😉

It does show thought that your rescue cat would LOVE a new playmate 💖