Lost kitten, was I wrong.

[timeforacoffeebreak]

I found a kitten on Friday afternoon whilst picking my child up from school. It was in the playground, and as I was about to leave I saw a group of older children picking up and dropping this kitten, then chasing it around the playground.
I ended up picking her up and taking her home. She's no more than 12 weeks old.
I've posted it online on all of the lost cat groups I can, and the local ones I can find. Loads of shares, but nothing.
I've taken her to the vets, they said perfectly healthy little thing, but no chip.
I've put up posters near where I found her and a little around where we live.
She was grubby, and her claws are incredibly worn, and almost black at the tips, but she is very friendly.
My family thinking I was being unreasonable to take her home (we are only a few mins walk away from where I found her) and that essentially I have just stolen somebody else's cat.
But in my opinion, I've saved her from a bad situation, and I'm trying to find her owner. I couldn't have left her there, terrified. And the school is near a very busy main road.
Kittens that young that aren't chipped OR spayed should NOT be out like that!?
We have 2 cats already, so we are able to provide for her for the time being, and if nobody comes forward, we will keep her.
Was I being wrong here? What would you do?

I don't think you've done the wrong thing at all - you're looking after her, and trying to find out where she came from.

You did the right thing.
Would your family have preferred the kitten to stay out in the cold and be at risk?

I would just keep posting on social media and through letter boxes. Maybe the vets can advise what you don't the owner doesn't come forward?

You did a kind thing!

Nope, I'd have done the exact same thing. I can't abide children being cruel to animals so I'd probably have had to stop myself from having a slapping spree too.

That's fine ok. As long as you are making attempts to fine their owners. Odd though that they're not looking for them

Cat distribution system at work.

I'm glad you found her and protected her.

Not chipped or spayed, I’d just keep her. No responsible owner would have let her out, and if she’d escaped they’d be posting on fb or putting up posters.

You did the exact thing I would. You saved that poor little thing from a terrible fate. If her owners were bothered there would be posters and online stuff in your area. Likely she doesn’t have an owner.

This can't be a serious question OP?

Don't let other people get inside your head.

She doesn’t sound feral if she’s very friendly but she could have been the offspring of a lost adult cat who’s then had kittens. You have done all the right actions so try not to fret.

Well the issue here is, it was a family member that made the posters for me to put up. And now I regret it. As you're right here, and others, saying no responsible owner would allow this. I totally agree. So now I half regret putting up the posters, as id prefer to give her a safe home as an indoor cat here with us!
The fact I've had no response from social media, and nobody around at the time knew of her, tells me all I need to know.
I'd happily go and take the posters back down, but I'd feel that is morally wrong.

Well done on rescuing her! Fingers crossed she gets to live with you 🤞

If she has owners, they'll be looking for her and will make it obvious with posters, online, etc.

Glad you were there when she needed a kind person to intervene.

Don't forget your cat tax

Anyone who has genuinely lost a 12 week old kitten would be out on the streets looking for it - the fact that it's grubby, not chipped and has nobody looking for it says everything, IMO.

You did absolutely the right thing. It would be different if this was a friendly adult out on a wander, but at 12 weeks? No way. It's either been kicked out or has been born to a stray somewhere.

Here she is everybody ☺️

It's strange that my family members reacted this way. The particular family I'm talking about have 2 cats of their own. Very well taken care of. Chipped and neutered. One is more outdoor and does not like being In hardly at all. BUT he always comes home. They back onto a park in a lovely area where lots of people have pets.
They said they'd be distraught if somebody did this to one of theirs, assuming they had no home. And I responded by saying if I'd found a young cat on a housing estate, or in a park that has very nearby houses, I'd probably not have thought twice.
It was the area we are in that made me act, and the situation the kitten was in to begin with. I couldn't have left her there at all. Especially with the bad weather we've had recently! I'd not have slept , thinking about her.

As the saying goes, she looks like she's fallen on her feet being found by you. She's beautiful 🤩.
For what it's worth, my family ended up with a blue Persian in similar circumstances. Sister found a young kitten, brought it home. Long before the internet. Cards up in local shops, asked around, no claims. He was with us for many years.
You did the right thing, OP.
Personally, if no one has claimed her by after the school run on Monday, I'd take the posters down and keep her. She needs a good home that will cosset and protect her ❤️.

She is adorable - congratulations on your new cat

She does look a bit bigger than I thought she would though - maybe older than 12 weeks.

That's exactly what I was thinking to do 🩷

For some reason she does look a lot bigger in pictures!! The vet had a look at her teeth and confirmed she was around that mark though. Though nobody really knows an exact age 😆

You need to check out the cat distribution system on TikTok, you've been chosen 😂

You definitely did the right thing.

You have done exactly the right thing

You did the right thing, and if it was my kitten and I had lost it, I would be very grateful to you.
This is how I adopted my boy baby, about 25 years ago now. I originally put up “lost kitten” photos, but the vet I took him to said he was in such poor condition- he was riddled with fleas, mites and sores- that he shouldn’t be allowed to go back where he had come from. So I took the posters down and he stayed with me, and lived until he was 18.

Absolutely this.
You've done nothing other than save this baby from a shit situation.

You've done the right thing. If you'd left her before long she'd have been pregnant.

And as for those children, one wonders what their parents are like.

Of course you’re not wrong. At this point I would take the posters down and keep her. You’ve done all you can to trace her owners. She’s clearly in safe and loving hands with you.

As for those children, there are no words.