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 was about to say I couldn't possibly answer that question without photo!
Of course you did the right thing. Congratulations on your third cat 🐈 💕

You absolutely did the right thing. Thank goodness you found her, that was a dire situation for her to be in. I would report the children to the school!

What exactly do your family think you should have done , then ? Leave her to die? You absolutely did the only things anyone should do.

You've definitely done the right thing.
The only thing I would add, re the posters, is to be really careful about handing a vulnerable kitten over to someone without proof of ownership.
Sadly, there are some truly awful people out there who "acquire" free cats via social media for dog baiting, etc.

Our vet wouldn’t spay our kitten at 12 weeks and said the chip process hurts so would do at the same time
So could be a reason there is no chip etc

You did the right thing. And I think you should take the posters down, the cat has found her home.

Seems odd unless kitten was very small ours will chip from 8 weeks though it is franchised.

“Cat distribution system” is bollocks. It’s an excuse to steal/keep cats. You can’t and shouldn’t just keep cats unless you are as certain as you can be it’s unwanted.

o/p as long as you have made reasonable attempts to finds owners- posters, vets, social media etc then it’s your responsibility as to what happens.

I think you now have a cat OP
she is gorgeous

You did the right thing . I remember when I found 2 kittens 5/6 weeks old and I couldn’t catch them and nobody not even rescues would help me and I tried everything it didn’t have a good ending sadly it really affected me for ages

Why does this never happen to me?!! You did absolutely the right thing OP, congrats on your gorgeous new cat

You did absolutely the right thing - well done! A kitten that young should not be out!

What a beautiful cat you have 😍 you are 100% in the right in what you did.

You definitely did the right thing. Really hope she gets to stay with you.

People too irresponsible to microchip their cats before letting go them out, don't deserve them. So even if she wasn't a stray, she is better off with you.
You did the right thing OP, she looks beautiful.

On the poster it does have a picture of her , my number, and that to come forward you need proof of ownership. I. e a photo or something otherwise she won't be handed over. They've been up over 24 hours and nothing yet. I am really considering taking them down.

Your new arrival will remember that you saved her! Whether she will be grateful or not!who knows. she is a cat! We have found though that our rescue moggies have always turned out to be the sweetest little souls. Good on you for giving her a loving home, sod the family,they are just being arseholes…

Vets are notoriously awful at guesstimating kitten’s ages. That one is at least 5 months, so make sure she stays indoors or gets spayed soon as she’s getting close to that age. She’s a cutie!

Yes this is what I was coming on to say. I'd remove the photo and say "cat found" and leave it upto them to describe. They must prove they owned her before you hand her back. There's some truly, truly awful people out there. If she was covered in fleas and not chipped sounds like she wasn't cared for.
You've done all you can, in the meantime looks like she has claimed you! She is beautiful x

Pretty much that is how I came by the pair I have here.

I advertised but nobody came forward so I made a bed for them, fed them and now they come and go as they please. They have three meals a day plus snacks and get brushed and combed every day. They both chatter to each other constantly and I burble and trill to them too. DH sings to them and makes up silly ditties about them.

I have not had cats myself ever apart from when I was a kid in nappies and I love them far more than I thought I would as I'm a dog person. Having said that, they have a lot of dog like traits so I wonder if they were raised with dogs.

There was an old lady in the village who went to live with her daughter and I suspect these were her cats.

Cat distribution rules.

You did the right thing, I would have done exactly the same. Have you found a home for her now?

at what age do they have to be chipped?

20 weeks off the top of my head for cats.

You saved her. If the school was by a main road the chances are the kitten would have been run over. It may have been a stray cats kitten and the kitten slipped away from it's Mum. Keep the kitten and it will have a happy life.

If it was in a poor state, it could well be a feral kitten anyway. There are a lot more feral cats than you’d think. Congrats on your new addition!