Help? I've acquired a very young kitten?

[softplayfail]

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.

Clearly my vet had it all planned when I uttered the words 'I've never had a pet before so what do I do?"
Oh it's all so simple. Yeah right.

Mine gets wormer granules mixed in one of those liquid tube treats! Liver seems the best!

Actually what a PP said, I'm sure I got a spot on wormer last time for my cat. Better than tablets.

It can take time to work out what cats like, most like, chicken/fish (the actual meat, not the cat food) but my adopted cat was bloody fussy re her stuff (Felix and Sheba). She even likes it cut up... She does like Go Cat or something similar biscuit wise - wasn't keen on Iams at all! I tried all varieties of them.

Cat treats are very handy - you can get softer sticks that you break off, and are handy for when you're doing things or trying to get them to do things they don't want to do. You can sort of train cats... she says

I know this pain and exactly which one you mean!
I wonder how many cats actually leave it on their paw!
A cat I fostered suffered badly and she just would not touch the treatment on her paw, so was walking around with horrible dirty looking gloop on it that I couldn't get off it looked horrible.

OP does he really fit in your palm?

Lick-e-lix is good for camouflaging medication. Or highly (mal) odorous pouches such as Purina Gourmet 'Mon Petit'.

@EmmaH2022 I don't have a photo to show you but I can lift him with one hand and he curls his feet under and sort of sits on my hand with his tail dangling down

😍😍😍😍

Question of the day from my 2 year old.
Does his tail come off?
Erm mummy's cat knowledge is limited at best but not to my knowledge no sweetheart

Bless her!

I'm slowly catching up with the questions on the thread but my daughter is almost 3. 3 in January

My cat was a tiny little kitten when I got her and my dc were 1 and 3.

They pretty much ignored her and the cat ignored them too. However now at 7 and 9, she really likes them and can be found cuddling up to them at times. Usually the oldest because she feeds her.

this was mine when she was a baby

@Soubriquet I love the ears!

You can see her sitting. She was sooooo tiny.

@Soubriquet so similar size wise to Peppa. Dwarfed by the toys and the kids! He got weighed today and he's 430 grams.

Bless him! I’m not sure what weight she was when we got her. She was 6 weeks. Unfortunately, the breeder turned out to be not so good and chucked them at their owners at 6 weeks instead of waiting.

Luckily she slot right in, and is perfectly healthy.

Shes 6 now and still a happy healthy cat.

Oh well she's probably getting more 'able' to deal with a cat than a toddler would if that makes sense? Though I know the threenager stager with my nephew !

Young kids do need as you know to be gentle with it, not treat it like a toy, but I'm sure that's all being kept on top of!

@Soubriquet - ha re the 9 year old feeding her and cat liking her - so true. My cat doesn't have an option, I feed her but she loves/hates me depending on her mood! She's very likeable and nice generally though.

Also now you have ample ammunition (this is why I'm not a parent)
"Shh the kitten is sleeping"
"You'll have to play quietly so you don't scare the kitten"

6 weeks - that is so young for them to leave mummy cat!

@Soubriquet I hate that. That's disgusting.

Op you have one very beautiful kitten there and I think he's been sent to you.
Love these threads and all the pics that go up, they make my day thank you.

OP - when they’re tiny their claws are razor sharp and they have no self control, so if he will let you try using a regular nail file just to blunt the tips a little bit. Our vet recommended this when our boy was little.

He is gorgeous by the way, so pleased you took him in!!

@GonnaGetGoingReturns we did have a very quick yell of 'please do not pick him up by his head' but overall she's very good with him

Oh yes as tempting as it is and adorable as he looks while doing it, don't play with him by encouraging him to pounce on your fingers.

I knew this and did it anyway with my rescue kitten. 😐

Well then you just get your brother to give him the worming tablet, then he’ll hate him and then you fuss over him after (cat not brother) and he’ll love you. Also agree with toddler ammunition
“darling be quiet peppas sleeping”
”put your toys away so peppa can’t trip over them”
“get in the bath so peppa won’t refuse to sit on you as you’re stinky”

etc.