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Original poster

Help? I've acquired a very young kitten?

962 replies

softplayfail · 20/10/2022 16:21

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
72
Soubriquet · 21/10/2022 17:05

Yeah. If I knew she was going to let them go that early, I wouldn’t have put down the deposit.

She told us they kits would be around 10 weeks, so I paid in full.

Then at 6 weeks, she messaged saying mums had enough of them. Either you take her today or she goes to someone else even though I had paid.

So I took her and just supplemented her food for a few weeks

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 17:06

@LeMoo oops

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 21/10/2022 17:27

Haven't RTFT , just the OPs ones

He is gorgeous and though it will have been said a million times , well done for bringing this little boy into your life . If he'd have stayed outside he'd have had a tough life, probably short and brutal . (This is what my cats tell me , they were rescued from a garden as teeny kittens)
Obviously you were chosen Halloween Grin

You will feel the wrath when he goes to have his balls whipped off . (He'll blame you , cats are judgey little gits)

LostCats · 21/10/2022 17:37

Completely agree with the ‘we must be quiet as peppa is sleeping’.
we do it all the time with our cats. DS and DD roll their eyes but oblige every time 😁😁

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 17:40

I think I've said it but I was never a cat hater. I just didn't care for them. I fed mama cat cos I wouldn't see an animal suffer and I bought him inside for the same reason. I'll never see one suffer. He's fit into the family. Originally I thought I'd rehome him or something but I couldn't. I just couldn't and he really is so cute

But honestly I couldn't have done this without every single poster who helped

OP posts:
ZandathePanda · 21/10/2022 17:47

Wrap a towel round Peppa so his front legs are bound. He will look like a seal. Then half the tablet (it’s probably only half a tablet at his age) then put it as far back as you can in his mouth. Then stroke his throat viciously to make him gulp it down. Repeat if necessary. If you crush the tablet up he may not get the full dose. Watch him for a few minutes as he may hide it and spit it out secretly.

ZandathePanda · 21/10/2022 17:51

Also you need to take photos that remind you how tiny he is. So in your hand or a shoe etc. that people (like us!!) can see the scale. Something that you can put him next to in a year so you can see how he’s grown.

vodkaredbullgirl · 21/10/2022 17:55

I fed the strays at work, think I might have fed them more than the people working during the day. Missed them when they were all re-homed.

CuriousEats · 21/10/2022 17:58

I bought a long handled baby nail clipper for their claws.
After lots of attempts, I've found that scruffing them is much easier and calmer than burritos. Its a 2 man job though.
Support his little butt in 1 hand, and hold him by his scruff with the other. Then you have access to all 4 paws and he will be calm and still.

I bought some syringes off Amazon for the wormer. The pokey bit fits easily between the back teeth and you've got control over how slowly you dribble it in. Mix the measured stuff with tuna juice or home made fish stock etc. Its not such a fight then. Or if he is already grooming himself, smear it on the back of his paws/legs. He'll lick it off.

torthecatlady · 21/10/2022 18:03

Glad the Vee Eee Tee went well!

ilukp · 21/10/2022 18:26

Apparently all I needed was a kitten because I don't think I've smiled so much today in a long while

Cats/kittens have a strange habit of showing up in your life when you really need them, even if you think you don't want one and aren't a cat person.
It's a special kind of cat magic - cats/kittens who need a person magically get paired up with a person who needs one.

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 18:29

CuriousEats · 21/10/2022 17:58

I bought a long handled baby nail clipper for their claws.
After lots of attempts, I've found that scruffing them is much easier and calmer than burritos. Its a 2 man job though.
Support his little butt in 1 hand, and hold him by his scruff with the other. Then you have access to all 4 paws and he will be calm and still.

I bought some syringes off Amazon for the wormer. The pokey bit fits easily between the back teeth and you've got control over how slowly you dribble it in. Mix the measured stuff with tuna juice or home made fish stock etc. Its not such a fight then. Or if he is already grooming himself, smear it on the back of his paws/legs. He'll lick it off.

this sounds like you've got three hands 😂

cats do find you for sure.

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:35

I wormed him!!!! I googled how to scruff him and he went all floppy and I thought I'd broken him and panicked so let go In terror. Did it again and sort of popped it In and stroked his chin as someone suggested. Followed him around for a bit and apart from looking annoyed he appears to have swallowed it.

I decided not to go for the towel. I still have flashbacks about trying to swaddle my daughter as a newborn

OP posts:
QuestionableMouse · 21/10/2022 18:37

softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:35

I wormed him!!!! I googled how to scruff him and he went all floppy and I thought I'd broken him and panicked so let go In terror. Did it again and sort of popped it In and stroked his chin as someone suggested. Followed him around for a bit and apart from looking annoyed he appears to have swallowed it.

I decided not to go for the towel. I still have flashbacks about trying to swaddle my daughter as a newborn

I'm sorry but "I thought I'd broken him" made me LOL!

LeMoo · 21/10/2022 18:40

@softplayfail yea scruffing is really effective when they're kittens! Bit less so when theyre grown but is handy tool in your Feline Management Kit

Congrats on your first worming!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 21/10/2022 18:44

Another bonus activity for you to start today is touching him everywhere - especially between his tiny, tiny pink toes. It teaches him to accept it in case you need to remove grass seeds or other things from his fur without needing medical treatment yourself (and it makes scratching small children less likely).

And it's really entertaining I don't get out much to be able to tickle a sleeping cat's toes and have him spread them out with the pointy bits gently wrapped around your finger.

By the age of about 3.5, by the way, he'll probably be supervising bedtimes for your DD and waiting until she goes to sleep before strolling back in as if to say 'OK, I've done my bit, now it's time for you to fuss me whilst I rest from my babysitting duties' - and I found that 'You need to lay still and keep your eyes closed in the dark for him to stay with you' was very handy for keeping small children in bed, rather than having more curtain calls than on Broadway.

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 18:48

"Another bonus activity for you to start today is touching him everywhere"

things I did not expect to read on MN #765239

Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:48

@NeverDropYourMooncup I have no idea who suggested it originally but usual typical two year old is doing everything to benefit peppa

I even got her to brush her teeth with 'we need to brush your teeth or peppa won't come near you with stinky breath'
Usual teeth brushing ends up in tears, usually mine

I will get him used to being poked and prodded

OP posts:
Original poster
softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:48

@EmmaH2022 oh my god that really made me laugh

OP posts:
coldfeetmama · 21/10/2022 18:56

OP .. is he getting a sibling ? 🤭

Please don't throw anything my way 😂

Allergictoironing · 21/10/2022 18:57

With the discussion about worming, I had to attach this. But not until AFTER you'd managed, so it didn't put you off!

Help? I've acquired a very young kitten?
Mistysmom · 21/10/2022 19:02

@softplayfail I have loved reading this thread, he is a gorgeous little boy! Previous posters are right, a cat always chooses it's owner and he's chosen you. Looking forward to more kitten pics! (Much more fun than packing my hospital bag even though baby is due in just over 3 weeks) lol xx

EmmaH2022 · 21/10/2022 19:03

Allergictoironing · 21/10/2022 18:57

With the discussion about worming, I had to attach this. But not until AFTER you'd managed, so it didn't put you off!

i think my sister wrote that 😂

OrangePumpkinLobelia · 21/10/2022 19:06

ilukp · 21/10/2022 18:26

Apparently all I needed was a kitten because I don't think I've smiled so much today in a long while

Cats/kittens have a strange habit of showing up in your life when you really need them, even if you think you don't want one and aren't a cat person.
It's a special kind of cat magic - cats/kittens who need a person magically get paired up with a person who needs one.

This is true. We had a cat for a couple of years who kept going to live with our elderly neighbour who was very frail and homebound. After a few weeks of going over to collect her several times a day I eventually conceded defeat and went over with her little suitcase packed with toys and her blanket and our lovely neighbour had herself a cat. They lived together for 8 years and our neighbour's daughter says freely that the cat extended her mother's life and certainly gave her quality of life. Then sadly our neighbour passed away- but thankfully in her own home and quite peacefully so our cat came back to us. I have a DS who has a number of SEN and was being bullied badly at school. The first day cat came back she just climbed into the lap of DS2 and essentially never left. If he is home, then cat is on his lap or in his bed with him. This has made a huge difference to DS. he tells cat all his secrets and sobs into her fur when he needs to.

Soubriquet · 21/10/2022 19:08

softplayfail · 21/10/2022 18:35

I wormed him!!!! I googled how to scruff him and he went all floppy and I thought I'd broken him and panicked so let go In terror. Did it again and sort of popped it In and stroked his chin as someone suggested. Followed him around for a bit and apart from looking annoyed he appears to have swallowed it.

I decided not to go for the towel. I still have flashbacks about trying to swaddle my daughter as a newborn

That’s hilarious!

Im glad you’ve got to experience the proper kitten flop.

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