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.

I've only ever had to clip claws on my old boy of 19 who no longer managed his own claws (so he kept getting snagged on furniture.
You really don't need to clip a kitten's claws, just give him something to scratch.

Yes I only every trimmed if a claw gets long enough to catch on things

@LeMoo I feel like both the vets and pets at home have had fun at my expense.

I'm a total cat slave in 48 hours. I'm trying to brush him and he's batting the hair as it falls.

It was the giant M-U-G on your forehead that did it

Awwwwww

he owns you now..

The thing about the vet letting you leave with a kitten is that the kitten is in charge. The kitten knows what to do and how to cat. The vet wasn’t worried you didn’t know what to do because the kitten does know what to do.

I have to trim Boycat's claws, but never have to touch Girlcat's. I think it's part of his "special needs" issues - he doesn't seem to know how to do his own pedicures, he rarely scratches anything except the wallpaper, and he doesn't retract his claws all the way.

Nephew no 3 still has the scars down his arms from trying to belly rub DSis's cat from about 8 years ago, but my pair love it. Very dependant on the cat, though I think in Peppa's case he's playing :)

Not wanting to put you off or nothing but ......

My male cat (who is very easily spooked ) has just legged it into the room, did a Cartoon Cat Style Comedy screech to a halt , dragging his arse across the floor leaving a lovely skid mark and a few pooh fragments .
He was mid pooh in the tray (and unlike him hadn't buried it , he's always a burier) probably with a rogue stuck one ( pooh was normal)
He's now hiding under the kitchen units .

There are really loud fireworks going on so probably scared him. Poor love !

You know those doublesided files that have the ridge smoother, buffer and polisher on spongy material? Give the bugger one of those and he'll be too busy gnawing on it to care about the nails.

The belly thing is cat self defence instinct (they do the same with Kickaroos, it's perfectly natural). Hold his arms slightly apart and he'll get used to the idea of belly rubs not meaning KILL KILL DIE. As he gets sleepy, your safety level increases.

NB I have never tried just giving a cat an emery board to see what happens 😂

but they seem to think it's fun to have their nails filed, maybe it's particular to Essex cats?

Mine loves a nail file to gum on (he has one tooth so saying chew is a bit of a stretch!)

Cheddar is extremely cooperative with claw trimming. Smug

but they seem to think it's fun to have their nails filed, maybe it's particular to Essex cats ?

Does this Essex Cat look like she'd let you near her with a nailfile ?
She isn't holding her claws out to file , it's a Come And Play With Us offer

@70isaLimitNotaTarget what a picture! Beautiful cat but scaaarrryy!

Though love the cheeky poking out tongue!

What a lovely thread, and an adorable kitten.

Years ago I became the willing slave to an abandoned six week old kitten, who had been dumped in my neighbour's garden. This thread is bringing it all back.

Our kitten grew into a magnificent cat who adored me but only just tolerated everyone else in the family.

Enjoy your gorgeous new kitty.

Best Mumsnet story ever. Thanks for cheering my night up :) so nice you've taken this wee one in, well done 👏 I have 6 cats, love them ❤️

@Toddlerteaplease cheddar looks too laid back to ever get worked up about anything!

@70isaLimitNotaTarget hope he's happier now, poor thing :(

I think the op is definitely emerging as the Chosen One in Peppa's new family :)

@LeMoo

He did settle , eventually wandered out from under the kitchen nits , accepted a few Dreamies then sat on the kitchen floor looking intently at invisible ghosts (just to gaslight me because we'd watched a programme about a haunted house on TV)
He's still ver' ver' judgey that I de-fleafed him .

de-fleaed , not flea fed !

@Pudmyboy

Thank you , she's very photogenic in a Hallowe'eney way
But more than happy to use those claws "Well my mother sent me into this world equippped so why not"

We can tell which cat is which (they are pretty identical) because she walks with her claws tapping the floor ! Click Click Click

OMD there is a grown up version of the kitten I posted upthread!

I take mine to the vet to get his claws clipped. It's included in the monthly healthcare thing so I don't pay extra for it.

@softplayfail
What a lovely thread and Peppa is a sweetie! Just wanted to say be careful with shoelaces or any kind of long narrow fabric in case Peppa chews and swallows it. I speak from an experience when I had to hang onto one end of DD's trainer lace whilst very distressed DCat allowed me to gently remove it from his throat. It was awful for him. Vet trip followed but all was ok.

No no we're not keeping him at all she said 3 days ago