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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
LeMoo · 20/10/2022 18:16

@MidnightConstellation he was very unwell and weak too which complicated matters but is a fighter and recovered with lots of love :)

NeverDropYourMooncup · 20/10/2022 18:16

Georgeskitchen · 20/10/2022 17:43

Hes beautiful and looks big enough to be OK without mum. Lots of good advice from the PPs but please be aware you may end up sleeping on the couch with him sleeping on your chest.......for a couple of weeks!!

Collarbone and twelve years here.

The twat still hasn't worked out he's about 500 times the size he was when he came in through the door in my handbag.

ShutYerYapAndGetOnWithIt · 20/10/2022 18:18

Sad about the mum cat, but I'm glad you're keeping Peppa, OP. He's gorgeous. You're doing the right thing. I assume you've bought the essentials - cat litter and tray (he'll need prompting), kitten WET food. NO milk unless it's something like Whiskas cat milk. Toys, a bed and/or blanket.

Had cats for over 40 years, I love them.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 20/10/2022 18:20

softplayfail · 20/10/2022 18:09

Husband sent this

He's Peppa's mum now.

Essential recovery tool for appendicitis, a tiny kitten that needs the warmth and stillness - the purring and absolute cuteness heals all known wounds.

Honest. You're helping your husband recover from surgery.

Dreamingof3 · 20/10/2022 18:21

Welcome to the life of a cat mum 😅 from a fellow 'I don't even want a cat' who ended up with a kitten and now she's first to get anything over my 2 actual children 🤣

overthinkersanonnymus · 20/10/2022 18:23

You might need to wipe his bum with some damp cotton wool to help him go to the toilet if he's really young. The mums usually lick them to stimulate the reflexes

unvillage · 20/10/2022 18:24

Wouldn't worry about kitten milk to be honest, it can give them diarrhoea. Wet food and a saucer of water will do him. Good luck! He's gorgeous.

EmmaH2022 · 20/10/2022 18:25

OP this is BRILLIANT and I luffs him.

easier to feed kitten milk from a bottle. He will probably try to cling to the feeding person like it's his mum.

Bless you for taking in this wonderful kitten and thank you for the pics.

ShinyGreenGrass · 20/10/2022 18:26

NeverDropYourMooncup · 20/10/2022 16:52

He looks old enough to be just fine with some tlc.

Yes to keeping him in a hoodie. Kitten food is best for him in tiny amounts, not the entire tin at once - the vet will be able to help with nutrition. Dry food won't work at this age.

Something you will need to do is start teaching him where he can go to the toilet. Each time he eats, take him to the place (small litter tray or box lined with newspaper in the immediate time), place him on it and gently stroke his sides and, if you have baby wipes/damp toilet roll, a gentle wipe around his bum to encourage him to go.

He'll be happier and safer with a little box and a jumper/towel kept near your head overnight - as it'll reduce his chances of getting lost or your DP squishing him whilst he's stoned on painkillers.

As you'll be getting quite well acquainted with his backside, you should be able to get a good idea if he's actually a George, rather than a Peppa, from a photo.

The kitten doesn’t look that small, in a box with blankets in your kitchen or similar, with a small litter tray, with wet kitten food and water, will be fine. Cute kitten

AnApparitionQuipped · 20/10/2022 18:27

DWMoosmum · 20/10/2022 18:12

I was a mum to a two week old abandoned kitten. His eyes weren't even open. I kept him in my bedroom with warm blankets and a ticking clock to mimic mums heartbeat and the following day I took him to the vet ready for them to say he was to weak and poorly and they would have to euthanise him. Instead they gave me a carton of powdered kitten milk, a syringe and told me to feed him at three hourly intervals during the day. I used to come home form work to do so. I also had to clean his eyes but sadly he was already blind as they hadn't been cleaned at birth by his mum. He was blind in one eye and had lesions o the other so couldn't see a thing. I had to wipe his tiny genital area and his bum with damp cotton wool to get his anal glans and bladder to start working properly. The vet told me he may not last but I had that tiny boy for 9 glorious years. If youre willing to put in the effort I'm sure the kitten will be absolutely fine.

Oh, how lovely!

Original poster
softplayfail · 20/10/2022 18:29

I've bought
A litter box, just a flat one
Litter
Every single toy known to mankind
Food, they suggested wainwright's so got some pouches and dry
Dishes
A scratching post
A blanket

Didn't bother with a bed. Husband said he's snuggled next to him and it's better than the codeine

OP posts:
ShinyGreenGrass · 20/10/2022 18:29

No need to bottle feed a 6 week old kitten, and if worried about toilet training, just pop it on the litter every now and again, no need to wipe anything. They can use litter when tiny, quite successfully

QuestionableMouse · 20/10/2022 18:32

I'm probably too late but get some Royal Canin Mother and Babycat food. They do tins or dry and it's brilliant because you can soak the dry to a mush or mix the wet with a drop of water to make a slurry that they seem to love.

Looks 6 weeks or so and should be just fine on kitten food.

Soubriquet · 20/10/2022 18:32

Congratulations on your new cat Grin

Fundays12 · 20/10/2022 18:35

Congratulations OP he is gorgeous. So sorry about his mum though he is lucky you are taking care of him. I have had a few kittens (youngest was 4 weeks and dumped). He lived nearly 22 years and was the happiest most placid cat.

Anyway as others have said lots of blankets as kittens get cold easily. If you have a soft blanket put it next to you once your toddler is in bed as he will most likely need to be near you. A soft toy is nice too for the kitten to snuggle into. He may try to suckle the blanket or groom you with being so young. Pets at home will keep you right with food, bedding etc. I tend to buy my kittens stuff in there as the variety is good.

He will start playing soon make sure you teach him never to play with hands. Encourage him with lots of cats toy's if he scratches you or tries to play bite stop playing immediately and saying no biting etc firmly.

Kittens do need to play a lot so you might find he goes a bit mad at nights in the next couple of weeks. One of my kittens was like the Tasmanian devil at 8.30pm every night. Lol I was relieved when she was spayed and ok to go out as she now dives about my garden instead. A good scratch post and encouragement on using only this is important. Select a room for the kitten in and keep it as the place the kitten sleeps day and night. I recommend it be a room with vinyl or washable flooring as kittens can have pee accidents or misjudge the tray size etc. Keep the food nearby as kittens eat small but often. I always bought kitten milk and kitten food as cat food can be to rich.

My toddler was the same with the kittens. I never left them alone and just keep repeating be gentle but they are too little to understand really. My 3 kids who are 10,5 and 3 adore our cats. We had 3 cats but recently lost our old boy so now only have the 2 female cats (age 2 and 6 months that are half sisters). The are lovely and affectionate though cats being cats it's on there terms now they are older. Cats are great pets for a family and quite easy to care for once they are a bit older (kittens do take more care but it's not for long). My old male cat used to put his paws around my neck and cuddle in as often as he could.

I expect the vet will do a health check on the kitten give you worming and flea treatments etc tomorrow. I would recommend getting him neutered when he is old enough as make cats can spray or be more aggressive if not neutered and also chipped at the same time

ilukp · 20/10/2022 18:37

Hee hee. I love threads like these where the OP isn't that keen on cats, doesn't know what to do with them etc. A couple of hours later the cat has a name, a whole pile of toys and equipment and is staying.

He/she is absolutely gorgeous!

Thymely · 20/10/2022 18:40

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.

It will be lovely! If it's able to eat you are over the worst already, we had one that we needed to give milk to by a special bottle. Keep it warm and fed in a small area if not litter trained, overnight we kept ours in a downstairs cloakroom (with a nice box with cuddly stuff) with a low barrier across the door ( a plank or something) with a litter tray inside it, understood very quickly. They are smart. Child and kitten will probably become very close for life.

Iamacatslave · 20/10/2022 18:42

Peppa is gorgeous.

Original poster
softplayfail · 20/10/2022 18:42

@ilukp when I went outside to pick up the screaming soggy pile of fluff I actually muttered 'we are not keeping it, I just won't see you suffer in the rain'.
Famous last words! I have never been a big animal fan. I really haven't but there's something about him. Plus he's lost his mum. He's welcome to the family.

OP posts:
RaisinforBeing · 20/10/2022 18:43

I had a cat that young who I would carry about in my dressing gown pocket. She was super attached to me and just the best cat ever. It was hard work though as she wanted attention 24/7.

KarenPirie72 · 20/10/2022 18:47

We took in a five-week-old kitten that had been separated from her mum and fed her really small amounts of kitten food from the start and she was fine. Ironically she turned her nose up at kitten milk and went straight on water. To give her comfort, we put a couple of my daughter's small cuddly toys in her bed and also an alarm clock that ticked to replicate her mum's heartbeat. Six years on she's the most loving, sweetest cat. Good luck, OP, Peppa is lucky to have you!

ShakeYourFeathers · 20/10/2022 18:48

😻😻😻

Marking my place for all the kitten updates

What a lovely if bittersweet story.

I love mn for threads like this.

ilukp · 20/10/2022 18:49

More kitten photos are needed I feel!

KarenPirie72 · 20/10/2022 18:50

To add, the moment I knew we'd keep her was when I found myself on my hands and knees on the kitchen floor pretending to paw at the litter in her tray to show her what to do! She was clueless but thankfully caught on fairly quickly.

torthecatlady · 20/10/2022 18:51

He is beautiful and you're a wonderful person for taking him in! Welcome to the cat club!

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