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.

Oh how wonderful, lucky kitten finding such a loving home😻😻 Cats are the best, we got our Dcat a year ago from a rescue and she is an absolute treasure. She keeps me sane!

FWIW I have a husband recovering from bowel obstruction and appendicitis and I seem to be missing a sympathy gene too! And I actually am a nurse🤣🤣 Any sympathy left me about day 2 of DH being at home and I was very grateful to get back to work. When he started telling me the dishwasher needed to go on, I knew I was done!

Enjoy your kitten and your DH will have to look after himself.

😍

Stop trying to sound aloof, op - we all know you're in love too! 😆

@BayCityTrollers glad I'm not alone there. My very low already sympathy vanished when he asked me to pass him his codeine. Which was about 3 cm to his left.
I will update on the vets tomorrow

You need to contact a rescue! ASAP

@LeMoo me? In love? Nah. Not me. I say this while scratching his tiny ears

Which by the way is what you should have done in the first place, they'd of set a trap for the cat and kitten wouldstill have it's mother

My two “found at 3 week old kittens” are now 7 and the size of Jack Russells.

Two countries and 3 houses later, they are the best “I’m only going to take you in for the night until you find a proper home” things that happened to me!

@MissMaple82 there's no point on going on about what I should have and could have done. It's happened. Similar to a lot of posters have said rescues are full. My friend at work has 5 stray cats she regularly feeds purely cos the help is not there. I did my best by feeding the 2 of them. I already feel guilty he's lost his mum but I won't be contacting a rescue. Thank you for your concern

Purring can also be a sign of distress and anxiety

He’s gorgeous.

You must make sure your Dd washes her hands really well and doesn’t put hands in her mouth until you can get a good few doses of wormer in Peppa. Kittens are extremely likely to have roundworms which can transmit to humans and can cause sight problems. Our latest kitten came with a ‘worming schedule’ but still had huge worms coming out once I got a good dose in. Don’t worry if you see worms, you can control them and get rid but he needs several good doses. Get the vet to show you how to squirt the stuff in. He won’t like it!

Also flees - get a wet bit of kitchen towel and wipe round him head. If you see specks of black that disintegrate into red, that’s probably dried blood where fleas have bitten. Again, easy to treat and he will soon be free of them. Just don’t want your Dh to go off him if he ends up itching.

I don’t say the above to put you off - they are easily treated.

He has the potential to be a very bonded pet that will give you lots of love.

@MissMaple82

Bit of a ridiculous comment. OP is hardly to blame for the death of the mother. She's doing everything she can for the kitten. Many people wouldn't even bother and most rescues are full.

@ZandathePanda I will mention this at the vets tomorrow. I'm sure they will though

@MissMaple82 give it a rest.

Ask you vet about kitten formula milk, you can give it to the kitten in a kitten bottle.
If you’ve got a ticking bedside clock you can put it under kittens blankets to sound like mums heart beat.
Definitely no dairy or supermarket “cat milk”.
Is it lapping water or eating wet food? If not you can squeeze a little inside the side of its mouth with a baby syringe (slowly).
Vets will sort him out I’m sure and kitten will be very bonded to you.

This 100%.

Oh do behave

I love this thread! And completely agree with a PP, that he will massively help your husband's recovery. It's been scientifically proven that cats are good healers.

Rescues are full it’s impossible to get them to help

Peppa is beautiful,look at his little pink paws! You're amazing doing this,. I'd do exactly the same. Please don't feel bad about his mum, you did all you could for her but it's still so upsetting isn't it. No suggestions just wanted to wish you luck and hope the vets goes well in the morning, hope you're husband recovers soon to !

Ask the vet to check for fleas and give him a worming treatment.

Just came to say you're doing a fab job OP! Well done on saving the kitten, so sorry about it's Mum. Peppa is gorgeous.

I don't know if its been mentioned but you can get free pet insurance trials for 4 weeks I think? Dunno of it'll work with strays but mention it to the vet tomorrow? I did that with our cat when we first adopted her then shopped around and got a deal with another insurer whist she was covered with that insurance as a "just in case". X

Place marking for more Peppa picture! Please OP

Shameless place marking for more pictures.

Ahh a tabby and white floof! What a darling. He looks a robust little thing - enjoy him

Very glad that Peppa is warm and cosy tonight.