Neighbours kittens

[ShadowsShadowsEverywhere]

We've recently had new neighbours move in next door. Towards the end of last week two kittens appeared in their garden, I'm not sure whether they'd just got them or had been keeping them inside for a few days.
One of the kittens kept popping its head over our fence and watching DCs playing.

Yesterday when I went to take the bins out the same kitten was sat on my path mewing. As soon as she saw the open door she was in the house. I ushered her out the back door, but she spent the rest of yesterday coming back in, or playing with the DCs toys in the garden. Every time something made her jump she ran to me and hid under my long skirt! By about 6.30 she was clearly hungry, had jumped up and eaten some scraps in my kitchen and drank DSs milk, so I shooed her back out the front door where I'd found her as she just didn't seem to want to go over the fence back to her own garden.

She was v v thin and seemed confused about where home was. Yesterday she was coming in the windows from the garden and mewing a lot. What do I do if she comes back today? It's obviously more interesting here as neighbours are out most of the day and we are home from lunchtime onwards most days and have a garden full of toys and balls etc which she spent hours playing with yesterday. I'm worried about how thin she looked but don't know a lot about cats or kittens so don't know how normal that is. Any advice would be v much appreciated!

Is it also worth putting your local animal shelters on alert to let them know that if these kittens come in, you will house them immediately?

If they got rid of the dog at the drop of a hat, they might also do the same to the kittens, and offload to the same place.

We are rehoming a cat through Cats Protection at the moment and our contact there is a lovely chatty lady who would definitely listen with sympathy to this story and try to help (without sending officers round to drop you in it).

OP hopefully when he goes back to work the cats will be let out and you can check they are ok. If they do come back to visit you don't tell any of your neighbours. If they can't see into your garden someone may have told them. Or they may have just gone looking.

And well done on keeping your cool. He is obviously a bully. And all bully's are cowards.

If you do not see any sign of the kittens, they might have been taken to a shelter. You could call them all and check.

YY to check local shelters as they may have handed in the kittens and didn't want to tell you. Shadows, you did everything you could for them. Please don't say you let them down. You were their saviour and will be again, for sure.

Still no sign of them being let out, neighbours are keeping all windows shut.

I'm doubly stressed today as while I was in the shower I've had a note put through the door on county council headed paper saying that I wasn't in when they called and can I ring a mobile number and they will "explain the reason for my call" wtf is that all about? I don't know whether to ring it or whether it might be a scam?

Had to call and cancels the vets appointment this morning, and while I was hoovering I found the blanket the cats always slept on under the lamp table. It smells of them.

I went to bed really early last night. House just seems so empty in the evenings now, and I felt really alone. I hope they will be back soon, I can't bear not knowing if they are ok.

Oh Shadows

It is horrible not knowing

I would ring round local shelters, as others have said, just in case they have taken the cats elsewhere

You do have photos of them remember - which could establish identity

Otherwise I guess you still have to sit tight & wait - unless you think there is anything to be had from asking the neighbours straight out (unlikely to be helpful I know)

Shadows you can google the number on the council headed paper before you rung it and I suspect Google will bring up some results and you'll be able to see what it's about.

I've rung it. I'm getting a visit from a social worker this afternoon because DS has had two visits to A&E in 4 months. Just what I need. Am now going to have to frantically tidy and clean everywhere. I think if I get any more stressed actual steam will come out of my ears. Once I've dealt with this SW visit Ill start googling local shelters so I've got a list of numbers to call.

Don't bust a gut cleaning and tidying, Shadows! Surely you'll come across much better if you're calm and relaxed when speaking to the social worker than if you're stressed and tired from cleaning up. They want to talk to you about your DS, not do a Kim and Aggie on your house.

I'm sorry to hear about the kittens but you've done SO much for them already. Just wait and see what happens, would be my advice.

Just a formality visit, Shadows
Don't panic

It's hard not to panic! Ok do I put chickens away - are they going to think chickens free ranging = hygiene hazard from the poo?
I have an actual tree in my living room - we are talking massive dead tree with fairy lights. Is that going to be seen as a hazard - DS has climbed it and fallen off once. I could drag it out the back until she's gone?
Don't know what to wear either.

Shadows, honestly, it'll be fine.

If there was a hygiene hazard from chicken poo you'd all be dead already.

People have far more dangerous things in their houses than a tree with fairy lights on.

Wear something clean and comfortable that you'd normally wear around the house.

Chickens ..fine
Tree with fairy lights... fine
As long as you are not naked... fine

I think I need wine rather than tea

DCs are both asleep which means they will wake up hungry when SW gets here and therefore be grumpy.

I've put out all my incense sticks because they are actually a fire hazard and although I know the DCs wouldn't touch them, they are at a height where they could potentially burn themselves. It's because she's coming about accidents, I am suddenly seeing "unsafe" written all over my house!

I'm going to go and make lunch and try not to think about anything else. Sorry I've veered off the topic of cats, will get back to cat posts later

Arf at crazynanna, no I'm def not naked

Try not to panic.
Wear something clean and so long as there isn't rubbish and poo knee deep it will be fine.

Just a thought but you said that NDN have a newborn. Is it worth mentioning your concern to the SW when they are there?

I think you need to contact RSPCA, I know its awkward but make it anonomous call about concerns re the kittens.

Hope the visit from the sw goes o.kay.

Yes, tbh I was thinking that, girliefriend. God knows what might be going on and they've already demonstrated an utter lack of knowledge, care or maybe both.

How is everything, shadows?

I've been reading & lurking up till now but just wanted to check if you're ok OP?

Hi yes am ok. SW came and went, she now needs to speak to ex but if our stories match as to how DS broke his leg she said it won't go any further.

I just am finding everything so hard this week. It's my birthday next week and I can't really afford to do anything. I'm no contact with my mother. My father is dead, it'll be the first birthday that I'm not with ex. My rents gone up, DS has a nasty infection in a cut on his hand and is teething, DD is going through super difficult phase of shouting at me and deliberately weeing on the floor because she misses her Daddy. My mother is bombarding the house with phonecalls and texts demanding I speak to her and I have to pay for a new shoes and wellies for DD before she starts nursery and I can't really afford it until the following week. All of that had faded into the background while the kittens were here. I was so zen about everything because my days started with lovely cat cuddles and ended with them. And now my days are just one huge horror of stress and worry, I'm oversleeping in the mornings again and the evenings feel desolate.

I thought I heard the thud of little paws racing up next doors stairs earlier so I think the kittens are still there. Maybe I need to accept that they aren't coming back. What if they never let them out again, or are only letting them out when I'm not home? Maybe I need to get a kitten of my own and risk ending up with three, or even four. I could cope with 4 (she says).

Oh and DS fell down the stairs earlier, as if the taunt my idiocy at trying to remove all hazards before the Sw came, he decided to demonstrate that some hazards can't be removed. I'd forgotten how horrid that serious of thumps sounds and that delayed crying when they hit the bottom. So that's something else to worry about!

Oh Shadows, what a grim day you've had - lucky it's nearly over. Have an early night and try to get some kip in.

The kits are prob still next door if the windows are shut, don't worry about it. They are bound to get back to you soon.

Sleep well. Tomorrow is bound to be an improvement.

Shadows, I just wanted to let you know that I would have done exactly the same in your situation and well done for being brave enough to do what was best for the kittens. I'm really sorry that life is throwing you so much crap at the moment and hope this all passes for you soon. One day at a time, one problem at a time.