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!

I agree. You know the cats are in there so get someone round to see them in situ and let them make a decision. I would be tempted to offer to buy the boys from the neighbours.

ah, I like Itsafab's idea. I really thought they took the boys out and dumped them. what do you think, Shadows?

Neighbours' cats aside, I couldn't leave that little kitten you've seen with that breeder.

I can see why you're in 2 minds about the little girl kitten. Of course you want to scoop her up and give her a loving home. My heart would say so too, but my head says be careful. We adopted a small nervous kitten from a cat rescue type place. The kitten grew into a small nervous cat with an extremely vicious temper. We couldn't let visitors or children stroke her even though she'd purr and sit on their laps because she'd unexpectedly bite and kick like a demon. My dad still has the scars . Although we loved her and she lived a long and happy life, next time I will choose a kitten who shows a more friendly and confident temperament like the boys.

As for the boys, I think you probably have to mentally let them go. The neighbours have obviously made a concerted effort to keep them in, so are making it clear they want them, even if they aren't caring for them properly. If they are looking after them properly then they obviously have the right to keep them. If they aren't looking after them properly the best thing for the kittens would be for them to be removed and rehomed, but I honestly don't see how this could be to you. As you live next door the cats would just keep to-ing and fro-ing and the friction with the neighbours would be unbearable if they thought you had 'taken' their cats. Things might still go in your favour - I don't believe the neighbours will want to keep them as indoor cats for ever but I do think you have to say to the hope that they'll become yours in the short term.

So, after all that, I think my suggestion would be have another look around cat rescue places and see if you can find a kitten that feels more right for you.

Sadly I'm agreeing with your post Betty. I've just been back out taking rubbish out and they were at the window again, but neighbours car wasn't so I had a quick nosey (other neighbours out and about, didn't want to be seen peering in a window). Food visible, large litter tray visible through door way in utility room. I think maybe them coming back to the kittens being gone gave them a wake up call. They've kept them in so far, which they should have done initially anyway. They have left food out while they are out the house which they hadn't previously done. The dogs gone. Maybe they are trying to do the right thing by the kittens after all. If that's the case, I've got to let them go haven't i? I can't go reporting people for looking after their cats, or trying to coax them over here if they are being well looked after. They aren't my cats. I will keep an eye on the situation, but think maybe it's time to accept that I need to let go.

Feel really very .

I understand how much you love the boys but I must say that you need to be very careful looking round the neighbours house like this.
If they had suddenly come home, or if someone had seen you, then they could have got very angry, and with good reason.
I think you do need to take a step back.

It's a terrace with the kitchen window inches from mine and right on the pavement - no front garden. I did not go matching through their front garden and peer in. I moved an inch across from my window. I am taking a step back. Ive accepted that they aren't mine, don't need rescuing anymore and that's that. Not sure how much more stepping back it's possible for me to do.

We can't escape the fact that they left them un-attended for two whole weeks though.

It's not exactly responsible pet care.

I've just sat and read the whole thread and can feel how torn you have been over everything.

I suppose it is nice to know they are having their basic needs met now but it would have been lovely if they could have stayed with you, you clearly have a natural cat living thing going on.

Timid kitten would be a worry for me and it sounds like a nightmare house with a those kittens and cats. I wouldn't want a timid kitten and I think you may do well looking for a pair?

I wouldn't not report after them being left for so long, people who do that do not deserve second chances. Probably more likely they figured out what happened while they were away and are aware that they are being watched.

I've been thinking about this all afternoon. My main issue is that I rent and my landlord is a large company. They pretty much hand over the house as a long term let and then sod off and never answer the phone again. Our tenancies all say pets will be considered and of the five houses in the street that are let by this company we've all tried to get hold of them to check before getting pets, had no luck and so just gone ahead and got some! Between us all there's something like 5 dogs, numerous cats, chickens, ducks, 5 rabbits and several goldfish. From what I was told on the phone t'other day I would need written permission from the landlord to adopt kittens and that's just not going to happen.

We all get builders and tradespeople in and then dock that amount from our rent by way of charging the landlord, they never quibble anything or answer the phone. It's highly unlikely I'd manage to get them to send me out a letter.

Obviously that shouldn't mean that I just take any kitten for the sake of it, but it's a factor. I've also been considering the timid thing. My gut says it's personality. I mean surely some cats are bouncy friendly cats, some are lazy cats, some are a bit more aloof etc. I think that's a better description that timid, aloof. She wasn't scared at any point, she didn't show any signs of aggression and allowed herself to be handled. She just preferred to go and sit over the other side of the room and watch than come bounding up to be stroked. But equally if she is timid, and is stressed out by the circs here there is a chance she could lash out which would be an issue. I just don't know.

My plan was to bring her home and then set her up in the utility room initially. I can shut the door to that room so she won't get the kids charging at her, it's warm in there, have her food, litter and some toys and bedding in there. DD is back at nursery, DS naps for 2/3 hours a days. I'd try and spend some one on one time with her every day, try and handle her a bit every day, use treats and toys to try and coax her out of her shell a bit. And just build from there. Once she got used to being around me I'd gradually let her into other areas of the house, but she would have the refuge of that room to return to if she needed to. It's also got some boxes at the end which the boys used to hide in if the DCs didn't take the hint that they wanted a sleep so she would be able to retreat out of DCs reach if one of them got in there.

I mean, if the general consensus is that she is pretty much guaranteed to turn into a walking set of claws and teeth then I will rethink. Does timid always mean aggressive?

I know I sound like I'm doggedly clinging to the next best thing to the boys, I'm not, it's just that having been in that house yesterday, and being a fairly emotional person, I'm finding it incredibly incredibly hard to consider leaving her there to suffer god knows what. Does that make sense. I mean, for a few fleeting seconds I nearly started loading kittens under the buggy as an escape attempt!

I've had three timid nervous rescue kittens, all from similar circumstances to these you describe. Houses were dirty, noisy and over run with badly cared for, un neutered animals. Plus an ex-stray.
All have settled well and calmed down farly fast. I used a Feliway plug in diffuser thing from the vet with one, and a dog crate with the stray as he was so scared he was vicious. The stray calmed down massively once he was neutered and had his bad teeth fixed, the three girls came round , two within a few days and a month for the other older one.
Plenty of food, somewhere to escape to and a calm warm environment and Ill bet she'll be fine

Oh, and I've got a four year old so its not exactly quiet here :)

I mean, if the general consensus is that she is pretty much guaranteed to turn into a walking set of claws and teeth then I will rethink. Does timid always mean aggressive?

She is not guaranteed to be aggressive at all. FatCat was adopted as a 6 month old kitten. The CPL were reluctant to let us have him as he was, apparently, a scratcher and my youngest 18 months old. He lashed out once on his first day and has never done it since - he is now 7. Our next cat was a tiny timid kitten and grew in confidence if not stature during her time with us. She never went for anyone despite being carried upside down and back to front by the aforementioned 18 month old.

There are no guarantees with cat behaviour at all.

mrsSnail did you start them off in one room like I've posted or did you just let them explore the house straight away? I've googled and there seem to be conflicting ideas about which method is best for timid cats. Your post is v helpful though, thanks. It's funny that of everyone that's posted about having a timid cat, they've all described them coming round eventually or fairly quickly.

And another example! Thanks Owl (and hello!). See this is what I thought, but got worried when aggression was mentioned. I think I'm going to go for it. It's my birthday present to myself, an unpredictable present, but then I quite like unpredictable .

Same question to you actually Owl, did you let them explore straight away or start them off in a smaller space initially?

Tigger, the stray, was in a crate till he was neutered, then one room, then the whole house. Two girls had the run of the house straight away but with a hiding place, one girl lived in the kitchen for a while as she had to be neutered while pregnant (kittens died inside her) and it was touch and go whether she survived, which she did, after several sleepless nights :)

I remember FatCat hiding under the sofa so I don't think we confined him to one room. I might have confined him to the kitchen and utility until he'd used the litter tray but I honestly can't remember. I think it's unlikely because of the aforementioned 18 month old! Keeping anything confined to one room would have been impossible :)

Giving them the run of the house lets them find somewhere they feel safe, I've got one that lies on the floor and rarely climbs higher than the sofa and one that can go from front door to back door without touching the carpet, they would not both feel happy in the same place

Yes, DS is younger than that Owl, he is fairly erm ... strong willed! Well I'm getting her home in the morning and DCs not here, so I can probably make sure she's used the litter tray and knows where it is, has had a little explore while I back off and then I will play it by ear. I suppose the counter argument to shutting them somewhere is that if the small grabby toddler gets in that somewhere then the cat doesn't know where to retreat as the rest of the house is scary and unknown. Whereas if she's found a selection of bolt holes she may feel more secure.

MrsSnail that sounds very stressful and traumatic, but glad that everything worked out for them all!

Thinking about it when the boys first started coming in the house they were fairly petrified of the DCs which is why DD crawled about finding cat hiding places and putting blankets and treats in them. And Merlin did once scratch and try to bite me when he first came in as I hadn't realised he was there and made him jump, but he very quickly softened and was the most affectionate towards the end. So I can't have handled that too badly.

I think I get up and out tomorrow, go via the pet shop to get flea comb and maybe a few toys, and then pick her up and taxi it home (can't really take a cat on a bus can I? ) Then we see what happens.

Monday morning I'm going to make two phone calls. One to the lady I spoke to before at cats protection so that I know my concerns re the kittens is logged, and one to the vets to get new kitten seen ASAP. I don't want flea riddled kids!

Exciting shadows

I'd probably start in one room with a nice safe hidey place, food and litter tray until kitten is coming out of her hiding place happily and knows where her food and safe place is, then open the door and let her explore further. One problem with letting a timid cat have immediate free rein is that they are buggers for hiding in seconds and being impossible to find.

We lost a kitten for hours and thought she'd gone for ever when we found her hiding behind an open drawer in a chest of drawers.

When we got BoyCat and GirlCat from the RSPCA last year I bought a cat book as I had had FABCat since 1994 so it had been a while since I had a kitten. This is what we did, after reading the book, and then going by what the cats wanted.

I drove the cats home while DH drove the kids home, slowly --got all emotional then . I put the carry case in the kitchen and sat at the table reading the paper. I had shut the doors but the kitchen is big and they had access to the utility room as well. A litter tray was prepared, actually two, and some water was available. I read the paper and ignored them as advised.

The kids came in one at a time, very slowly and quietly.

The next day we allowed them into the lounge and dining room as well. I am not sure how many days they weren't allowed upstairs for but I would guess a few. Then they had free reign and were totally fine.

They were kept fully in for five weeks.

By this point I had taught them to come to me when I shouted tea time and they were learning their names.

We have had them 15 months and now they do what they want and rule us all.

Still scared of the hoover so I sometimes only get half a room done if they are about, beds take all day to strip and make if they are asleep on it and I have stopped setting the washer to come on at 5am to give me a start as they were scared.

I am in charge, of course.

When we initially saw the cats, GirlCat came out straight away to make friends and BoyCat hid in his den. On day 4 of visiting (no children at this point had visited) BoyCat climbed up DH and I think that is when BC really bonded with DH. Since we have been home BC has been more of a lap cat and more demanding of affection than GC. So you never can tell.

She is the brains of the outfit. She has learnt to sit and give paw on demand and everything is on her terms.

BC is more of a hunter, before we went on holiday he would travel quite a way to play and is more vocal. Since we got home he has stayed home a lot more.