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!

shadow shadow shadow, listen to your good friend wantacat here...

There is absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, no chance in shiny hell those horrible people would bother paying a penny to micro-chip their kittens that they would then leave to starve and wallow in their own cat poo and wee for two weeks. NO WAY.

I have just read the whole thread and was wondering from early on whether suggesting to NDNs that as the kittens have adopted you and DCs love them perhaps you could buy the kittens from them?

I'm thinking it's an out for them without losing face, and all would be out in the open.

You do need to post more pics though

Shadows I'm so happy for your new feline family members. I'm gripped to your thread.

Can I suggest though that you don't exactly lie to the neighbours about where the cats are? If they are seen coming out of your catflap or sitting in your window as cats are wont to do, the neighbours would click immediately that the cats have moved house. You really don't want these neighbours to think either that you've deliberately taken their property or that you actually want them at all. As soon as they think you want the cats they'll start demanding money or accusing you of theft. Suddenly these cats will become their most precious thing and their apparent value in terms of cost will rocket. If they ask you, I'd just keep up your line that the cats keep coming into your house and you can't really stop them. Act a bit like it's an inconvenience but you don't mind too much. Then drop in a comment that of course somebody will need to pay for their innoculations - that will send the neighbours scurrying away. I'd even throw in a roll of the eye and a tut saying you have an allergy to cats so you don't want to take on responsibility for their vets bills or flea treatments but you might be prepared to do it if the cats keep on coming in.

Good luck.

That puts my mind at rest thecatneuterer as I was having scary dreams last night of taking them to the vets and then finding a chip and the police turning up at my door. I also like haffs advice and that fits in with a comment I made to her that first time we spoke about the kittens where I said "I obviously don't object to them coming in occasionally, but I wouldn't want you to think I was trying to steal them" and she took that completely at face value.

I also agree that it's very unlikely the kittens will be chipped. I'm just so bloody anxious about getting them to and from the vets and getting it all sorted. I've got all these what ifs going round - what if the neighbours turn up as I'm loading the kittens into the taxi, or unloading them, what if they've already registered them at that vet and the vet says "these aren't your kittens". What if the vet asks for evidence they are mine? What if what if what if. I will feel much happier when it's all done. It's probably going to be next tues by the time I can get them there anyway now as my money doesn't come through until next week, so I may actually have to smuggle them out right under neighbours nose . I will probably have to do a manic dash with box under a blanket from front door to taxi while DCs charge into the road and get squashed as a distraction. Will they remain flea free leaving it til next week?

Re sitting in windows that won't be visible to next door. The front of the house is the kitchen which runs the length of the house. They aren't allowed in there. The only other windows which face the front are DDs bedroom and the landing, both of which they avoid as they are packed with stuff. They sit in the living room windows but they face the garden and there isn't clear sight to them from neighbours and same goes for the cat flap. Obviously I'd they go and stand in their garden and peer through the fence they'll be able to see them but they barely ventured outside in the hot weather, there's still washing on their line from 4 weeks ago!

I'd help off on photos as I'd worried about them finding the thread but the photo I've already posted makes that pretty pointless doesn't it. Will post a few more pics in a minute. Thank you everyone for all the input and support, I never dreamt I'd have a kitten thread

Here's a couple including DD putting them to bed! I will try and get some better ones tomorrow

This is a lovely, lovely thread. Well done OP.

Cat Neuterer

I have nothing else I add OP but well done you!

I just worry you will go to all the expense and then they will snatch them back off you, as they are your NDN's, and you will be heart broken.

green snatch them off me and do what exactly? Keep the cats shut in their house for ever? As soon as they let me out they'll come back. From what I understand from thecatneuterers posts once they are chipped to me they cease to belong to the neighbours in a legal sense anyway. Quite honestly I'm not worried about that, because they would have to have a means of keeping the cats away from me/my house permanently and that just isn't possible. I'd far rather go the trouble and cost of doing right by them, making sure they are flea and worm free, have been neutered as that's the best thing for them. I'm not going not do all of that on the off chance I lose them, that way lies madness - after all I'd better not book a holiday next month as the plane might crash, I'd better not go out later incase a car runs me over etc.

I will fight for them if it comes to it, there isn't anywhere neighbours could take them that I wouldn't get them back from. And tbqh as cats don't go out the front they'd have to climb into my garden to snatch them and I'd have no qualms ringing the police if I spotted anyone in my garden.

Btw I LOVE the smuggling in birthday paper idea! That's fabulous

When I was little we rescued a cat who was being neglected by people banned by the RSPCA from keeping animals. They tried several times to snatch him but he ran away every time like the devil was after him.

He stayed with us until he passed.

I also love the wrapping paper idea. Genius.

Poor babies!!! They would have died for sure

Maybe you could move and take the kittens before the sods get back would be worth it! I am a little worried about their reaction towards you though, do you think it may be worth offering to buy the cats? They sound like the sorts who would rather have money in their pocket than two cats to feed

Vets have just rung. Both kittens registered and booked in for general check up, flea and worm treatment, vaccinations on Tuesday. Then a kitten chat with the nurse who will set up the payment plan thing which will get me free flea and worm treatment, chipping and money off repeat jabs. Then I go back the following week for ID chipping as they don't like to do everything in one go, and I will try to have the neutering booked in for that following week too if they will do it at this age. Cat box has been dispatched according to my email so that should be here soon.

I was a bit surprised but the person I spoke to seemed to think it was better to space stuff out to get them used to coming to the vets and be less distressing for them? Shall I just say that I want them done or would it sound better if I had a reason to need it to be done sooner rather than later? Could I just say that as they're so young and more likely to get lost? Or be pinched? You're right though, I really would rather they were done on tues.

Yes because I can't be definite about their age the vet wants to see them before booking neutering. I will def use the taxi costs plus wrangling two small kids and two kittens as a reason to get as much as I can done in one day. If they insist on me coming back ill book the next available appointment even if it's the following day! I will be on edge for a whole week otherwise!

They are beautiful kittens Shadows. Very similar markings to my little cat who I found as a stray kitten. So neat & tidy with their white shirtfronts!

Definitely insist on chipping at the same time as vaccinations, having to wait a week & make a 2nd trip to the vet will only stress them out again and you will probably be worried about the neighbours until it gets done. No reason that I can think of to wait at that age (I had to wait until my kitten was big enough for the needle that inserts the chip but if yours are 3-4 months old they will be fine)

I need to have an update. You are killing me here. Did the neighbours come back?