Finding a kitten and keeping them

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

We found a young kitten on the street in the summer. She was very, very skinny and dehydrated, not chipped and couldn’t find her owners. We put posters up and posted on social media loads and loads but the vet said she was as likely feral (she didn’t seem so to me - she seemed socialised) and since she was not chopped or neutered, and needed a home, she might as well be ours so we ended up keeping her.

That was in June and she’s about 7 months old now and I’m just looking at her sleeping on her favourite blanket on the couch, and just thinking about how - at what point did she decide/ accept/ claim this is her home? She’s the most cautious of the outside of all of our four cats. Plays outside for five mins at a time but then comes hurtling back in when it gets too much, and she spends the majority of her time inside and is very attached to us.

The other three came to us as kittens (at different times) raised with their mother in a home until they found their new home with us. Their acceptance of their new home feels less significant but the kitten - it feels more so. Did she have a moment where she thought - ok they have food and warmth and they keep me safe. I’ll stay here if I can.

I wish cats could talk so much!

She was so lucky you found her. She, and your others, must have such a loving home.
I wish cats could talk so much
I’ve seen videos of pets with talking buttons they press. Their owners have full on conversations with some of them -a case of be careful what you wish for!

I totally get what you mean. My cat moved in with us from being homeless battered and bruised outside our house for a few months. We live in the middle of nowhere with only a couple of neighbours so I’ve no idea how he’d been getting by. The vet said he was about 4 yrs old. I often wonder if he remembers how shit it was being outside all the time and thanks his lucky stars he got to love in.
I don’t think he does though, he’s so bossy and entitled like he owns the place now 🥲

That's lovely @GorgeousLadyofWrestling , she sounds like she really landed on her paws with you. What a wonderful, warm and loving home she has with you.

I wish ours could talk (talk). We are introducing two new (but not very young kittens) to our existing two (so also a family of 4 Dcats) and it would be interesting to listen in to what they actually really think.

Although sometimes I don't really need words - food, food, more food, followed by those yummy crunchy biscuity things). When? NOW!

Lovely story and lucky kitten!

We have a very fearful rescue cat who came to us at ten months. The rescue thought she was looked after as a kitten (as she wanted to be petted etc) but then dumped as she’d been seen on the streets eating discarded food for a number of weeks.

She’s been with us for three years and is still pretty scared - will often run away when you come into a room. But at some point this year she decided she felt more safe and comfortable and has just started coming up to me for strokes!

I have a cat who was rescued, with her sisters, from the gutter when her mother was hit and killed by a car. She is so needy and loving and her favourite place to be is on your shoulder. She’s also shown no interest in going outside.

Oi you lot, where are all the photos of your gorgeous cats and kittens ? You know it's the law to pay the cat tax 😹😹

My big boy turned up here at about five months old and just refused to leave. He lived on my doorstep for weeks whilst I tried to find his owners, but no one came forward and eventually I caved in and he moved in. He's not keen on most people, but he loves me with all his heart, presumably because I rescued him.

My younger boy was a straightforward rescue, he's very fond of me but frankly would like anyone who fed and cuddled him....

My DS took on 2 straggly skinny kittens who followed who he thinks were the mother cat then he noticed the mother cat was not around anymore and he found out it had been run over. One of these scrawny little kittens sneaked into his cat flap and ate his cats kibble. She came in when his cat was out or sleeping in his spare bedroom on the bed. After about 10 days the second kitten came in eating his cats kibble. My DS said the kittens seemed starving. He flea'd them because he saw a flea on one of them. He wormed them. He put up posters asking if they belonged to anyone and on the Neighbours website but no one came forward. He caught the female and took it to the vets to get checked for a chip. The vet thought this kitten was about 3-4 months old. He took them both in. Got them chipped and once heavy enough neutered. They are lovely affectionate cats and love nothing more than to sit in his window in the warm looking out at the cold. They seem very much at home. Luckily his older cat accepted them.

Really interesting that those kittens literally rescued off the streets seem to have in common that they’re quite needy and like to stay inside.

I had one exactly like that, he was such a softy. I figured he had enough excitement in his early days so just wanted comfort for the rest of his life 😻