Please read. Very concerned about neighbours new kitten and urgent advice needed!

[CrazyCatLadies]

As a non cat owner, this is my first foray onto this particular part of MN. I didn't want the hyperbolic outrage of AIBU so I came here to get sensible and reasoned responses! Thanks.

Last weekend, the children next door proudly showed me their new kitten. It's a beautiful little thing.

They had just brought her home and told me she was 6 weeks old. First concern.

Then, this Saturday morning (and now 7 weeks old), she came into our garden through a gap in the hedge at around 9am. I took her home and told the neighbours she shouldn't be outside alone. I had woken the parents up by knocking as they were still in bed. They took her back and said the childen must have let her out and they'd speak to them. The children weren't outside at all.

But, last night, at 10pm, I was sitting in the garden and the kitten came into the garden again. None of them were in the garden with it and the children were in bed at that time.

My partner took her back round and explained that the kitten was far too young to be outside unsupervised and needed to be at least 4 months old, spayed, vaccinated, microchipped and settled into her new home before she was allowed outside unsupervised (sorry for any inaccuracies, we've never owned cats and this was a quick Google check!)

I have heard them in the garden with the kitten and talking to it and understand that this is already a much loved pet but I am very concerned about this kitten and its welfare.

I can't do nothing. Hopefully, the neighbours will have taken on board what my partner said and not let her out again but that obviously doesn't change the fact she was rehomed too early and I have no idea of the impact of that (but assuming both health and psychological implications?).

Aside from the cat specific issues around this, we have foxes and owls in our gardens and, from my garden she could get straight through a gate and down onto the road.

My gut feeling is that, if she does come into the garden again, I won't return her and will take her to the local vet to ask for advice. But I'm also not sure if that's appropriate or even legal!

Does anyone here have advice or a better solution. Thanks.

Oh this poor little kitty. I was the opposite when I got my cat (now 17). I wouldn't even let her out of my sight indoors! Getting out of their house once could have been an accident. Twice was extremely careless. I get it that it's been very warm and we want our doors open, but there's ways you can create a barricade to stop a tiny kitten. If it got into my garden a third time (and I hope that it if escapes it follows the same route to you) then I'd be tempted to keep it in my house and see how long it took before the NDN even started looking for it. Outside alone at 10pm is shocking, and it's lucky the kitten found you. If they're that unaware of it, it makes you wonder if they're following an appropriate feeding schedule.

Sorry most of this is completely wrong for good cat owners!

It is a legal requirement to have your cat microchipped by 20 weeks. A lot of responsible cat owners will have them spayed and chipped at the same time.

It is so irresponsible to let an unspayed cat outside. They can get pregnant from 4 months old, and it can kill them when they give birth as they are too young.

Advice has always been to keep cats inside until they are spayed, yes they can go a bit crazy as they grow up, but you just play with them more and do a lot of cat enrichment until they are healed after the spaying.

OP you are right to be concerned and feckless owners like your neighbour piss me right off. I can imagine they are also the type to go crying to social media about how there tiny kitten was run over or lost when the kitten should never ever be outside at that age.

Please let us know how this pans out. Kitten already has an embryonic fan club going here. 🐱

As others have noted there is different opinions on the best age for spaying.

some think 20 weeks is too young.

apologies re microchipping, yes this has recently changed.

You're doing the right thing. Poor kitten needs someone looking out for her as clearly the family are not equipped to do so!

I was going to say this - they’ll probably just get another one.

This is absolute rubbish. Every cat should be spayed or neutered. Most people who are responsible pet owners, will NOT have let their kitten out before this. Otherwise they will fall pregnant immediately and give birth at a very young age to weak and sickly kittens. The rescue centres are full with irresponsible people’s cast offs. It’s is totally unacceptable to allow your cat to become pregnant in such a way.
You are doing the right thing by being concerned about your neighbours kitten. Poor thing will probably end up killed on the road! They sound as though they don’t have a clue or give a damn!
I would probably do same as and take kitten but no doubt, they will just replace with another poor sod.

Maybe if the kitten vanishes they’ll decide to be more careful next time.

As for ‘letting mum do her thing’…. Mum & kittens, if they’re lucky, will end up at a rescue & be rehomed to people who actually know how to look after cats.

If they're that unaware of it, it makes you wonder if they're following an appropriate feeding schedule.

That's exactly the point my partner made.

TemporarilyCantDoMyself

I shall do. Although I'm really hoping the update will be that I haven't seen it in my garden!

For clarity, I have nothing against the kitten itself. I love cats. I just don't have one!

I really hope they wouldn't just get another one.

Anyway, thanks. And I will update.

This !

poor thing will be dead, pregnant or battered by the local tomcats being able to get out

Drive it to a vets as far away as you can manage and say you found it by the side of the road. Hopefully it will end up in a shelter / being rehomed appropriately rather than the neighbours getting it back. And although I agree they'll probably get another, hopefully the upset of losing one will make them be more careful second time around.

Yeah, I'd do this.

I'd also make concerned noises about the fox you've seen around lately.

Waiting til six months to spay a cat is outdated. Four months is good and some shelters will do it much younger. My dog (I know not a cat but still) was done at six weeks by the breeder! He grew up perfectly normally and lived til he was 15.
It is, as mentioned, a legal requirement to have a cat microchipped by 20 weeks.
OP the poor thing is probably so discombobulated from being wrenched from its mother far too young and I imagine the kids are playing with it far too much - it needs to sleep! They do not sound like they care and when the kids get bored bye bye kitty.

When our cat had kittens, pregnant feral rescue cat we homed and then spayed, we didn’t let the kittens go until 12 weeks, vet advised 8 weeks at the earliest.

If your neighbours kitten came in again I’d take it to a local vets as found. They sound totally irresponsible.

That kitten should not be outside, she should be vaccinated at 9 and 12 weeks then spayed at about 20 weeks. If she goes into her first season before she’s spayed the neutering should be delayed until after the season. This is why there are so many unwanted kittens, she could get caught pregnant easily, it’s like letting a 12 year old carry a pregnancy. They are not fit to have the kitten, boils my piss.

Whats even worse is this little kitty may easily get taken by a fox. Take the kitten to the vets far away as someone else suggested and say you found it. I volunteer at Cats Protection and we have a relationship with local vets where we will take cats that have been dumped at the vets.

Yes. Kidnap it. Your neighbours sound like idiots with a Disney idea of 'pets'. Please involve vet.

100% dont sent her back. Veteran cat owner here and I also used to foster pregnant cats for a cat sanctuary. 7 weeks is TINY. An owl will take them as a snack as will a fox. She should be with her mum still!! 100% shouldnt be outside

Poor little thing on one hand but lucky to have you who cares on the other hand.
Similar situation to one I was in a few years ago. We live in a high traffic area, and with a large cat population. My main concern with our kitten was one of the other territorial cats getting to it. I ended up taking it in myself, I explained to the kids next door that sometimes cats choose their own homes rather than the other way round but the cat was still ‘theirs’. Explained to them about how the kitten was at risk and we could keep it safe at my house until it was a little bit older, and they would come and help feed it. Was able to get it spayed at the vets for free. The parents didn’t give a shit about keeping ownership of the cat after I mentioned having taken the cat to the vet (didn’t want to pay vet bills) to them. The cat lives happily enough now between both homes. Not suggesting you must do the same, as not everyone has the time or inclination understandably! But I would take the advice suggested on the thread if not.

I would definitely catnap the kitten and take it to the vet saying you found it. Of course your neighbours may get another one but hopefully they won't.

Some people really should not have pets. Hope they look after their children better than they look after the kitten

I wouldn’t have taken it back the second time, I’d have taken it to a rescue or a vet and said I’d found it. They sound like terrible cat owners.

We have a now 9 week old kitten - had her first vaccines and microchip today. We watch her like a hawk as she is very agile. Have a large dog pet tent to take her in the garden safely for fresh air. I do despair of people taking on a cute kitten without the understanding that they take A LOT of care and attention.

I am glad she has someone keeping an eye out for her.

Any chance that the children have the age wrong? Or was it the parents who said it was 6 weeks?

I'd drop it at local vet..by law it needs microchipped..which it won't be because vet will know they are irresponsible twats taking it from its dm far too young.

Deny all knowledge if they come knocking.

Yes. If it 'goes missing' you do not need to fess up.