Feral kitten crying outside

susan burg

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There is a tiny kitten in our garden that has been crying for the past 3 nights.  We can't touch her/him.  She cries all night incessantly and I have been leaving her good, water and milk.  She travels around the houses crying, oviously she has lost her mom.  What can I do?  The weather is hot so she is alright.  I call her and she is now shouting beneath my window.  My other cats don't know her and they hiss if she comes around to eat.

Any ideas????

Many thanks from Susan
 

margd

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I don't have any experience with ferals or young kittens but from what I've read, the first thing is to get a trap and get her checked out by a vet and spayed. Check with vets and rescues - sometimes you can borrow one. Also you mentioned you're giving her milk - best to give goat's milk as cow's milk can cause digestive upset.
 
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Norachan

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I agree, the best thing to do would be to try and trap her. If she's used to coming to your garden for food that's half the battle won. Are you able to keep her yourself? If not, get in touch with some local No-Kill shelters who can help with re-homing.
 

msaimee

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If she is a tiny kitten then she's too young to be spayed. Most vets won't spay a cat younger than 3 or 4 months. It sounds as though she either got separated from her mom cat, or a human dumped her. It would be good if you fed her kitten chow. Have you tried to approach her or pick her up? Try putting out some tuna while sitting on the ground beside it and when she comes you can just pick her up. Or you can lure her onto a cat carrier with tuna and close the door. If you're able to keep her or are willing to find a home for her then take her into a spare room in your house away from the other cats. Get her to a vet to get de-wormed and flea medicine. If you're going to keep her, get her her vaccinations. She's crying now because she's scared, hungry and alone. You have a wonderful opportunity to rescue and tame her and give her a wonderful life.
 

StefanZ

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Agree with the others. A tip.  IF you do have the opportunity to catch her yourself and take up, with a little luck she accepts to be picked up, and being carried.  But its wise to have thick clothes.

Another similiar idea, is you have a soft but thick towel frotte-type, with you.  Or even better fleece...   And wrap her in.  Wrapped in, she ceases resistance, and also, is not dangerous.

Btw, the same idea if you ever shall pick up a wounded cat, perhaps hit by a car.

Dont risk to wrestle catch as catch can, you will probably lose... Wrap up.

Train perhaps on your own cats a little. Pretend they are difficult and reluctant to cut nails.

Dont let her meet your residents, till she is vet checked or you otherwise are pretty sure she is healthy, and also, is dewormed and defleased.

Keep her in the beginning somewhere where its easy to clean up - fleas!   But be sure she has both somewhere nice to lie on - fleece is good, and or a little hidey, a type of cat igloo.

Do it as soon you can practically managed. Being a young kitten she is practically defenceless against almost all predators, even if it seems she is good at running away.   :)

As someone said, this is your ideal God send occasion to be a rescuer, an everyday, but yet, true Hero.

Tx for caring!

Good luck!  @Susan Burg
 
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StefanZ

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Ps, there is yet another option, if you happen to get occasion to take him in the spur of a moment, and dont want to risk to be scratched.

Scuffle him by the neck "scruff"  with one hand, you can even lift him up as he is a ktten, and held the other hand his back paws, also carrying part of the weigh, so he doesnt hang totally on the scruff.

He is used to such carrying by his mom, and knows he is supposed to get immobile when held / carried so.

Adult cats are too heavy to be riskfree carried this way, so if you ever do it with an adult cat, be sure you are supporting his back legs the whole time.  But with a slender kitten you can if necessary lift him up a while, no danger with that.
 
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susan burg

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Thank you everyone for your generous advice!!  I am a big animal lover and I have lots of cat experience  
....Unfortunately this baby can only be captured with a special cage which I will check into next week with the local animal agency which has helped me in the past with getting my other strays neutered and cared for!  This is a tiny kitten.

Today one of my other pals, a big white male x-feral who's become a gentlemen followed me to the kitten and sat with her for a while.  She approached him and he was calm.  This is just what the baby needs.  I hope she will come into my group of cats and be accepted.  I will keep you posted on this story.  The problem is that she screams and is keeping the neighbor up at night, waking us and making us into night zombies as we try to aid her!!!!!

Susan 
 
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susan burg

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Btw, she runs when I approach her.  I leave food or milk and watch from afar to see if she eats but she usually just cries.  I will need many cat hours to be able to ever get close so I am giving it some time.  I gave her a carton box today but she seems to be into bushes and at first was spotted up on a tree, screaming!

So there you have it, one more story of a challanging friendship!!

Cheers from Italy!
 

StefanZ

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Thank you everyone for your generous advice!!  I am a big animal lover and I have lots of cat experience  
....Unfortunately this baby can only be captured with a special cage which I will check into next week with the local animal agency which has helped me in the past with getting my other strays neutered and cared for!  This is a tiny kitten.

Today one of my other pals, a big white male x-feral who's become a gentlemen followed me to the kitten and sat with her for a while.  She approached him and he was calm.  This is just what the baby needs.  I hope she will come into my group of cats and be accepted.  I will keep you posted on this story.  The problem is that she screams and is keeping the neighbor up at night, waking us and making us into night zombies as we try to aid her!!!!!

Susan 
Excellent,  so you do have your ready made ambassadeur to help with socializing.   Also, being ex-ferale, he has the immunity system well above average.  So you really dont need any quarantine against him. Its really just a quick check she hasnt fleas, and  you can essentially let them be together.   His good immunity gives also some protection against worms, too.
 
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susan burg

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Ambassadeur!!  Yes, there are three of them ...all living outside and in my garage.  They are hanging out together, playing with the baby and so I have made a big step tonight in making contact with her.  She is getting closer to me!  When she eats (directly in front of me tonight!) she is very wheezy as if she has a bad cold.  

Thanks for your feedback!!
 
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