Friendly kitten visiting - what to do?

[Cecil20]

Hello TCS.

Recently a particularly friendly kitten started visiting our garden. It has been about two months.

It is very small and weighs next to nothing, I personally feel it is too young to be out alone wandering, I've added a couple of pictures. It has a bald patch on it's back and scratches itself a lot, I think it bites it's fur out off it's back too. When I have stroked it it flops on the floor and purrs so much, it meows constantly, as if it is crying for help. It might not be, but that's how it comes across to me. And I have a cat btw.

I have fed it a few biscuits a few times and it begs and begs and begs for more, I gave it a bit of pouch and you can see it has gravy on it's nose and mouth. It always seems to know when someone is at the front or back of the house and pops up out of nowhere so I think it may be sheltering nearby and waiting. If I go in the garden it follows me constantly.

I also am looking out for hedgehogs and feeding them and this kitten takes their food which is a problem but hopefully once I have sorted the hedgehog house out it will stop.

I'm not sure if this kitten is a stray, feral or has a home but I don't want it around 24/7. It could be someone's pet.

From the info I've given does it seem likely that it has a home or is stray?

 

[Babypaws]

He’s probably scratching because he has fleas and probably is crying for help. If you can pet him I doubt if he’s a feral cat. Feral cats are normally afraid of humans. Sounds to me the poor thing is hungry and that’s why he’s small but in the pictures he doesn’t look too small. Could be someone dropped him off which is a shame people treat poor animals like that. To me it also doesn’t sound like he’s someone’s pet either if he seems to hang around and follows you when you go out. He’s asking for help……

 

[FeebysOwner]

I agree with the above. It is a stray, probably abandoned - or not really being cared for by someone else - since it is so 'friendly'. It apparently is looking to you for food based on the fact it is waiting for you to appear outside your house. You can always take pics, make flyers, and ask around to your neighbors to see if anyone knows anything. If nothing comes of that, then contact rescue centers/shelters, look for volunteers on sites like Next Door Neighbor to find a way to get him/her taken care of.

Ideally, while you are doing that, you can set up a safe place for this cat - away from your hedgehogs - and keep it fed and attended to. I know you say you don't want this cat around 24-7, but since you have a cat of your own, you surely are not willing to just try to ignore the poor thing and hope it goes away. S/he really is calling out for help.

 

[maggie101]

It's a stray kitten. My cats hide when people knock. They are not feral. One hides under my couch whenever someone comes over. Where I live no pet is aloud outside without a leash. It will be easier for your cat to accept the kitten at her age. If you are in the US or canada,join the nextdoor app to post her

 

[Margot Lane]

Seems like a winner of a cat! If you determine it has no owner (would local posters help as well?) …might there be room for two? It seems to think so.

 

[Cecil20]

Wow, seems it is pretty unanimous that it is indeed a stray.

When I got up this morning and went in the kitchen, it was there again, curled up fast asleep on the bin waiting for me

I gave it half a pouch and it wolfed every last bit down. My cat doesn't eat all his food in one go so this one was clearly very hungry.

Thanks for every reply, I am going to make sure it is OK and fed for now, and in the meantime try to find its owner if it has one. Will see how it goes.

Thanks for your purrfect replies everyone.

 

[game misconduct]

if you can afford to do so and are willing just grab the lil guy get him checked out at a vet. and just adopt him as your own if your home situation allows it.i wouldnt worry about if he has owners since if they were responsible owners the kitten woud have a collar to id him with call back number etc.the lil guy wants to be your cat you can see it its eyes

 

[Margot Lane]

if you can afford to do so and are willing just grab the lil guy get him checked out at a vet. and just adopt him as your own if your home situation allows it.i wouldnt worry about if he has owners since if they were responsible owners the kitten woud have a collar to id him with call back number etc.the lil guy wants to be your cat you can see it its eyes

100% agree with this: he’s a keeper, been dumped, already winning our hearts………and honestly I think maybe yours too!

 

[Furballsmom]

Will see how it goes.

Let us know

 

[Cecil20]

Trying to find it's owner. Posted on a local Facebook group so waiting to hear back.

If I don't get any news I suppose I'll be taking it to the vet and looking after it as an outdoor cat.

It just follows and follows and follows, crying all the time

 

[FeebysOwner]

Maybe while you are waiting to see if this cat has an owner, you can start asking friends, family, neighbors, co-workers if they might be interested in 'adopting' it?

 

[shadowsrescue]

Please consider finding him a home where he can live inside. Outside life is so very hard for cats. There are so many dangers both human and predators. He is so friendly and deserves a chance at a loving home.

Vet care is really needed as you don't want him not neutered. He will wander far and wide looking for a mate.

Thank you for caring about him. Hopefully you can find a loving home for him. Just be sure if you find an owner that you charge a good faith fee. There are lots of people on FB looking for free cats/kittens to feed to snakes or other animals. If you charge a fee they won't be as interested.

 

[lavishsqualor]

It sounds as if he's really suffering due to all the fleas. Perhaps you could give him a bath using dish soap? That's basically free and it would alleviate a good many of the them. Just be sure to put a ring of soap around his neck first so that the fleas don't all migrate to his face. He sounds really hungry too. Thank you for taking care of him! He knows he's found a good thing in you, and that's why he's hanging around. You're his guardian angel!

 

[Cecil20]

It sounds as if he's really suffering due to all the fleas. Perhaps you could give him a bath using dish soap? That's basically free and it would alleviate a good many of the them. Just be sure to put a ring of soap around his neck first so that the fleas don't all migrate to his face. He sounds really hungry too. Thank you for taking care of him! He knows he's found a good thing in you, and that's why he's hanging around. You're his guardian angel!

Will this be OK on the skin? Would you suggest bringing it inside to bathe it? Probably best because if it runs off while it is wet, that could be a disaster and it could freeze?

Maybe while you are waiting to see if this cat has an owner, you can start asking friends, family, neighbors, co-workers if they might be interested in 'adopting' it?

Yes, am on it

Thank you guys. For now I have put a basket and blankets and food in a shed it can get in so it has nice shelter and food for the moment.

I didn't think of the good faith fee. We are a way off that yet, could still find it's owner but I will keep that in mind. I don't need the money so I'll give it to a cat charity.

 

[Furballsmom]

These might help;

How To Safely Bathe A Cat: The Complete Guide – TheCatSite Articles

“kittens To Good Homes” – How To Find A Good Forever Home For Your Kittens – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Cecil20]

Thank you Furball.

Still have not heard anything.

I think this cat is a girl. You cannot see it's balls and I remember with my cat you could see it's balls before he had his fixing.

It was on the bin again this morning waiting for me

It has been fed. It didn't sleep in the basket in the shed last night so I suspect it is sheltering very close by.

 

[Furballsmom]

Still have not heard anything.

 

[maggie101]

It does not take long for a female to mate with a male Try to get her spade If so she will need to be kept inside or in a catio til she heals good luck! They can mate as young as 3 months old

 

[Cecil20]

Wow. OK, need to sort this out. I wish owners would put some sort of identification on their cats. I suppose that is what the chip is for.

First thing to do seems like getting it to a vet and seeing if it has a chip, surely? If not, then what would you say the chances of it having an owner are?

 

[Margot Lane]

I think if there is no chip, and you have made a valiant effort to locate its owner, you can be pretty sure it’s been dumped. You are doing the RIGHT thing by getting it asap to a vet, not only to answer your question, but to get its health checked and, possibly, get it spayed. Otherwise you will have many more kitties quite soon! Good on you for doing this, and please let us know what happens!