I found a feral semi-feral kitten

CatmommaFelinelover44

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I have two pigs I am raising for meat...and I am keeping them in my neighbor's barn because I don't have the land for a barn of our own...anyways yesterday,when me and my father went to go feed the pigs,my dad noticed a kitten. I told my mom and she said we should foster it...The kitten does not appear to be sick or injured,they just already have so many cats! they have at least 50-60 in the barn. The kitten appears to be around 9-10 weeks of age,I believe it is this age because it was eating cat food with the rest of the cats. so I decided it was a good idea to foster it and I didnt get it yet,but I am just asking for advice,and please don't tell me just to leave it alone because all the cats in the barn are inbred and not checked by a vet often or at all...so It may not seem sick,but it could hav something in the organs. PLZ.HELP!
 
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CatmommaFelinelover44

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Oh yea and I scooped it up and it only hissed and didnt claw or bite,so thats why I think semi-feral...It was in the walkway so I moved onto a soft be of chicken feathers.
 

Jcatbird

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CatmommaFelinelover44 CatmommaFelinelover44 If you have the kitten and it is old enough to eat on it’s own the a small room like a bathroom is a good place to start it out. It will be scared and want to have a box or carrier I’m which to hide. Remove all cleaning chemicals or anything it can get into from the room. Close the toilet lid. Put a blanket in a box for it to cuddle. Provide food, wet would be goid, a glass or metal water dish and a litter box. Make sure the baby can stay warm. Block off and small places where it can get they are unreachable for you. If it is tame enough, give it some cuddling if it seems to want it. This should start you off if the kitten is not hurt or sick. Show the kitten where everything is in the room. Keep the litter box as far from the food as you can. If the kitten is very young you will bed to be feedingbit KMR of a nursing substitute like goats milk.
If you can update with more information, it will help. Photos are helpful too. How old? Seem healthy? Can you touch or hold it without great fees from the kitten?

If you have not caught the kitten there's More info we can give to help with that too. A feeding spot inside a cage, carrier or trap is how you start out..
You can also start a thread specifically abot that kittens if you want to do that. It might get you more information rapidly. We’ll all be very glad to help here too.
Thank you for wanting to help the baby!
 
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CatmommaFelinelover44

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OMG! Thank you so much...This kitten did not really mind being picked up much and I prob can get pictures later toay if you want and if i can find it,it is in a fairly large barn. we have a half bath that we have put kittens in before because our one outdoor cat had litters. Should I bother doing introductions with my personal cats? one is a 12 pound cat and the other is like 20lbs. Also,how long with a foster usually last?
 
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CatmommaFelinelover44

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i didn't find it when I went to feed the pigs this morning. how do I lure it out? I don't want to use a trap seems how there are so many cats,I might end up catching the wrong one.
 

fionasmom

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I would not jump right into introductions. Find the kitten (and I am sorry that I have no advice as I have experience with barn cats living in a group) and use the half bath that you did before. Once you get it in there you can evaluate for friendliness, get a vet check, etc.

I also see your point about using a trap or carrier, which is the usual way to get a kitten, if the other 50 cats would move on the tasty food you used as a bait. Hopefully some others with barn cat experience can help with that.
 
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CatmommaFelinelover44

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I saw it when i fed the pigs tonight and tried to catch it. I was able to but we still need to get supplies so i put it down seems how i was in a rush to get to karate
 

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Catch and releasing the kitten will only make it run from you. Don't try to catch the kitten again until you are ready to take it with you!
 

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Yes. Get the kitten when you are ready. You can try to let it get used to seeing you and maybe give it food treats from your hand if it will take something.
The only way I have ever been able to get a group of larger cats away is to give them food away from the area of the kitten but be ready to offer the kitten something good immediately after and before the other cats finish eating.
After you get the kitten and have it inside, it’s best to keep it away from your others at first. Will you be able to get it in for a vet check? Ideally, I would get a vet check and shots for it. When old enough, get it spayed or neutered too. That always makes life easier and better. I know that many vets are closed down or unavailable right now. Removing even one kitten from such a large group will help them all. Breeding unchecked makes it hard for all to survive. One less means many less kittens in the future will need food and shelter or continue to have kittens. Thank you so much for helping this kitten and by doing that, helping them all. I have respect for all cats. Barn cats are just as important as any other. If spaying and neutering is possible for them, it gives a better quality of life for all. Most of my cats started out as ferals and I got some spayed through a Barn Cat program that assisted with the expense and transport. All of the kitties were brought in to become inside only cats. Most got adopted but the rest live with me and are socialized. There is a process you can follow to help this little one to adjust and later, to introduce him to your other kitties. We’ll all be here to help you go through the steps or to answer questions or offer support. You are great for saving this little sweet life! :clap2::goldstar:
 

Jcatbird

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It’s only bad in that the kitten may avoid you if it gets scared and with untamed cats, that can happen. We don’t want him to vanish just when you are ready to catch him. Letting him learn that you always show up with food is a great thing. That can begin the taming process. They quickly learn that you are their provider and that instills trust. If kitten will take treats from your hand, that’s a very good thing!
 
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CatmommaFelinelover44

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do any of you have good names for a any gender feral kitten?-looking for like "wild" names
 
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