Unexpected kitten

[MooseyMouse]

Hi everyone

Went to pick some strawberries this afternoon and as we were paying the kids spotted some kittens. The farmer said "If you can catch one you can have it" and... Erm... The rest is history!

I've got two older (15ish) cats at home and three kids (7, 5, 2). And now one dark brown kitten which the farmer said is about nine weeks old (but looks tiny).

I'm a mixture of thrilled and shocked. I know we'll need to get him/her jabs, neutered, fleaed, wormed etc but any other advice is gratefully received.

Although s/he's a farm cats s/he's very friendly and asleep on the seven year old at the moment.

Eeeeek!

[Namechangearoonie123]

No advice but I want one!

Picture?

Where was this ?

[spudmasher]

This is pretty much how I got my first ever cat at the same age as your eldest! Magical!
How are the older cats with it? I'd be inclined to quarantine the kitten pending vets advice.
Congratulations!

[MooseyMouse]

Ha ha. I knew I'd have to post a pic and had gone to take one. Here you go...

S/he looks big here but s/he's posing on the tiny seven year old.

It was near Ely in Cambs.

[RufusTiger]

Ahh - gorgeous! We got our unexpected Rufus kitten under (kinda) similar circumstances.

Def keep separate until all tests/injections done. And because older cats will probably find a tiny baby a threat (as mother could be nearby, apparently). Slow and steady introduction.

I'd forgotten how much energy they have. And how they bond with you when they're tiny. Rufus follows me everywhere, and chirps to find where I am if he can't see me.

Not sure what else. he liked wet food little & often, dry food the whole time, and is the cutest thing I've ever had in my life.

Best of luck & enjoy!

[Namechangearoonie123]

He's so cute!!!!

[thecatneuterer]

Good luck with him/her.

Could you contact Cats Protection and give them the details of the farm? The situation needs dealing with (trapping/neutering) and it doesn't sound as though the farmer is going to bother.

[cozietoesie]

I've seen very tiny kittens/cats before in situations where the cats had become seriously inbred. (There are other, mainly nutritional, reasons sure but it sounds as if that could be the case if the farmer is lackadaisical about his animals.)

[MooseyMouse]

That's a good point thecatneuterer - I'll do that. Did you once say that the best way to handle introductions is by putting the kitten in a cage where the others can see it?

I think it's a boy (thanks Google) and the kids have called him Oreo.

[thecatneuterer]

Moosey I hope CP can help.

I've mentioned the cage thing for adult cats - and it's brilliant for very timid/semi-feral cats, but I'm not sure it's necessary for a tiny kitten. However I've really very little experience with tiny kittens so I'm really not sure.

[MooseyMouse]

Thanks all for the advice. Kitten is now in one room for the night. S/he has yet to use the litter tray so fingers crossed.

I weighed him and he's 530 g which could suggest he's a little younger than nine weeks.