Lost kitten - help please & general kitten advice

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sonjafoers

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The farmer who owns our livery yard was going to drown some kittens and I sort of semi-volunteered to pay for their food if he would promise not to kill them. As a result I got a text from another livery on Sunday to say he had brought them down from the farm & left them in my stable! It was all quite unexpected as it was weeks ago he said he was going to drown them & when I enquired shortly after as to what had happened he said they had disappeared. Nothing has been mentioned since until I got this text on Sunday!

Because they just arrived I had no time to get anything organised for them so I put them in my trailer to keep them safe and they seemed to be ok in there, I have been feeding them 3 times a day and they were initially starving but seem to be less aggressive over the food now. They are eating & drinking well and are very clean, using the litter tray.

Very stupidly I had been leaving one of the top doors at the back open so they had some light, so when I checked them at half 4 last night 2 had gone - they must have climbed up and jumped out.I just didn't think such tiny things could do that - they seem very young & still have blue eyes which I thought means they are only about 6 weeks old.

I found one straight away but unfortunately one is still missing. I looked for 2 hours last night until it got dark, and I have looked for an hour & a half this morning but no luck. Do you think he will stay in the vicinity, especially knowing his siblings are in the trailer. I am so worried because it is getting colder and he is so tiny. I have left some cat milk by the trailer in the hope he will go to that and hang around. My only consolation is that he is a farm cat so is used to being outdoors, and we are not near any roads or anything so he should be safe in that respect.

Can anyone suggest anything at all to help me tempt him back? I just don't know what to do.

Also, how soon should I let the others out of the trailer to roam around? I was thinking a week but does that sound about right?

Finally I will need to get them spayed/neutered and I don't know at what age this can be done. I have no idea what sex they are and I want to get them a bit used to me before the trauma of the vet so when should I do this?

Sorry it's long, just very worried :(
 
Well done you for taking on these kittens. At 6 weeks old they are a bit young to be away from their mother, I think 8 weeks is the norm. Having said that I have had 2 kittens which were that age and they grew up just fine.

How cold was it with you last night and how much shelter is there around the yard? Your kitten may have found somewhere to hide and it is amazing what they can get into. I would be worried about the lack of food though. Hopefully it found the milk you left out.

I would try and keep them in for a couple of weeks to build up their weight and give them the best chance of survival. Before letting the kittens out they will need to have their vaccinations so you need to get them up to your vet asap. They can be neutered at 6 months old. You may find that the females are already pregnant but, if you don't want more kittens, you can still have the op done with no ill effect.

I hope you find the little mite today.
 
Well done you. Next time you see the farmer tell him to get the queen spayed, if he refuses contact your local Cats Protection league & see if they can help.

Keep leaving kitten milk out, the chances are he will be nearby. Are there hidey hole places around the yard where he can find shelter & warmth? Six weeks is still a vulnerable time for a kitten so I do hope you find him. Good Luck.:) If you need advice don't hesitate to ring the Cats Protection League.
 
Glad you have giving them a 2nd chance. Have you got any friends or family that will take any of them on so you have not got the cost of them all?They definately need to stay in a for a good couple of weeks for them to get used to evrything & that they will come back there as thats where they get fed, 6 weeks is a bit young for them to be away from mum but if they are easting & drinking fine & have got enough straw or boxes with blankets in to snuggle into they should be fine.

If you are willing to keep all of them yourself & give them a forever home, it may be worth getting in touch with the cats protection league or RSPCA to see if they would help you out with the cost of getting them seen to.

Hopfully the little one will find his way back ready for some food today, but I find shaking food in their bowls the best way of them to come running.

Good luck
 
There is plenty of shelter around, lots & lots of undergrowth and my trailer is very near an open fronted haybarn which has been recently filled so he could get in there. It was about 8 degrees last night so getting colder, but it is dry. The ones in the trailer have snuggled down into the hay I put in for them and they seem very warm in there so I am hoping he is doing the same in the haybarn.

Cavalier you say to keep them in for a few weeks but I've had to close the trailer up fully now so they aren't getting much light. I spend about an hour sat in with them 3 times a day so I can open the top doors whilst I'm in there, but other than that they are closed in. Will they be ok like this for a few weeks?

I am only guessing at 6 weeks old, the farmer doesn't know as they appeared one day & he didn't know they were born. I remember being told that their eyes are blue until about 6 weeks so I'm hazarding a guess at their age, they could be younger as they are so small.

DragonSlayer thank you for your offer but there are only 3 (well 2 at present) and I can afford to keep 3 so I'd like to keep them together.
 
Well done you!!

My cat was 6 weeks old when I got him, and he was tiny and seemed too young and vulnerable to be on his own; yet within a couple of days he was very cheeky and getting up to all sorts of mischeif (and still is a year later).

Am sure you have it all in hand, but if you need anything like a spare basket or old rugs and I am near enough for you (Essex) just let me know and I can help you out.

Keep us updated and let us know when you find the naughty kitten - fingers crossed for you.

xx
 
Hopfully the little one will find his way back ready for some food today, but I find shaking food in their bowls the best way of them to come running.

Good luck[/QUOTE]


Yes shaking food, and anything that makes a little sound - like a bell or something.
 
City Mare said:
Well done you!!


Am sure you have it all in hand, but if you need anything like a spare basket or old rugs and I am near enough for you (Essex) just let me know and I can help you out.


xx
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Thank you City Mare that's really kind but I am in Devon so not close enough. They have made a nest out of the hay/straw I put in for them so are lovely & warm at the moment but once they are out & about I am planning on getting them a kennel so I can feed them in there & they will have a permanent warm cosy place to go. We have plenty of outbuildings too so I guess they will find their own hidey holes when they are old enough, and probably not use the kennel at all!

I am back off to try and find the missing one, fingers crossed he ( or she ) will appear sometime soon.
 
Well done for rescueing them, although I would be definately moving livery yards if the owner is so damn cruel! Imagine what he could do to your horse if he's happily prepared to drown some kittens! Horrid horrid man.

All you can do is keep looking for the missing one. Hopefully it'll return. I'd probably put a little basket or something under / beside the trailer with food in it so if he returns you'll see him there.

What are you going to do with the kittens long term? Are they still with their mother? I'd probably take them home and then try and find homes for them.
 
sonjafoers said:
Cavalier you say to keep them in for a few weeks but I've had to close the trailer up fully now so they aren't getting much light. I spend about an hour sat in with them 3 times a day so I can open the top doors whilst I'm in there, but other than that they are closed in. Will they be ok like this for a few weeks?
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Is there any chance you could put some sort of a small holed mesh to cover the opening so light comes in but they can't get out? You would need to make sure they couldn't get their heads through the holes.
 
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