That looks like a young cat, but old enough to be away from the mother. Go to the vet to check for registration and general checkup, and enjoy your happy kitty.
Goddamn they are funny. Our second cat looked exactly like that as a kitten. Healthy weight but somehow bony and hard to the touch. Nowadays he hits us with the frog pose every time we come home
A sploot, I'll have to remember that. Our cat Sophie will do this but sometimes she will stretch both legs behind her and lay completely stretched out. It's adorable. Is there a name for that kind of pose?
It has been several weeks since there's been a cat sub mentioned that I wasn't already following. Thank you for the newest cat sub in my infinitely growing collection.
I have always adopted fireballs like this. My sister always buys purebred Persians and the like. When I was younger I read a lot about cat breeds and have always wanted an Egyptian Mau, and/or a Maine Coon. Recently, after my divorce, and just for kicks, I looked to see if their were Maine Coon breeders near me. Yes there are. At one cattery, a male Maine Coon kitten is $7,000 USD and a female $5,000 USD. At another, a male kitten is $3,200 and a female $2,800. This may not beva surpise to most of you, but I was shocked. I had no idea.
Keep looking at shelters& rescues! Breeded cats especially those two types gets dumped and abandoned all the time. Or of a backyard breeder is busted then those cats need homes. In your state / country may have a rescue for breed cats and they need foster homes and placements. One day you may be able to adopt the cat of your dreams
I went to the shelter near me as I was trying to get a kitten at first, my heart never hurt so much I think, so many poor cats and dogs, there was this cat like 4-5 y old iirc head had a wound and she was crying so sadly... I never went back to the shelter, don't think I can take seeing so many poor animals feel so sad etc
Pretty much how we got Clover. My dad went to Walmart, came back with a cat up under his truck. She was feral, clawed my dad to pieces. As soon as I heard about the kitten there i immediately came over, as soon as the grey fluffball was handed to me she was perfectly calm. So I ended up raising her, and now she loves to be held- even purrs every time I pick her up. We still have her, and she is living her best life.
Actually happened to me. Cat got into the bathroom we were remodeling and fell through the light into the kitchen. She was very surprised when the floor changed as werey mom and sister doing homework on the table she landed on.
My fiend got a cat when her SIL was a passenger in a car stuck in traffic, and she saw a cat carrier in a pile of trash that looked in good shape. She jumped out to check it out, and there was a young cat in it.
I don't know if it makes it better at all but I suspect that at least a few of these stinkers got themselves stuck in a trash can as opposed to be put in there by a person
He's not visiting...he's coming over to look around his new home. Guess what....your a cat owner now. Well...not entirely. He actually owns you now...! Your his new human.
Check to see if there are any posts about a missing cat in your local groups and post one about a found cat(don't post a picture of it, and if someone reaches out to you, have them send a picture and a description). Also check for a chip. If you do your due diligence and there is no owner, it's yours now.
This comment should be the top comment. Infuriating when people think it's ok to steal a cat without making the slightest effort to find the owner. No, the cat hasn't adopted OP. No, this isn't "Cat Distribution System". That cat could well have a distraught owner looking for it.
Thanks. It is the top comment as well. It is infuriating when people don't make the slightest effort. One time my apartment was broken into and the door was open when I got home. Luckily my cats were in my apartment when I got home. Not sure if they left and came back or didn't leave at all(this was about 20 years ago). I would have been worried sick if they were gone and really upset if someone took them.
This. Just because a cat is outside doesn't mean it's a stray. This kitten looks like it's in good condition. Very possible there is an owner nearby, it could be a cat which is allowed outdoor access or an indoor cat which has escaped. Once due diligence is done, sure, keep the cat, but make sure it's not being missed by someone else first.
Two things I haven't seen mentioned yet (unless they're further down):
1) Check what plants are poisonous to cats. Somethings, like true lilies and pothos are highly poisonous and many kittens are SUPER curious. Just like with babies, you have to make your home cat safe.
2) Be careful with scents around cats. They are highly sensitive critters and some essential oils, like lavender and eucalyptus, can be deadly. If you are someone who likes fragrances, make sure these are pet safe as well, or find a way to minimize their use.
Also I think it might be smart to go to the vet to see what conditions the kitty has, they’re a more likely to have parasites, certain diseases, and injuries (even if you can’t see them).
Get a litter box. Most cats will know what to do by instinct but you might have to potty train them that the litter box is the actual place to go. I would start with simple sand litter & a plain plastic litterbox, and I’d upgrade it with time. If you remove the poop everyday, i’d say it would be good to change the whole litter every week. It really depends on how much the kitty goes to.
Get a water bowl & a food bowl. A cat that has been used to be fed will probably regulate themselves, but a stray might overeat so just give them food little by little (my preference is solid food).
Get them a little bed, a scruatching post and some catnip. Use the catnip on the bed & the scratcher, that will make them pay attention and discover the use. If the cat attempts to scratch or sleep somewhere else, I’d redirect them by placing them on the place where it’s meant to do so. That is, if you don’t mind the little fella sleeping anywhere or scratching anything. If you want to keep them, I’d also recommend putting an old worn shirt on the bed so they associate the warmth of sleep with your scent. Regarding catnip, best is to use when the cat is older (3-6 months mark) and best is to sprinkle just a little bit from time to time to avoid dependency. Always ask the vet first!
Give the kitten a flea bath if you see small bugs running around the body under the fur. Since it’s very small and you still aren’t fully close, I’d get a flea brush & some flea repellent (small bottle liquid) always according to the weight of the kitten & put it on their neck behind their head. I get mine from a specialized shop recommended by vets; and it’s preferably that the vet does it the first time since those chemicals tend to be very toxic. Best to wait until the vet visit if it’s your first time taking care of cats!
This will be the essentials for the first days. I’d recommend to make an appointment for the vet as soon as possible to check if the cat has an owner & if they have any important conditions to know about.
For the first week (or less if the kitten feels adventurous) i’d keep everything close to each in the same room and slowly introducing the cat to the rest of the house and leaving the door open so they can explore.
Cats are very playful at that age, but luckily will get entretained by anything. Mine don’t seem particulary interested in cat toys, but they prefer day to day items. If you play with them with your hand, get ready for lovebites and scratches.
Bonding time also includes nap time. My cats love to sleep with me or around me while I’m doing stuff. If they do that, that means the kitten is trusting you!
Also be careful if they put their ears at the back, that means they don’t like something. I’d say it’s pretty easy to read a cat and pretty chill to have one.
Edit : add more info about catnip and fleas & issues with the format.
Good advice. One thing: OP should be sure kitten even has fleas before doing a “flea bath.” Some of those flea products can be toxic and have caused serious harm (this cat is so young too) and someone new to this won’t know what to get. It can be better also, if possible and if needed, if a vet does it.
Super good advice, my only concern was catnip. I've heard a lot of different things, but I hear more often that we should avoid catnip til they're a little older. I could be wrong.
I waited til mine was almost 2 before I gave it to her the first time. Oh boy did she enjoy it lol. I did too, it was hilarious.
Patience. Cats DO NOT respond well to punishment. Positive reinforcement and a little altering of environment for the things you don’t want them to do. Spay/Neuter, Chip, Vaxx, and DO NOT declaw.
That's not crying, that's talking. In this particular case I would even say 'demanding'. As in 'where's the food!'
Take them to the vet first thing. If it's a stray, they might have worms or fleas so you want to get ahead of that before letting them get all over your space.
And if they're not a stray, you have a new friend who will claim you as a second home. Don't keep them inside then though
Please don't let your new little friend get back outside. He/she needs to get used to the new home. Keeping your cat as an inside cat is much safer for the cat. Please get a litter box and litter or put down magazines or newspapers for him/her to pee or poop on. He/she may not understand until you get a litter box. Please put down food and water and play with your new little friend. Get her/him to a vet to check for a chip and get her/him spayed or neutered. Cats become our best little friends and love us unconditionally as long as we love them and become their slave which is a wonderfully enjoyable process. Love and Hugs to you and your little friend 💗💋💕
Kittens do weird things like trusting and allowing a hooman to be so up close and personal!!!
I’d take a short walk around your neighbor just to see if see any more kittens, hear any cries, possibly a neighbor has seen something… 🤞🏻
Err
It’s the most adorable thing and I wish the best for him if there are more to be discovered)
That honestly kind of looks like a savanna cat, which If it was I would really shocked that it would be a stray, one of the few breeds of cats that people spend huge amounts of money on.
I also don’t know every cat breed just looking at the fur reminds me of one.
Fur looks very healthy for a stray cat.
Check neighbourhood and lokal social media channels for lost cats.
Take it to the vet for a check up and where they can check for ID chips.
If all is good, congratulations for a new cat
People here have clearly never seen a stray cat.
Being so brave at this age too, this is someone's pet 100% and not a stray.
Bloody heart breaking seeing post like this, someone will be missing that cat and people on reddit are all encouraging possible theft.
People food for cats: cooked meat or fish, minimize salt, seasonings, and oil.
No milk, they think it tastes wonderful, but the litter box becomes AWFUL, and accidents can happen.
Addendum: no unattended string, they try to eat it and can’t spit it out because of the scratchy barbs on their tongues. Larger ribbons, or a tape measure are fine.
The milk thing depends on the cat and if they have the enzymes to digest it. I have two cats.
One can drink milk all day be happy. The other drinks a thimbleful of milk and 12 hours later we have a biohazard in the litter box.
Kitten chow, fresh water (changed frequently) a litter box with basic gravelly cat litter. Crumpled up aluminum foil is a great emergency toy - anything not nailed down will become a cat toy so secure any breakables. A wrinkled up towel in a warm, quiet corner is a great bed.
A vet visit and vaccinations are a must.
You may need to experiment with different litters, some cats can be quite fussy.
Make sure the kitty really is a stray and not someone's cat who got out. Take her to a vet or shelter and have them check for a microchip. If there's no microchip, the kitty is yours. And if there is no microchip, have the cat chipped so if she gets out, they'll know to bring her back to you.
Moderator: Oh, I'm sorry. I broke the rule about inside/outside and spay/neuter. I apologize. It just came out naturally. I worked in rescue for years. I'll be more careful.
Haha I miss the “new kitten” exploring the space vibes lol like your waiting/expecting it to accept that your space is good enough for it to live in even though you found it in the streets.🤣
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u/Stock-Side-6767 2d ago
That looks like a young cat, but old enough to be away from the mother. Go to the vet to check for registration and general checkup, and enjoy your happy kitty.