Adopted by a stray kitten?

Question

3 days ago a stray Kitten walked up to my kids while they were playing outside and started to play with them. It also jumped up on my lap and started playing in my hair. The strangest thing is that it desperately wants to come in the house. It stuck to my toddler like glue the first night until he came in to go to bed. I fed it a can of tuna figuring it was not going to get any clingier. The next morning it was on the porch at 7 am when my oldest went to school. It disappeared for a few hours, but showed up again last night and ate 2 cans of cat food in a short time. It climbed in my bedroom window (on the ground floor) this morning twice and played for hours in the front yard with my toddler. We live in a rural area and had never seen this cat before 3 days ago. How long should we wait to put a flea collar on it? Hubby wants to get it fixed too. How long should we wait until we do something like that. It will be an outside cat as I am allergic to cat and dog dander

Answer 1

if the kitten is really attached to you and your family it must really want you as a family. i think you should wait a little longer to get a collar and get it fixed because you just never know. anyways the kitten sounds like a wanderer so if you end up keeping it don't get too attached because some cats just come and go as they please. but i think it would be great for you to be the source for it's food and fun and maybe a bedroom with a child!

Answer 2

First, you should seriously consider not keeping this cat.  An out door life is no life for a cat and I am sure a loving home would be waiting for it if you brought it to a shelter.  When they are outside they get sick, could run away, get killed..... just think.  Shelters spay and neuter them and if the kitten is small it will get adopted fast!  If you do keep it, once it is two pounds, get it fixed for sure!  And I really don't want to sound mean or rude, but don't be selfish, this cat would have a better life if you gave it up and let someone else have it as an indoor cat then you keeping it as an outdoor cat.

Answer 3

Don't put a flea collar on it if it is an outside cat as the collars can get stuck on things and hang the cat ( Sick I know but I've seen its victims). When you take it in to get fixed the vet can tattoo (or microchip) the cat so people know its not homeless for quite cheap. As far as flea medication its much better to get flea drops from your vet, just one drop a month and the fleas will stay off of them. Just don't make the mistake of thinking the drugstore flea drops are the same as they contain very harsh ingredients that aren't safe.I wouldn't wait at all. That is so nice of you by the way, good for you for getting it fixed (and shots?).  

Answer 4

Go for it, if the kids are already attached...it won't hurt anything!

Answer 5

It sounds like someone dumped it off and left.

Keep feeding it. If it's desperate to get indoors, you maybe can keep the bedroom door closed and only let it into the living room/kitchen area to avoid triggering your allergies.

Answer 6

Sorry to hear that you are allergic to cat dander.

I also had what i thought was a kitten move onto my enclosed back porch.  It was a determined little guy because it managed to squeeze into a small area at the bottom of my screen door.   Before you go out & spend your hard earned cash it might be better if you check your local newspaper to see if someone is missing a kitten.  You may also want to place an ad in the Lost & Found Coelum.  Put up signs with a description of the cat to see if anyone claims it. Either put your

phone # or address so that the person will be able to get in contact with you.  Please don't just assume it to be a stray because all cats tend to wander but always make it home.  In the case of my stray - i did all of the above while still feeding

it. Two weeks later i found her on the back porch with 4 of her baby kittens!  Managed to find good homes for 2 of them.  I am now the proud owner of a family of 3 cats.  Had them all spayed & neutered & have them strictly as indoor cats.

Don't know where you reside but ask yourself:

Do you really want or need a cat that will be exposed to all weather conditions? I do understand your situation.  My brother has the same problem.   Perhaps you should bring her to a no kill shelter. It would have a chance to be

adopted & have a home where it could really come home to.  I think it is admirable that you are providing it with food & water in spite of your allergy.

Keep up the good work until you reach a solution.  My heart goes out to you especially when some Yahoo Answerers don't  understand your dilema. I can tell that you are a kind hearted person and you'll know the right thing to do.