Possible Stray Kitten - Advice Please

ryecatcher_2

I live in an urban area with that seems to have a lot of stray cats. We adopted one big fella into our home (we already had one female from CP) about 18 months ago.

Because we shut our cats in overnight, on advice from CP, we do occasionally see cats in our garden once our cats are indoors. Lately I've seen a tortie kitten rooting through our bins. I'm pregnant at the moment and I'd forced my husband to buy some fried chicken so we'd had that for dinner so the kitten could obviously smell the chicken. Anyway we had loads left so I took the chicken off the bone and put it down for her (I think it's a her?)

Since then I've fed the kitten every day - with actual cat food not KFC btw. I've named her Sparkle in the hope that if she has a stripper name I won't end up keeping her! She has no collar and is always really hungry and is almost always in the company of an adult cat which might be mum even though they don't look alike.

Anyway, long story, the advice bit. We're likely moving house in around 6 weeks time, I'm pregnant and while I'm a total softie 3 cats is a lot. I'm also not sure about taking Sparkle away from her mum. Neither have collars but they look pretty well to my untrained eye. I could obviously call CP but when I adopted our stray I called a lady I knew at CP she said they couldn't take him in and would drop food round to us so we could keep feeding him where he was. I can't imagine they're any less busy now. What to do for the best?

Celli

Best idea I've come across for this sort of situation, is, if you can, fasten a strip of paper round the kittens neck, like a collar,you can fasten the ends with sellotape, write on it asking if the cats a stray, if not, could the person phone you to let you know.
At least then you'd hopefully find out if they have an owner or not.

ryecatcher_2

She isn't letting me touch her really. Longer term I'm totally going to try that but I worry that by the time I convince her to let me pet her /stuff a note around her neck we'll be on the verge of moving out.

Also I walked out the back door last night to grab clothes from the line and she squeaked at me, absolutely freaking adorable - she's too small to meow even. Surely no one with a tiny kitten would let her out without a collar?

cwal

I've got a similar situation, although the stray in question is older (3-5 yrs according to the vet) I ended up putting a collar on her this weekend in the hope that if she belongs to someone (i've called her Rosie) they would remove it and I'd then know she had a home - no change yet though.
I have 2 cats already and didn't really want a third but with the heat we've had recently and now the rain I can't see a little cat stuck with no food and water - now she sits on my window ledge every morning and evening waiting for food!
Have you asked any of your neighbours if they have noticed her/know if she belongs to anyone? Could you take her to a vet to see if she is chipped? They will normally scan them for free?