Kitten under the bonnet

Carry · 10-08-2015 8:32pm #1

I've been adopted by a tiny kitten - against my will.
I have a dog who hates cats, so I can't take the kitten in. It would be mayhem.

She turned up in the shrubbery around the houses crying, dirty, hungry, slightly injured (scratched nose).
Of course I gave her food and water and she decided to follow me to my house.
Now she is residing under the bonnet of my car (on the engine) which I found out by accident when I wanted to drive away and I heard the kitten crying while driving. Gosh she could have been killed!

She made herself at home under the bonnet, she comes out for a bit of rubbing and petting and devours her food (tinned salmon filet, for goodness sake! Didn't have any other suitable kitty food in the house until today!).

Trouble is, she can't live forever under the bonnet. I have to double check every time I want to drive away. What if I forget it when in a rush?
And she seems to warm to me, waiting for me to bring food. I'm afraid I'm already falling for her

Second trouble is, that the animal rescues in my area (Clare) don't take any new animals, my neighbour already has two cats and doesn't want a third one (one of her cats is very territorial), the other neighbour hates cats (I hate him, too, the eejit) and generally nobody in the vicinity wants a kitten - it's the countryside, people aren't exactly fond of cats hereabouts, plenty of them around

What can I do? I'll continue to look after her, of course, that is feeding her and bringing her eventually to the vet, when she lets me pick her up. But then?

And besides, can she do any damage to my car engine while climbing around it?

Shenshen · 11-08-2015 9:23am

I'd say let you local vets know, they might be able to advise a pet charity you hadn't yet thought of, or might even be able to arrange a foster home short-term.

And there's no harm in posting this on the rehoming thread in this forum, I guess.

She probably won't damage your car, but it can definitely damage her.

Carry · 12-08-2015 10:52am

Thanks, I will ask my local vet if she has an idea. I have to do it pretty soon, though, because the kitten is already growing on me - and ordering me around: miaowing under my bedroom window early in the morning (how does she know which is my bedroom window?) and demanding breakfast.

Otherwise I 'm going to make her a little box in the shed and hope she accepts it as her sleeping place. If she can survive as an outdoor cat I don't mind feeding her. Though it's a struggle to keep dog and cat apart.

Nody · 12-08-2015 11:15am

Carry wrote: »

Thanks, I will ask my local vet if she has an idea. I have to do it pretty soon, though, because the kitten is already growing on me - and ordering me around: miaowing under my bedroom window early in the morning (how does she know which is my bedroom window?) and demanding breakfast.

Otherwise I 'm going to make her a little box in the shed and hope she accepts it as her sleeping place. If she can survive as an outdoor cat I don't mind feeding her. Though it's a struggle to keep dog and cat apart.

While not directly answering your original question but many people with "cat hating dogs" have found their dog accepting the indoor cat while still chasing all other cats they see. Part of that would be to bring the cat in, get the dog used to the smell of the cat etc. and obviously separation and only controlled visits by the dog until you are sure they will get along.

kathleen37 · 14-08-2015 10:32am

Yes - my dogs were cat haters, until we all moved to my elderly parents and they were hugely outnumbered by the resident cats..

They were never chums, as the cats would have all had the dogs no problem, but there was definitely a truce so all was ok for many years.

I think a box in the shed is a good idea though. Make sure it's off the ground and nice and clean and dry, and you'll be sorted.

With our outside (mostly feral) cats, we always feed them in the shed at the same time of night, and then close them in for the evening to keep them off the roads. We feed again in the morning first thing, so that that hopefully alleviates some of the wildlife/bird hunting first thing too. They get used to the routine very quickly.

All the best and good for you for taking care of kitty!

aonb · 14-08-2015 1:11pm

We too had cat-hating-dogs
Found a half dead kitten, and now we are all cat lovers!
Welcome to the world of being a cat slave - and so well done for 'adopting' this little cat (albeit against your will!)

Definately put a box with a nice blanket in your shed. Good advice to start feeding it only in there - then it will realize that the shed, with food, water and bed is going to be home - and not your warm engine. Understandable that the kitten would like the engine - safe/dark/warm/away from dangers - but yes you have to get her out of there for her own safety. If you can get her in the shed at night, feed her, and lock her in overnight. Then let her out in the morning. If shes locked in everynight for a week or so, she will hopefully realize that this is where she is safe at night

How old do you reckon the kitten is - baby or half grown? What breed is your dog? You may find that the dog will accept the kitten over time. Some dogs will NEVER accept a cat of course - but if your kitten is big enough to get away to safety from your dog, and will use your shed to sleep in and feed in, then you could be a cat owner too!

(You will have to consider having it neutered at some stage too)

Carry · 14-08-2015 2:00pm

Thanks all above for advice and support.

I used to have cats, before I got the dog after my last cat died, so I'm not a complete stranger to cats.
I got the dog more or less by accident, too, a neurotic rescue dog, something with beagle and another hunter/pointer. A dote when with me but very territorial and after everything which moves. And she loves to destroy her stuffed and squeaky toys, which is fine, but I don't want to see her doing it to the kitten. Besides she is old by now and not open to any change anymore.

I call the kitten Cookie now, after the internet cookies which place themselves on my computer, if I want it or not ... yeah, I know

.

I can't say how old the kitten is, a few weeks I guess. Next week it's off to the vet for a snip if it is old enough to do so. And hopefully the vet knows about a good home.

This weekend I'll get a cat kennel from a friend, something with climbing tree and house above (for outdoors). The idea with the shed didn't work out so far. I made her a cosy box and put her food bowls in it. But every morning I have to take her out of the car again and carry her to the shed - to her utter dismay. After her meal she is off again to the car.

Well, it's only a few days now since the kitten moved in, I'll be patient. Thankfully the dog lives indoors and I work as a freelancer from home. So I can keep an eye on things.

aonb · 14-08-2015 2:26pm

COOKIE is a great name

she is only there a few days - she will hopefully learn that the shed is home NOT the car! Keep trying. My feral rescue kitten took several weeks to get her to trust me enough to do what I wanted for her bed/sleeping

Sounds like she has landed on her feet with you - well done for rescue #2! If she is tiny/cute/kitten-like you have a chance that there maybe be someone out there who will adopt her. Maybe put a few notices in local shops/vet/gym etc - you might be lucky. You could also advertise on some of the websites (dont forget the rehoming thread here too)

keep us posted - we need a cause to adopt on here since Finbar (the last rescue/found kitten on this board) - any photo?!

Carry · 14-08-2015 4:39pm

Some pictures of Cookie (hope I got it right with uploading):

Baron Kurtz · 14-08-2015 4:48pm

Carry wrote: »

Some pictures of Cookie (hope I got it right with uploading):

I'm not sure if correct or if a myth has been fostered, but should cats have milk? A right little cutester though!

aonb · 14-08-2015 5:41pm

Cookie is a cutie

Cats are lactose intolerant, and it can cause tummy upset and diarrhea
My Tux loves a little tiny drop now and then though, and goes nuts for cream - she doesnt know she is lactose intolerant!! Are some cats NOT lactose intolerant???

You could give her some natural probiotic yogurt instead of milk - mine loves it.

Shes very young - prob too young to be neutered yet?

Nody · 14-08-2015 6:16pm

aonb wrote: »

Cats are lactose intolerant, and it can cause tummy upset and diarrhea
My Tux loves a little tiny drop now and then though, and goes nuts for cream - she doesnt know she is lactose intolerant!! Are some cats NOT lactose intolerant???

Their level of intolerance varies; in general it's better to give stuff like a tea spoon of greek yougurt (low lactos content) or similar as a treat and water (or cat milk which is lactos free).

Owryan · 14-08-2015 6:25pm

On the milk/lactose thing. I ve recently been adopted by a kitten, some lovely person threw him out the window of their car as they drove by.

He goes mad for icecream and refuses to drink anything but milk. Any ideas?

FelineOverLord · 14-08-2015 6:55pm

Owryan wrote: »

On the milk/lactose thing. I ve recently been adopted by a kitten, some lovely person threw him out the window of their car as they drove by.

He goes mad for icecream and refuses to drink anything but milk. Any ideas?

You can get lactose free milk in all supermarkets.

Alun · 14-08-2015 7:22pm

Actually, while most cats are lactose intolerant, not all of them are.

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/cats-and-dairy-get-the-facts

él statutorio · 14-08-2015 7:37pm

Alun wrote: »

Actually, while most cats are lactose intolerant, not all of them are.

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/cats-and-dairy-get-the-facts

Yep, depends on the cat. Our two are fine with milk but we rarely give it.

Carry · 14-08-2015 8:16pm

Thanks again about the milk thing. As far as my experience with cats goes, the little ones are fine with it, only the older ones might get tummy trouble - like humans. Which doesn't keep them from lapping it up, though.

The milk was a treat to lure the Cookie out and keep quiet for the photo shoot

.
No, not really, it was a treat since she adopted me, full stop. She gets wet food (Whiskas pouches), she ignores the dry food.

I just tried the organic greek yoghurt, which I love myself and always have in the fridge. Success! Cookie is at it like there is no tomorrow. So no more milk, just to be on the safe side.

I'm afraid I don't try hard enough to get rid of her/him ... :rolleyes:

(For entertainment only: my horoscope said for this week, that a new love will enter my life. Yeah, right. Up comes Cookie ...)

Still, she/he deserves better than being a secondary pet. My dog needs all my attention now that she is getting old.

aonb · 14-08-2015 9:52pm

I give my cat probiotic greek yogurt (natural) every morning for breakfast. She loves it (the hens queue up for it - good for their crops - the horse loves it, good for his stomach/ulcers, and we humans slurp it up too) But the cat will still go nuts for a bit of cream (I drain the dregs of the empty carton when I have one, onto her saucer), she also loves milk, but since Im told most cats are lactose intolerant, its like a child wanting sweets - not good for her even though she loves it... so, I give her the dregs of the cream, or a tiny bit of milk now and then, but she drinks water otherwise. A little of what we like is nice sometimes - even for a lactose intolerant feline

Nody · 15-08-2015 8:43am

Owryan wrote: »

He goes mad for icecream and refuses to drink anything but milk. Any ideas?

It depends on what he eats in general; our cats even on kibble rarely drink water and the once we have on wet never drinks any water as they get enough fluid in their food. Leave the water out for more than 24h as well seem to help as well as water fountains (my parents in law cat insisted on only drinking rain water for example).

New Home · 17-08-2015 9:54am

Yay for New Kitty!

I agree with Aonb, Cookie is a great name... and just like with real cookies, you can't have just one!

I was just thinking, if s/he prefers the bonnet of your car to the shed, s/he could be cold. If you could warm up a hot water bottle for him/her (those made with seeds/grains, not an actual hot water bottle...) or one of those cosy teddy bears and put it in her bed with her, she might start appreciating the shed more than your car.

Also, re - lactose intolerance, if you want to give him/her a treat you could give her a tiny bit of cheese - some kinds of cheese, like emmenthal, are naturally lactose-free. Mind the calories, though...

Keep us posted, please

Carry · 17-08-2015 2:56pm

Update:

Cookie is a male (my neighbour upon inspecting while I was holding him: "Has balls, is boy"). He can be neutered when he is about six months old, still some time to go (with balls).

He is definitely settling in. He disappears now for hours on end* (exploring, I guess, sometimes he jumps out of nowhere while I'm doing something in the garden), plays with flowers, attacks pebbles (and my feet when I'm around :rolleyes:), is watching the so far unsuspecting dog with interest, knows by now that food is in the shed, comes running when he hears or sees me (preferably with food), goes into the open shed on his own accord where he has now a raised, carpeted "house" with a carpeted veranda.
And he hasn't been under the bonnet since yesterday

I think he wasn't cold, the engine under the bonnet was just a safe place for him.

He is now confident, even cheeky, playful and seems to think that life is all sunshine and flowers.

Oh, and he gets that special cats milk which I bought yesterday. So no more lactose worries.

*I live in the countryside, my house is quite a bit back from the road and behind me is a field. So exploring should be safe.

New Home · 17-08-2015 3:06pm

Aaaawh... I'm officially kitten smitten... AGAIN!!

Nody · 17-08-2015 3:09pm

New Home wrote: »

Aaaawh... I'm officially kitten smitten... AGAIN!!

Become a foster family and you'll have it all year round :P (taking our latest to the vet for hopefully final sign off before we can introduce him to the rest of the gang today, another all black male, yay!).

New Home · 17-08-2015 3:11pm

Been there, done that, got the cat's hair... I can't do it again right now, but definitely will as soon as circumstances will allow.

Pac2015 · 21-08-2015 3:50pm

Carry wrote: »

Update:

Cookie is a male (my neighbour upon inspecting while I was holding him: "Has balls, is boy"). He can be neutered when he is about six months old, still some time to go (with balls).

He is definitely settling in. He disappears now for hours on end* (exploring, I guess, sometimes he jumps out of nowhere while I'm doing something in the garden), plays with flowers, attacks pebbles (and my feet when I'm around :rolleyes:), is watching the so far unsuspecting dog with interest, knows by now that food is in the shed, comes running when he hears or sees me (preferably with food), goes into the open shed on his own accord where he has now a raised, carpeted "house" with a carpeted veranda.
And he hasn't been under the bonnet since yesterday

I think he wasn't cold, the engine under the bonnet was just a safe place for him.

He is now confident, even cheeky, playful and seems to think that life is all sunshine and flowers.

Oh, and he gets that special cats milk which I bought yesterday. So no more lactose worries.

*I live in the countryside, my house is quite a bit back from the road and behind me is a field. So exploring should be safe.

Great news well done he can be an outdoor cat if you get a dog kennel and put it in the shed or in a place with coverage that will work for him, he will keep the mice away too so thats good also.

Carry · 22-08-2015 5:32pm

Looks like I'm stuck with the little cutie. At the local vet's they told me they are overwhelmed with kittens, since there are so many i'ts hard to find a place. Never mind the cat rescues.

As I said, he has a cosy cat house in the shed, which has enough other nooks and crannies and hiding places (it's a bit untidy...). In good weather he likes to sit on the roof, lording it over the property.

He seems to be very attached to me now, always wants cuddles (tries to climb up my leg) and play, and food, of course. I wish I could take him indoors.

I wonder, can he survive outdoors in the winter? My last cat lived mostly in the house (and slept on my bed

). I would be worried having him all on his lonesome in fierce weather, even if he has a house in the shed.
I'm trying tiny steps to introduce him to my dog who is a bit bewildered seeing me with the kitten in my arms. Maybe I'll be lucky and one day we can all play happy families together ...:rolleyes:

FelineOverLord · 22-08-2015 6:01pm

Would you try putting a pet gate in the house? We had a foster kitten and we needed to keep her in a safe room while she was here for a while. It's taller than a child gate and it meant we could let her look at our cats without them getting at her until they got used to her. Our one was pressure sprung so was easily moved from room to room. You could try bringing the kitten into a room the dog can see her in but can't get at her in with the gate. We had to put a bit of wire mesh across the gate until she got bigger or she could've squeezed through the bars.:)

kathleen37 · 24-08-2015 9:39am

If you decide not to bring him in, he will survive outside/in the shed in winter, but you can do a lot to make things easier for him.

When it gets cold, you can fill his bed with hay which will help keep him warm when he snuggles in. The main thing is keeping him dry, which he will be in the shed (as long as it's waterproof) Bed up off the floor too.

Also, maybe the best thing to keep him warm would actually be a chum, so they can snuggle up together? Seems like you have a good outdoor setup there - how's about a chum for him?

aonb · 24-08-2015 10:57am

OP, this is mild weather Ireland - she will be fine as long as she can be out of the wet/cold in her shed and is fed. She is so lucky to have found you. I was in a similar position - incoming stray cat - with very anti-cat Terriers. Since then it was as you say tiny steps introducing the dog and the kitten. I thought we would never get there, but now they are absolutely perfectly fine together. She comes in/out when she likes - sleeps on the dogs chairs - with the dog or not!

So, if it works out with your dog and she can be indoors/outdoors - fantastic. If your dog just wont accept her (give him lots of special treats when she is around - he'll be distracted and will associate treats with her! - i.e. bribery!) then you will have done your best ... you will be sheltering and feeding her, which is more than others would do - you've saved her, so kudos to you! Good luck with the introductions - let us know how its going

Carry · 24-08-2015 8:23pm

Thanks all for your interest and contributions - and for the occasional praise. Now I feel like a real good person

! Though some of the humans around me might disagree ...:cool:

I have a little dilemma. I found someone who would love to have Cookie, a nice man with a butcher shop and a farm (I know him for ages) who wants a cat to keep the mice away (from the farm not the butcher shop). Though he told me that almost all his previous cats were run over because his house is close to the road.

Discussing it with my neighbour (the one with already two cats), she said that her cats wouldn't tolerate a third one in their territory, there will be fights. We live in a small cluster of cottages with no fences between the houses - great for our tiny neighbourhood, bad for keeping pets apart.

I tried to think about the probabilities between bloody and potentially fatal cat fights and the risk being run over by a car, which might happen here as well, if Cookie decides to venture out.
So I decided to give the kitten away to a place where he is the only cat and will be looked after.

But then my neighbour called me out and told me that her otherwise aggressive female is playing happily with my male kitten in her garden (he seems to be a right little charmer, a lady's tom, so to speak...).

And the little one was frolicking around and had us in stitches with his shenanigans. You know, kittens discovering they have a tail and trying to attack it and falling over, attacking instead a weed (and falling over again), trying to nibble the fire hose (tastes bad, gimmie milk) and jumping and running across the two properties with sheer delight about having a bit of courage.

Now I'm in two minds (though obviously very much in love with Cookie).
Will I give him to the butcher's (cat stew anyone? Only joking of course

), where there are children as well who would adore the kitten? Or will I keep him and try harder?

Gosh, I'm usually very decisive, but everyone keeps telling me "it's up to you". And I really don't know how to decide.
Any help out there?

New Home · 24-08-2015 8:30pm

S/he'll be loved and cared for both with you and with the butcher, I'd say, but where is s/he going to be safer? If there's less of a chance that his/her life will be in danger with you, then I'd keep him/her.

Kitten under the bonnet

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