Just found a kitten in the driveway and took it in... is that the right thing to do?

To be specific, my brother is the one who found the kitten. I have absolutely no clue how old it is but it's not a newborn. He was crouched down, hiding in some tall grass on the side of our driveway. He is VERY scared but not aggressive. He let out a small hiss the first time we attempted to pick him up, but hasn't vocalized since.

My brother also claims that he saw a second cat, briefly. Could've been another kitten, or the mother, he's not sure. We looked all around with a flashlight for another cat but couldn't find one. I live in Chicago where it's quite cold and I figured we should at least keep it warm. We have it in a small room, separated from OUR cat, in a small cardboard box with a towel and stuffed animal, small bowl of water, a bit of cat food, a small space heater, and a tiny litter box. For quite a while now he has just been laying, still as a statue, pressed against the side of the cardboard box, clearly terrified.

I'm worried that I may have stolen this kitten from its mother or from a human family, but I didnt feel right leaving it out in the cold. The question is, tomorrow morning once it warms up again, should we release him back outside? Should I take it to a shelter? For the record, I will not be taking this kitten to the vet, as I can not afford to do so.

Here's a couple pictures, hopefully someone here can get an approximate idea of the kitten's age:







Thanks for your help!

Some new info:

After about an hour of being left alone, he finally left the box and started roaming around the room, but is meowing incessantly. If any humans enter the room, he becomes immediately quiet and vigilant. But once we leave, he continues his meowing. Is he looking for his mother?

It's cold out, but I'm worried that taking the kitten is doing more harm than good.

Please, please, advice is needed.

I wouldn't put him back out in the cold.  He is safe with you....safer than out on the street.

Don't be concerned about him possibly being someones cat.  He is a little guy and really has no business being out alone like that.  Please dont put him back out. Keep him warm.  Maybe fill a bottle with warm water and wrap in a towel.  He will love the warmth it provides.  Get some wet kitten food and warm it a bit.  You can mix a little KMR...it's a kitten replacement milk...with it.

Talk to him...spend quiet time with him..He is just very scared.  Very cute little guy.  I hope you can contact a no kill shelter to take him in before the kitten glut starts there.

You were very good to take this poor little one in.

IF he is owned - so small kittens shall NOT never ever be let out alone, esp not when it is cold.

My guess he is semiferal.  And yes, I think he meows after mom.

IF you locate his mom, you COULD release him back to her.

DO NOT release him just out, he will be defenceless alone.

But my recommendation is, you foster him, or find someone else who agrees to foster him, be it shelter or private.

In this here age it is easy to foster him into a lovably homecat, it will be more difficult in a month more.

So, there is the thumb rule of not spearating kittens from mom before at least 10 weeks. But there is this big exception.  If they are homeless / semiferale, and there is a good fostering or adoption home waiting - take them earlier.

You and your bro did entirely right whatever the exact circumstances.

The only left is find a good fostering home. Be sure this shelter DOES fostering / have fosterers / adoption homes for kittens.  If they dont have - try to do it yourself or some friend or so...

Keep us updated!

Tx a lot!

Good luck!   *vibes*

Everything points to this kitten was not owned, it was going to grow up into an adult feral, never be fixed, live in fear, starve, freezing in winter, no shelter, predators, hit by cars, having no love, no place to belong and call his own home, no place in the world, if female, have one after the next after the next litter, which starts about 6 months old, before they have a chance to mature themselves, and goes on until she has nothing left, and eventually dies, or contracts FIV or FELV from males mating and biting her neck.

If male, he will grow up and fight, fight bad fights, his mind and body over run by hormones, risking his life to find the female, hit by cars and commonly contract FIV as this is the number 1 way it gets passed along.

However the age of this kitten it is critical to either get to taming him yoursel;f until you find him a rescue group where he will not be killed, or find one asap, as it gets very difficult at this point to tame, and if it's not done now he can face the life of a feral instead of a loving housekitty.

It's not hard, just grab him by his scruff and pick up, wrap snugly in a towel, like a burrito, I mean snugly, just picture a burrito. The only thing out is his head. No arms.

The tightness will cause him to submit.

Then just basically talk to him, hold him, pack him around for a while. That's all.

You can hand feed him something idf you want.

Do this as much as you possibly can, the more hours in a day you do it, the faster the whole process is for taming.

I can't see too good his age since I don't know how small the box is, but as a guess he is already above the 8 week mark, which is meaning every day it goes without taming started, the harder it will be.

Sure, he is crying for mama, and siblings, and familiarity. It's okay though, just hold him.

Thanks, all of you! It was a huge relief reading your replies.

It's been about 20 hours since we found the kitten and he/she's doing well! He seems to like company and sometimes cries when he's left alone. When I got home tonight, he got scared and huddled in a corner, but I swathed him in a towel and have a kitten-burrito in my lap, and he seems quite content! He's relaxed enough to close his eyes and fall asleep, and is finally responding positively to being scratched under the ears and chin, instead of just staring, frightened. We havent had a chance to get him kitten replacement milk yet or kitten food, and but he seems to be nibbling at the cat food well enough for now, as there are a bunch of crumbs in his dish. It also seems that he used the small litter box to pee, so that's a great sign!

Still not sure if we're going to keep him. I'm hesitant to pay the vet bills, but I cant let this kitten interact with our cat unless I'm sure he doesn't have parasites or any diseases he can spread to our cat, because then we'll just have two sick cats on our hands instead of one. So we'll have to see.

I just loosened the towel after holding him for about 20-30 minutes, and he gave a good stretch but hasnt struggled or tried to leave my lap. Another good sign! Looks like his socialization is coming along great.

Thanks for all of your help and advice, it definitely kept me calm during this whole ordeal!

Aww, so happy to hear!! Yay! Yep, burrito kitty works amazingly. The more you do this, you can have a totally calm and tame kitty in a matter of just a couple/few days, it is such a great feeling, you will see

As for vet bills, here's what you can/need for this kitten, not a ton of stuff, and there are rescue groups who will help with this, they have specific places/vets they get a much lower cost.

FVRCP vaccination, deworming. In 3 weeks, the 2nd FVRCP vaccine, and can be spayed/neutered.

3-4 weeks later, the final FVRCP vaccine, also can be tested, either with the spay/neuter appt, or at the time of the final vacs.

I know about money being tight, we are all pretty much in the same boat, and it's okay, there is help out there.

Spend some time on the internet, on the phone, call the local shelter/humane society, alot of times they can give you the name/numbers for rescues in the area and where to get help for this kitten.

It can cost very little, even nothing, I know our group gladly will take care of all of that when someone cares enough to save a cat and needs help.

Let us know, I'm actually looking forward to hearing updates!

Chances are something happened to his mom or she is a stray/feral and now that he is weaned, she has walked away.  That's what they do when they are feral born.  Sadly most do not make it.  He is safest with you if you are willing to keep him.  The crying is normal, even for a house born kitten.  He is confused, stressed and sad.  Just try to talk soothingly and softly to him and pet him, if he'll let you.  Do the normal things you would do to calm down any baby.  He'll be OK. 

About the vet costs. Adding to advices above, there is a cheap version checking the health lovering the vet costs.  If he is healthy so he is healthy..

Just prolong the quarantine...    Although vet check up AND some quarantine is the best of course.

But deworming he must have. But dont use the OTC medicines bought at pet store, unless you know what you do (some are dangerous).  If you get Revolution nowadasy they dont need vet prescribe, it should be OK.

If homeless, he surely has some parasites.

Preferably also the vaccines.

I don't know if you have a Humane Society but sometimes if you tell them you're broke, they'll look him over for you and start his shots too for super cheap or even free sometimes!!  But, please if you don't keep him, do not drop him there... Please find him a forever home in another way. 

http://itchmoforums.com/illinois-b104.0/

If you go to this site, you will find information on free/low cost vet care for Illinois. Perhaps you can make some contacts that will help you out with his/her vet care. With all of the cats and kittens who need homes now, it would be best if you could find the kitten a good home on your own or keep him/her yourself. IF you decide to advertise, be sure to ask for vet references and then check them. Unfortunately, there are nasty people who will take a free kitten or puppy (or even cat) for evil purposes. I hope that you can get the financial help you need to keep this precious baby.

Thank you for rescuing.
 

AWWWW what a darling little angel!!! And how kind of you to have rescued him. I would recommend calling PAWS in Chicago. http://www.pawschicago.org/ :nod: They have extremely low cost clinics and have excellent resources that will be of value to you. I would wait to introduce this baby to your other cat until you have him/her neutered, dewormed, and tested, etc. PAWS can do all of this for you, just explain the situation that this is a feral born kitten you have taken in. If you want to try to find a home for him, they could help you and you could foster him! They would cover expenses. Most rescues will do this.

I would also be on the lookout for other kittens that might be outside. IF you can and do find them, I hope that you can get them all fixed through PAWS :nod: and placed in a foster situation to find their furrever homes :cross:

He sounds really sweet too :rub: :heart3: