I did a bad thing-I took a sick kitten home to care for

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So, I was on craigslist and i saw a post for a free kitten. I’ve been looking for a kitten but I meant to wait until I got my paycheck, which comes on the 23rd.

I got obsessed with the kitten and texted the guy asking if it was available. He said yes, come get it today. It all happened so fast that I didn’t take the time to think about it.

Now, I have an adorable active hyper 3 month old kitten

. The thing is he is shaking his head (ear mites) and he’s not neutered. His eyes were watery when I got him and his ears were red, but that went away so he looks okay but he needs a vet to make sure he doesn’t have conjunctivitis.

I had to train him to use the litter box by holding him in there while feeding him treats. No idea what the other owners did, they probably left it outside to poop out in the cold. Never took him to a vet. Now, due to my rashness, I have to raise a few hundred dollars that the vet will likely charge to get him neutered, booster shotted, and medicine for his ear mites.

My mom is going to be so mad. I just need a companion cat because I’m nervous living alone and I feel very lonely and insecure.

a friend from my past gave me crap for taking the kitten home without having a hundred dollars or more to provide emergency vet care. He said I was selfish for agreeing to take the cat home, but all I could think was, if not me, then what happens to the kitten? It was free and even then I doubt many would have taken him home as he was.

On top of that this is the neediest kitten i’ve ever had and I grew up with like six kittens. It needs to be curled up on my face or it gets restless and runs around. all he wants to do is sleep on my face

I need this kitten like it needs me, but I wish I’d waited until the 23rd. Then again, if I HAD waited until the 23rd, what would have happened to this kitten here? I struggle with this.

How should I break the news to my mother? She’s the one who would likely help with a vet bill, if anybody would at all.
I feel like a horrible person for taking it, but I would have felt even worse leaving it. /i’m so conflicted. help?

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I think you did the right thing…I agree pets and especially lovey cats make us feel more safe and loved…

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So sad…poor kitten…

For future reference if you are looking for a companion animal, I suggest adopting an adult cat…they will already be trained and will likely already be neutered and have their vaccinations if you get them from a shelter…kittens require a lot of energy and time. (Plus kittens get adopted pretty quickly while adult cats get ignored)

If you don’t think you can support/care for the kitten maybe try rehoming it…if you’re going to stick with it though good luck and I hope you are a much more loving owner than its last!

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Thing about cats… They follow you anywhere, even if you don’the have a leash on it :smiley:

Use to have this street cat I fed all the time, every time I met it outside, we would walk side by side :smiley: it would even be meowing at me as though it was talking to me ( guys were amazed by the loyalty it had towards me :D)… When I moved away, I tried to take it with me - even though I was paranoid of it (coz once in a while I’d hear it talk to me - schizo voices + I was schizo insane at the time)… but it refused to enter my car - liked it’s home too much I guess.

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i plan on patching it up as best i can before I try to rehome it (if I must) i got it a flea collar already. going to get it ear mite medicine today at the wal mart.

I just hope it can either wait until the 23rd for its shots or hopefully my mother will pitch in, I need 200, I’m thinking.

I was going to get one from the local kill shelter, but I jumped the gun when i saw this kitten. :frowning:

I guess I put myself in a bad position by texting that craigslist guy. I really do want to keep it here. ?It finally learned litter box! (only took about 1 poop and many many treats while sitting int he litter box). Right now he’s playing with this bell collar I bought him (turned out to be too big for him) but he keeps running into my room to meow at me, guess he wants attention lol

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I think you did the right thing. And I think your mum will understand if you explain it to her like you have to us here.

Poor pussy cat being sick. The previous owners must have been very neglectful.

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That is very kind of you, I am glad the kitten found its way to you! Maybe it was fate :sunny:

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You are a good person for taking in such a sickly kitten. You obviously saved him from a horrible situation. I’m sure you’ll figure something out. You’re very resourceful and capable. Where I live, discount vet comes to local stores and set some up a clinic once a month for vaccinations and tests. Maybe something like that is available near you as well. I got all my dog’s vaccinations for about $50. Now I go to the real vet, because I can afford it, and it’s about $100. Neutering will be expensive though. I’m sure it can wait a couple weeks though. It’s winter, and your cat won’t be going outside to go catch any diseases.

I honestly think this is a good thing for you. You won’t be all alone in your apartment. But you forgot to tell us, what is his name?

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When we first adopted Tiggy, I had a lot of regret. I didn’t think I could look after a hyperactive kitten, and he just wouldn’t calm down. It was really full on and I felt really sad thinking I would have to give him back to the RSPCA.

But I got over it in about a week. I had a vision of what he would look like as a fully grown cat and I just couldn’t imagine anyone else looking after him the way we would. So we kept him and he has brought so much happiness to our household.

Now I couldn’t, and don’t want to, imagine life without him.

Give it time, the idea will grow on you. It’s sad that he is unwell, but a quick trip to the vet when you’ve got the money will fix all of that.

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My kittens have all needed to be pressed up against my face when they were little. They all outgrew it eventually.

It was so kind of you to take this kitten home! The next few weeks are going to be intense, but you can get through it.

You have some time before neutering becomes essential, so call around checking for prices - I had a country vet that took excellent care of my pets and charged $33 for neutering. My current vet is more in the range of $500. There is a lot of room there. Shots were the same story.

Remember: You get paid in a week. This kitten was clearly not going to get any of the attention you’re giving it during that time. Take a deep breath. You did a good thing.

(I personally recommend that you make sure the kitten is present for the talk with your mom. As you have discovered, kittens are usually their own best advocates.)

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She also forgot pictures!

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I called the vet, 88 bucks for an exam and booster shots at the local kill shelter. I’m negotiating with my mother to loan me the money and I will pay for other bills she promised to pay on my behalf later when my check comes (that way kitten gets care asap).

His name is zucchini (trying not to be paranoid about people connecting my pet’s name to my name in real life lol)

Here @Rhubot

zucchininapping.jpg752×720 137 KB

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What a doll baby! So sweet!

This week will be tight, but you’ll be okay. You’re already doing your best to take care of him.

Zucchini is a fantastic name.

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Absolutely adorable! Give it some time, you’ll see you made the right choice!

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Seems to me you and that cat found each other try not to worry.

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Awwww he’s so adorable! Little zucchini is going to be such a great addition to your family.

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That’s adorable! hopefully it all blows over and you have a new addition to the family.

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The kitten has his vet appointment set up for the 27th! I sent pics of the cat so they could see his red nose. I have no idea why his nose is red, it was even more red before, on the first night I brought him home.
I got him dewormer and my kind cousin bought me the ear mite medicine for his ears, since I missed a lot of work due to flu and my check was pretty small…she was very generous, it cost nearly 15 dollars for a tiny bottle!!

He’s doing better every day. I hope the vet finds whatever is making him look ill and fix it. Right now he’s grooming himself while sitting next to me on the living room couch. His little bell collar jingles (I had to get one because he likes to hide when he’s alone and when I come back he would be impossible to find if he didn’t have the habit of meowing at me).

Thank you all for the kind support! I feel a lot better now. I recognize now that I couldn’t have just left him in that situation and that me taking him home was probably the best temporary fix for the kitten. :smiley:

zucchini says hi! :smile_cat:

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I knew you would figure something out! You guys are such a perfect match! I hope he starts feeling better soon.

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I want zucchini!!! awesome looking cat!

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