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• Message 1. 

  Posted by smeesue (U5496649) on Wednesday, 4th January 2012

  Copying and pasting my original post over from TB. With the addition that kittlie isn't going anywhere til he's 8 weeks old, so just over three weeks, or more, to sort things out : )
  
  
  I'm throwing this one out to the combined expertise of ML, because I haven't got a flippin clue where to even start!
  
  We have a 4wk old kitten. A friend wants him. All well and good so far. Kitten is here (near Stornoway) and friend is in Leicester. They can't get here, we can't get there. Suggestions?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Septic (U3282615) on Wednesday, 4th January 2012

  Is this a serious question?
  

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by smeesue (U5496649) on Wednesday, 4th January 2012

  Yes, serious question. I need to get a kitten from here to there, and I haven't a clue how to go about it. Hoping that those with more experience than I in this area can help.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Septic (U3282615) on Wednesday, 4th January 2012

  If it's a super expensive pedigree cat, then they would come and get it.
  If it's just a plain moggy, they can find plenty nearer home
  

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Celtic Tiger (U2229153) on Wednesday, 4th January 2012

  You'd be best to scrap the whole idea. Find other takers for your kitten who live near you and your friends can find another kitten nearer where they live.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  smeesue, that's a tricky one. I don't know even roughly how long a door to journey would take by car or public transport, but I'm guessing it would be quite an ordeal for a young kitten. (I think you said in the TB thread that he wouldn't be rehomed till he was 8 weeks old, still on the young side to leave his mum.)
  
  What I *wouldn't* do is to try and organise strangers, e.g., students as was mentioned elsethread, to take him, or pass him along till he reached his new home in Leicester. He would need to have as quick, smooth and stress-free a journey as possible, with people who are experienced with cats, and are capable of feeding and tending to him generally if necessary along the way, while ensuring he is kept secure.
  
  The best solution, though not cheap, would be to organise a special pet carrier firm, like the one mentioned by LindaLee, or similar that has been recommended, perhaps by your vet. These companies ensure that their charges are kept secure, at the right temperatures, and given food, water and kept clean - something a young kitten in particular will need, as babies need to eat and drink frequently.
  
  Public transport is usually slow, especially by road and especially if the journey is broken up by changing buses - he would need sustenace but it would be very risky to open his (escape-free!) carrier.
  
  It's a long shot, but I wonder if Cats Protection could give advice. They have branches all over the country; don't know if they ever transport their rescues to other regions, but if they do, they'll know the ropes and - even longer shot - might be able to actually help.
  
  To be honest, though, like the others, I think it might be better to find the little one a home locally, and for your friend to adopt a kitten (or two) from a rescue centre local to him/her. I'm not just thinking of the logistics and the stress, especially to him, of getting him to Leicester, but also because of his tender age.
  
  At the very least, would you be able to keep him until he is 10 weeks old, which is the minimum age advised by professionals (pref 12 to 14) for kits to be adopted out?
  
  An adult cat was transported from Scotland (irrc) to somewhere in the middle of England (irrc) a year or so ago, thanks to several MLers who lived in various places along the route. It might be worth posting again in TB, with your request actually in the title to catch people's eye.
  Even so, being such a youngster it would be quite an ordeal for him.
  
  Sorry not to be more positive about this, but I hope all is happily resolved. Er - no chance of you keeping him, I suppose?!
  
  Rusty
  

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by smeesue (U5496649) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  Thanks for the advice Rusty : )
  
  We can keep him a bit past 8 weeks, that's not a problem at all. But we can't keep him permenantly as we live in a housing association house and they have rules, unfortunately. The couple who'd like him are well known to me - my eldest daughter lived with them from when we moved up here til very recently, and, because she took her cat with her, they miss a feline about the place and would like one from this particular family. This kitten is eldests cats, hmm, great nephew. I have his Mum, Grandma and Great Grandma here, and his Great Great Grandma was mine also.
  
  He's a dear wee soul, and, as an only, very very comfortable with people. The Boglins have been handling him daily, as have we; it's hard to resist when he stands on his hind legs in the basket and yells til you pick him up! He scrambled out earlier, while hubby was making coffee, ambled over to his feet and sat on one looking up until he was lifted for a fuss. I think that if he had contact with people, along with the appropriate feeding etc, he'd be fine on the journey; he shows no real preference as to /who/ gives him a cuddle or a fuss, just as long as he gets one.
  
  
  I'll contact CPL up here, see if they can help getting him down there. I can get him to the mainland, as I said elsethread, and probably as far as Inverness as long as the bus driver is an understanding sort, but beyond that, I doubt it.
  
  Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated : )

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  Good luck, smee. The little chap sounds a real honey (but isn't every cat in his/her own way?!) Hope all goes smoothly.
  
  Rusty

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by smeesue (U5496649) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  Good luck, smee. The little chap sounds a real honey (but isn't every cat in his/her own way?!) Hope all goes smoothly.
  
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  He's adorable. I stood and watched the 6ft1in Mr Smee earlier, with this teeny wee kitten lying upside down in one of his hands, batting the finger he was gently tapping on his nose and tickling his feet with. I've never seen one that young happy to get a tummy tickled before!
  
  They all have their points. In some cases, said points could do with being tucked into paws more of the time. Our Maeve isn't known as 'Her Spikiness' for no good reason : P

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