We live on the 4th floor in a building and there is a kitten left which was brought on the rooftop by her mother with other kittens. Now her mother is gone too alongside other kittens(never visits). Some days back she started crossing the roof and coming to our floor. And constantly meows day and night. It's winter here (lowest temperature 8° C) and very cold winds and fog. She doesn't let us pet her. Is very scared of us. And meows a lot. Sometimes slow meows every second and sometimes long stretched out meows (like she is yelling). The meows are very constant. She sometimes comes to our door and meows constantly but when we invite her in she doesn't come and runs away. She also will start meowing excessively whenever she sees any of my family members. At first I thought she needed food but she still meows after it. She lives alone on the rooftop and has no access to other sources of food or anything at all. And isn't sleeping in the box I made for her with bedding. I tried attracting her to it. And even playing with her so she becomes familiar. She now let's me sit really close to her but still flinches and runs away when I pet her or try to. I am very worried about her being in cold and not accepting food and shelter often. How do I help her and what do her meows mean. (I have zero experience with cats and have never had one before)
-
18 degrees Celsius is still a comfortable temperature for a cat. If you give a shelter (like the box you mention) not to much bigger than the cat, with insulation to the ground, then it will be enough for her to go inside and heat it up with her own body. I would assume that the kitten wants to have contact, missing company of the siblings and searching for new friends. If you think the roof top is dangerous for it, then maybe you need to trap it and bring it on the ground.– AllerleirauhCommented Dec 31, 2023 at 8:56
-
1about outside temperatures: pets.stackexchange.com/questions/29666/…– AllerleirauhCommented Dec 31, 2023 at 8:59
-
1About meowing : pets.stackexchange.com/questions/26142/new-cat-meows-constantly/…– AllerleirauhCommented Dec 31, 2023 at 9:01
1 Answer
If your concern is mainly for the wellbeing of the abandoned kitten, contacting a local animal shelter is a possible option. Ensure that the shelter is a 'no-kill' facility; so, they prioritize the safety and rehabilitation of the kitten.
Socializing and adopting a feral kitten is a patient and gradual process. If you decide to take this route… regularly providing food, shelter, and companionship is a good approach. Offering play and interaction helps in building trust and familiarity. I would suggest gloves for when you are able to touch the kitten, since small claws are especially sharp. That is how I caught my feral kittens. You could get and setup a humane trap to try to catch the kitten sooner. Once you have caught the kitten, it would be good to have her/him checked out by a vet.
Feral kittens can become affectionate and loving pets, especially if you interact with them frequently when they are young. My feral Siamese kittens were great as pet cats; but they retained a level of wariness to outright feral behavior with strangers who they didn't meet as kittens… I thought it was funny; but not everyone did.
