Stray kitten advice?

Lady Bee

Hi peoples, really need some advice on what to do with a stray kitten. Apologies if this is really long...

So the mother cat has been hanging around mine and my neighbour's house on and off since I moved here for college in September, she's obviously stray (she looks a bit rough, no collar or chip, fairly lean plus my neighbour asked around and no one owns her) but very sweet and friendly so perhaps was a pet at some point. Anyway went out to our shared back yard last night to find a tiny kitten looking back at me from their shed (I'll resist going off on a tangent about how absolutely gorgeous he is). Turns out about two weeks or so ago the neighbour had let the mother into their house and she'd given birth to that single kitten. Since then they've been living in the shed, neighbour has given them a bed and has been feeding the mum. The kitten is very confident and friendly and had no problem playing with me and my boyfriend when we went to gawk at him. Anyway, neighbour and I both have our exams about mid-May before we go home for the summer, and neighbour was saying she'd like to find a home for the kitten around then because he should be pretty much weaned and she doesn't want to leave him as a stray. Obviously I want to take him! So rather than go home as soon as my exams are finished I'm planning on staying til the end of May to give him as much time with his mum as possible. I know separating kittens from their mothers before they're 12 weeks isn't ideal, but I really don't want to just leave him there (my lease ends beginning of June so I can't really stay any longer) and if I don't take him he'll be found a new home anyway. At least if I take him, when I move back after summer he will be able to see his mum again.

SO, a few questions - when the time comes, what is the least traumatic way to separate him from his mum, for both of them? I'm well used to cats but I've never had to do that before, and want to cause them the least amount of stress possible, possibly even more so the mum because I won't be able to comfort her while at least kitten will have me. Is it as straightforward as simply picking up the kitten and leaving with it?
Also, I'd like to get the mum spayed so this doesn't happen again, but being a college student I'm not exactly rich and I know spaying is expensive. If needs absolutely be, I'll find a way to save up for it, but does anyone know if there's somewhere that does it for free or gives some help towards spaying stray cats? Should I bring her to an animal rescue to get it done? I'm in the Maynooth area. And obviously I'd let her into the house while she was recovering, how long would that be? The problem is that I don't think I could get it done before I go home for summer so it wouldn't be til September, is it likely or possible that she'd be pregnant again by then?
Lastly, does anyone have advice for travelling with cats? Home for me is about three hours away in the car.

Sorry for the length of this, I'm just all wound up about it and want to help them out the best I can. Kitten is so small and vulnerable-looking and his mum is such a sweet lady

Thanks a ton to anyone who can help me out.

loveisdivine

I can help with the spaying question. If you look at the Feral Cats Ireland facebook page they have info about different vets around the country that are currently offering neutering/spaying at reduced costs. Usually half price or such.

You probably wont find a rescue that will just come and take her to be neutered for you for free as they already have so many cats to deal with.

Nody

Have you considered taking both? Two cats don't really is any more trouble then one cat and that way they can play with each other etc. as well (also if you're taking one or both you need to keep them contained for a while before travel to get them used to you, details can be found here for example; you can't just grab the kitten and think it will be ok to travel the next day).

As for travel; biggest cat box with towels inside it and you can expect squeeking (if lucky it will stop after 15 min, if unlucky it will last the whole ride with throwing up).

Lady Bee

Thanks, loveisdivine, I'll look into that

@Nody, I would if I could but I really can't afford to look after two cats. Even taking the kitten will mean I'll have to start majorly budgeting, but I don't want to leave it there to be a stray, especially seems as it's appeared in my own back yard. Plus my parents already have three cats and a dog back home in the country, who are all good with and used to kittens but I don't think an adult cat would be able to deal with that at all The mother does seem happy enough, she's not underweight and she's always affectionate, comes and goes as she pleases, and I'll always be able to feed her and keep an eye on her and let her visit the kitten when I get back.

When the kitten's old enough I'll keep him inside with me then, thanks for that link! Should I give him food and water while travelling? I've read that it's both a good idea and a bad idea to do so.

Nody

I've always been against it myself for shorter travel as you don't want to increase their chance to pee/poo; for longer (8h+) you'd need to consider it.