Another kitten "dropped off" - can't get her to eat!

This one just appeared Wednesday early afternoon. Very friendly. It was so hard not to just snatch it up, but I thought maybe this time, it was someone's in the neighborhood. So, I left it alone until dark.

It was still there. (All the time reminding myself that I have 5 cats and 1 dog and that is ENOUGH - no matter how cute it is - I will only keep it till I can find it a home and that will not be here--- I can't afford another cat even though I'd love to take in all the stray cats!)

So about 8:30... Out I go..... I gave it a comfy soft towel to lay on, and a good hand full of dry food, some water. Picked it up, found out it is a "cuddle kitten." 3 to 3-1/2 months would be my guess. Pretty thin, but bright acting, healthy looking, clean, couldn't even find any traces of fleas. Wanted ATTENTION !!!!!!!!!! I left it on the porch for the night, and went in and called all the neighbors. No one is missing a kitten, and no one wants one ( worth a try!)

Decided to leave it out on the porch overnight in case it does have a home and decides to go back there. Check on it about an hour later, it's eaten about half the dry food, drank some water.

Nearest house to me is about 750 feet so I really doubted it wandered here all on it's own. But it's so cuddly, so friendly, how could anyone dump it off?

This morning, I wake up early - my first waking thought --- KITTEN--- yep, it's still there. Go out, get the big dog cage from the pole barn, set it up on the screened in porch, and make it up for the kitten. Spend some time with it. Find out it's a girl. It's a gray tiger, with a bit of orangy/buff here and there, but no white. Kind of plain Jane tiger. Sweet, purring, kitty. Paws kneeding 200 miles per hour every waking moment. Got a bit of an upper resperatory problem, but not to bad. Has a fair case of ear mites. Took warm cloth and cleaned it's face, ears. Kicked myself for tossing the old bottle of ear mite stuff! All the time she's just a kneedin' and a purrin' and a rubbin' everything with her head. Trying to curl up under my chin. Hold me, hug me, pet me, scratch me. Kneed, kneed, kneed.....purr purrr purr....

We have chicken and broth we cook and make up in little packets for our half ferals (no - we don't spoil them!) and I got one out of the freezer and warmed it up, gave some to her with a little dry cat food soaked into it, and a little dry milk powder. She didn't touch it. An hour or so later, tried just dry. Didn't eat it. Tried some Friskies canned turkey. Nope. Tried some carnation milk. Nope. She has not eaten all day. She has drank water. I opened her mouth, and she doesn't have anything stuck in there, or a clef pallet or anything odd I could see.

I know she can eat, cause she ate the dry the night before. She is still acting bright, but she did sleep all day when I wasn't out with her.

I went to the grocery tonight and got some dry kitten food, and some of the Iams kitten food in pouches, and some Cat Sip. I smooshed up some of the Iams and gently pushed it into her mouth, forced her to eat about a tablespoon. Got a couple teaspoons of CatSip in her by putting it on my fingers and wetting her face with it.

Thought maybe she was not weaned yet, but she looks plenty big enough.... tried kind of dunking her nose in the food so she'd get a taste of it.

Am wondering if she was just so pooped and stressed from how ever she got here that now that she felt safe and had the one good meal the night before that she just slept all day......???? Maybe will eat tomorrow?

I work with a lady whose husband is on the board of a good local shelter. She is a great cat lover. I put a call in to her today, but she had to work a double shift and had left at 6 a.m. so I hope to hear from her tomorrow. She says she can always find a home for a friendly kitten.... that's why I didn't take the kitten to my vet today. If I don't hear from the woman in the morning I will take the kitten to my vet -- but I've just spent nearly $1000 on my own health lately, and if I can do something to help the kitten here until I can her to someone to adopt, that would really help me out. If she was not so bright and alert, or was really acting ill, I would have taken her in to my vet right away.... but right now I don't think she's in any real danger yet.

Any ideas anyone on getting her to eat? Also on keeping myself from keeping her????? Yikes!