Dog person finds a kitten - help!

aonb

I know very little about cats/kittens - Ive only ever had dogs/hens/horses.
I live in the countryside.
Yesterday I heard a loud miaowing in one of our hedges, hadnt time to investigate as I was on my way out.
This morning my terrier went bonkers, for hours, at something under a shed - I thought rats (it was beside the hen run). This evening, I saw a small kitten perched on a fence in the hen run. It was still there when it was just starting to get dark. Ive managed to grab it, and have put it in the wash house with blankets in a box, some water and a little bit of mashed up cat food (I keep it for ferals).

I have no idea how old it is. It was a good handful - as big as my hand, well fluffed up (very cute actually) with very tiny teeth. It was NOT happy to be picked up and bit/scratched.

Anyway, it was on that fence for 2-3 hours - did I do right to take it? Would its mother come back for it? Advice please as to how to deal with this? I assume its feral in which case could it have been deserted by its mother? Would a feral mother desert its kitten(s) - we've had a lot of them in this area.

What should I buy for it to eat - kitten FOOD or kitten MILK?? I would guess its a few weeks old - will it be able to fend for itself to eat/drink. (I couldnt bring the kitten in to the house tonight as the dog was going bonkers & I have a friends dog who would def kill it) so will have to wait until tomorrow to see whats what. How does one 'teach' a kitten to eat food - presumably this has only suckled from its mother?? in other words, help!!

Karl Stein

aonb wrote: »

did I do right to take it?

Yes. It's probably hungry. It's probably not used to human contact either so exposure to you will only help socialize it to people.

I've no doubt other far more knowledgeable people will be along shortly to give you expert advice.

PS: Pics please.

Pumpkinseeds

Is there any chance that you could get a photo of the kitten so it might give a better idea of age? Did you notice if the eyes are still blue? If the mother cat is around she'll probably come around calling the kitten. If it's still nursing then it will need kitten milk, most people recommend Royal Canin kitten formula. The Whiskas cat milk is junk and it would need very soft kitten food if it's just started eating solid food.

Oh, also take a look at the just rescued a 2 week old kitten thread on here, there's loads of advice on there too.

New Home

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Oh, also take a look at the just rescued a 2 week old kitten thread on here, there's loads of advice on there too.

It's this thread here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057271029


Let us know how it goes, please and thank you :pac:

aonb

an update on my little feral kitten.
Its certainly old enough to EAT! everything Ive left out for it is gone when I next go out. Ive been feeding it x4 times/day - Question: is that enough?
Of course the cat milk I bought (only store near me) was bloody Whiskas 8-( Will look for something better when I go to the town next. Question: If the kitten is eating food, do I need to give it catmilk - or just a good idea as a supplement? Ive left it water.
When I open the door to the wash house, the kitten dissapears behind boxes.
I left it a toy in its little bed, the toy has dissapeared :rolleyes: Left it a tennis ball this a.m.
There is a box of old dishes on the floor - its pooping and weeing in a bowl
I didnt get a chance in the dark to see if its eyes were still blue
Since its eating well, and its bed is being used, Im not too worried about it but I am worried about trying to tame it... I dont want to frighten it too soon - any chance that it might start to get less frightened when it realizes that Im the source of food, or is this highly unlikely in a feral?
Question: What should my plan of action be?
Will I just keep feeding it, keep it in the shed until its old enough to be allowed out. If we get to the mature stage, what age should I think about neutering. Would like to get it to the vet for shots/worming at some stage too...

New Home

Is the kitten the only one who has access to that food, or is there a chance that some other animal -hedgehog, birds, rats, other cats- could get to it? Usually cats stop eating when they're full, so if everything is gone it either means that someone else eats the left-overs, or that s/he may still be hungry. Have you tried observing (read: spying on) him/he after you've put the food out, i.e. does it take him/her long to get to it, or does s/he rush out of his hiding place?

If you're certain s/he's the only one eating the solid food, I'd say it's safe to assume s/he's weaned, and the cat milk could be just a treat rather than a necessity, plenty of water is absolutely indispensable, though. And a kitty litter box. Also, please don't ever invite me to your house for dinner... I now know too much about your delph...

If the kitten is definitely feral, I'd say it's HIGHLY unlikely that you'll be able to tame him/her. In the long run s/he might get used to you and your presence, but s/he wouldn't become a cuddly cat. If s/he's semi-feral, or if s/he's stray/had contact with people, then you might stand a chance.

As for vaccination/neutering, do read up the first few pages of the thread we mentioned before, I know it seems very long but most of the information is easy to find. It's a step-by-step guide on kitten-rearing, and kitten-rearing troubleshooting.

Photos and/or dimensions of the cat would be helpful. Especially photos. Or videos, whatever.

aonb

The kitten is definately the only one with access to the food. Its a nice concrete detached small building with fitted windows & doors. (It was where the previous owners had their washer/dryer)
The kitten is about the size of a mans palm (I had thick gardening gloves on when I plucked it from the fence, it fit snugly in my two hands). From other kittens Ive seen, I would hazard a 4-6 week old guess.
Ok, so if its feral, I have no hope of it becoming an indoors cat. So do I just keep feeding it 4 times a day? I bought 100g pouchs of food, reckon I give it about 1/3 of that each time... is that enough? Along with a little bit of the cat milk... (about an eggcup)
It doesnt come out from hiding when I give it the food, the food is gone next time I go out. It peeps at me from behind its cover.
There are no houses very close to me, so Im assuming its feral. It certainly acts like a feral! So at what stage would it be able to be allowed leave the shed? If I leave the upper window open presumably it will get out when its old enough? Is that ok? I could leave its bed there & feed. Will it stay around? (This would presumably be after I have had it neutered)
Will read that post. Thanks!

New Home

I suppose the amount of food might depend on the brand - there should be a feeding chart/table on the box/pouches. Personally, I'd try to give him a more than what you mentioned - if I'm not mistaken a pouch should be enough for one portion for one adult cat and I think they're supposed to get 2 or 3 a day, so maybe half to 3/4 pouch should probably be one portion for one kitten. If you manage to get your hands on some kitten-specific food it might suit his tummy better, I think they have a different proportion of nutrients compared to the adult version, and the chunks/nuts are kitten-mouth sized.

If he is fully feral, it will cause him stress to be confined... He's probably understood that that's where his food comes from by now, so if you let him out he'll come back for food and possibly shelter. You'll probably need to get a cat trap to catch it and bring it to the vet at a later stage -don't wait too long or it might get pregnant/catch some nasty disease-, but that would still be less stressful for him than keeping him confined until then.

By the way, any cat, not only feral cats, would scratch/bite/hiss at anyone who approaches/grabs them if they don't know them and don't trust them or if they haven't been fully socialised, or simply if they're scared, so I wouldn't decide only on that part of their behaviour alone that the cat is feral. Having said that, I'm not excluding that yours is.

Also, let him out of the door, rather than the window, for two reasons; the first is that although he might be able to get out, he might find it hard to go back in from the outside while he's still so young, and the second is that some small windows are terribly dangerous for cats, depending on how they are fitted. They can get stuck and hurt themselves terribly, I remember reading stuff about it ages ago. Would you consider a cat flap?

Ring a local Trap and Release organisation, they'll give you great advice and might be able to help you with the kitten's parents and siblings and feeding.

SingItOut

aonb wrote: »

Ok, so if its feral, I have no hope of it becoming an indoors cat.

My 5 year old cat Beau was a feral when I took him in at 4 months old, it took a lot of time and effort to get him used to me alone. He was very hissy but thankfully not biting. Lucky for me he knew how to use a litter box so I let him live in my room only. He wouldn't let me touch him for a while but he would come and lie on my shoulder at night time, I slowly started petting him and feeding him from my hand and now he is one of the friendliest cats we have ever had so it's definitely possible you can have the kitten as a cuddly indoor cat. It's going to take a lot of gentle handling. You're terrier may take more convincing

honerbright

SingItOut wrote: »

My 5 year old cat Beau was a feral when I took him in at 4 months old, it took a lot of time and effort to get him used to me alone. He was very hissy but thankfully not biting. Lucky for me he knew how to use a litter box so I let him live in my room only. He wouldn't let me touch him for a while but he would come and lie on my shoulder at night time, I slowly started petting him and feeding him from my hand and now he is one of the friendliest cats we have ever had so it's definitely possible you can have the kitten as a cuddly indoor cat. It's going to take a lot of gentle handling. You're terrier may take more convincing

Just want to +1 this.
Yesterday was Maxs 1st gotcha day, he was about 6 months old or so when I trapped him last year and now he's the cuddliest cat you could meet. It took a lot of time to get to this point but the younger they are the easier is supposed to be to tame then.

Ambersky

My but Beau looks like a fierce wild creature all together.

It seems we know less about the cat, its habits and potential than we do about dogs who have gone further down the road of domestication.
The BBC did an excellent documentary series recently called Cat Watch where they filmed the behaviour of some pet cats in a village and some semi feral cats on a farm that were kept there to do a job of work and that was to keep the rat problem under control.

The semi feral cats sometimes had too many kittens and the farmer purposely handled some of those kittens regularly and socialised them to humans. The programme showed a few of those cats that had grown from that semi feral condition to become pampered lap cats. Situations and individual cats vary however some people will tell you they have had no success with feral or semi feral kittens and that in those examples the cat never fully accepted humans.

If you would like to develop a better relationship with the kitten there are lots of videos etc online posted by people giving suggestions on how to do that.

I would also suggest you get a litter tray as soon as possible into the wash house. Kittens naturally look for a way to hide or bury their poo and pee and by simply providing a tray with some nice litter in it you will be making the job of cleaning up after the kitten a lot easier and getting her use the the idea that litter is the place to hide poo not in bowls,basins, clothes left on the floor etc. You do not want a problem with an adult cat who thinks these things are an option to use later in life. Thats not because the kitten is dirty its because she is clean, she is naturally conditioned to hide her poo or pee and you can buy a litter tray in any local pet store or use any tray you have to hand that will hold soft sandy soil etc but litter and a litter tray is easier. The kitten will probably start to use the litter tray as soon as she gets use to this strange object in her space and begins to explore it. Mother cats show their kittens how to use a litter tray by scratching the litter about a bit which seems to encourage a response simular to us hearing a running tap. You could try making some of those scratching sounds yourself while calmly sitting on the floor of the washouse and getting the kitten use to you non threatening presence.

Best of luck.

Part one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpEcxIgMhyQ

Part Two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfraihjBNHM

Part Three https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP8E-yFXCT4

aonb

New Home wrote: »

If he is fully feral, it will cause him stress to be confined... He's probably understood that that's where his food comes from by now, so if you let him out he'll come back for food and possibly shelter. You'll probably need to get a cat trap to catch it and bring it to the vet at a later stage -don't wait too long or it might get pregnant/catch some nasty disease-, but that would still be less stressful for him than keeping him confined until then.

Ive been wondering about keeping it confined on its own Should I let it out of the washhouse now?!?!? After being in there since Saturday evening - will it know to go back (its monday afternoon)?? It seems awfully small to be out in the world on its own. I can leave the door propped open a bit but not all the time (we store stuff there) - there is also my terrier to worry about - hes a house dog but is in & out during the day (contained garden)

Will get a litter tray organised asap.

jeez dont know what to do now - poor little kitten - its definately feral as we are not close to many other houses. There is 1 cat in my nearest neighbor but that is semi-feral (we trapped and had it neutered - its neutered sibling was recently killed on the road)

doubter

Any young kitten, feral raised or not, can be tamed.
Also, stay away from the milk-any kind of milk that is not kitten formula.
If the kitten is eating solid food, no need for kitten formula either so water is fine.

a kitten de wormer would be the next step that needs to be taken, drontal kitten wormer (liquid) can be mixed through the wet food.

Vaccination about 1-2 weeks later. Good lukc and well done for takimg him/her in.

Irish Stones

aonb wrote: »

Ive been wondering about keeping it confined on its own Should I let it out of the washhouse now?!?!?

I don't think the kitten has already learned that the shed is her/his home. Generally for a semi-tamed cat the advice is to keep them inside for at least 4 weeks.
This kitten is too young to hope she/he can manage to survive on her/his own. If you open the shed the kitten would run away, you'll never find her/him again and the kitten could die in a couple of days.

In my opinion, you should keep the kitten in your shed for at least two or three months. Even better if you could bring her/him inside, where the chances of contact between you and the kitten are more frequent and hence the kitten will be used to the human presence more easily.

My younger cat (13) was a semi-feral cat. I brought her home when she was 8 months old. She would hiss and bite and scratch in the first month because she wasn't used to be touched.
After six or seven months she started coming near when I was watching the TV, and in a couple of years she started curling next to me and sleep so tight that induces me a deep sleep as well

P.S.: Wow... my 500th post!

aonb

Am thinking about getting a crate for the kitten and bring it indoors - Im not sure what my dog will be like with a kitten (our other dog was so anti-cat that having one was totally and completely out of the question) What do you cat-experts think? Would a feral baby be totally freaked to be in a crate AND in the house??

My husband is a bit anti-house-cat too. So! will go and get a litter tray & de-wormer tomorrow & see how we go - at least its safe & warm & fed for now...

Ever2010

Well done for rescuing the little baba!

We fostered a 3/4 month old feral, she took ages to get used to us (hissy at first) but eventually came around, we adopted her, and it took about 5 months before she crawled up on my knee for a cuddle! She became the most affectionate little thing, and loved other people too. Unfortunately she passed away last month, but I'm so glad we made the effort with her.

A large crate sounds like a good idea - but in a quiet place in the house, with a cardboard box or something inside so she can hide and feel safe. Go into the room and open the crate door, sit in there and read for a while - ignore the kitten. A few times of doing this it will get curious, and come out and sniff you. Basically let it come to you.

Best of luck and keep us updated!

Irish Stones

What Ever2010 said is a good idea.
I remember now when in 2011 I fostered two feral kittens in a large cage (like the one that vets have) in my garage.
Every night I went to them and sat by the cage and read them two pages of a newspaper without caring them too much.
What was important was my presence there and the sound of a human voice for quite a long time. I usually stayed there for an hour.
I think that those two kittens became experts in political and financial management and also very up-to-date with what was going on over here

How do you think you could grab the kitten in your shed? You said that he hides when you get inside.
The crate should be closed on each side, or the kitten would jump out and have the run of the house.
Chances are that if the kitten is young enough (I mean younger than 8 weeks) you could tame him quite easily.
Another important thing is to get him used to be held in your arms, on your lap.
One I had read that if a kitten learns to stay in somebody's arms (read off the ground) he won't be scared to be taken on lap when grown up.
My younger cat was taken home when she was 8 months old, too late to teach her to stay in my arms and that it's true: keeping her off the ground is a fight!

Pumpkinseeds

aonb wrote: »

Am thinking about getting a crate for the kitten and bring it indoors - Im not sure what my dog will be like with a kitten (our other dog was so anti-cat that having one was totally and completely out of the question) What do you cat-experts think? Would a feral baby be totally freaked to be in a crate AND in the house??

My husband is a bit anti-house-cat too. So! will go and get a litter tray & de-wormer tomorrow & see how we go - at least its safe & warm & fed for now...

We had a feral kitten show up when he was about 3 or 4 months old, it took a year to tame him as he was living rough somewhere, but he's been with us for 5 years and is a total snugglepuss. We had a foster kitten last year and kept her seperated in a spare room from our own 4 cats, gradually introducing them. She was about 6 weeks old when we got her and again had been born wild. If you can bring the kitten indoors it would be ideal as the weather is turning very cold and the more human contact the kitten has the more sociable it will be. As for your husband, many an anti cat person has been converted by the antics of a playful kitten.:D

aonb

My elderly neighbour (she with the neutered ferals!) tells me that on saturday she found a small black kitten lying on the eggs in the hen house (heat?) She said it was half starved looking. She then found the kitten dead in the hen run later that day, so now I am very glad Ive got my little kitten safe inside & eating well. I got a litter tray for it today - its used it already!

I got a wormer for it - will give it that tomorrow - although I dont know how old it is - question: should I wait? Which is better/worse, to give a too-young-kitten a wormer, or to wait ...

I guess I'll have to buy a crate to bring the kitten indoors if its ever going to get socialized... question: until I get the crate, the kitten is in our washhouse, hides behind boxes/etc when I open the door - do I try to grab it thus frightening the life out of it - Ive sat there talking to it and making that pishpishpish noise that we humans all do to cats - for the past few days, with zero progress... Any suggestions where to buy the cheapest crate in the Naas/Newbridge/Blessington/Maynooth area??

minipink

Fair play to you aonb, I had a feral litter of one born under my shed to a cat that was no more than a kitten herself. The mother cat realised it was warm inside houses so would often leave the kitten while she was looking out my neighbours window all snug. I spent evenings sitting doing what you're doing now chatting away to the little kitten, he was hungry so I'd put out food and sit nearish to it - he linked me with the food and allowed me to sit nearer and nearer to him slowly allowing me to stroke him. We eventually got him crated and he got an outdoor run. Keep persevering! It takes a while for a cat to accept you as his slave the poor kitten in the shed.

Pumpkinseeds

You might find this useful

https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-care/kitten-care-must-know-tips-for-raising-kittens/

Ambersky

Thats great you got a litter tray which is an essential thing for your kitten as she is indoors all the time and isnt she a smart little thing to be using it already. Litter tray use as a kitten will probably prevent possible future confusion over where to toilet when indoors later in life. Now you just have to make sure to keep it clean, scooping out solids with one of those little shovels with holes in it every single day which will make life easier for kitty and keep the place smelling much nicer for you .

Cats and kittens can be fussy about hygiene and do need litter to be clean or they may avoid the area and you are back to square one.

aonb said
I got a wormer for it - will give it that tomorrow - although I dont know how old it is - question: should I wait?

Personally I would catch the kitten preferably putting her in a carry crate and bring her to the vet for a quick look over. The vet will be able to tell you the age of the kitten and will be able to give you any flea or worm medicine appropriate for age and weight. I would be worried about giving too much of something at too young an age or to a kitten not yet healthy enough, its not something I know much about so maybe others can advise better but a vet check seems to be a very good start and something you will probably have to do anyway to give injections just as you would a puppy.

More reading if your up to it on How and When to Care for and Socialize Feral Kittens http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=907

On the subject of warmth, one of all little animals basic requirements I find this item fantastic,



Its a very solid disc you heat in the microwave and it does actually keep its heat for 8 hours. Many animals who chew through or are frightened by the wobble of a hot water bottle will readily accept this and many humans I know have decided they are so good they have to have one of their own. Just one very important thing Do Not give to an animal if the bottle is over hot or the animal is too weak to move away from it if uncomfortable and wrap it up to keep the heat down a little for the animals body.
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_beds_baskets/thermal_pads/129427

You could try a hot water bottle if you cant get one of these or if its too expensive but it wont last as long, still you could always keep reheating it.

Another tip you can sometimes get bargains on equipment for animals like carriers, cat flaps or crates etc on Adverts.ie try cat accessories http://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/pets/pet-accessories/cat-accessories/637/

aonb

Progress:) : Left my husband in charge of "livestock" today when I went to visit my mother down the country. When I got home this eve he said "we cant leave that poor little kitten on its own in the washhouse any longer"!!! So we SPRANG in to action (rather than let him slip back in to procrastination mode ) Got a crate! Got on our gloves, and went out to the washhouse, emptied all the junk & got the kitten. Its in the house now - in the work room, out of sight of the terrier. Its the CUTEST little thing you ever saw - its nice and heavy feeling (after a week of eating and kitten milk) and its ears are up and its eyes are not blue (I read that their eyes change colour at 6 ish weeks?) - sort of greenish brownish. So I put, according to your advice a little cardboard box with a couple of nice new fleecy blankets in the crate, along with its litter tray and some food and water and its stuffed toys. It let me stroke it for quite a while, looking around with alertness, wasnt freaked or anything, so we're delighted with ourselves. THANK YOU for all the advice, Im off now to read those two pointers from Ambersky and Pumpkinseeds. I'll leave off bringing it to the vet for shots and checkup and wormer for a while until its handled a bit more (it spat at me a couple of times from inside its little box-house!) Husband took some photos, will post them on here in a little bit when I get him to download them off the camera - definately the cutest kitten on Boards for quite a while (well except for Finbar of course!)

aonb

Introducing nameless (as not sexed yet) kitten - now resident chez-nous - seriously a contender for "Cutest Kitten" award dont you think?!?!?

Pumpkinseeds

OMG kitty is gorgeous. I love tuxedo cats. We have 2 plus a mackerel coloured tabby and a little black cat. I'd love to have seen what our tuxies looked like as kittens.

New Home

AWH, he's a beauty... I like the big oven gloves too! Self preservation and all that, eh?

I must admit he seems to be pretty relaxed in your arms. Delighted to see I was wrong about taming a stray I guess getting him at an early age makes a big difference.

Congratulations on your good deed, I can guarantee you won't call yourself only a dog-person for long any more :pac:


As for the name, I know someone who would be over the moon if you named him/her Boardsie.

DBB

New Home wrote: »

As for the name, I know someone who would be over the moon if you named him/her Boardsie.

I was thinking that too

But then I saw the facial marking which looks like the number 1... doesn't it?!
Which made me think of the name Uno!

New Home

Or Ace...

(Didn't spot it until you mentioned it... I was too mesmerised by his/her eyes and whiskers...)

Pumpkinseeds

Or, Jess as in Post man Pats black and white cat:D Works for a boy or a girl.:)

aonb

Like the names! But CERTAINLY wont be letting you lot name it though after poor old FINBAR!!! (Though it kinda grows on you doesnt it ) Anyway, had a cuddle-fest just now - LOTS of purring going on - and trying to crawl up on my shoulder (afraid it will take off, so Im not taking any chances with it yet) And have dispensed with the glove!!

Just two more questions - how do you stroke a cat?!?!?!? What do cats like - you know how dogs always love being scratched on their ears and tummies - I realized tonight I havent a clue how to stroke/fondle a cat!!! They're so bloody fragile feeling and flimsy its scary.

Can I give it cooked fish at this stage? Tried it with a few tiny bits of raw haddock tonight, but it didnt touch it. Was going to cook the fish? Do Kittens not all love fish?!?!?

Jeez Im going to be worrying all night about this bloody kitten

Pumpkinseeds

They love their cheeks and ears stroked, avoid the tummy, otherwise known as the honey trap, as they are likely to grab on with all for paws and kick your hand:D There's a rhyme that goes something like this:

Kittens are lovely soft and sweet with needles in their jaws and feet. It's very true. The small of the back at the base of the tail is often a favourite spot too. Don't worry, you'll soon be well and truly under the paw and puss will make sure you know what they like and what they want.:)

New Home

If you need a visual, these might help...:pac:

Also, do you remember the old MS Office Assistant? There was one that was a cat, and among the various animations there was also the very elegant hand of a lady that would rub his head. That, to me, looked perfect.

Karl Stein

Always liked 'Domino' for a B&W cat.

Pumpkinseeds

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/36bhmj

Irish Stones

DBB wrote: »

I was thinking that too

But then I saw the facial marking which looks like the number 1... doesn't it?!
Which made me think of the name Uno!

"Uno" sounds too Italian, doesn't it?

Irish Stones

aonb wrote: »

Just two more questions - how do you stroke a cat?!?!?!? What do cats like - you know how dogs always love being scratched on their ears and tummies - I realized tonight I havent a clue how to stroke/fondle a cat!!! They're so bloody fragile feeling and flimsy its scary.

Can I give it cooked fish at this stage? Tried it with a few tiny bits of raw haddock tonight, but it didnt touch it. Was going to cook the fish? Do Kittens not all love fish?!?!?

Jeez Im going to be worrying all night about this bloody kitten

About strokes, mostly depends on the cat.
Some cats love to be stroked everywhere, tummy included, some others only allow you their head, cheeks and back.
You will find out what he/she likes the most with time
What they surely appreciate is a gentle scratching on the top of their head, between the ears, because it's where the mother cat would lick her kittens.
Their cheeks and behind their ears are nice spots too. If you notice, all these spots are where they can't reach by themselves with their tongue.
Another nice spot is at the end of the back, just before the tail. Just use the tip of your fingers.
Many cats, though, don't like to be touched too much.
Keep an eye on some physical ways of communication.
-The tail: if it's resting or swaying gently, the cat is at ease and likes what your're doing. If the tail starts moving a bit faster the cat is going to get annoyed, if the tail sways wide and fast it's better to leave it alone. The tail is one of the main mean of communication for cats. If held high when the cat sees you or comes to you it's a sign of greeting.
-The ears: if they are standing and front looking, the cat is relaxed, if they are turned to the sides the cat is attracted by some other sounds, if they are kept back and low on the head is probably too late for you to withdraw your hands
-The eyes: look at its pupils, if it's getting nervous and prone to attack, the pupils widen even if presence of daylight.
-The whiskers: wide and projected ahead, the cat is relaxed, when they are pulled back to the cat's cheeks it's time to attack
So, you can stroke and cuddle your cat while keeping an eye on those signals.

When the kittens are very young they don't know their potential and good manners too well, so be prepared to be bitten or scratched by their tiny teeth and claws.
Oh, about the teeth, they will be changed to the permanent ones around 5 months of age. Generally you won't realize of that. The new tooth replaces the milk tooth in a very short time. If you're lucky you could retrieve the fallen tooth, but usually they are swallowed by the kitten and lost forever.
So, back to the scratches, when the kitten loses its control during the playing moments it's adivisable not to yell at it. Retracting your hands and stopping playing should be enough for the kitten to understand that it was wrong. A firm "NO" during the more violent moments should let it understand that it's time to correct its attitude. Mother cats use to tap their kitten with their paws between the eyes and the nose. You could use the same technique, tapping the kitten with the tip of your finger when it's not behaving.

Not all cats like fish, though it is generally appreciated. Tuna fish, steam cooked, not in oil or other substances, is what they like.
Keep in mind that food for human purposes can contain too much salt that should not be given to animals.
So I guess that it's better if you stick to good quality pet food. At this age there are baby kitten foods, dry and wet. Your vet could advise you about the best option.

My two cats like fish, but I only give them fish on rare occasion.
My elder cat goes mad for bread and boiled french beans. Some cats have strange likings

aonb

Great tips there Irish Stones, thank you.
Was out handling the kitten earlier.
MAJOR purring was had & a little tummy was presented to me a few times for scratching. Who knew cats would like having lower back/near tail scratched
I will start bringing it in to a room to play when its more relaxed - someplace it cant get stuck behind furniture etc
When scratching little tummy, I felt about for male organs - didnt someone say that there would be a bump - jeez, I need to go and look up cat bits & bobs!! - didnt 'feel' anything.
It seems to be very relaxed when I handle it - and purrs. When I put it back in its crate, it goes in to its little bed-box & when I put my hands in to the cage to put in its drink/food its spitting from its bed/box.
When I pick it up out of its bed-box, its little claws are attached to its blanket - I just gently plucked the blanked off - is that how one should do that? I cant believe how fragile & fluffy a kitten is...
Need to get some kitten food today - any recommendations for a good brand? It seems to drink the cat milk every time, but will leave its food (didnt touch the cooked fish) - though does eat some food - Im wondering if its just not 100% ready for solids yet. I got some HUSSE dry food - totally ignored that, so will continue with the wet food til its more settled. Do kittens usually like/eat dry food?

Crikey give me a straightforward hen or horse or dog any day

Irish Stones

aonb wrote: »

When scratching little tummy, I felt about for male organs - didnt someone say that there would be a bump - jeez, I need to go and look up cat bits & bobs!! - didnt 'feel' anything.

Unlike dogs, it's not straightforward to tell the sex of a cat.
It can happen that when they are very young even a vet can have difficulty at telling their sex.
As a rule of thumb you could have a look under its tale and if you see that the two orifices are very close to each other then the cat is a female, if they a bit farther apart it is a male.
Things could have been easier if the kitten was ginger (95% male) or a calico or tortie (three colours mixed or patched, 99.9% female).
When it's a little more grown up the sexual signs will be clearer.

It seems to be very relaxed when I handle it - and purrs. When I put it back in its crate, it goes in to its little bed-box & when I put my hands in to the cage to put in its drink/food its spitting from its bed/box.
When I pick it up out of its bed-box, its little claws are attached to its blanket - I just gently plucked the blanked off - is that how one should do that? I cant believe how fragile & fluffy a kitten is...

If it spits at you it means that it's not totally tamed and used to you yet. This also means that its mother was a feral cat and taught it how to deal with the rest of the world
It only needs some more time and patience from you.
No problem for the blanket which remains attached to its claws. Gently detached it from its claws. Probably it is still a bit scared by you and looks for a safer place in its blanket.

Need to get some kitten food today - any recommendations for a good brand? It seems to drink the cat milk every time, but will leave its food (didnt touch the cooked fish) - though does eat some food - Im wondering if its just not 100% ready for solids yet. I got some HUSSE dry food - totally ignored that, so will continue with the wet food til its more settled. Do kittens usually like/eat dry food?

I think that at this age they prefer wet food.
I am not able to recommend any brand because I don't live in Ireland so what I know could not be available in your country, sorry.

Any photo of the kitten in its crate among its things?

Nody

Start with Royal Canin BabyCat (it's up to 4 months); after that you can transition to RC Kitten and around 9 months to a year you can start adding in your final feed (same principle as dog food, grain free) as you can find those in a well sorted store or vet clinic. You can also look for Lily's kitchen or Schmusy Nature but they tend to be harder to find in a physical store.

honerbright

Nody wrote: »

Start with Royal Canin BabyCat (it's up to 4 months); after that you can transition to RC Kitten and around 9 months to a year you can start adding in your final feed (same principle as dog food, grain free) as you can find those in a well sorted store or vet clinic. You can also look for Lily's kitchen or Schmusy Nature but they tend to be harder to find in a physical store.

My local tesco stocks lily's kitchen stuff. We got lucky, it wasn't priced and wouldn't scan when it came in so they put it through for 0.30c a tin!

aonb

got royal canin babycat milk - its a pain to mix up - hope the little popsie will drink it now - bloody expensive! Also bought a box of sachets of RC kitten food. Want to make sure it thrives. My husband sat and stroked it on his lap for a while, back to the bed-box, then I had it for about an hour - loves being stroked - nearly fell asleep on my lap, and lots and lots of purring, but soon as I put it on the ground to have an explore it hid behind a chair. We obviously have a long way to go, but its early days yet. Will look for that Lily's kitchen in our Tesco next time Im in town

My daughter will be home from college for the weekend, will get her to take some photos on her phone up to upload.

Oh and the kitten is making FULL use of its litter tray - Oh and its VERY long-haired - REALLY fluffy.

Oh, I dont suppose one should wash a kitten - could I use an unperfumed babywipe to give it a 'freshen up' ?? (not too soon - when its happier to be handled)

Im exhausted with all this kitten stuff (oh and my dog KNOWS theres something going on - he is on high alert and not happy with all these closed doors & disapearing humans!!)

Irish Stones

aonb wrote: »

Oh, I dont suppose one should wash a kitten - could I use an unperfumed babywipe to give it a 'freshen up' ?? (not too soon - when its happier to be handled)

Yes, kittens and cats don't need to be washed unless they are really dirty.
If you need to wash it, be sure to dry its fur completely, it could get a cold.
Some cats stand the noise and the "hot wind" of a hairdrier.
I think that a wet towel or baby wipes should do the job, though my opinion is that if something is perfumed it might have some addictives which could not be suitable for animals, especially when they are very young.

Im exhausted with all this kitten stuff (oh and my dog KNOWS theres something going on - he is on high alert and not happy with all these closed doors & disapearing humans!!)

:D:D

Pumpkinseeds

We use wet wipes called Water wipes. 99% water 1% fruit juice and nothing nasty in them, also odourless. They're on offer for 2 euro a pack in Dunnes at the minute and are very gentle.:)

doubter

aonb wrote: »

Introducing nameless (as not sexed yet) kitten - now resident chez-nous - seriously a contender for "Cutest Kitten" award dont you think?!?!?

cuteness overload. would say about 5 weeks

aonb

LITTER TRAYS?!?!?!?
how do you cat experts 'manage' them?!?!?
i scoop out the solids every time one is deposited there, as advised by u
Its WET now - can i compost that litter stuff??
Do i put a little amount in the tray, or fill it up?
When it gets wet Ive been topping up a little layer of dry
Im pretty seriously into environmental issues, and this litter stuff goes a bit against the grain (can u tell Im a dog person, with toilet training being the way to go!!!) and seems v.wasteful, but kitten is in a crate so there is no alternative I know.
Its great that the kitten has been using it since day 1 - clever kit!

Hey, the kitten is doing GREAT! it purrs the minute I pick it up for its handling-session Its getting brave/cheeky and plays and swats and bites and flips about. i keep it on my lap to play - when i put it on the floor, it takes off (not so frantically now tho) to hide behind a piece of furniture, so a long way to go yet I know. We're progressing really quickly though. Had family over for dinner last night - house full - the kitten was handed round to everyone, loved every minute of all the playing and cuddling This a.m when i went to get the kitten out, my sister had beaten me to it, and she had it down in the bed with half the others :P

sorry, 1 more question - do kittens need vaccinations and shots like puppies? think i might be able to get it to the vet next week sinces its settling so well... (will worm it today I think)

Nody

You can get compostable kitty litter but standard litter would not be compostable. Personally we use wood pellets (buy the type you'd burn; it's the exact same stuff that's sold in the pet section for 5x the price because now it's kitty litter...). Based on what you're stating the litter is non clumping which means you should look at doing a full litter change on a regular basis to deal with the peed litter. In terms of amount I'd say about 2 centimeters; basically you need the cat to feel they can "cover up" their deed to mask their scent.

Pumpkinseeds

We get Cats Best Oko Plus cat litter from Zooplus It's compostable and flushable. It absorbs odour really well and clumps so it makes it easier to scoop and it goes a really long way.


http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/cat_litter/cats_best/127214

aonb

Nody, pumkinseeds thank you.
what do you mean CLUMP?
will it say that on the packet?
Nody where do you buy the wood pellets?
Zooplus charges for shipping - bit expensive for a bag of litter - where does one buy this clumping litter?

so little litter tray (baby cat, small crate) filled to 2cm, change it every other day?(remove solids when they appear). Im so impressed that this tiny baby will use the litter tray at all!

honerbright

aonb wrote: »

Nody, pumkinseeds thank you.
what do you mean CLUMP?
will it say that on the packet?
Nody where do you buy the wood pellets?
Zooplus charges for shipping - bit expensive for a bag of litter - where does one buy this clumping litter?

so little litter tray (baby cat, small crate) filled to 2cm, change it every other day?(remove solids when they appear). Im so impressed that this tiny baby will use the litter tray at all!

Clumps means that when kitty wees the wet litter forms into a solidish clump so you can scoop it out, much like the poop.

You can get litter that Clumps in most supermarkets I think, usually says on the packet AFAIK.

So glad kitty is doing so well, such a beautiful wee mite!

Ambersky

I use to buy litter in Lidl or aldi the clay based stuff that does clump and it was cheap and worked.

Most people have their favorite kind for various reasons and can feel strongly about the best kind of litter.
I stopped using the clay based stuff because although it did form a clump I did find I had to change the litter totally every other day because it got smelly and contaminated. It began to weigh down my bins too and it isnt biodegradable so that was a problem in the end as it had to go in the bin and the bins were weighed and we had to pay more if they went over a certain weight.

Ive tried a few different types of litter and I have heard some people say that cats can sometimes really take a dislike to the feel of the wood pellets. Cats can be fussy about the cleanliness, smell and feel of their litter. They also dont like change and sometimes problems with toileting outside of the litter tray can be caused by changing the kind of litter or a dislike to the kind thats there. Litter has to suit the owner and the cat whatever kind that is chosen.

I second OKO PLUS Cats Best litter. It lasts for ages and ages and is so light. A big bag of it which I got delivered lasted my cat a year to my complete amazement as I had been buying three large bags of the clay based stuff at a time and it didnt last long.

Cats Best is so absorbent that urine soon forms a compact ball of a kind of jelly like substance that can easily be removed and all the rest of the litter around it is still clean and dry and smelling nice. Thats why is lasts so long and you dont have to change the entire tray as often a much smaller group of soft pellets absorbs everything, swells and you take it out. Its worth the money you pay for it initially and saves money because you dont have to keep buying more bags and in bin charges. A medium bag could last months.

There are disadvantages to any kind of litter you just weigh them up against the advantages.Cats Best is very light and thats an advantage but it can at times stick to the fur of long hair cats - light dry bits not used - and it does track. That means little bits of litter may stick to the cats paws on exiting the litter tray which they may drop around the place as they walk away.
I found the clay based litter left find powder on my cats paws which over time built up as a grey patch along the carpet, not initially an obvious problem and I would prefer to sweep up bits of cats best.
I think most pet shops supply Cats Best by now and Im sure other posters will have their own opinions on the best kind of litter and may differ from mine.

Pumpkinseeds

aonb wrote: »

Nody, pumkinseeds thank you.
what do you mean CLUMP?
will it say that on the packet?
Nody where do you buy the wood pellets?
Zooplus charges for shipping - bit expensive for a bag of litter - where does one buy this clumping litter?

so little litter tray (baby cat, small crate) filled to 2cm, change it every other day?(remove solids when they appear). Im so impressed that this tiny baby will use the litter tray at all!

I'd advise you to get a large litter tray. Usually at least one and a half times the size of the cat. We buy most of our stuff for our 4 from Zooplus. All of their wet and dry food comes from there as well as the litter trays and I like the reviews of products and the fact that you get a break down of all the ingredients that are in any food.

I tried the wood pellets and our cats wouldn't use them. Some litters are clumping and some are non-clumping, it usually says on the bag, but not always. Last year we ordered some of Tesco own brand litter, it didn't mention that it was lavender scented, it reeked and the cats wouldn't use it so it went in the bin.

Ordering a single item with Zooplus can be expensive, usually we stock up when we order so it works out much cheaper. Plus they have lots of stuff for dogs, so you could get everything in one place.:)