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Post by zoe on Oct 30, 2008 11:58:59 GMT 1
OH has just found tiny kitten at work (he is mechanic in bus scrap yard) it is too small to have left mum, I'd guess 5 weeks old. It was wandering around in snow this morn very wet and cold. I have dried it and put it in a safe place where mum might find it but I'm not that hopeful. If mum doesn't come I plan to take it home and syringe feed it but I'm not sure if that is the kindest thing to do. any ideas wecome, I am prepared to humanely end it if that is the best option (obviously I don't want to) I thought I'd ask your advice and hopefully someone has the experience to guide me. cheers all.
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Post by exmoorfan on Oct 30, 2008 12:03:04 GMT 1
Poor thing.Any ideas how old it is.. i have reared them before but its not easy. You have to toilet them as well.. Garej on here may know..pm her. Think she knows about cats..
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Post by Claire on Oct 30, 2008 12:36:19 GMT 1
I have done this with a number of kittens and they all survived. Bring it inside as soon as you can. You could keep going out and checking for a mother cat but its important to get it in the warmth quickly. Keep the little thing very warm as young kittens cannot control their body temperature. If you have hot water bottle fill it (not boiling tho!) and wrap bottle in blanket put in box or similar along with kitten and more blankets. (Or a pop bottle or similar will do if you havent hot water bottle but make sure it doesnt leak!) Also keep room warm at least 70 degrees. Contact your local vet they have a special formula (Cimicat? may be able to get in pet shops too) you mix up to feed them with and syringe feed or feed with baby bottle every 2-3 hours-ish. Yes, exmoorfan is right you have to look after their toilet needs too. You can wipe their bums with old towel after feeding to stimulate them to wee/poo. Depending on its age it may be able to go in a litter tray if it is about 5 weeks that should be ok. Pop it in tray after the feed. The older it is the better chance it has of surviving. But you must constantly check on it. If you need to go out to work someone else will have to look after it. Good luck. Let me know if you need any more advice or garej knows a lot about cats. Wish I was nearer would come and get it. BTW you may need to get it checked by vet if it has any symptoms like runny nose, cough or swollen eyes, may have cat flu or another infection and need medication.
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Post by zoe on Oct 30, 2008 23:00:57 GMT 1
I have followed your advice Claire, I went and got it straight away and kept it up my jumper (same as regulating a premature baby). It is now in a box next to woodburner with a lion king hot water bottle, I'm quite hopeful as it is gutsing it's milk - seems to want little bits very often. It's just as well I've had babies cos I suspect its back on the night feeds for me ;D I'll keep you posted, cross your fingers for little sweetie,thanks for the advice
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Post by Claire on Oct 31, 2008 1:03:25 GMT 1
Glad you got the little thing zoe. Been worrying bout it all day. Did you get the special milk for it as they arent supposed to have cows milk it can make them poorly. Have evrything crossed he/she will make it.
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Post by zoe on Oct 31, 2008 14:47:02 GMT 1
I have got her some kitten formula milk called Lactol. she likes to be cuddled - is it ok? or should she be left in box? (I am calling it a she for now cos can't actually tell yet) My jack russell is very excited, I am keeping them apart cos I don't trust her but she has decided that a new kitten in the house means sheis allowed to wee on the carpet - it's lucky I love her!
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Post by darkhorse on Oct 31, 2008 14:55:22 GMT 1
Ahhh she's lovely. I hope she is doing well zoe.
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Post by zoe on Oct 31, 2008 14:59:55 GMT 1
I'm really pleased with her she is eating well and is very alert (when not napping) so it's looking hopeful
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Post by Claire on Oct 31, 2008 18:33:38 GMT 1
What a little sweetheart. Hard to tell from a photo but she looks very young, younger than 5 weeks. Can she walk around much yet? I used to cuddle mine I think it makes them feel secure. But they do need a lot of kip! Also forgot to say you will need to groom her, use a very lightly dampened cloth to simulate the mothers tongue, it will also help her to learn to groom herself. But you can wait til she's settled down a bit until doing that.
Naughty Jack Russell she is probably getting over-excited or territorial. My cat was terrible for weeing when she had to share a house with my dad's cat whom she loathed!
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Post by garej on Oct 31, 2008 19:46:44 GMT 1
Pretty much what Claire said was right. I am just sorry I couldnt answer it earlier.
At this age she would be able to handle a little solids, I would try her with Whiskas cat meat. At this rate she will need the Cimicat, as even if she were with her mother, she would still be feeding off her. I am not too familiar with Lactol.
A lot of it at this age is basically feed on demand - feed her as much as she can handle. Just a slight word of warning that you must be a little bit careful if you are syringe feeding her, you can accidently drown them.
If she has survived this far, you are doing great - just watch her and get her down to the vet if you are indeed worried. I would definitely get a litter tray, even if she does not use it initially, she will need to use one as soon as possible. I would use the gravel type stuff initially, as she may be used to going outside.
In a couple of weeks time, I would then think about getting her socialised with other cats - hand reared cats can become rather clingy.
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Post by zoe on Oct 31, 2008 19:57:54 GMT 1
I have given her some kitten meat which she eats a bit of. Isort of syringe feed slowly over a saucer and she laps most of it, I syringe fed my youngest as he was premature so I've had bit of practise. thanks.
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Post by Claire on Oct 31, 2008 22:12:46 GMT 1
Garej I think I used Lactol with one of mine so I think its OK, hard to remember it was a long time ago! But definietly used cimicat for others.
Zoe, Rosie, whose pic you will have seen on the forum was one of my hand reared ones. She was so tenacious as a kitten she would grab hold of the syringe with her little paws! Like yours she was soon lapping from a saucer and eating a little meat. She liked to climb inside this big woolly cardigan I wore (it was in the winter too) and snuggle up next to me.
Ooh I'm going all broody with all this kitten talk!
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Post by cally on Nov 1, 2008 1:42:58 GMT 1
Good luck Zoe- she seems to be doing really well. I think you'll have a very special cat in your life at the end of the day!
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Post by Buster on Nov 1, 2008 16:52:24 GMT 1
Awh cute good luck!
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Post by sarah on Nov 1, 2008 20:05:20 GMT 1
What a cute kitten. It all sounds like great advice. We bought up some kittens whose mum dies when they were just 4 weeks old and they all turned into lovely, healthy cats. Keep up the good work and lots more photos please.
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Post by Claire on Nov 1, 2008 21:11:11 GMT 1
Well, this is what I get for getting kitten broody. Went for a walk in the country today and we saw this lovely little cat a few months old. Unfortunately the little terror attached itself to us and followed us for about a mile. We couldnt get rid of it and in the end we had to carry the bloomin thing back to the village and find its owner. Even after we had deposited it in its garden it kept following us. In the end someone else in the village had to lock it in her house so we could escape! ;D I almost expected it to be sitting there when we opened the car!
Hows kitty doing zoe?
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Post by zoe on Nov 1, 2008 21:51:16 GMT 1
Perhaps it will be on your doorstep in morning ;D Kitten is doing great, let her have a wander around today, she's quite wobbly but did try to ponce on fluff on carpet it was really cute. I've been toileting her, do I keep doing this until she starts going herself? I have been putting her in litter tray but nothing has happened yet My jack russell has had a supervised visit, she behaved very well. Will try and upload more pics tomorrow (it won't work tonight)
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Post by Claire on Nov 1, 2008 22:24:33 GMT 1
She sounds like she is coming up to 4 weeks old. By 5 she will be steady on her feet and moving around a lot. She is probably old enough to go to the loo on her own. Try popping her in tray after meals rubbing her bottom with cloth and also move her paw in the litter so she realises she can dig in it. This is what I did with mine. They seem to catch on pretty quickly but may take a few attempts!
With being a female your dog may want to 'mother' her! ;D
Cant wait to see more pics.
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Post by kunuma on Nov 2, 2008 16:43:57 GMT 1
Reading about the rescued kitten has made my week,especially at a time when so many animals are suffering from the everlasting firework frenzy that Nov 5th seems to have degenerated into. Well done Zoe!
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Post by zoe on Nov 2, 2008 20:34:10 GMT 1
Today she has started playing,it's so lovely to watch. She has her milk and then has a little bounce around, also, we have had a result on the litter tray (and one on the floor ) but it's all progress. I'm starting to think we should name her -ideas? (remember don't know if boy or girl yet maybe boy but not certain)
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Post by Claire on Nov 2, 2008 21:05:54 GMT 1
Oh she/he is absolutely adorable and what beautiful whiskers. You are doing so well you can really tell how she has improved since the first photo. Looks like your doggie is getting inthe act too! Erm hard to explain how to tell the sex of kitten without rude words ;D Its quite hard to do when they are little anyway especially if the cat is fluffy! Basically the female has 2 holes close together and one looks like a small slit. Boys have a bigger space between their 'holes' where the um how shall we put it '2 veg' appear later ;D Just did a google search and found a link which may help you: www.kitten-rescue.com/sexing_the_kitten.htmlAre you going to keep her?
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Post by zoe on Nov 2, 2008 22:47:04 GMT 1
Are you going to keep her? Ohh yes! I am far too soft for my own good, and one more animal won't hurt( I keep saying this, will end up with a zoo) I'm pretty sure it's a boy
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Post by Claire on Nov 2, 2008 23:39:42 GMT 1
Oh well its less stressful when it comes to neutering for a boy. Not surprising you are keeping 'him' thats how I ended up with Rosie. Was only supposed to be rescuing her then finding a home for her still got her 11 years later
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Post by cally on Nov 3, 2008 0:06:35 GMT 1
Showed pics to my fella who remarked that he looks like a fluffier version of our puss, Finnegan, who is an RSPCA rescue and absolutely adorable. Finn is a good name to call out at dinner time, so that's my suggestion. Or else Flynn, after the gorgeous Errol, particularly if he is a charmer!
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Post by Claire on Nov 3, 2008 13:31:11 GMT 1
What about a pony book character maybe Henry from the Noel and Henry books? (Then if you got another one you could call it Noel ;D) Or what about Gizmo? This was the name of one of my own cats who sadly passed away a few years ago. He was a rescued kitten too although he was not as pretty as yours. In fact when a kitten looked like a gremlin hence the name. (Gizmo was the cute fluffy gremlin in the film however) But he was a handsome chap when grown up. I still miss him Last suggestion: Riley - cos he will be living the life of Riley with you as his slave zoe ;D
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Post by Buster on Nov 3, 2008 18:35:41 GMT 1
Smudge like my pup cos he has a smudge on his chest Or Cookie, Cheerio, Cody, Harley, Sparky... hmmmm Scrap? Or Scrappy? As he was found in a scrap metal place, was it? Hes gorgous your so lucky! Give him a hug from me
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Post by Claire on Nov 3, 2008 19:39:37 GMT 1
Yes he is gorgeous. Keep looking at the photos and drooling! ;D Zoe was just wondering has anyone had a look round for the mother cat since? I am just a little worried about what may have happened to her. Then again he could have been abandoned there, theres some horrible people about.
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Post by zoe on Nov 3, 2008 20:44:13 GMT 1
I have seen the mum but I can't find her nest. Apparrentely there are a couple of wild cats who live around the scrap yard and quite often have kittens in the buses that are waiting to be cut up. a lot of the buses have bits missing like parts of floor so I'm guessing my kitten fell through the floor of the bus it was in and wandered off. The mum looks in good health but is too wild to get near.
My kitten has turned into a mummy's boy and is demanding lots of fuss and attention and he likes to bite toes!?
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Post by Claire on Nov 3, 2008 21:55:27 GMT 1
Yes they do get very clingy if they are hand reared. But you do have the dog so they will prob become good friends eventually. Glad the mum cat is OK.
Oh almost forgot to tell you was just reading somewhere that hand reared cats are supposed to be more intelligent than others when they grow up. Can't say Ive noticed it in Rosie tho she is not the sharpest tool in the box ;D I think they are more affectionate tho.
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Post by zoe on Nov 5, 2008 0:10:10 GMT 1
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