Kitten advice

[~Abyss~]

I don't know anything about cats I've always been more of a dog person. Ive read a little on kittens and cats on wiki but still worried. I found the kitten about 5 minutes before getting out of work, it had fallen in some broken desk and was basicly stuck in there. It was pretty dark and using my phone light I found her alone no mom or other kittens. She meows all the time or sleeps but she does get pretty affectionate. I know puppies arent suppose to drink cow milk so I just kinda assumed kittens couldn't either. I mashed up some puppy food and cooked it in boiling water to make mushy and she wouldn't eat it. I went to petco to get some arificial milk and bottle and it won't suckle.....maybe i'm doing it wrong. Anyways the guy at petco said it shouldnt be eating solid food right now but it snatched a piece of ham from my sadwich but just a little bit of that. I also forgot to buy kitty litter but I heard that the mom cats have to stimulate the kitten for them to urinate and last night i was petting her belly and she started twiching and peed on my bed. :cry:. Then this morning she crawled into her bowl of puppy food mush and with her legs still sticking out she peed again. I dont know if she tried climbing in the bowl of food to pee in it or if the rim of the bowl stimulated her to pee. Oh I was gonna find it a home but my girlfriend wants to keep it. I still haven't decided what I'm gonna do but in the mean time I want to be able to care for the cat. We're gonna go see the vet this weekend.

 

[LeilaNami]

Since it is eating solid food already there really isn't much you can do. It means it pretty much weaned itself before you found it. You only have to help the really young kittens urinate. If she's doing it on her own, provide a shallow litter box (shoebox lids do wonders).
Get some kitten food from the pet store. There are some great brands out there like Blue Buffalo, Nature's Recipe, and By Nature in particular. These are going to be more expensive (with the exception of Nature's Recipe) because of the quality of ingredients they use. This will benefit you in the long run if you decide to keep the kitty. Also if you decide to keep her, bring her to the vet as soon as possible for a wellness check and vaccinations if she's old enough. I can almost guarantee she has worms already. If you can't get kitty litter right away, use shredded paper and change it out daily.

 

[~Abyss~]

Awesome thanks for the advice, shes gonna see a vet this weekend thats as soon as I can unfortunatly. I might end up keeping her still have to bring my pup home from my mom's house hopefully they get along.

 

[LeilaNami]

If you ever introduce a dog and a cat, one of the best times is when both are young. It gives them a little bit more of a chance to adapt before they get grumpy Good luck!

 

[indigoeyes]

Maybe try mixing some of the kitten milk from the store with some dry kitten food and microwaving it so she can smell it. It was the only way I got my kittens to eat. NEVER give a kitten dog food. It is a really, really bad idea. It doesn't have the nutrients she needs to keep healthy eye sight.

 

[bugmankeith]

Try the kitten milk (think its called KMR) but it seems she is ready for solids. A vet could tell you if she can start to eat solid food, but you can try mashing dry kitten food really good with canned cat food in the mean time (sometimes they have kitten canned food), even adding some warm water to it. If she can eat some solids, that should entice her. Dont forget a water bowl!

Really young kittens need there rears cleaned to make them go potty, although I dont know up to what age this has to be done. I would call the vet and ask questions until you can get to the vet.

And yeah never give a cat dog food, or vice versa, there not meant to eat the same things.

This site rocks on cat care, you may want to check it out.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/

 

[~Abyss~]

Couple of things to point out since then. Lucky for me smore (my pup) gets along with her, they seem to have gotten really close actually. I think she still needs her rear cleaned to go potty but smore seems to be taking care of that himself. She's eating a lot now, gotten a bit pudgier since i found her. Smore developed a taste for cat food now so I gotta watch them when I feed him. He knows not to eat her food but still sneaks a bite when he thinks I'm not looking. So any advice on how to stimulate her to poop or pee myself. I imagine a warm cloth would help.

 

[bugmankeith]

Read this, it explains how to- http://www.kitten-rescue.com/pooping_and_peeing.html

Go here for more kitten care info. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=36

 

[Mina]

Get a soft washcloth, rinse it in warm water and wipe her little butt with it repeatedly until she does her business. You are trying to recreate her Mommy licking her to stimulate her. If your pup is doing a good job, you might just want to let him continue. He knows what to do already.

 

[~Abyss~]

Yeah he seems to have figured out the procedure. I did it a few time this weekend using bugmans link. Thanks guys.

 

[SCORPIONNOOB]

Man I LOVE cats! I have 2 that are my children. One is a flame point siamese named morgan and a lynx point siamese named sully! Your doing a good thing man! :worship:

 

[agama]

I know puppies arent suppose to drink cow milk so I just kinda assumed kittens couldn't either.

i give my kitten cow milk

 

[Aztek]

Here's pics

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Aw man, that's cute! Simply adorable. You gotta love pictures of cats and dogs being friends!

Jeesh, I'm gushing like a girl. Next I'll be dotting my "i"s with hearts!

 

[Autumnvicky]

AWWWWWW! Adorable little angel and such a sweet dog too!

Very cute! How's she/he been doing?

 

[~Abyss~]

Great been getting fatter since I found her. Learned how to use the litter box and is starting to climb up on the bed and sleep with me.

 

[MyNameIsMud]

that's an adorable little kitten man

you've been given excellent advice and I've really nothing to add except -- The Wife and I use purina one dry kitten and cat food (we live in the country and take in stray and abused kitties and puppies and have more of both than I care to admit publicly lol) and we get along very well with using it at all stages of life.

it's like tarantula bedding however -- to each their own

have you named it yet? once you do you're doomed lol that kitten will be yours forever

 

[agama]

adorible kitten

 

[HankyPankyRoe]

She is adorable! Good luck with her!