Stray kitten - help please...

dailynhtly

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I happened upon a stray kitten last night. He (I think?) ended up spending the night in my bathroom (I already have one adult who is not to keen on the idea of a new 'friend'). Fed him adult food (Nutro Indoor, all I had) and he ate it up as well as drinking some water. Made him a makeshift litter box which he used. He seems quite content, sleeps, explores, plays, etc.

Now my questions:

1) I *think* he's about 3 months old. I don't know when testicles drop but I don't really see nor feel any. I'm a bit embarassed as I have a female cat and would think I would be able to tell the difference, but he's not exactly accomodating when I try to check. Any tips? Pics to compare with?

2) I'll be picking up kitten food asap and taking him to the vet for all the fun stuff, but in the mean time I was thinking I would treat him for ear mites, just in case. I don't think he has any but I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be hurting anything (other than his kitty pride when I held him down to do it). I also put a flea collar on him as his friend that was running around with him (who now is living next door) had 1 flea (all that I could find), but I didn't find any on this guy. He does has little black specks in his hair though, flea droppings maybe? Don't have any flea shampoo but would a regular bath suffice?

3) At the moment I have my cat's litter box up where the kitten can't get to it, but I'm hoping that once he is used to his, he won't go in hers, am I right?

4) How do appropriately discipline him when he tries to scratch and bite while playing. I try to avoid it and keeps my hands out of the way. But sometimes we are just cuddling and while I'm petting him he gets a bit frisky.

5) Going to call for an appointment this Monday, but can someone give me a ballpark on what this first time visit is going to cost? I know I'll have to do the first round of kitten shots and rabies, but I was wondering if feline leukimia was necessary right now? My other cat is vaccinated and he will not be going outside anytime soon (if at all), so can I hold off?

6) Should I deworm him?

Thanks all, I'll leave you to your advising now

It's much appreciated!
 
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dailynhtly

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Just a few pics if they help, though sheisty camera phone quality. That is a chapstick tube in the pic, fyi. I know the whole "a boy looks like an : and a girl looks like i" but still, I can't tell.

Thanks again!
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by DailyNhtly

I happened upon a stray kitten last night. He (I think?) ended up spending the night in my bathroom (I already have one adult who is not to keen on the idea of a new 'friend'). Fed him adult food (Nutro Indoor, all I had) and he ate it up as well as drinking some water. Made him a makeshift litter box which he used. He seems quite content, sleeps, explores, plays, etc.

Now my questions:

1) I *think* he's about 3 months old. I don't know when testicles drop but I don't really see nor feel any. I'm a bit embarassed as I have a female cat and would think I would be able to tell the difference, but he's not exactly accomodating when I try to check. Any tips? Pics to compare with?

2) I'll be picking up kitten food asap and taking him to the vet for all the fun stuff, but in the mean time I was thinking I would treat him for ear mites, just in case. I don't think he has any but I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be hurting anything (other than his kitty pride when I held him down to do it). I also put a flea collar on him as his friend that was running around with him (who now is living next door) had 1 flea (all that I could find), but I didn't find any on this guy. He does has little black specks in his hair though, flea droppings maybe? Don't have any flea shampoo but would a regular bath suffice?

3) At the moment I have my cat's litter box up where the kitten can't get to it, but I'm hoping that once he is used to his, he won't go in hers, am I right?

4) How do appropriately discipline him when he tries to scratch and bite while playing. I try to avoid it and keeps my hands out of the way. But sometimes we are just cuddling and while I'm petting him he gets a bit frisky.

5) Going to call for an appointment this Monday, but can someone give me a ballpark on what this first time visit is going to cost? I know I'll have to do the first round of kitten shots and rabies, but I was wondering if feline leukimia was necessary right now? My other cat is vaccinated and he will not be going outside anytime soon (if at all), so can I hold off?

6) Should I deworm him?

Thanks all, I'll leave you to your advising now

It's much appreciated!
Welcome to TCS:

1. Here is a link for sexing kittens:

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/clientED/kittenSex.asp

you may however want to wait until your vet can confirm the sex of your kitten.

2. I'm not a fan of flea collars.....I believe there are topical products that work better. Since you aren't sure of his age, the vet can let you know what flea products are safe for your little one. In the meantime, you may want to get a tick comb and see if you come across any fleas as you brush him. You can have a cup with some water and a drop of dawn dishwashing detergent nearby so that if you do get any fleas off of him/her..you can put it in the cup immediately to kill the fleas.

3. The recommendation is to have 1 litterbox per cat plus 1 extra. You can't guarentee that he won't be curious to use hers...but if she is territorial..she will probably make it clear to him that that one is hers.

4. The articles that I have read recommend that instead of discipling a cat to instead redirect his play behavior to something more appropriate...such as a feather toy. Another idea is to walk away when he gets too frisky..give him time to settle down and then resume cuddling with him.

5. It would be difficult to price out shots because they vary based on area and the individual vet...here is what you will need to provide: dewormer, 1st distemper shot (he/she will need a series of 3 one month apart) and I would definately have him FELV/FIV tested. He may be too young for a rabies shot. Also, he/she will need to be neutered or spayed soon.

6. Yes...all kittens get worms and since you found him as a stray..you don't know whether he has ever been dewormed.

Katie
 

tortiebaby

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!) It's a boy! Congratulations! LOL!
Here's pics for assurance:

Girl:


Boy:


Since he is a boy and your other cat is a girl then I can safely say from experience that they will probably warm up to each other through time. For some reason, even if spayed/neutered, opposites sexes get along better than 2 females/2males.

2) Since he looks about 3 months old then it is safe to give him a bath. The best way to get rid of fleas is with Dawn dish soap. Fill a bowl/bucket with warm water and add a few drops of dawn(til slightly suddsy). Then, place your kitty in the sink/tub and soak him with the dawn water until completely "sudded up". Let sit for a minute and then rinse him with fresh warm water until all the soap is gone. Now, since it is fall and is getting a wee chilly, be sure you have a nice big fluffy towel and a warm place to dry him off and THOROUGHLY dry him off. He may be 3 months old, but he is still a kitten and can get sick easily if wet and cold for too long.

After the "fun part" is over(LOL!), brush him well with a flea comb(if you have one) to remove any little buggers that may have survived. You can kill them by dipping them in a dawn/water mixture.

3)Yes, he should be able to use her litterbox in the future. I would recommend holding off that moment until he gets his vaccines and is dewormed, though.

4) Let him know that he is hurting you. Do a small yell or something.

When kittens play, if it gets to rought, they let each other know by letting out a meow or a scream. Sooo, use "kitten" language and he ought to figure it out over time. If that doesn't work than try leaving him alone after he bites you so that he know if he plays too rough you won't play with him anymore.

5) I woulod guess that the average price for a check-up is about $30-35, plus the cost of any shots you get him. Deworming, I believe, costs about $10, I'm not sure about the other stuff, I don't remember.

6) Yes. Pretty much every kitten has worms.

Thank you for rescueing the poor kitten and being so kind! Oh, yeah, just so you know, you should probably get him neutered before he turns 4 months old because kittens can become sexually mature by then and he will probably begin spraying. If you have never been through that, believe me, you don't EVER want to! It smells up the whole block! LOL!
 
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dailynhtly

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Thanks for the help guys... any specifics on why you're not a fan of the collars? I've always used Frontline on my dogs and my other cat, but as it's gotten colder (and I've gotten poorer) I switched her to a collar even though she doesn't go outside.

I didn't have any Dawn on hand (gonna run out in a bit and get some flea shampoo, may as well have some on hand) but we did a tear-free doggy/kitty shampoo bathe which wasn't tooooo horribly traumatic. We now have a 95% dry kitten cuddling in a blanket on my lap --and I'm no longer getting that, "What are you doing to me? I thought you loved me!" look, so yeah!

I did another quick search before the bath and found about 3 fleas on the backside of said kitty, but no where else. I'm gonna do it again when he's completely dry but I can't seem to find the little buggers anymore.

No flea comb but I'm gonna run a regular brush through and try and get some loose hair out as well as any other dirt our bath may have missed. You think the regular shampoo would kill the suckers? And why is Dawn magical? (Sorry for all the questions, I'm such a dog/horse person...)

I'm glad to know you have hopes for the two of them getting along due to the opposite sex. It seems now that Sara (my other one) is warming up a bit. She still hisses and glares but she'll voluntarily enter the room and check things out now.

I wanted to clarify that I didn't mean permanently postpone the feline leukemia shot, just, could I do it later on to space out the cost. I was imagining that the visit fee plus kitten shots would be a bit pricy. Then I'd have to wait a bit for the neuturing.

Do any of you do your own worming? Like buying the product and doing it yourself? I do it with my dogs and horses and it's a bit cheaper. Any recommendations?

Thanks again!!
 

jen

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Everyone has given you great advice! Just please do not use a flea collar! They do more harm then good. They have actually seriously harmed and caused death for some cats. Only good for them is to cut them up and put them in your vacuum bag. Then vacuum and all fleas picked up will be killed in the bag.

You can search for low cost clinics for vaccinations and neutering. Both need to be done asap!

Good luck and thanks for taking this guy in!
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by DailyNhtly

Do you guys like Adams flea products?
I don't like any over the counter flea products and unless you have had a discussion with a vet regarding the dewormer that you are using...I do not recommend deworming yourself.

Also...below is a list of low cost spay/neuter clinics in Alabama:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#al

Katie
 
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dailynhtly

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Thanks, I'm actually in the Montgomery area, but I'm checking it out now
 

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Congrats on the cute kitty. Strongid is a good wormer. (Different strength than the horse Strongid!) You get it from your vet, and it is very inexpensive, and safe for young kittens. Take a poo sample in when the kitty sees the vet, and they will check for worms. Sometimes they don't find them, even if the kitty has worms. If I had found a kitten with fleas, I would assume he had worms,too.

Then treat both the kitten and your cat for fleas and worms. They are very contagious! The only over the counter flea medicine I trust is Advantage, and it is very expensive. The vet can sell you Revolution, which helps with fleas, earmites, and worms. (A miracle medication!) I have read here of kitties getting very ill from over the counter wormers and flea treatments. I used to use the wormers, but have thrown out what I had left. I can't "afford" for my animals to possibly be poisoned from them, and since they aren't as effective anyways, why bother?!?
 

tortiebaby

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I don't think anyone know why Dawn is so miraculous, it just is! It has never failed me, that's for sure. Ask anyone here and I'm sure they can tell you the same.

I have found that the best combo to get rid of fleas is the following: 1)dawn bath, 2) give cat a Capstar flea pill, 3) put advantage on the cat, 4) thoroughly wash the kat's bedding and areas surrounding his bedding, also, vacuum any carpet or furniture you have. Also vacuum the matress and wash bedding if the cat sleeps on your bed. Anyways, with winter coming up, the fleas will usually stop coming as long as you can get them out of your house. The ones outside go into "hibernation". Good luck with the fleas! I know how annoying they can be!(as I'm sure evreyone else here does too.
)
 
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dailynhtly

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Well, I cut up the flea collar and put it in the vacuum


So kitty has had a normal bath, a flea topical and flea comb and everything has been washed and vacuumed. The Dawn bath is next but there are no fleas that I can find anywhere, so yeah. Kitty also has his own litter box and it quite good at it and Sara is warming up to him. She'll be within a foot of him, come up and sniff and doesn't hiss all the time when he comes up to sniff her. There is still the occasional mad cry and hiss but things are going well. Working on finding a neuter certificate so he should have an appointment later this week to get the rest taken care of.

Thanks so much guys
 
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