Update on Distemper SixKitties!

Hi all!
I am currently at my home, about seven miles away from my fiancee's house, with four of the six kittens. Today my fiancee, Matt, and I made a drastic move and decided to rescue the four kitties from the brush pile where they were with their mother (we already had our favorites, now named "Major" and "Max", inside with us). However, we could only capture two; the other two are not tame at all, and rather healthy compared to the rest. The ones that we managed to rescue did not even move when we came near; it is good that we got them instead of some animal! However, those two have fleas, and Matt's parents would not allow him to keep any of the kittens inside anymore, understandably. However, my family is a band of cat lovers, and so this evening I drove the four, two in each box, to my home. The two with fleas are outside for this evening until we can clean them off tomorrow- (by the way, when is the earliest you can treat them for fleas?) and the other two are inside in a HUGE, long box, just down the hall from my room. They are happy as can be- purring, asleep, doctored up (they love their medicine!) and well-fed. They are all cuddled up in their beds. Tomorrow we will try to rescue the other two from their evil mother and will name the rest hopefully, and we will find out about their condition on Tuesday.
Pray that we don't have fleas in our house and that we can find these kitties good homes in Southern Missouri!
Thanks for all of your help, and sorry I write "books" on here. I'm just so happy for them!
-Sixkitties

Ah, poor mother kitty thinks she's protecting her babies. You know what good mommies they are! Since over the counter flea products are dangerous, especially Hartz Mountain, I would ask the vet what to use and when. There are excellent products that require only a few drops on the back of the neck. I'm sure he'll be helpful. Please don't buy over the counter! Congratulations on getting two kittens already!

As I mentioned before, I have four of the six at my house, and my fiancee's mama cat has the others. They are impossible to catch and/or find, so they are left to fend for themselves, but the other four are happy and healthy here so far! 3 boys, 1 girl.
They have names now: Max, Duke, Major, and Princess Lucie.

I will have to send pictures of my darlings; my whole family is becoming attached to them now!
Thanks for the help all-
"Sixkitties"

My kitties are all doing well today. Still recovering from distemper, but one looks almost completely healed. Their daddy (my fiancee) wants them back, but he can't have them! We treated them for fleas yesterday, according to the vet's directions, and I just pray that there are none in the house that I have carried in on my clothing or anything.

You can see a picture of Dukie in the "new cats on the block" forum. He is the runt of the litter, and such a shy sweetheart!

More later...
-Sixkitties

I don't blame you for not wanting to give them up! You've done a great job with them. Good for you! It's a shame someone can't do something for the other two and Mommy kitty.

We can't find the remaining two kitties that stayed with their mommy anywhere. The mommy cat is still around and seems very sad. I feel terrible that we couldn't catch the other two, but they were always the most wild ones and the most sick; they weren't healing like the others. Most likely they felt bad, thus causing their "hissyness."

Perhaps now they're over "rainbow bridge" and can keep my kittie Willie company.

All of my new kitties have healed eyes as well, except for Duke. We've got to go to the vet today and get him some medicine so he'll feel better. He makes me proud; he hisses at everyone but me. He knows that I'm his mama!

It's a shame about Mother cat and the other two kittens, but you did what you could. In the future, you could call the humane society about a humane trap. I'm so glad your kittens are doing well! Duke should be around other human beings as much as possible so that he gets socialized. Of course, it sounds as if you're his favorite person, so you will probably always be his favorite! I know that you will find wonderful, permanent homes for the other two. Don't advertise "free to a good home." There are cruel people who sell dogs and cats for medical research, and they watch for those ads. Keep the siblings together until 12 weeks. It's much better for them. Let us know what happens. Good luck!

Thank you for the advice about leaving them together until twelve weeks- but why? We will most likely get rid of Lucie and Major, although they are gorgeous, and keep Max and Duke, so that no new offspring will result!

I wish that there were a humane society in my area. The closest is a few hours away, and it is not a no-kill shelter. The local pound is very cruel- the city does not have enough money to even operate our local library, so therefore any animals that are captured are not put to sleep, but killed very inhumanely. Ahh, the joys of a small town...

Any suggestions on that?

Here is some comprehensive information I received at our own Breeder's Forum: http://breedlist.com/faq/young.html

Kittens who leave their siblings (and their mothers, normally) at an earlier age are not properly socialized. They have not learned how to interact properly with other cats, and their immune systems are not well developed. It is best that they stay with their adopted mommy and daddy until they're older. You don't have to read that whole article, but I think you'll get some very convincing information with a minimum of reading!