Welcome home...here's some kittens

boog's mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
214
Purraise
1
Location
Oregon
I just got back from vacation, and called to check in on my sister in law, who is caring for a litter of kittens. (She rescued the mother when she was days from giving birth.)

Well, she is feeling overwhelmed with fostering, and has asked me to take over the litter. She works mainly with dogs, and for some reason, she sees the cats as strange enigmas. I planned on adopting one of the babers anyway, so I guess I will take home 6 kits, instead of 1. I have two possible adopters on the line, so hopefully it won't be too hard to find homes for the other three. They really are quite cute. I'll post some pics in the Fur Pics section.

They are about six and a half weeks old, so I asked sis to please try and hold them for at least a week more so that they can be with their mama until at least seven weeks. They are already on solid food, but I want them to get all they can socially too.

Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to get them all tested and vaccinated. That first kitten vet appointment (In my experience) is $100-$150 per cat for the physical exam, the tests for parasites, Fel-HIV, Fel-Leuk...and the first round of kitten vaccines. I already have an appointment for the kitten I am adopting, and I will work with the other two possible adopters to make sure they get theirs in too. But what can I do for the other three while I am fostering? I don't want to have to keep them in quarantine, but I don't feel comfortable bringing them in with Pogue. He had Giardia and Upper respiratory problems when we got him, and it took over two months before he was "bug" free. Now that he has a clean bill of health, I don't want to expose him to anything.
 

adymarie

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 23, 2001
Messages
11,210
Purraise
1
Location
Toronto
Good luck - sounds like you are going to be getting a handful. Maybe talk to your vet about a discount or free service for the fosters.
 

mooficat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 3, 2006
Messages
7,610
Purraise
2
Location
Brits Abroad - In Spain
what a wonderful thing you and your SIL have done - those babies - just checked out the photos, -are looking real well


I really hope you can get something sorted for a discount for them, what about the shelters, do any of those offer a discounted spayed/neuter scheme? just a thought


I think its best to keep them away from Pogue, as you say you don't know what they might have and you'd never forgive yourself if anything did happen


Do you have a spare room, basement or a garage would still be OK, you can provide all the things they need, a 'house' with blankets and stuff to keep warm in, litter box, toys etc, they'd be OK until you were sure.

Good luck and keep us posted..........ooo and more photos would be nice
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

boog's mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
214
Purraise
1
Location
Oregon
Yeah, I think they will be in the garage, as Pogue is insistant on getting into everywhere else inside the actual house.


I can set them up with blankets, box, food, water, toys, and even some play space in there...the temperature is not easy to control in there. Right now, we are having weather that is 60-70 degrees in my area of Oregon, so its not so bad. If we get the super hot weather like we had last week, that garage may be too hot for them. I'll have to play that by ear, and find a different spot if the weather changes.

I work with a shelter in Portland too, and have spoken with them about the remaining 3 kittens. Kittens go really fast at our shelter, so I hope that would also be the case with these. As its a no-kill shelter, either way, they'd have all their needs met. (except the permanence and security of a furever home)
 

cinder

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
988
Purraise
5
Location
Oregon
Can you draw blood? I've never checked to see if you can buy the FELV-FIV snap tests anywhere. Maybe you could talk to a local rescue operation about it. I just had the kitten tested and it was $34. for the combo. (that was in the Salem area)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

boog's mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
214
Purraise
1
Location
Oregon
$34 is not bad at all. I know that it is about $40 for the basic physical exam, and $40 for the fecal parasite exam. So I was guesstimating on the rest.

I just made the vet appointment for two of the kittens. If those two come back negative on the HIV and Leuk...than its a pretty good chance the rest of the litter is ok. However not 100% sure. Since they've been indoors since their births, the would only have the diseases if they got them from the Mom. I would think, in that case, the whole litter would either have it or not. Not sure on that.

The vet was booked on the 18th, but not the 11th, so we will be taking the litter this weekend. (or at least two of them)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

boog's mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
214
Purraise
1
Location
Oregon
So we got the babies home on Sunday, and I have been working non-stop with the feedings, cleanings, and socializing ever since. They are just adorable, and are less wary of me each time I go in to their room. I took the one we are keeping (Skippyjon) to the vet yesterday, to start on his kitten vacs and to get him tested for FHIV, FLeuk. The vet said he was way underweight, and on the brink of being malnourished. Turns out, my sister in law had weaned them a good two weeks early, and had only been feeding the litter plain old cat kibble. I had given her some cans of KMR, but she lost them in her house somewhere. No wonder they are starving all the time! Poor babies.

Vet said he was too small to do the vacs because of that, and when they tried to take blood for the tests, they couldn't even get any. Vet said that is normal with the babies under 2 pounds. She gave me some Restorative food, that she normally gives her cancer patients. Its super full of protien, fat, and vitamins. We are going to try to fatten them up for a week and then try again. Other than all that, he (and the rest of the litter) is very active, loving, and playful. When they eat, they attack the food like pirhanas, growl at each other, and just shake with the urgency to get at it. Our baber Skippyjon refuses to eat with the litter for some reason. (maybe he doesn't like their table manners?) He'd rather play when they are eating. So we have to pull him out separately, and feed him in a quiet corner. I think he just likes the extra attention, as he is a glutton for any that he gets.

I am frustrated though. Three of the people who told me they would adopt a kitten have since backed out now that they are here. I have the one we're adopting, and one other adopted for sure. The other four are still without forever homes. I have a couple coming over tonight to view the babies, but they are on the fence as they travel a lot.

It's only been two days, but I can't help but be worried about what I'll be able to do for the babies if I can't find homes. My shelter more or less said "Please don't bring them here" but I know they probably would if it got to dire straits. I feel like the future for these six souls is all in my hands, and that I am alone in this. I never knew it would be this hard.
 

adymarie

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 23, 2001
Messages
11,210
Purraise
1
Location
Toronto
Good luck! Hopefully you can fatten them up a bit and soon get them homes.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

boog's mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
214
Purraise
1
Location
Oregon
Update:

Well, all the babers are gone. I took the last two to their adopted mommy last night. They were the two that I'd worked with the hardest, to socialize and get them to trust us humans. I guess that's why I feel their leaving the most.
She was a wonderful lady though. Her and her son were so excited to get the kitties. They brought me a rose, and she gave me the link to her website where she promises to post pics of the girls as they grow.

I took Skip (the one we're keeping) to the vet yesterday, for a check-up. We found that he'd gained a good amount of weight (from 1.68 pounds to 2.46!) and is nicely hydrated now. Yay! He was finally able to get his vaccinations, and his tests for Fel-L and HIV. I should be hearing back from the vet soon.
 

adymarie

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 23, 2001
Messages
11,210
Purraise
1
Location
Toronto
I'm glad that it sounds like they will have such a loving family!! What great news about Skip's weight gain - yeah!
 
Top