TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care › 15 day old kittens...please help
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

15 day old kittens...please help

post #1 of 17
4/14/09 at 2:12pm
Thread Starter 
I went to the local animal shelter today to pick up a kitten and found a litter of seven who (the man there said) were about 15 days old. I know this is really young but the kittens and the mother cat are in a terribly small cage & in not very hygienic conditions. I've been asked to go back in ten days as they'll be older then but i'm really worried about whether they'll survive. should i just take one home anyway?? or should i wait?? I'm so frightened that they won't be there when i go back next week yet im worried they won't survive without their mother. please help..
Reply
post #2 of 17
4/14/09 at 2:17pm
Is there any way you can take Mama and the kittens? and then maybe find them ALL good homes?? I have two, 2 week old kittens here and let me tell you....It is hard work to care for them when thwey are this young and needy!!
Reply
post #3 of 17
4/14/09 at 2:21pm
Thread Starter 
i so wish i could...but i couldn't manage taking care of seven kittens i have an 11am-5pm job and wouldnt be able to give them all the constant care that they need
Reply
post #4 of 17
4/14/09 at 2:35pm
If you had Mama too, there would be no need to do anything other than provide food water and shelter.Mama will do everything else.
Reply
post #5 of 17
4/14/09 at 2:36pm
Where are you located?Are you near NC?
Reply
post #6 of 17
4/14/09 at 3:08pm
Mama cat is the BEST thing for them at this age. I agree with Proud... can you foster the little family??? The shelter SHOULD be able to help with expenses ... that's usually how it works. We under write our fosters.
Reply
post #7 of 17
4/14/09 at 5:53pm
At 15 days old, if you separated one of them from their mom, you would have to feed them round the clock every 2-3 hours. If you work full time, you would not be able to care for them. They have not yet learned to potty on their own and depend on their mom to stimulate that for them. This is a round the clock job that you would have to be completely prepared for.
Reply
post #8 of 17
4/14/09 at 6:26pm
Yes, would it be possible for you to foster Mommy and kittens- it may seem like alot of work, but Mom really does everything for them, and anything would be better for them than a cage where they get no socialization.
If you're set on just one kitten, you'd have to be careful, as they are very young and would need to be bottle fed without Mom around.
Feel free to ask more questions if needed!
Reply
post #9 of 17
4/14/09 at 9:03pm
Thread Starter 
alright...that seems to be the only way out. i shall have a word with the shelter owner & rope in a friend to help me out...thanks so much for all the advice and concern..
Reply
post #10 of 17
4/15/09 at 12:43pm
Good for you- you won't regret it!
Keep us updated on how it goes!
Reply
post #11 of 17
4/15/09 at 12:51pm
Yay Your awesome for taking them in
Reply
post #12 of 17
4/15/09 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 
hello, good news i met the shelter owner today & he told me that there's already a family taking the cat family in next week. I shall be checking on them regularly until they've left the shelter.

Oddly enough, a friend called this morning to say that she'd found an abandoned kitten on her balcony last night..and wanted to know if i could adopt it. serendipity?? I don't know...but kitty is now safely ensconced in a box in my house. She's about three weeks old i think..or almost...still wobbly on her feet. I'm feeding her liquid for now but when should i start introducing it to more solid food? She's not very rotund but has a Lot of energy and has been walking (wobbling!) around the house (with me following behind her). Is she looking for her mama? She still looks for something to suckle in her box

Also when she's next to me she keeps licking my bare skin...is that a salt deficiency? is it normal?

Gosh i have tonnes of questions...but i really want to do this right. any help would be much appreciated
Reply
post #13 of 17
4/15/09 at 2:43pm
Well it seems as though it was written in the stars for you to take a cat in need in (or kitten) I woul wait until she is more steady on her feet to introduce baby food (no onion or garlic powder) or kmr second step.Are you giving her a kitten milk replacer?Don't give her milk.Good luck, it is hard work....but a labor of love
Reply
post #14 of 17
4/15/09 at 2:55pm
I agree-- looks like you were destined to do this. Yes - NO cows milk. It will make her sick. Use KMR, which you can get at big box pet stores, Walmart, etc. And it often comes with something called bene-bac which will help with any digestive imbalances the non-mamacat milk might cause.

KMR starter kits come with bottles. Don't feed the kitten on her/his back like a human baby. They feed on their bellies (think about a nursing kitten on a mom cat) or even upright.

Make sure you keep her warm.

If she is looking to suckle, get her stuffed toy - a couple of them.. maybe one kitten sized and one more mama sized to keep her company. As with any infant, make sure there are no parts she can get off in her mouth, like glued on eyes.

She probably does like your salty skin, but she may be grooming you, too. That is bonding behavior.

Is she pooping or peeing on her own? She sounds like she is still too young for a litter box. After she eats, you will have to stimulate her to go potty using a warm wet washcloth or dampened cotton ball. Rub kitten's little tummy towards the back, towards where she pees and poos.

There are lots of sticky links at the top of the kitten care sub forum to help you. I'm probably not explaining it very well... so you might want to do a little home work.

Good luck with your little baby.
Reply
post #15 of 17
4/15/09 at 3:17pm
Aww, thats so great that everything worked out!
As for the bottle feeding/ stimulating, AddieBee pretty much said it all. You should be feeding her about 4 times a day, and you can start her/him(do you know?) on solid food now and have her weened by 5 weeks, but don't take her off milk for a while(4-5 weeks)
From my experience, licking you is quite normal, just something they do.
What colour is he/she?
If you get any pics, we'd love to see!
Congrats!!
Ask all the questions you need!
Reply
post #16 of 17
4/15/09 at 9:33pm
Thread Starter 
Good news...kitty had a good night's rest i rubbed her belly to make her pee once yesterday but she did take a poo on her own in the evening. no not giving her cow's milk...but she drinks very little at a time. I'm worried that she's not having enough. how can i tell? Will take her for a general check-up today...let's see what the vet says about semi-solid food. She's adorable though, a little ball of stripey black and grey fur. will post pictures soon & keep you guys posted
Reply
post #17 of 17
4/15/09 at 11:55pm
Hooray for you Congratulations on the kitty and bless you for caring so much for the other kitty family
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care › 15 day old kittens...please help