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I Am Uneasy

post #1 of 9
6/16/10 at 8:54am
Thread Starter 
I haven't seen the neighbour that I'm getting the kitten from for a few days but spoke briefly to her this afternoon.

When asking how the kittens were, she said they were doing well and starting to eat solid food now. What she said next unnerved me somewhat.

She said she didn't think the kitten I am getting is growing so well as the others. I asked if I could see the kittens and she put me off, saying she had a thumping headache but I could go round and see them Friday as she is working tomorrow (she does work shifts) and Friday is her day off.

I got a kitten from her some years ago (not the same mother cat) and I immediately took him to our vet who said he had a belly full of worms and was covered in fleas.

I am now very concerned for the little kitten and wonder if he would be better coming to me in the next few days, getting our vet to check him over and give any medication necessary, or wait a week or two to let him be weaned properly.

I thought he was very pot-bellied when I held him the same day Lucy passed away.

I would really appreciate your advice on this one folks.
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post #2 of 9
6/16/10 at 9:06am
I've forgotten, how old is he now? You've got so many other cats, would any of them be helpful in training a "too young" kitten in how to behave in the cat world so he would be socialized without his mother if he left her too soon? Or, would he be in danger around them?
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post #3 of 9
6/16/10 at 11:47am
Thread Starter 
I think he's 5 1/2 weeks old now.

Old Blue would be a good role model for him. I got Topsy (PTS last year) dumped on me at approx 4 1/2 weeks old. She couldn't lap or eat solid food. Blue took on the role of surrogate mother (and he's a Tom), taught her how to lap, encouraged her to eat solid food, use the litter box and generally mothered her. He would pick her up and carry her like her mother would have then sit and wash her from head to tip of tail. I do believe without Blue, Topsy may not have survived.

Snowy might as well as he is a very gentle, easy-going cat.

I really don't want to take the kitten until he's had all his vaccinations because some of my cats had cat flu (Herpes virus) in the past. At the moment Poppy is being treated for eye ulcers and we're not sure if it's a recurrence of what she had as a kitten or if she's been scratched that triggered it off.

I'm not saying that if I took the kitten he would contract cat flu as some seem to be susceptible to it and others not, but I'm not keen on taking the chance, yet, on the other hand leaving him there could be even worse.

Bit of a dilema. Did speak to my vet about the earliest they could vaccinate and they said 9 weeks old, with the final shot at 12 weeks.

I've got to take Poppy back to the vets tomorrow to have her eye checked so I will speak to our vet then and see what he says.

Worried about the little chap
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post #4 of 9
6/16/10 at 4:52pm
Boy, that IS a dilemma. You certainly don't want him catching anything from your babies, but you want to get him out of a possibly bad situation.

Yes, I'd see what your Vet has to say. Maybe nothing your gang has is contagious at this point? Or maybe he can tell you the better of the two options?
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post #5 of 9
6/17/10 at 6:13am
Yes, much of a dillema. I hope you can get this straightened out soon, for the kitten's sake. I hate it when people put me off like that on something important. I get suspicious. Good luck.
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post #6 of 9
6/18/10 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 
Panic over. Saw the little kitten this afternoon. He looks fine to me. He looks like he's going to have Oriental lines. He has that body shape. His mum has too. She's long and slender with long legs and quite an Oriental shaped head. Very pretty cat.

His fur has darkened down a lot since the last time I saw him and he looks more like a black cat now except for his fur being speckled with individual cream hairs and he's developed a cream patch going up from above his nose and eyes to his ears and a cream patch in the middle of his head. I'm also wondering if he's going to be semi-longhaired as the guard hairs are quite long.

His eyes are now starting to turn green. I had hoped they would stay blue but I'll settle for green

He's a sweet little thing - with a VERY loud voice. He was clinging to my sweatshirt and yelled for his mum when I gently tried to get him off.

My neighbour thinks he should be ready to come to us in two weeks time

First stop will be our vets so he can be registered, checked over and get worm medicine (Panacur probably).

Also been dropping huge hints to hubby that I'd also like to get a Siamese cat in the not too distant future...

Watch this space
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post #7 of 9
6/18/10 at 5:51pm
He will not be ready in 2 weeks, that would make him just 7-8 weeks old. They need to stay with mum for a minimum of 10-12 weeks, sometimes longer depending on the individual kitten.

Good luck with your search for a Siamese breeder, and convincing hubby
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post #8 of 9
6/18/10 at 8:37pm
Thread Starter 
Neighbour said he was 4 weeks and that was a fortnight ago, so another 2 weeks would make him 8 weeks old. He'd probably be better with us as the neighbours are more than a bit clueless when it comes to cats - or any other animal.

I've seen the mother cat a few times outside over the past few days which I don't think is good given the kittens are still very young.

I also suspect the little one has worms as he's got a bit of a pot belly. I know they wouldn't worm or deflea him as I was given a kitten from them 6 years ago. He was so full of fleas you could feel them running through his fur (ugh!) and when I took him to the vet, our vet was very worried for him, so much so that he insisted on seeing the kitten 3 times altogether to make sure the little chap was OK.

Once the fleas and worms were got rid of, he really thrived. I don't think these kittens will be any better either and since mum cat is getting out already, you can guarantee there'll be another litter of kittens along in the not too distant future (sigh )

Mum cat's not much more than a kitten herself. She's only about a year old

At least one of the kittens is getting a good home
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post #9 of 9
6/21/10 at 7:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Python View Post
Neighbour said he was 4 weeks and that was a fortnight ago, so another 2 weeks would make him 8 weeks old. He'd probably be better with us as the neighbours are more than a bit clueless when it comes to cats - or any other animal.
I know it is definitely the opinion of everyone on this site to wait till a kitten is 12 weeks old, but my entire life I've gotten kittens at 6-8 weeks (from the local Humane Society, as well). Never had a problem litter training them, ever, and they have all done fine, except Kippy did love to "knead bread" to the point that we were clawed and massaged to pieces.

I say go with your instincts on this one.
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