kitten question

richs · Jan 4, 2011

I know someone that found a kitten. she has put it in her basement with food, water etc. The kitten has interaction with the family a few times a day...
How long would you think that the kitten should stay somewhat isolated before it starts to have an effect on it's overall health?
Information from this site would be helpful
I sure didn't want to have the kitten suffer from isolation.
Thanks

farleyv · Jan 4, 2011

How old is the kitten?

You have every right to be worried. A kitten needs all the lovin and handling it can get from a loving family. Being alone in a basement is NOT the thing to do to create a healthy, well behaved animal.

Please do all you can to convince them to bring the poor thing into the family unit, or perhaps adopt it yourself. You sound like a caring person.

And it's cold and dark in basements. Many things that it can get into also. Not so good things like sump pumps, furnaces, crawl spaces. Very unsafe.

Please do your best to rescue this kitten from its "rescuer" if it is going to be alone is a cellar.

Thanks for looking out for the sweet thing.

farleyv · Jan 4, 2011

Just re reading your post. Food and water are fine for older cats, but kittens have specific nutritional needs. If it is still very young, it will need to be on a milk replacement and special food.

The advice you get will depend on the age of the kitten.

Try the Pregnant cats and kitten care forum. You will find excellent advice there.

strange_wings · Jan 4, 2011

^No where in the first post was it stated that this was an unfinished basement with a leak/foundation problem. Many people have finish basements and it's just like the rest of the house.

richs - Do these people have other pets already? If so, putting the kitten in quarantine like that is very responsible of them. Provided that the kitten is getting vet care to take care of things that all strays have - fleas, roundworms, and tapeworms.

As long as the kitten is getting interaction with the people several times a day, it will be fine for a couple of weeks until cleared by a vet to be parasite free. At that point it needs to be slowly introduced into the household and to any existing pets.

stephanietx · Jan 4, 2011

Is the kitten being isolated because there are other kitties in the house? If not, then they could move the kitten to a bathroom. Why is the kitten in isolation? Is the kitten showing signs of sickness?

richs · Jan 4, 2011

Originally Posted by strange_wings

^No where in the first post was it stated that this was an unfinished basement with a leak/foundation problem. Many people have finish basements and it's just like the rest of the house.

richs - Do these people have other pets already? If so, putting the kitten in quarantine like that is very responsible of them. Provided that the kitten is getting vet care to take care of things that all strays have - fleas, roundworms, and tapeworms.

As long as the kitten is getting interaction with the people several times a day, it will be fine for a couple of weeks until cleared by a vet to be parasite free. At that point it needs to be slowly introduced into the household and to any existing pets.

Yes, they have 2 dogs upstairs. The basement is semi finished. The previous family used it as a rec room. The kitten is very young,& it eats kitten food. It does get some attention but husband and wife work, small child in school. That seems like lots of alone time. I would gladly take the kitten but I take care of 7 once feral/ strays, 4 of which come inside for visits...plus , I'm away at work much of the time too.
I gather from the responses this isn't a real good situation for the kitten...when I say something to them I feel like they take it as accusatory...it's not. Just doesn't sound good for the cat.
Thanks again for all of the responses.

strange_wings · Jan 4, 2011

Originally Posted by richs

when I say something to them I feel like they take it as accusatory...it's not.

Well, you already seemed to have made up your mind that they're abusing the kitten, thus it's probably your tone and wording that does sound accusatory towards them whether you realize it or not.

While a stray cat/kitten poses less of a health risk to dogs, it can still transmit some parasites. Plus it's possible that they're worried about the dogs hurting it if the kitten is fairly small.
Try to convince them to get the kitten to a vet and maybe see if you can find a simple easily to read book about introducing cats to other animals in the home and give that to them.

Many of us on here have had to keep cats (and kittens) separated in a room for weeks. With new cats, sick ones, or just because we don't want total upheaval and fighting between cats in the house there's really little choice. The last three kittens I had spent from Oct. 11th - till December in '09 away from the other cats until they were healthy and tamed. There's no lasting trauma from it in them.

richs · Jan 4, 2011

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Well, you already seemed to have made up your mind that they're abusing the kitten, thus it's probably your tone and wording that does sound accusatory towards them whether you realize it or not.

While a stray cat/kitten poses less of a health risk to dogs, it can still transmit some parasites. Plus it's possible that they're worried about the dogs hurting it if the kitten is fairly small.
Try to convince them to get the kitten to a vet and maybe see if you can find a simple easily to read book about introducing cats to other animals in the home and give that to them.

Many of us on here have had to keep cats (and kittens) separated in a room for weeks. With new cats, sick ones, or just because we don't want total upheaval and fighting between cats in the house there's really little choice. The last three kittens I had spent from Oct. 11th - till December in '09 away from the other cats until they were healthy and tamed. There's no lasting trauma from it in them.

They are keeping the cat away from the dogs, which is good. I guess I've had my mind made up on this one from the beginning but would rather have not shown it. I just have this thing with helpless animals. Jeez, I can't even stand it when my hard lived, winter hardened, fended for themselves once feral/wild strays gets so much as a cold. Drives me nuts.
Thanks again for the quick and helpful answers.

stephanietx · Jan 4, 2011

What kind of dogs do they have? I bet the cat and the dogs would do great together if the dogs aren't hunting type dogs.

sannu123 · Jan 5, 2011

Hello to all,,,,,sannu here,,, Food and water are fine for older cats, but kittens have specific nutritional needs. If it is still very young, it will need to be on a milk replacement and special food.

The advice you get will depend on the age of the kitten.....well.....

farleyv · Jan 5, 2011

Originally Posted by sannu123

Hello to all,,,,,sannu here,,, Food and water are fine for older cats, but kittens have specific nutritional needs. If it is still very young, it will need to be on a milk replacement and special food.

The advice you get will depend on the age of the kitten.....well.....

Huh? Wasn't meant to be funny.

kitten question

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