Wow! Glad I stumbled on this site!

I am new to this site...actually...I am new to cats. I do dogs...well...until some people from work told me about two kittens near death. They looked pretty pathetic when I went to their location...I don't like to see anything suffer...so I took the little critters. Well...I got them home and then it dawned on me that I had no idea what to do with them...only thing I knew to do was treat them like a stray puppy so I bathed them and de wormed them with panacur 10%, got flea treatment for them, and a 3 way cat vaccination. Discovered cats don't really like cream...or lunch meat..went out and bought real cat food...they like that. Plopped em in a whelping box with a blanket, a bowl, of water and my puppy housebreaking pan, lined with newspaper. I discovered after 3 days that cats don't like newspaper lined pans..I just thought they were super clean or something until I mentioned this to a can person who told me I needed "cat litter" dang it...got that and I don't know what kinda magical property cat litter possesses but it made said kittens have to go right away.
One kitten couldn't walk. It just flopped on its side. So I do a little physical therapy by stretching and massage as well as putting the legs under him.
It's been two weeks now. I had a "Dear Google..." Session to find out about male/female and determined there's one of each. SURE wish I found this place 2 weeks ago. I've been "winging" it. I did not take these little critters in to keep them....just didnt want them to die. I heard or saw something that you're supposed to get them fixed and put them back. Anyone know how old they have to be for that? For that matter..is there anyway to tell how old the little things are? Do cat clinics exist? I don't want to be a dual species rescuer..
My main reason for signing up for this is the female seems to sneeze a lot. I wanted to treat both with a round of antibiotics since I don't know what caused them to be sick in the first place, requiring my intervention....is this something done with rescue cats? Oh the male can walk now....still a little shaky but I was having to bath him twice a day because he would soil himself and its been 4 days since I have had to bath him. Do cats have a lot of health issues? Cats are self suffiecient right? Do they know how to hunt automatically like little panthers or tigers? if not how to you train them for it? Did I mention I do dogs? I don't do cats....12 dogs agree...we don't wish them harm...we just ...you know...woof....woof..not meow. Oh, I started obedience training with the female since she seems healthier. We've only done sit, come, and down thus far. Not sure if there's an optimal training and socialization period like puppies but I figure early is better than later.

redrockgsd said:

 I heard or saw something that you're supposed to get them fixed and put them back. Anyone know how old they have to be for that? For that matter..is there anyway to tell how old the little things are? Do cat clinics exist? I don't want to be a dual species rescuer..
My main reason for signing up for this is the female seems to sneeze a lot. I wanted to treat both with a round of antibiotics since I don't know what caused them to be sick in the first place, requiring my intervention....is this something done with rescue cats?

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1.  You do surely have a vet for your dogs. Most vets do both dogs and cats. You can surely ask him.

If you are hesitantand to pay for strayed rescueers, you can try an phone.  As his regular paying patient and regular customer, he will almost surely be willing to answer you a few minutes on telephone.  Not so few vets are also giving discount for rescued homeless.

If the vet himelf is strictly dog specialized, he can surely tip you about a vet who can cats.

There are also extra cheap cat clinics.

These linkage shall work:

If you are in the U.S. ,  the ASPCA has an online database.  http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter

 Or here is a hotline number that will find you a low cost clinic in your area  1-800-248-7729 .

These are about spay / neuter, but the same vets are probably cheap at other problems too.

This with  "spaying and return"  TNR, is about adult cats whom you are helping.

These here are kittens, you shall of course NOT let them out into being homeless again.

They would prob perish, as very many dumped do.  Those who survive do often manage OK, but the perishing ratio is big in the beginning, if nobody helps them.  As you yourself did witnessed.

If you are not willing to follow your own fate, and adopt them yourself, try and find them a home, using your connections, after you are done with fostering and their health.

You can probably also get help from some shelter nearby, with advices at least.

But best you do proceed with the fostering etc.  YOU did saved them, its just appropriate you do also yourself claim the honors, benefics and prizes for it.

Dogs and cats living in the same family are usually good friends with each other, or at the very least, do tolerate each other.  Even dogs who otherwise are chasing after foreing cats do accept the home cats, and can be verry friendly with them.

Tx a lot for caring and helping these small brethrens of ours.

Can you show us a couple of pics on them?

Continue to report and ask!

Good luck!

You don't indicate how old you think / know these kittens are.  If the little female is sneezing a lot it is likely she has some kind of infection or virus and really should see a vet.  She could go down hill very quickly as a kitten, and it may also be infectious, either as a virus to her fellow kitten or infection to other animals in the same area.

How kind hearted of you to have rescued and take in these kittens as they would have surely perished if you had not. I would not recommend that you return them back outside once spayed/neutered (TNR - Trap/Neuter/Return) UNLESS you plan to care of them permanently as their caretaker. Usually TNRing cats means that they will have a caretaker, someone to look out for them and offer food/water/shelter as best they can. I would suggest calling around to all the vets in your area and try to find out where you can take these babies to continue on with their care and to adopt then out after they are all fixed and healthy. You can also google "TNR Organizations" in your county and contact one of them to get some advice on where to bring the kittens. You have a good heart and it was wonderful of you to get them off the streets. Since you do not plan on keeping them and are not sure about anything "cats", then I would start making these calls and find a place to take them from you to help them along properly and get them adopted out to loving homes! A big giant thank you for saving them. You are their stepping stone to a good life and I wish you luck in finding a good foster network, humane society, or TNR organization foster to take them. Many vets also have good resources. :cross: You did a great thing by taking them in and now it is time to find a rescue/foster with much experience in raising kittens. All my best to you!

p.s. Just in case you don't know this: Do not use any dog products on the kittens! That would be fatal/toxic to them. Best to only use products for fleas/dewormings etc. from a vet. I would not recommend treating a sick kitten without veterinarian intervention first. It would be risky to try to treat their issues on your own.

Thanks for the info. Yes, I have a vet for the dogs, and I love my vet. He's a..."well seasoned" country vet who taught me everything I know and was not afraid to teach me a whole lot of basic care such as administering sub cue fluids, iv's, tube feeding, inoculations, and more....because I do dog rescues and he understands and helps with those. But I don't want to take advantage of his lifelong kindness by adding felines in the mix, so I prefer the clinics you all are referring to.
As to the little girl...I am calling her "Alice"... Not that she's staying....she is well enough to escape the whelping box now.
I did find out you can't use dog products...so I did get cat ones for flea treatment. Luckily I had frontline spray and it said approved for puppies and kittens on the bottle and I got stuff to break the life cycle too.
Alice sneezing...I assumed an infection which ultimately led me here as I have a supply of antibiotics, I have Amoxicillin, Cephilaxin, Tetracycline, and Amphacilin...not sure on the spellings of em. Are these safe for cats? If I were treating a puppy for suspected infection I would use the cephilaxin or amoxicillin for 10 days. I did call some shelters and they said they are over run with cats and kittens and they would keep them for three days and put them down....which I don't want to send them to that fate. I have considered making them office cats....my vet has office cats..they just walk around the place. My main hang up with the little critters (so far) is this whole litter box thing. Ugggh!. Yes, I raise puppies but they learn to go outside around 4 weeks, and although I still have to scoop solid matter, it is not the same. Can you do housebreaking for cats? Yeah, not sure their cuteness can overcome this whole litter thing for a long term relationship and I am discovering that stuff gets everywhere...and it stinks. NOW those commercials make sense.
Anyway...it's early and I forgot where I was going with this...

Glad you're hanging in there with your little feline rescues.    I get the whole dog/cat preference thing as I would never watch a little puppy suffer and die, and my lifestyle isn't really geared up for a dog, but I love cats and struggle to live in my home without at least one around.  

With the litter thing, many cats toilet outside and don't use litter, they just need to learn about it once they're a bit bigger and then have a means of getting out whenever they need 'to go'.  Usually best to have some form of container for yucky weather and scary events but if your cat's used to going out then the tray hardly gets used.  The smell from litter is generally from not scooping enough and using a really rubbish brand.  My cats have always been indoor only and people come to stay and assure me there's no odour.  

With cats and kittens sneezing: Alice could be sneezing due to a virus and may not have an infection, in which case antibiotics would probably not do anything other than causing an upset gut and whacking out her immune system like they do with people.  If you can't get her to a suitable vet - Whether certain types and brands of antibiotics are safe for cats: you are best either calling your dog vet - who should be able to check and look up appropriate doses, or look up on line with a specific search.

Really sad about your local rescue situation.  I really hope you can keep your little house guests until you either find a new home for them (or fall in love and decide that a couple of indoor outdoor cats would be a good addition to the family).

   

I taught Alice how to walk nicely on a leash....maybe the link will work.

redrockgsd said:

I taught Alice how to walk nicely on a leash....maybe the link will work.

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Well done redrockgsd!  Alice is great on the leash!  

One pointer for the link- I've put links to uTube on like this but apparently you're not meant to do that on the site (had advice on another thread) and should post using the movie strip link in the header bar to copy the video into the post?

redrockgsd said:

Thanks for the info. Yes, I have a vet for the dogs, and I love my vet. He's a..."well seasoned" country vet who taught me everything I know and was not afraid to teach me a whole lot of basic care such as administering sub cue fluids, iv's, tube feeding, inoculations, and more....because I do dog rescues and he understands and helps with those.

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This is excellent and you are a lucky one to have a vet so willing to help you out. :nod: I would not worry about feeling as though you are taking advantage! I am sure your vet will understand the situation on how these little ones came to be in your care. Your vet may be very willing to assist you. :bigthumb:

redrockgsd said:

Luckily I had frontline spray and it said approved for puppies and kittens on the bottle and I got stuff to break the life cycle too.
Alice sneezing...I assumed an infection which ultimately led me here as I have a supply of antibiotics, I have Amoxicillin, Cephilaxin, Tetracycline, and Amphacilin...not sure on the spellings of em. Are these safe for cats? ...

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Good on the Frontline spray - yes, that is safe for both cats and dogs. Absolutely no on giving the kittens those antibiotics without a vet's approval and dosing. I wouldn't take the chance. Since you have this close relationship with your vet, then give him a call. He can advise you over the phone. It is wonderful you have found such a compassionate vet and he may be able to help find homes for the kittens. Post a flyer in his office!! for the little ones. :rub: