Kitten at the Dog Beach

Hello, everyone!

I'm a grad student in South FL. My husband and I on Sunday become owners to a 4/5-week-old kitten, which we rescued from a dog beach of all places. She was dirty, skinny, dehydrated, COVERED in fleas, and her eyes were pussed together. When we found her, she was being harassed by an (off leash) dog that she couldn't see. I spent four hours at the emergency vet with her on Sunday. We decided to keep her and have named her Sushi. Until she is flea free, she is living in the bathtub in our spare bathroom.

I have a couple questions.

Sushi's fleas were treated with a partial Capstar pill on Sunday. She got a dishsoap bath and another Capstar pill on Monday night, and yet another bath today/Weds. I haven't seen any live fleas on her since Sunday, but I've found a couple dying fleas in the bathroom since. I have been changing out her bedding and vacuuming the high traffic areas of the apartment since we got her as a precaution. When will I be safe to let her play on the carpet in the apartment? I really don't know anything about fleas, but I'm trying not to learn the hard way!

Any tips on building her confidence and socializing her as she grows? I know a lot about socializing puppies but nothing about kittens. I would love for her to be a happy, outgoing member of our family, which consists of my husband, my dog, and myself.

Many thanks!

Hi and welcome!    I will return and write some  in the evening (10 hours from now),  if nobody steps in earlier.

Good luck!

Ps   Capstar is effective, but it kills off instantly the adult fleas who are there at this moment.  Hence these dying fleas you did found.

The larvae and the eggs are left, so either you must support with some long range defleaser, or bathe her with Dawn soap water rather tightly the next months or so.

Having so many fleas on her, she will probably have also tape worms, and  probably round worms, as most not dewormed kittens has.

I suppose the vet didnt wanted to give her too much at once, weak as  she was.   Can you phone or mail and ask  which dewormers he recommends?

You  are his paying patient, and I  suspect you did payed a minor fortune.  4 hours at the ER vet!

DogParkKitty said:

 
Any tips on building her confidence and socializing her as she grows? I know a lot about socializing puppies but nothing about kittens. I would love for her to be a happy, outgoing member of our family, which consists of my husband, my dog, and myself.

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At this age the socialization as such isnt hard.   She is essentially as any other kitten.  Be just extra mommy to her, as she is so little as yet.   Keep her in one place till she feels safe and secure there, and go forward stepwise.  So she has her  safety zone near the whole time.    Use a non clumping litter till you are sure she uses litter properly, and not eates it.

I presume the difference isnt big from a somewhat shy, unsecure  puppy.

Talk a lot with a friendly, nice, low voice.  Sing softly if you can and wish, make a lot of  positive  sounds - crooning.     This is the natural  language for cats, both from moms with her kittens, and friendly toms courting hopefully ladies.

Good luck!

[quote name="DogParkKitty" url="/t/282561/kitten-at-the-dog-beach#post_

Any tips on building her confidence and socializing her as she grows? I know a lot about socializing puppies but nothing about kittens. I would love for her to be a happy, outgoing member of our family, which consists of my husband, my dog, and myself.

Many thanks!
[/quote] hi I don't know much about fleas but when it comes to socializing it is important to remember that kittens can't be treated like dogs. For instance never play using hands or feet with your kitten. Anything a cat plays with is seen as prey and this would create bad habits. Kittens also can't be disciplined the way a dog can. Offer lots of scratching surfaces and places to go up high away from the dog for when she is big enough, that will help keep their relationship healthy. You should check out Jaxon Galaxy (forgive me if that is spelled wrong) on YouTube. He also does the my cat from hell show, but his YouTube channel is great. He will explain all the whys and whats of cat behaviour better than I can. As the kitten is so young make sure she is eating often. Several times a day. Did your vet give you any advice on that?

 Jackson Galaxy is awesome. There are also plenty of articles on TCS you can read to educate yourself on raising a kitten! 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-treat-fleas-in-young-kittens
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/hand-rearing-kittens
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/bathing-small-kittens-tips-that-can-save-a-kittens-life
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-essentials-of-kitten-nutrition
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/kittens-bonding-with-humans

Hope this helps! Keep us updated and post some photos of the little guy! 

Thank you all for the responses.

 
The larvae and the eggs are left, so either you must support with some long range defleaser, or bathe her with Dawn soap water rather tightly the next months or so.

Having so many fleas on her, she will probably have also tape worms, and  probably round worms, as most not dewormed kittens has.

I suppose the vet didnt wanted to give her too much at once, weak as  she was.   Can you phone or mail and ask  which dewormers he recommends?

You  are his paying patient, and I  suspect you did payed a minor fortune.  4 hours at the ER vet!

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Unfortunately, the E Vet did not have the right dewormer for me. I got Sushi in yesterday with my dog's regular vet, since they wouldn't just give me dewormer. They did a physical and fecal. She's up to 1.1 lb from 14 oz on Sunday! And surprisingly, negative results on the fecal. The vet gave her dewormer anyway, just in case, and treated her with Revolution as a flea preventative (off label).

Yeah, the emergency bill wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be, but plus the price of the regular physical yesterday, I'm wincing a bit. Haha.

hi I don't know much about fleas but when it comes to socializing it is important to remember that kittens can't be treated like dogs. For instance never play using hands or feet with your kitten. Anything a cat plays with is seen as prey and this would create bad habits. Kittens also can't be disciplined the way a dog can. Offer lots of scratching surfaces and places to go up high away from the dog for when she is big enough, that will help keep their relationship healthy. You should check out Jaxon Galaxy (forgive me if that is spelled wrong) on YouTube. He also does the my cat from hell show, but his YouTube channel is great. He will explain all the whys and whats of cat behaviour better than I can. As the kitten is so young make sure she is eating often. Several times a day. Did your vet give you any advice on that?

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I didn't use my hands or feet with my dog when she was a pup either. She was much too bitey! I would just plug her mouth with toys when she chewed on me, or I'd stand up and walk away (=game over) if she persisted the overly rough play. I assume these methods will work with the kitten? I want to teach her to be gentle with hands. Could you clarify what you mean by cats can't be disciplined the way a dog can?

The E Vet has me mixing canned cat food with kitten milk and providing it pretty much at all times. I'd eventually like to feed at least half dry food, and to feed in meals rather than free feed. For now, I know it's important to avoid hypoglycemia by free-feeding. She eats a TON, but she's still underweight.

And Alyssa, thank you for the links. I'll take a look at them!

I need to upload some pictures of Sushi.

DogParkKitty said:

 
Thank you all for the responses.

Unfortunately, the E Vet did not have the right dewormer for me. I got Sushi in yesterday with my dog's regular vet, since they wouldn't just give me dewormer. They did a physical and fecal. She's up to 1.1 lb from 14 oz on Sunday! And surprisingly, negative results on the fecal. The vet gave her dewormer anyway, just in case, and treated her with Revolution as a flea preventative (off label).

Yeah, the emergency bill wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be, but plus the price of the regular physical yesterday, I'm wincing a bit. Haha.

I didn't use my hands or feet with my dog when she was a pup either. She was much too bitey! I would just plug her mouth with toys when she chewed on me, or I'd stand up and walk away (=game over) if she persisted the overly rough play. I assume these methods will work with the kitten? I want to teach her to be gentle with hands. Could you clarify what you mean by cats can't be disciplined the way a dog can?

The E Vet has me mixing canned cat food with kitten milk and providing it pretty much at all times. I'd eventually like to feed at least half dry food, and to feed in meals rather than free feed. For now, I know it's important to avoid hypoglycemia by free-feeding. She eats a TON, but she's still underweight.

And Alyssa, thank you for the links. I'll take a look at them!

I need to upload some pictures of Sushi.

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yeah,  you seem to play them the right way.   That is also the usual recommendations for kittens.

This with hands is not always a problem.   My own residents did played some with my hands, but they didnt continued with biting me as adults. Some very gentle love bites, that is all.   But that is me.    Most  experts warn strongly against playing with hands.

Re disciplinging.   It depends  if you ARE discipling your dog, or if you find other ways.   But its true, cats arent totally like dogs.  Dogs are more clearly pack- oriented.  Thus, they will obey a pack leader, and give him their loyality.  Even if the master isnt good or is unfair.   They will give true love only to a good master, but they will obey and be loyal to almost any master.

Cats are less pack oriented.  So they will give you love and loyalty only if you deserve it...   And not always even then.  In this way they are very  honest.

If they arent in  the mood, they will perhaps avoid your  pettings.  But if they do accept, you know they DO accept petting - otherwise they can always go away.

And if they visibly come forward with their  love although its not food time - you know its for real...

And thus, a so so owner will get a so so cat.   A cat who do lives there, but doenst love you.  Save perhaps just at the feeding time.

Revolution takes a long term deparasiting, both fleas and earmites.  It takes also the usual round worms, which almost all kittens has, unless mom was properly dewormed.    So it should be OK for now.   Another deworming in a months, but its the usual procedure.

Revolution doesnt takes much tape worms (whose may come with fleas).  You can wait and see.  If none comes, you dont need to do anything with them.

But if they come - you can either use something specifically for them, or a broad range dewormer.

Milbomax is mild and broad range.  Common in England and Sweden, I presume its sold in USA too.

Good luck!

Thank you, Stefan!

The vet administered an oral dewormer (not sure what type), so tapeworms should be covered, I hope! The Revolution was given in addition, mostly as a flea preventative.

Any suggestions on litter? I'm really sensitive to dust and strong smells, both good and bad. We have her on World's Best Cat Litter right now, and it seems to work well. I was worried about Sushi eating it, since it's a clumping litter, but she doesn't, thank goodness. If there is a better litter out there, though, I'd love to try it. I hear it's sometimes hard to switch them between brands as adults.

Also, treats? I'm used to positive/counter-conditioning with dogs, and the easiest way to do that is with tasty treats or toy rewards. Are there any treats suitable for really young kittens?

Some pictures of Sushi, before and at the vet: 




Bathtime at home:


She's quite chatty when she's hungry!

Lol so cute! She's like "Mooooom! Can't you see my bowl is empty?! Put the camera down and feeeed meeee!"

As far as discipline - it's not often needed with cats but the best thing is a spray bottle with water in it works wonders - eventually you'll be able to mimic the sound and send the cat running.
Get a scratching post - a friend of mine suggested a piece of wood (natural or at least not treated with anything), if she scratches the furniture I was told to put tinfoil on it - I didn't have any tinfoil though so I stuck with the spray bottle lol

If she has trouble using the litter box discipline won't work - what I suggest is to clean it up and transfer it to the litter box (place poop in the box, and wipe up pee with a cloth or paper towel etc. And wring it out over the litter) then clean the spot she used with some vinegar or diluted bleach etc. Something to really get the smell out so she doesn't just go back there. Also - lots of litter boxes. Kittens generally need one per room I've found, and at the kitten stage it's usually easiest to put the litter box in a place the kitten has picked (if possible)
We had a kitten once who kept peeing under an end table so we just moved the litter box there. As they get older (and their bladders get bigger) you can remove litter boxes from undesirable locations.

I hope my tips have been helpful! You are a wonderful person to bring her home and get her taken care of!

What a cute cat, but WHY was she at a dog beach?? So happy you found her, I bet she loves being there!  Good luck little Sushi!

As for socialization, I actually do bring little kittens around to a lot of places, like I would do with a puppy. Of course, if the kitten is really scared by it, that could backfire, but most kittens like riding around on someone's shoulder or just being held, and a certain amount of polite attention from strangers can help them be more outgoing, IMO. Dont let kids mob the kitty of course, but a bit of petting would be OK. A harness and leash would be necessary in case she tries to make a break for it.

I know that not a lot of people socialize kittens like that, and I'm not even sure it's made much of a difference in the long run in the kittens I've done it with. But it's kinda fun to bring a kitten (with the right personality) to a lot of places .

Re the water bottle - isnt not everyones cup of tea,  but to mimic the hinted hissing ( like cats do) is quite potent in many situations.  

obaynne said:

As far as discipline - it's not often needed with cats but the best thing is a spray bottle with water in it works wonders - eventually you'll be able to mimic the sound and send the cat running.
 

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A dog needs to know who is the master.  It is prob this what is meant by the earlier mentioned discipline.   A dog who doesnt know who is leader and who is the following dog, or who is spoiled rotten, may easily become unpleasant, even dangerous.

Not quite so with cats, the need is not of the same dignity.   Its never or seldomt the same problems with a spoiled rotten cat.

It happens a cat takes over the household in an unpleasant way, giving big problems.  But its not common.

So in our household for example, what disciplinging we do use?   They are allowed to go and be anywhere.  The only place they arent allowed to is tio be on the kitchen table.

It happens they go there anyway, but as its not allowed, we hiss at them, and they obey running down.   Not being sour because they know very well they arent supposed to be there...   And thus, we can show off our supremacy in a way without anyone hurt.  

So, good if you do have one or two discipling tricks with your cats, but its seldom you need to discipline them more than this.