Hello! I'm new to the forum and small kittens!

[billysherm]

Hey! My wife and I just adopt a four week old stray a couple weeks ago! His name is Sherman and he is now about 6 weeks old. When I first started researching I lurked this sight a lot. So many knowledgeable and helpful people here! Thank you all for your help! Now I have some Sherman specific questions. So he was the only kitten left behind by his mother. We have been doing our best to teach him how to be a cat by ourselves, our big kitty doesn't appreciate Sherman. We have been feeding him canned wet kitten food mixed with kitten formula since we got him. Now we are weaning him off the formula. My concern is he doesn't have a mom to show him how to drink water. Also if anyone has tips on introducing my two cats so they at least can peacefully coexist even if they don't like each other that would be much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[kittymomma1122]

I raised a litter of ferals. I trapped the mother and brought her in my safe room with the kittens. They nursed until they were nine weeks. I started them on Royal Canine Baby Cat canned food made into a slurry with KMR at 4 weeks. I slowly mixed less and less until they were just eating soft food. When they were about six weeks old I started giving them GNC Weaning formula. I diluted it more and more until about 10 weeks it was just water. All of my cats drink water well now. I do have one that prefers to drink from the faucet.

I have no advice on introductions as my neutered male is very docile. Every other day when I cleaned the safe room I brought the babies out to the living room in a wire dog crate. He got to see them and they got to see him. I did this for two months before they were ever let free with him. Surprisingly I felt bad for him when four kittens tried to nurse and play with him. He tolerated their torture well. When he was done he bopped them on the head with his giant paw. Now as the babies are two years old they are the best of friends and play together everyday. Every one of them are bigger than him.