Taking in a stray kitten!

FlysMama said:

 
It's the typical story you might hear~ I found a stray kitten in the bushes outside my window! After much calling around to shelters and friends, debating and budgeting, I've decided to keep her. (Her name is Fly!)

I have some concerns about her being so young (my guess is only about 5-6 weeks... too young to leave mommy!) and having to leave her alone during my work hours.

On the plus side, I have a spare room in my new apartment I was planning to make an office that is full of empty moving boxes and not much else. I can make it a temporary kitten paradise for her to play in safely while I'm gone. I have  also committed to come home during lunch every day until she is grown. So I will be leaving her alone for about 5 hours, making a quick check during lunch, then leaving for another 5 hours during the week days. I hope this should be adequate care for now as long as I am sure to also brush, play, and socialize her every day. (She is a long hair kitty!)

I will make a vet appointment today and have a list of questions to ask. I have also been reading up a lot lately... but from your experience,  what are some tips and advice someone might not readily think of?

Any tips regarding the obvious?

-spay costs (What is a good price, and where can I find them?

- vaccinations (are there certain things vets might push me to get that aren't actually necessary?)

- kitten food recommendations (she is eating wet alright, when can she start dry?)

- water (she is still having trouble seeing and judging where the water is when drinking from a bowl. I'm thinking I might get her a water bottle for a while, but is there something I can do to encourage her to drink from a bowl? I'm basically splashing with my finger and putting my finger to her mouth to show her where it is, but she still is very unsure about drinking from it and gets water up her nose a lot.)

- hairball advice? (I've never had a long hair cat before, can you recommend a safe spot cleaner for carpet?)

- training and socializing advice? I don't want to use a spray bottle... and I want her to love people. What are good ways to positively promote scratching only on designated areas, and not jumping onto people or counter tops? I will do my best to provide her proper outlets for climbing and scratching, but how do I encourage her to use them and not alternatives?

And a final question - her stool was dark and tarry at first, but it looks more regular now that I've been feeding her. I know this can be caused by upper belly bleeding... but any other ideas what might have caused that? Should I still be concerned if it is no longer happening? Of course, I will ask my vet too...

Thank you for reading this novel! And for any advice! <3

~ New Kitty Mama ~

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FlysMama said:

 
It's the typical story you might hear~ I found a stray kitten in the bushes outside my window! After much calling around to shelters and friends, debating and budgeting, I've decided to keep her. (Her name is Fly!)

I have some concerns about her being so young (my guess is only about 5-6 weeks... too young to leave mommy!) and having to leave her alone during my work hours.

On the plus side, I have a spare room in my new apartment I was planning to make an office that is full of empty moving boxes and not much else. I can make it a temporary kitten paradise for her to play in safely while I'm gone. I have  also committed to come home during lunch every day until she is grown. So I will be leaving her alone for about 5 hours, making a quick check during lunch, then leaving for another 5 hours during the week days. I hope this should be adequate care for now as long as I am sure to also brush, play, and socialize her every day. (She is a long hair kitty!)

I will make a vet appointment today and have a list of questions to ask. I have also been reading up a lot lately... but from your experience,  what are some tips and advice someone might not readily think of?

Any tips regarding the obvious?

-spay costs (What is a good price, and where can I find them?

- vaccinations (are there certain things vets might push me to get that aren't actually necessary?)

- kitten food recommendations (she is eating wet alright, when can she start dry?)

- water (she is still having trouble seeing and judging where the water is when drinking from a bowl. I'm thinking I might get her a water bottle for a while, but is there something I can do to encourage her to drink from a bowl? I'm basically splashing with my finger and putting my finger to her mouth to show her where it is, but she still is very unsure about drinking from it and gets water up her nose a lot.)

- hairball advice? (I've never had a long hair cat before, can you recommend a safe spot cleaner for carpet?)

- training and socializing advice? I don't want to use a spray bottle... and I want her to love people. What are good ways to positively promote scratching only on designated areas, and not jumping onto people or counter tops? I will do my best to provide her proper outlets for climbing and scratching, but how do I encourage her to use them and not alternatives?

And a final question - her stool was dark and tarry at first, but it looks more regular now that I've been feeding her. I know this can be caused by upper belly bleeding... but any other ideas what might have caused that? Should I still be concerned if it is no longer happening? Of course, I will ask my vet too...

Thank you for reading this novel! And for any advice! <3

~ New Kitty Mama ~

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FlysMama said:

 
Oh sorry!

USA - Southeast Michigan area.

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StefanZ said:

 
A radical solution is to have TWO cats.   If you can get another kitten, or an older, friendly cat...  Perhaps?

Do you have a balcony?  An innetted balcony is often an useful solution.   Or a bird feeder outside the window...

Re hair.  Brush / comb off regularly, and bathe now and then...    Give also some catmalt now and then...  Another trick is to use cat grass or similiar, it helps the to throw up the hairs they swallowed when washing themselves.

Wet food is excellent, and with this, she doesnt need to drink much.  If it is important for you to her drinking much, you can use a water fountain.  This will also solve the problem with her not recognizing where water is.

  If you want to use her to dry food, you can begin a little now.  For example, Royal Canins Baby cat, useful both for cat moms and young kittens starting eating dry food.

Deworming,  for roundworms is given, but if she had fleas, so also tapeworm... The vet will surely know some suitable dewormer - will either give you or suggest what you shall buy.

Dont buy OTC dewormers unless you know for sure what they are - some arent good, inferior brands.

Vaccining shall be the so called CORE-vaccine, and its really enough.  I never remember the short form, but its alike FVCR - you recognize it when you see it.

Also, rabies vaccine is recommended / mandatory, in countries where caries does occurs.  Rabies is rare in USA, but not rare at all in many southern countries!

I think it was the most important I wanted to say now.

I hope others will fill in.

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StefanZ said:

 
Re the pic of little Fly.  If you arent very careful, she may end as a look alike of a Norwegian Forest cat.   If she gets big,  perhaps 15 pounds - you will know.  

Re the tar-colored poo.  It may have been several things.  Something she ate. A minor bleeding...   Perhaps irritation from worms, which she surely has if not dewormed.

OR simply, she bled somewhere on the outside, and licked off that blood-  it will also color her poo.

But as she is OK now, lets presume it wasnt something serious continuing to harm her.

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FlysMama said:

 
I

I have this horrible idea that perhaps her mama or her litter mates might have been badly hurt or killed and she might have licked blood off of them. WHY DO I THINK OF THESE HORRIBLE THINGS?!

Anyway she does seem fine now, and I will definitely bring a stool sample to the vet to check for worms!

... I'm reading up on Norwegian Forest Cats... That would be awesome! (I love big cats!) And I'm Norwegian! She has a huge appetite and has seems to have already grown since Friday... I wonder how big she'll get...

Her fur is also the softest I have ever felt on any kitten before. It's pretty amazing! I wonder what could have happened to her that she ended up lost and all alone... She seems like such a perfect kitten and has a great temperament! I really want to to my best to train and raise her properly.

Thanks!!

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StefanZ said:

 
Yeah,  that though come to me too, but I choosed to not write it down.

It would be swell if she turns out to be a NFC- look alike.  You did what you did because it was should be done.  But it will surely feel extra nicely if it turns out you did rescued a compatriot!

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