New kitten

So I brought home a kitten last night. The girl met us at a gas station. She said her father takes in pregnant and stray cats and then she needs to find homes for them. She said that this litter lost their mom when they were 4 weeks old. She told me that the kitten was male but to me the kitten looks female. She is very skittish but loves to be pet and brushed. And she is very playful. We put all her stuff in the bathroom (thankfully it is huge). She has drank water but has not used the litterbox and I don't think she ate anything yet. Is all this normal? I just feel like she may be from a hoarding situation from the sounds of things. She also has fleas and I don't know how to get rid of them. She said the kitten is 8 or 9 weeks old. She weighs 1.8 lbs so that sounds right. Any ideas or advice is appreciated.

Hi KristLynne

Everything is new to her at the moment so I'd give her a bit more time while she settles in. Have you tried putting her in the litter tray? When I introduce my cats to a litter tray, I put them in and then take their paw and scratch it in the litter the way they would after they've used it. I found Frontline to be the best in getting rid of and preventing fleas. Just make sure you get the Frontline for kittens. Finding the food she likes might trial and error, but eventually you'll find one she likes. She'll soon settle into her lovely new home, good luck

KristaLynne said:

 
So I brought home a kitten last night. The girl met us at a gas station. She said her father takes in pregnant and stray cats and then she needs to find homes for them. She said that this litter lost their mom when they were 4 weeks old. She told me that the kitten was male but to me the kitten looks female. She is very skittish but loves to be pet and brushed. And she is very playful. We put all her stuff in the bathroom (thankfully it is huge). She has drank water but has not used the litterbox and I don't think she ate anything yet. Is all this normal? I just feel like she may be from a hoarding situation from the sounds of things. She also has fleas and I don't know how to get rid of them. She said the kitten is 8 or 9 weeks old. She weighs 1.8 lbs so that sounds right. Any ideas or advice is appreciated.

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I think its the nervousess and excitement of being new which makes her slow to start with eating etc.  But you are welcome to entice her with kitten-suitable foods!

One tip: goat milk is always useful, both as supplement for adult cats, and emergency kmr for kittens... 

If she said 8 or 9 weeks count on sooner 7 or 8. they are usuallay 2lbs, two pounds at 9 weeks, as many get spayed at the time.

She is old enough for Revolution now - give a small dose to be sure.  Revolution takes also round worms and some other worms, aside of all external parasites.

The only, as she has fleas, she may develop tape worms with time,  we will see.  Milbomax or drontal will take care of it.

If you used revolution, you can use droncit - which is for tapeworms only.

As now, you can bathe her in a mild blue dawn solution. Be sure there is no draugh, you dry off her, and its warm afterwards too.  The wet ones are always freezing, no?

T

She is drinking water, eating, and peed once in the litter box. We gave her a bath in dawn dish liquid tonight. I got some more fleas off her and it took off the gross flea dirt. Still have her in the bathroom as I need the flea issue fully resolved before she can move through the house as I am a flea magnet. I am going to call around vets tomorrow to get prices for everything I need done for her.

It's good to hear that she is finally eating!

You can put Advantage II for kittens on her neck and it will kill the fleas. You can probably purchase a single tube from a vet. Otherwise, it comes in a 4-pack for once a month applications.

I see you were also recommended Revolution. That and Advantage II will be available from vets and at pet stores. They will work quickly. I hate for her to be alone in the bathroom for too long.

Since wednesday night she went pee once but had not pooped. And this morning I looked and her anus is sticking outward. Think I need to call the vet this morning. 

Oh thank goodness she pooped. LOL!

There you go!

And if she gets constipated, we can give you tips before you need a vet visit. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

I wouldn't wait for a  problem.  A couple drops of olive oil in her wet food will keep things moving.