Need help with underweight kitten, and outdoor shelter

olivial

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I live in Wisconsin, and it is winter right now. It is very cold! Our mother cat had kittens in August and most of them are fine. There is one that just won't grow. He is the smallest little thing, and I am not allowed to bring them in the house. I feel so bad for the little kitten so I have been sneaking him in the house, but I still always have to bring him back out. The other two are fine and have grew, but it is just the one. I would bring him in the house, but my parents won't let me. I want to make him a house, but don't have any of the supplies, and I know that my parents won't by them. I don't know what to do. 
 

red top rescue

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You should try to contact one of the rescue groups or humane societies in your area.  It is possible they would take the mother cat and kittens as fosters and save their lives and keep them out of the cold.  Wisconsin is NOT a good place to have an outside-only cat.  You can do a google search for rescue groups and humane societies in your town or city. 

Alley Cat Allies has a long list of shelters you can build, all the way from simple, which you could do yourself, to more complex that would require help.  Here is the link:

http://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/

The other thing you might do is find a friend who has a cat and has cat loving parents and see if they would be able to help you keep these babies from freezing.  Good luck, and thank you for caring!
 
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olivial

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Thank you for the suggestion. I think that I worded my plea wrong though. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on helping the kitten gain weight, so that he would have a better chance. Thank you for your suggestion though. I will make a different thread and be a little more clear. 
 

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Thank you for the suggestion. I think that I worded my plea wrong though. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on helping the kitten gain weight, so that he would have a better chance. Thank you for your suggestion though. I will make a different thread and be a little more clear. 
It depends perhaps somewhat on what he gets [to eat]  currently.  I suppose parents whom arent allowing cats inside, are also giving them cheap cat food?  With low contend of protein and fats from animals, but much carbohydrates?   And he being so small, is perhaps not a good hunter, so he cant get these animal protein and fats in natura from mice...

Can you get goats milk?  Full fat goats milk is good and nourishing.  Mix it with raw egg yolk if you can, it will be even better.

Full fat plain youghurt is good, some mild cheese...
 
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jennyr

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There is often one in a litter that doesn't grow as fast, and will need extra help. In winter outside cats need extra calories as well as somewhere warm to live so that they don't use all their strength on just keeping alive. If they are cold they need extra food. So you should do all you can to provide shelter as well as food. Even some cardboard boxes with old rugs or blankets on top could help. Or a good snug hole in a woodpile - line it with newspaper or straw. Then put their food by the entrance and they will soon find it. If they are warm it will help them all to survive the winter. And Sefan's suggestion of goat milk with egg is very good.
 
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olivial

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Thank you everyone. We once had a kitten that I couldn't bare to let it die, so we raised it. We have some left over kitten formula powder. Would that do anything? If so, would that help him gain a little weight?
 

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olivial olivial

Yes, giving the kitten formula to drink and dry kitten chow and wet food will help. Do you feed these cats? They need feeding during winter. Do they have a shed to go into for shelter?

Perhaps your parents will let you bring in and feed this little one until spring to give it a chance!

Thank you for caring for them!
 
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StefanZ

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Thank you everyone. We once had a kitten that I couldn't bare to let it die, so we raised it. We have some left over kitten formula powder. Would that do anything? If so, would that help him gain a little weight?
Yes, if the kitten formul isnt too old (there is some margin though, even if the best before day is over) - you can use this instead of goats milk.   :)

The dry food you do leave out, make sure it contains much fats. For example look on the label "for kittens" or at least "for active cats".  This especielly important with the cheaper brands of dry food.

And in the winter season I presume most will be dry, as any wet will freeze down in minutes.  The little one you are handfeeding, no?  So for him you do have the leeway of givig him what best you can get.

Some vitamine paste may be useful.  There are several brands in the pet shops.

In the winter season, they all do need much calories if outside.  As previously said.
 
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olivial

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So I should give him a little kitten formula, and some dry cat food. I may be able to get some wet food. Any suggestions? I can bring him into out heated garage, but he has to be supervised. If I can't get wet food, would some baby oatmeal, made with water, be okay. I have some left from when my baby cousin was here. I know that I won't be able to get any vitamins. Thanks so much for the help you guys. He has been in the garage most of the day after school. Will going from the heat of the garage to the cold outside harm him?
 

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Staying in the garage would be best. Have you been able to give him any extra food today? Do you feed the other kittens and their mom?
 
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olivial

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We just have three large cat dishes that we put quite a bit of cat food into. All of the cats and kittens eat from these. There is always more than enough food left, sometimes there is so much left over that I won't feed them in the morning, but then I feed them in the afternoon. Since we have a cat carrier, I thought about putting him in there and then keeping him in there, but it isn't the largest. He is very close to his litter mates, and he cries every time we separate them. But then, everyday, starting tomorrow he would get some kitten formula with his dry food, in the garage. 
 

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@OliviaL oatmeal is not suitable for cats. As obligate carnivores they are "obliged," if you will, to eat meat. Sure they can consume oatmeal but are not able to digest it well enough to get useful nutrition. They also cannot digest cow milk, which often gives them diarrhea.

Goat milk, as SetfanZ is fond of suggesting, is good. So is yogurt. Scrambled egg is also good, or raw egg yolk (but no raw egg white which is not good for cats.)

Kitten milk should be kitten milk replacer, used for kittens that have lost their mother or need supplementing, and not cat treat milk which is not as nutritious as KMR.

It's so lovely that you are looking to help this little furry, purry cat.
 
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olivial

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The oatmeal isn't really oatmeal. It is Gerber rice cereal. In the container it looks like instant mashed potato flakes. But then when you add water, it turns into almost like an oatmeal consistency. Would that be okay? Sorry for not being specific. 
 

Sarthur2

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I used Gerber rice cereal with my kittens, but I mixed it with formula. I think it will help the tiny kitten grow, but ultimately, he needs kitten chow and wet cat food. Can you get some wet cat food too?
 
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olivial

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I can get some. It wouldn't be the high end stuff, but it would be for kittens,if I can find any. If I can't then I will try to find some for high energy cats. We are going to the store soon,so I will pick some up.
 

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@OliviaL, I can tell you are really trying to do the best you can for all the cats and especially the littlest one. But carbohydrates are just not good food for cats. Doesn't matter if it is oatmeal, cream of wheat, rice cereal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, grits, buckwheat grits, bread, pancakes, spaghetti, whatever. It can fill their bellies so they do not feel hungry. But that's about all it does. It doesn't give them, especially young and growing kittens / young cats, the meat proteins that they need to develop. Doesn't have to be prime steak - canned cat food is better than dry cat food. Dry cat food is better than baby cereal.
 
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olivial

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I am sorry to say that I can not find the kitten. I think that he might have passed away. I will see if he shows up but I don't think he made it. 
 
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