New kitten...in China

So, first of all, hello everyone and thank god there is a site like this. My name is Scott, and I am living in China with my wife and my new kitten Samuel L. Jackson. I have been searching this site for a day or so and basically I have a ton of questions, since a vet is completely out of the question. My kitten is young, in China they ween cats at about 3 or 4 weeks. Samuel is very small, skinny and you can tell he was underfed and under loved, which is why we bought him in the first place, 4 days ago. We took him home, bought a cat box, and food. Since they have no kitty litter within 200 miles of us, we use papers, which work fine, he is using his box with ease and that makes us happy. One problem is they have no kitten chow, so we have been mixing milk with adult cat food, and he seems to be eating that quite well, even trying to open the cupboard and get it today. Is this ok, because our options are limited. He also cries a lot and has been having diarreha at least 3 times a day. Everything on here says "go to a vet" but once again, this isnt realistic at all. Basically I would love some actual, practical advice besides taking him to a vet or going to a store and buying the latest food. Please give me any advice you can think of! Thanks and I will update you all about him if things change. From China,
Scott ps. feel free to email me at my address...

Hi Scott and welcome to the site. I'll move this to the Pregnant cats and Kittens forum

Just wondering how you can't take the little one to a vet?!

Scott...cows milk can cause diarreha in cats ...not sure about kittens.
I hope that you are able to get some help here ...you are in good hands at TCS
I wonder too...are there no vets there in China??? That is really sad that they wean thier kittens at such an early age...you little one still needs it`s mama cat.
I`ll be watching this thread to see how it`s going.
Wishing you and your little Samuel well.
Linda

Ok, for everyone asking, there are vets in China, probably lots, but I live in a rural town and the closest vet is at the nearest, a 3 hour bus ride from my city. You may say your kitten is worth the price no matter what, but I doubt many of you would make the trip either unless it becomes drastic.
I am thankful for all the advice thus far and I was curious about the cow milk thing, is soy ok? (since we are in the land of soy ) I agree with everything said, and honestly this site is amazing and perfect! Thank you all so much. Oh maybe someone can ehlp this, he meows all the time and wants attention tons, is this because he is so young, I am not concerned but my wife wonders if he will always be like this and I cant honetly answer no because, well I have never had a kitten this young. Once again thanks for the help and Ill try and addsome pics or something so we all can watch this little guy become a bad ass in China..haha

Goat's milk would be preferable to the soy milk ... and if baby has been having diarrhea frequently, it might be due to the change in his food as well as stress from being taken from his mother so early (I don't care what the accepted practice there may be, kittens are kittens the world over - they NEED their Mom). Try boiling a little boneless, skinless chicken with a little rice and grind that all up together with a little goat's milk. This will help to bind him up.

You are going to have to take this guy in to see a vet, no matter the length/duration of the trip ... he will need to be checked out and cleared for worms and other parasites, get his vaccinations and neutered when the time comes ... will you still be so against the 3 hour trip? Might wanna rethink having a cat if so.

Also, how long are you in China? What will you do with this baby when it comes time for you to return? Have you looked into the export process there?

Him meowing much is yes for care, for give him security. He is also alone. You must be his MA and his PA now, several weeks. It will be better in time. And believe me, being extra motherly to him new will pay off in the future...

In a way it may be easier with two kittens, as they will play - and teach - with each other. If you have possibility to take on one more - consider it.

So one more kitten about this age - or a grown up friendly cat. May be male if neutered.

By the way. Do you have salomonella in China? Ie are raw eggs OK?
the yellow of eggs is good if no danger for salomonella, the whites not so good.

Minced meat is good to kittens as one of their first real foods.
Preferably being frozen first if you have a freezer (kills of parasites if there were parasites). feks mixed up with the yellow of egg.
(but if danger for salmonella - should be cooked first)

Good luck!

Not trying to start any arguments here, but that three hour bus ride is likely not as simple as waiting at the bus stop here in N.A. and hopping on at a scheduled time. If it is a rural town, the bus may only come once a week, or may not allow a cat on at all. Also, despite the fact that the kitten was weaned at three weeks and export plans may not be feasible, it is quite possible that a life was saved here and the kitten did not end up in the food chain instead of being a family pet. I don't have any recommendations for you, it's hard for countries to focus on animal welfare when they are still working on conditions for humans, so bless you for taking a kitten in and keep us updated on it!

I really sympathise with you - I recognise many of your problems! I have rescued a number of street cats here, all sick, and have found goats milk and egg yolk beaten up makes really good kitten food, supplemented by whatever you can get in the way of chicken or white fish. The water left from boiling starchy rice can be a good diarrhoea medicine too. If you can get a syringe or dropper you can feed it to him - about 20 ccs every couple of hours. If you can get any cod liver oil capsules (I think the Chinese have them) you can use that as a food supplement, one a day. And here the vet ( I do at least have one!) told me that there are a number of herbal teas that are good for cats- I know that is something that the Chinese really go for. You would need to ask a vet though what would be the name and the right dose. I have used them here for colds and for kidney infections, though they will not cure parasites.

Excellent advices JennyR, I think! Worths gold as the saying is.

Two small complements:
1. liver oil capsule, 1 a day - NO more - or perhaps even less. Too much A-vitamin is not good for cats I saw in a veterinary handbook. This is why the recommendations are not let the cats eat too often liver although it has many vitamines and minerales. Other intestines are good food for grown up cats, it needs not be pure muscles, as long they are not too old.
Liver oil is good also because of the fatty (acids) from animals - much better for cats than fatty (acids) from plants.

2. When giving food or water with a syringe or eye-dropper; in the corner of the mouth ACROSS the mouth, NOT straight in the neck!

Here are some KITTEN GLOP RECIPIES that can help you kitty:

Formula #1
8 ounces Goat Milk
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salad oil
1 drop liquid pediatric vitamins (optional)

Mix well and warm before using. Keep refrigerated.

Formula #2
1 part boiled water to 5 parts evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon bone meal per 16 oz fluid

Mix well, refrigerate, warm before using .

Formula #3
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons Karo syrup
All three mixed well and kept in tightly sealed jar in fridge.
At feeding time mix 1/2 of the estimated feeding amount with:
Equal amount of boiling water
(once a day mix 1 drop of human infant liquid vitamins in each kitties formula)

If constipation occurrs: add 1 drop of vegetable oil to each kitties formula no more than once daily till problem is eased. Test temperature before feeding (the combination of boiling water and chilled formula should be just about right).



Formual #4

1 c. dry milk,}Or 3/4 c. dry non-dairy or lactose-free milk-mix according to directions for 2 cups)
2c. water
1 extra large eggyolk (or two small- NO WHITES)
2 T. karo syrup
1/8 tea. salt(low sodium)
2 T.emulsified cod liver oil (or Olive oil, or cod-liver oil capsules to equal 2 Tablespoons)
2 T. soy protein powder(Disolve this well in 1 cup of the 2 cups water for recipe)
100 mg.vitamin E natural
200 mg. pulverised calcium tablet
1 digestive enzyme tablet emptied
Beat together all ingredients, or shake well . Store in :censor::censor::censor::censor:.Shake well each time served. Warm to body temp for tiny kittens, room temp for 6 wks & older kittens. Store no more than 3 days

Hi Scott and welcome to TCS. I agree with the others here that you must stop feeding him cow's milk. Because of his diarrhea, he may have become dehydrated.

There are two ways to check for dehydration:
Pinch test - Gently pull the skin up on the back of the cat's neck and release. If the cat is well hydrated, the skin will snap back into position in a second. If the cat is dehydrated, there will be a 'tent' in the skin that takes longer to go back into place.

Gum test - With clean hands, lift the cats lip and gently press on the gum and release. The gum should turn white for a second and then return to a nice pink colour. If the gum stays pale or is greyish, the cat is dehydrated.

If he is dehydrated, you can make up some home-made pedialyte and see if he'll lap that. If not, feed him about 5ml every four hours using a syringe (without the needle of course) or a dropper.

Home-made Pedialyte

1 cup water (boiled then cooled)
Small pinch of baking soda
Small pinch of Salt
2 teaspoons of sugar

Mix all ingredients well. Make sure the mixture has been slightly warmed before feeding to your kitten. The mixture will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

He will need tons of attention at this age. He can either get it from you or from another cat/kitten or friendly dog, but he needs it a ton!

Do you have access to any dewormers?

Originally Posted by Kitty89

Not trying to start any arguments here ...

Click to expand...

Neither am I.

Originally Posted by Kitty89

Also, despite the fact that the kitten was weaned at three weeks and export plans may not be feasible, it is quite possible that a life was saved here and the kitten did not end up in the food chain instead of being a family pet...

Click to expand...

This ~may~ or ~may not~ be true. It will depend on whether or not Scott has plans to bring this baby home with him when and if he returns to the states. What will happen to this kitty if he can't, won't or otherwise doesn't return with him? Will Kitty still be a family pet? Somehow, I just don't think so.

What I am trying to say here is that I believe people should see the big picture before deciding to take on the responsibility of a pet. The big picture includes intelligent answers to these types of questions, reasonable vet care and nutrition, and a solid future plan in the event they need to move, perhaps even to another country. What happens to that kitten when life changes as we ALL know it will?

I would just like to know what Scott's future plans for this kitten may be. He came here to ask for help and perhaps this isn't the answer he is looking for ... but it is something he needs to think about.

~gf~

Good points made Gayef, the kitten doesn't really care how loved it was once, if it doesn't have a forever home.

While it is not common, people do have cats as pets in China. In fact, just this week there was a cat show held in Bejiing. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...xhg10410040540

Thus, I do not think any of us except for Scott can ascertain the future of this little kitten. Hopefully, he can bring her home with him and if not, can find a family to adopt him in China.Here is a Siamese at the same show:

"This ~may~ or ~may not~ be true. It will depend on whether or not Scott has plans to bring this baby home with him when and if he returns to the states. What will happen to this kitty if he can't, won't or otherwise doesn't return with him? Will Kitty still be a family pet? Somehow, I just don't think so.

What I am trying to say here is that I believe people should see the big picture before deciding to take on the responsibility of a pet. The big picture includes intelligent answers to these types of questions, reasonable vet care and nutrition, and a solid future plan in the event they need to move, perhaps even to another country. What happens to that kitten when life changes as we ALL know it will?

I would just like to know what Scott's future plans for this kitten may be. He came here to ask for help and perhaps this isn't the answer he is looking for ... but it is something he needs to think about.

~gf~[/quote]


Well, thanks for reading into my information way too much. I am not as reckless as you jumped to, and I already have made plans to take him home as a family pet, so thanks for your obvious support on that one! I have checked into everything and I feel as if you all, aside from a few wonderful people, are coming to the conclusion that I am not doing all I can. First of all, how many of you have ever lived in China? Yes, thats what I thought, and two, I am not going for sympathy or a discussion on my kittens future life where ever it may be. I am just asking how I can help Sam live longer then three weeks, which is far too common of a life span for kittens here. All I want is advice, and those who have given it to me, thank you for your amazing support once again.
Ok, also so you know, cats in China currently live about 3 to 5 years, if that, eating garbage, leftover table scraps and or finding their own food. Cats are rarely taken to vets for any reason, even neutering, which doesn't happen much if at all. It is nearly impossible for me to get any sort of vaccination for this little guy any time soon. This is a fact that we HAVE to live with, I don't wish this on anyone, but I decided that this kitten needed to live, not just for a month before it dies of malnutrion from the lady selling him outside a market, but as a happy kitten, able to play, cuddle, cry, and hopefully live longer then it would have otherwise. He is a family pet, and will be until he, hopefully, dies at a very old age with stories from 2 nations.
Sorry to be a bitch about this, but I did not ask people for philosophical advice and or a critique of my decision making. I am 100% aware of everything that has been brought up and I feel for your concern. I will bring him home to the states with me in 2 years, I had even contacted not only the US customs department, and the airlines prior to even adopting him.
Currently he is napping on my lap, purring and happy, and aside from diarhea he is adorable and cute. He cries but snuggles a lot and loves to play with everything, including his reflection on the floors here. I am happy with him and thank you for the goat milk suggestion, that was suprisingly easy to find thanks to broken chinglish. Thanks for all the help and for anyone still not like this, good for you..lol

Scott, kudos to you for bringing Sam into your life.

Scott, you're doing a great job with what you have. Keep it up, people have been raising baby animals long before vets were about.
Do you have some kind of pouch or pocket that you can keep your baby in against your chest or a cozy dark box with a ticking clock and a sock of warm dry rice (microwaved). I found my baby at 3 weeks old and had to bottle feed her every 4 hrs for a couple of weeks, she wouldn't eat until 7 weeks old.
Can you get kitten milk powder over there?

Give him a scritch on the head from me! Keep us updated on his progress!

Is there anything I can send you in the mail that would help?