Did I Do The Right Thing? What Should I Do Now?

[InnocentBystander]

Last night as I was coming home I heard loud crying while getting out of the car. I paused because it didn't register what it could be until it finally registered that it was a kitten crying. It was about 10 degrees last night and I walked across the street to investigate.

I saw two small kittens bundled up next to each other crying wildly. I called and snapped my fingers for them but they did not come over and was in the yard of a home a few houses down.

I walked to my apartment, very upset, and told my husband that two kittens were out in freezing temperatures. I was worried that they would freeze to death. My husband bundled up and grabbed a box and walked down the street. When he called for them, they came over and he lifted up the bottom of the gate to get them out.

The kittens are a month old, I guess. Their eyes are open and they are very small. They slept in a cushioned box last night but would not eat or take milk on their own. I have an adopted male adult cat (all my cats were adults when I adopted them) so I really have no idea how to care for these kittens.

Should I take them to a shelter? I am afraid that they are not eating. Also, a friend mentioned I should have left them in the cold, that their mother was probably nearby somewhere and now she won't take them if I were to place them back. I just can't see how I can place them out in the cold! What should I do? Please help!

 

[maggiedemi]

You could try pate canned food and kitten chow, or some KMR. If they are too young to eat that, I would try to find a rescue or vet to take them to today that knows how to syringe feed. Thank you for saving them from the cold! I was lucky, when I found Demi he was little, but he was able to eat on his own.

 

[InnocentBystander]

Thank you for your reply maggiedemi. When we brought them in the house they were ice cold, just freezing. If I could learn how to syringe feed I would not mind taking one in, my place is just too small for 3 cats...but I can't see removing them from each other. It seems that they need to be together. They seem comforted when next to each other. One is quiet, the other quite vocal.
Also, what's KMR?

 

[maggiedemi]

Yeah, if they can't eat pate, kitten chow, or KMR on their own, they need to be syringe fed. Someone on here could probably teach you how to do it, or watch a You Tube video. KMR is milk replacement for kittens. Here's a link:
PetAg KMR Kitten Milk Replacer Powder

 

[Norachan]

You did the right thing!

I have a litter of four kittens now that were found under very similar circumstances. Something may have happened to the mother or they may have been dumped there by someone. Mothers don't leave their kittens alone that long. If the kittens were in a familiar place they would have waited quietly for their mother to return. The fact that they were out in the open and crying shows that something was wrong.

Try warming up some canned food for them. Add a bit of water to make a paste and try to get them to lick some off your finger. If they've only just been weaned they may not know how to eat from a bowl. Syringe feed if they won't lap the warm paste.

If you can get it Gerber's Stage 2 baby food, plain chicken flavour with no onion or garlic, is good for small kittens too.

You could call around and ask if your local No Kill shelter will take them. They might have a lactating female cat who could foster them.

 

[InnocentBystander]

Thank you Norachan for your reply!

I just gave them the paste and they are RAVENOUS! Forget licking it off my fingers, they almost took my fingers off! They ate one small can between the both of them. Just....wow.
I guess I need to research kitten care now.

One we have named Grayson because we found him during Winter Storm Grayson!

 

[mightyboosh]

One we have named Grayson because we found him during Winter Storm Grayson!

So you named one of them after my grand son Grayson! How on earth did you know? The storm was named after him as well. Amazing!

Good job with the kitties by the way.

 

[Sarthur2]

You absolutely did the right thing, and you've received excellent advice from Norachan. Continue to feed them every 3-4 hours as much as they want. They are growing and need the nutrition.

Get a small disposable aluminum pan and set it up with non-clumping litter for now in case they try to eat it. Put them in it frequently and they will catch on!

 

[InnocentBystander]

Thank you for the advice! I am sending my husband off to the store now. We only have classic Fancy Feast in the house, so we will need to get kitten specific wet food (?), the aluminum pan and non clumping litter. I am just trying to bone up on what kittens need and their care. I hope I can get the hang of it fairly quickly! *smile*

 

[Sarthur2]

Fancy Feast Classic pate is fine! Meat is the first ingredient. However, Fancy Feast does make kitten food in chicken and tuna flavors. You will need dry kitten chow available 24/7 as well.

Kitten formula (use the powdered) offered in a dish is good for them as well the first 12 weeks.

Can you post pictures of them?

 

[InnocentBystander]

 

[maggiedemi]

They are so cute! I'm glad they are able to eat on their own. Demi was about that size when I found him, I figure about a month old. They should be able to eat canned pate and kitten chow dry food. I think Friskies pate is all life stages. I remember Demi ate Friskies Pate and Fancy Feast Classic.

 

[InnocentBystander]

Yes. They are adorable. When working, should I let them roam in a bedroom with the door closed, as I have another adult male cat? Should I get a large cage? So unsure...??? It seems inhumane to keep them in a box when I'm not home.
I will pick up the dry food today.
They are getting more comfortable as they are play fighting in the box! We bought a few toys for them. LOL

 

[maggiedemi]

You could put a baby gate on the door, or stack two baby gates.

 

[aliceneko]

Oh, they are gorgeous. I think you absolutely did the right thing, and watching their progress would be very rewarding. I would keep them with you. My two kittens love Whiskas food, but I'm sure there are other wet foods that you could try. Treats would also be useful to reward them with, and also for helping them to get used to you and your house. If they are not drinking as well, I would recommend using warm water mixed with wet food from a pouch (once you have finished the pouch, fill it up with warm water and put it in the bowl) as my two won't drink their water unless it is warm and flavoured with their food.

I'm not sure if I agree with your friend, I think if I were in your position I would definitely have taken them in too. You don't know how they got lost, it may have been that they were sadly abandoned or strayed from their mother and litter. I stayed with a couple in Spain who rescued local ferals, and they rescued a kitten who was three weeks old at the time and had gone astray from her mother. Her mother never came back to her, so they took her in, and now she is healthy and playful, and she absolutely loved being fussed of by us when we came to visit.

 

[InnocentBystander]

Thank you for the kind words and advice aliceneko. I think I am leaning toward keeping them both...my husband definitely wants to keep them. I found an indoor/outdoor pet playpen cage online. I think that will be their home when we are away from home as I want to make sure they stay safe from my other big guy.

 

[Norachan]

Awww, they are so sweet!

I kept my kittens in a cage at first and just let them out for supervised playtime several times a day.

They tend to stay in an enclosed place they feel is safe when they're small.

Is your cat up-to-date on his vaccines? Be very careful about letting him come into contact with the kittens for now. You can get the vet to check them for worms and fleas. Ask for a fecal Parvo test too (Feline distemper)

My kittens had blood tests for FIV and FeLV along with their first vaccines. In Japan they have to weigh at least 600 grams before they can do this, I guess it's the same wherever you are.

The little calico is most likely a girl, have to think of a name to go with Grayson. I'm so glad you've decided to keep them.



Keep us updated!

 

[kittens mom]

By taking the babies now they can be socialized and S/N and help end the endless suffering of feral cats. While ideal would have been to get the mama if she's feral you won't. At least these mites have a chance for a good life now thanks to you. For many rescues 4 weeks is the optimum time to remove kittens from a feral mama so they can become pets.

 

[InnocentBystander]

Is your cat up-to-date on his vaccines? Be very careful about letting him come into contact with the kittens for now. You can get the vet to check them for worms and fleas. Ask for a fecal Parvo test too (Feline distemper)

My kittens had blood tests for FIV and FeLV along with their first vaccines. In Japan they have to weigh at least 600 grams before they can do this, I guess it's the same wherever you are.

The little calico is most likely a girl, have to think of a name to go with Grayson. I'm so glad you've decided to keep them.



Keep us updated!

My indoor cat isn't up to date, for sure. He was a capture after the owner threw him on the street. I'm sure he was most likely abused as he didn't let us come anywhere near him for months and if you had something in your hand he would freak out. I think his former owner use to hit him with things. He does not like being held at all and getting him into a carrier is a battle where we result in being the injured, bloodied party. His trips anywhere have been limited, at best. I'll take the kittens this week to the vet. I think I will have to take Dooley, my older guy, (the Tux in my avatar) to the vet after I return with them.

My orange and white baby in my avatar, Jax, lost his life due to complications from diabetes but we fought a good fight. I got him from a shelter. We used to test his blood sugar constantly and shoot his insulin accordingly. I found good people on another message board for diabetic cats that helped me immensely and due to their help, knowledge, and support Jax went into remission for almost 2 years before it returned. That was one of the hardest things I have done, getting his blood sugar readings every 2 hours, charting, adjusting his insulin...and the expense was just prohibitive. Vacations and weekends away were non-existent as me and my husband were the only ones that knew how to dose and shoot his insulin every 12 hours. Our lives revolved around Jax and I loved him dearly. The absolute heartache of the return of the diabetes was just unbearable. It was a difficult, sad time and I was upset. After that loss, I didn't want to take in another cat.

So here we are. I am hesitant. I questioned myself multiple times yesterday if I should keep them. I've been on this board in the health section and that nearly stopped me in my tracks. I think what is pushing me forward is my husband. He wants them. Plain and simple. They have trampled over his heart while I am still guarding mine.

Regarding the name of the calico to go with Grayson? My 5 year old son has decided she should be called Robin. My husband is a huge comic book fan and explained to me that Batman's sidekick Robin is named Dick Grayson. He was amused at my son's choice of name. He loves them already. *smile*

 

[InnocentBystander]

By taking the babies now they can be socialized and S/N and help end the endless suffering of feral cats.

Thank you for replying but what is S/N? I am new to the boards and don't understand all the jargon yet! *smile*