Kitten Feeding ???

[Stormwing3]

The vet gave me Clindamycin for her to take. It helped clear up a lot of what she had but she still sneezes every now and then. I think that may just be allergies though, because it happens after I use any type of air freshener.

So still have another week before I should start box training and feeding. Gotcha. I can never find two websites that have the same information on them so it's hard to figure out when things should happen. Thanks for the help.

 

[Oscar&Copper]

My vet had me trying to get Oscar to start eating soft food at 3 weeks. Well, that was a disaster and just made me upset. He wasn't ready at all. Starting at 5 weeks, every feeding I offered him a slurry of wet kitten food mixed with KMR before I gave him his bottle and he showed no interest. Until, one day he just started sucking it up off the plate, yes sucking, lol, took him a while to learn to lick. I found he started taking to food a couple days after he started becoming really aggressive with the bottle and chewing on the nipple. He was almost 6 weeks at that point.

Litter training was something different altogether. My problem wasn't the litter, it was that at 6 weeks old I still had to stimulate him. I tried everything I could think of. I played in the litter box with him, stimulated him over it so he could smell his pee and poop. I even bought Kitten Attract litter. He didn't get it until one day my old girl, who was 17lbs, followed me into his enclosure. She squeezed herself into his wee little box and peed (over the side of the box, not in it). He watched the whole thing. As I was cleaning up her mess he hopped in and went!! Best day of my life. lmao

I just want to say. Enjoy these days. Watching wee little baby cats learn and explore and grow is so rewarding and special. You can actually see their little brains figuring life out. It doesn't last long, before you know it your baby cat will be a kitten.

 

[Stormwing3]

See she's already become aggressive with her bottle. She attacks it during feeding time and I usually have to pull the nipple from out of her throat because she goes full force into it. I've tried putting a bit of formula on my finger to see if she would try to lick it but she just covers her entire face with it.

Now that she is up and (somewhat) walking and playing I'm thinking about taking her outside to play with some of my the other kittens that I've tamed. Let her get some socialization and maybe they will show her how to potty by herself.

I can't believe how much she has grown already. It went from me not being sure if she was going to survive her first night to me now trying to get my parents to let her be an inside cat. Watching her grow each and every day, it's amazing to know that I had a part in her survival.

 

[Sarthur2]

She is too young to go outside to play! Her immune system is not developed yet. She is not even 3 weeks old until Saturday. She is too little to "play" with bigger kittens yet.

How old are your other kittens? Are they vaccinated and spayed or neutered?

 

[talkingpeanut]

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[talkingpeanut]

She should not go outside! It's far too dangerous. She is not protected at all in terms of her immune system. She needs to be fully vaccinated before this is even considered.

She also needs to be litter trained, not taught to go outside.

Are you working to spay and neuter the outside cats?

 

[Stormwing3]

The other kittens about little over a month older than she is. We haven't ever vaccinated or spayed/ neutered any of the outside cats because catching them is such a pain - they mainly just hiss and run away except the ones I've managed to tame - except George who was an inside cat for a while. Plus they keep snakes down and we have our own form of animal control with the coyotes and dogs (sounds bad but it's the way of life here in the country.)

And for now she is on her way to being an outside cat because my mom is allergic to cat dander, so having litter would just be a waste since she will have to be going potty outside.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Is there a shelter that you could work with to use humane traps to spay and neuter? They will still hunt and be active, but will lead far healthier lives. You also won't see babies having babies, and the deaths that result.

As it is, you are just feeding your cats so they continue to reproduce, and it does not have to be that way.

 

[Stormwing3]

Honestly it would be too much money to try to get all the cats in to spay and neuter. We've only ever had our inside cats fixed.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Where are you located? We could help you to find a low cost clinic.

 

[Stormwing3]

Just south of Victoria, Texas

 

[Sarthur2]

I agree with talkingpeanut ! The ferals need TNR'ing. It's a cruel life otherwise.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Spay Neuter Clinic :: Adopt-A-Pet of Victoria, Tx

Victoria TNR | Nonprofit Trap-Neuter-Return for the Victoria, Texas area

Low Cost Vaccinations And Pet Care, Low Cost Veterinary - Texas Litter Control - Spring, Tx

There are excellent resources in your area. Please, please use them. You can greatly improve the life of all of the animals in your care. How horrible would it be if the kitten that you just saved was pregnant in 4-5 months? It could kill her.

 

[Sarthur2]

Here is a wonderful non-profit organization in your area that exists solely for the purpose of TNR.

They do charge, but it is nominal, and if you need financial assistance, it says to ask.

How many cats and kittens do you have/feed?

They may be able to rent a Have A Heart trap to you for trapping.

Spays and neuters are twice a week through a local animal hospital.

This would be a good project to complete over the summer.

Please give them a call and try to get started:

Spay and Neuter Information | Victoria TNR