Kittens have disappeared???

[iluvkitties]

I took in 4 feral kittens yesterday that were abandoned by mama cat on my aunts property. They are 6 weeks old. They are pretty healthy, very playful, and active. All were eating, drinking, and using the litterbox. 

About an hour ago I went to my closet to check on them. I only found one in there, sleeping on their blanket. I think my door was open for 15 minutes before that. My family and I have literally searched the entire house, flipping over all couches and box springs looking for them, checking behind and under everything piece of furniture and all clothing, and all cabinets and small areas. After and hour or longer of searching we came up empty handed. 

I fed them last about 2-3 hours ago. The one that was sleeping in the closet has just eaten her next meal. How long until they will start crying from hunger? Our house is pretty warm so they shouldn't be cold. All 3 of our adult cats hiss and run from any newcomers. 

 

[iluvkitties]

Kittens have been found. 

 

[detmut]

where did you find them?

 

[nansiludie]

Glad you found them. Do you have a large plastic dog crate to put them in? I would worry they could possibly get outside or be stepped on being this small. A large carboard box may do for now until they can crawl out of it.

 

[iluvkitties]

I have them in a very large closet. I'm keeping it closed this time.

 

[biancavd]

Keeping 6 week old kittens in a closet isn't really a good thing, if you ask me. They need to be socialized, not stuffed in a closet so they don't bug you. I would advice you to just move them to your livingroom and let them socialize and live as part of your family. It's a very crucial time for them to learn a lot, and to get used to humans. Specially as they are missing their mom. Don't put them in a closet, let them be part of your family until you find them their forever homes.

My kittens are born and raised in my living room. From 3-4 weeks they already walk around and explore, and get used to the usual daily sounds. Don't keep it from them

 

[iluvkitties]

 
Keeping 6 week old kittens in a closet isn't really a good thing, if you ask me. They need to be socialized, not stuffed in a closet so they don't bug you. I would advice you to just move them to your livingroom and let them socialize and live as part of your family. It's a very crucial time for them to learn a lot, and to get used to humans. Specially as they are missing their mom. Don't put them in a closet, let them be part of your family until you find them their forever homes.

My kittens are born and raised in my living room. From 3-4 weeks they already walk around and explore, and get used to the usual daily sounds. Don't keep it from them

Excuse me. I didn't "stuff" them in a closet. I have roommates in my house and three hostile adult cats so I have the kittens in my bedroom. They have their food, water, and litter box in the closet. I'm a stay at home woman so I constantly socialize with them and let them roam around and play with my cat when I'm home. I had them in there the first 2 days because they were terrified coming into a new place and would try to get up inside furniture. I have raised kittens before.

 

[biancavd]

 
Excuse me. I didn't "stuff" them in a closet. I have roommates in my house and three hostile adult cats so I have the kittens in my bedroom. They have their food, water, and litter box in the closet. I'm a stay at home woman so I constantly socialize with them and let them roam around and play with my cat when I'm home. I had them in there the first 2 days because they were terrified coming into a new place and would try to get up inside furniture. I have raised kittens before.

I'm not talking down to you at all, I'm giving you advice on how to raise your kittens properly. At this young, it's extremely important they are socialized, and you can't socialize them well inside a bedroom. They need to get used to busy-ness, tv sounds, sudden things falling over, getting picked up regurarly by different people etc. You can not do this inside a bedroom with just you keeping them company. Aside from that, you are putting them inside a closet/now-bedroom because you have 3 other hostile adult cats. So basically you are making the kittens adjust to your other cats, while your other cats no longer have that important socialization moment. They need it less.

 

[iluvkitties]

These are the four kittens. Bentley, Muna, Penelope and Scaredy Cat. As soon as they arrived at my home I gave them a bath with Dawn, but there were no fleas to be seen. After socializing with them for a few days they no longer hiss. When I go over to them they start purring. :3 I have given them their first dose of de-wormer and I have funds set aside to get each of them fixed and vaccinated. I'm going to adopt them out to new homes when they are healthy and socialized. 

The feral mama cat had these kittens in my aunt's shed and my aunt started feeding the mama everyday, but last week the cat got in a nasty fight with another stray and stopped coming around, leaving her kittens starving. My aunt caught the kittens a few days ago when they started coming out, crying. My aunt hadn't seen the mama for the past few days before catching the kittens and the food she left out wasn't being eaten. I'm currently fostering the kittens in my home a county over. My aunt is in the process of trapping mama cat to get her spayed. Hopefully she is still in the area and can be caught. 

Bentley.jpg

• iluvkitties
• May 12, 2015

Muna.jpg

• iluvkitties
• May 12, 2015
• 1

Penelope.jpg

• iluvkitties
• May 12, 2015

Scaredy.jpg

• iluvkitties
• May 12, 2015

 

[iluvkitties]

Okay. That's your opinion and I respect it. My kittens are doing wonderfully and they are being socialized well. I can constantly care for them, watch over them, feed them, and play with them. My house is very busy and things are always moving and being loud. They still aren't used to being here yet and prefer to stay hunkered down in their bed. When they become more comfortable I will give them some freedom over the house. 

My goal is to get these kittens healthy and socialized before being adopted out into new homes. My way might not be your ideal way, but I feel I can provide everything they need to get on the right path. 

 

[jennyr]

There are different ways of raising and socialising kittens, and much depends on the exact age and circumstances of the litter before being rescued. If they are terrified and in a bad way, then it is better to keep them in a quiet place till they realise that nothing bad is going to happen. I usually isolate them for a few days anyway, to ensure they are reasonably healthy before taking them into the main house. I had a terrible scare a few years ago when two fosters died of FIP, fortunately before they met with any of mine. Then, depending on their character (and at an early age it is possible to tell the feisty or timid ones, I put them in a large cage and either keep them in my bathroom or in a corner of the hall, where they gradually get used to the noises of the house. While they are still in the cage I can let them see the other animals and it is amazing how much sniffing and vocalisation goes on. If all is well then they can be let out during the day and put back in the cage at night, in the same room where most of the others sleep. And so it all happens gradually, hopefully with no trauma on either side. But everyone has their own way to socialise, some people do not have the space, or the time, to do certain things. And the temperament of the kittens, and of other animals in the house, has to be respected too.

 

[nansiludie]

Thank you for caring for the kittens. I noticed in the top picture, the tabby kitten has a weepy eye. Is it red or inflamed? I noticed its only one.

 

[iluvkitties]

I have been cleaning his eye with water and it seems to be getting better. On Sunday, the day I got the kittens, his eye was very pink and swollen, it would barely open. This is what his eye looks like now. 

bent.jpg

• iluvkitties
• May 12, 2015

 

[nansiludie]

I am glad to see he is looking much better. He is a cute kitty.

 

[iluvkitties]

They have become very social; they run up to me and climb my legs, and they always purr when I'm around. They eat so much. Hahaha. They love the formula I make for them and occasionally they nibble on their dry food. I have some leads on good homes for them. I'm adopting them out next month after each gets fixed and vaccinated. They weigh just over 1 pound right now, I'll be taking them to get spayed/neutered when they all weigh at least 2 pounds. 

 

update.jpg

• iluvkitties
• May 14, 2015

 

[nansiludie]

Thank you for seeing they are fixed before they go to their new homes.