Hi there, I've come here to share my story, as well as take any advice offered! I've been reading a lot on this forum and online about different ways to help socialize and interact with a feral kitten, which has been SO SO helpful.
Someone at my company found a kitten, and possibly a mother roaming around in the back of our manufacturing warehouse. A dangerous place for a kitty! Someone almost ran it over w/ a forklift! Someone called Animal Control to come out. They set up a few traps, and the next day, my little kitty was caught! I came into work and heard about this, and was told that Animal Control would be taking the kitty and euthanizing it. I had no idea AC did this! I thought they at least brought the young ones to a shelter! This made me SICK SICK SICK. So I volunteered to take her home, even though I already have 2 full grown adult cats and one dog. My small town home really isn't conducive to raising and taming a kitten, but I'm making it work. I thought about bringing her to a shelter, but my boyfriend and I who are both big time animal lovers couldn't bring ourselves to do it, knowing full well that most shelters are overworked and stretched for resources as it is. So instead of burdening another shelter with another stray - and one that needs taming at that, we decided to have a go at this.
The cat was very dirty and very scared and quite feral....it wasn't easy transferring her from the trap to a box to a cat carrier to get her to the vet, but with the help of a co-worker we were able to safely get her in the carrier. I took her to the vet on Thursday after work and told them it was a feral rescue kitty. The vet bill was...well more than I had anticipated but so it goes...I've saved a kitty and feel that it is worth it. She is 7 weeks old, and did not have fleas which surprised me. She is in perfect health, aside from a case of ear mites and round worms. My vet said he treated her for both of these. Do you think I would need to go back for another visit to be sure these are gone? I need to be super sure before I introduce her to my other cats (more on that one later pls).
Ok so I don't live in a very big home - and our second bedroom, which is literally the only room I could keep her in (other than higher traffic areas in the living room or my bedroom) is my office - it has computer wires etc. all over and I cannot have her getting into all that stuff. Easy hiding places as well...I could use ANY advice on how to "proof" that area and make it explorable...its pretty much an art and design studio if you can imagine...not a place for a kitten (tho my cats are very good in there and don't get into much). I was thinking about some light see thru netting/fencing around the area of her cage or something to keep her away from anything dangerous....but I'm not sure. I still need to explore this. She may not ready to come out of the big dog crate yet anyways.
She's been in the crate now since Friday. I am now able to open the cage with her not getting too afraid, and she will eat wet food off the spoon, and she has even let me pet her (though she does hiss when i come near her, and bring my hand slowly (and cupped of course) to her head. Right after she eats, I try to pet her head and stroke her back, and she seems to really enjoy it! She starts to purrr and then falls asleep. And wakes when I stop, lol. But she will still hiss at me...and i do fear the switchblade of death swapping but she hasn't done that to me yet. I am not sure if i should let her come out to me and come in my lap for food before I pick her up. I thought about using gloves..but a giant gloved hand seems like it would be scary to a kitty and may bring her a step back. I am hoping she will be easier than I thought to socialize due to this petting and purring only after a few days. I am pretty sure that she has not had much human (if at all) interaction. So thats pretty much where I am at. I just got some of the gerber chicken and gravy baby food so I am pretty sure she'll be licking that off my fingers by the end of tonight! I am really enjoying this experience...but have a few questions and concerns...
Such as her litterbox. Is it normal for her to want to sit in it all the time? She seems to be urinating INSIDE the box...but yesterday I found a poopy outside of the box...she has pooped in it as well but that was only on day 1. I would like to find a way to make her more comfortable OUTSIDE of the box. For bedding I have a thin sheet/blanket covering the whole bottom of the cage. Then I have a folded towel in one corner, and my tshirt next to that. The litter box is in one corner and the food/water in the opposite corner. Someone suggested I get a stuffed animal to make her feel more comfortable...would that be a good idea for a 7-week old? Any other tips on her comfort and transition would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping that I can get her to a point where she is adoptable - and I know I'm going to want to keep her but know I cannot - ok so there is a small 2% chance I might. If not, I was thinking of contacting Pet Finder, or possibly a local shelter to help in her placement. Strict screening is very important to me. Any other advice relating to this also would be helpful.
I am also not sure if or when I should move the crate out of my office and into a more higher traffic area...like right outside our bedroom where there is a constant flow of traffic. I am also not sure how soon I should introduce my cats to this sweetie pie. They are already curious and sit by my office door! I have let them peek in, but no close up visits. Someone I work with said I should introduce them immediately as it could help w/ socialization, I just am afraid that she will get scared and it'll be a few steps back....
Also how long should I keep her in the this dog crate? Its a LARGE one btw...
Thank you if you've read through all this, I know my posts tend to get really wordy and detailed!
So thank you for listening! Meow!
Here is a photo of her....in a rare moment sitting on the towel...
And here is her in the Animal Control Trap:
Someone at my company found a kitten, and possibly a mother roaming around in the back of our manufacturing warehouse. A dangerous place for a kitty! Someone almost ran it over w/ a forklift! Someone called Animal Control to come out. They set up a few traps, and the next day, my little kitty was caught! I came into work and heard about this, and was told that Animal Control would be taking the kitty and euthanizing it. I had no idea AC did this! I thought they at least brought the young ones to a shelter! This made me SICK SICK SICK. So I volunteered to take her home, even though I already have 2 full grown adult cats and one dog. My small town home really isn't conducive to raising and taming a kitten, but I'm making it work. I thought about bringing her to a shelter, but my boyfriend and I who are both big time animal lovers couldn't bring ourselves to do it, knowing full well that most shelters are overworked and stretched for resources as it is. So instead of burdening another shelter with another stray - and one that needs taming at that, we decided to have a go at this.
The cat was very dirty and very scared and quite feral....it wasn't easy transferring her from the trap to a box to a cat carrier to get her to the vet, but with the help of a co-worker we were able to safely get her in the carrier. I took her to the vet on Thursday after work and told them it was a feral rescue kitty. The vet bill was...well more than I had anticipated but so it goes...I've saved a kitty and feel that it is worth it. She is 7 weeks old, and did not have fleas which surprised me. She is in perfect health, aside from a case of ear mites and round worms. My vet said he treated her for both of these. Do you think I would need to go back for another visit to be sure these are gone? I need to be super sure before I introduce her to my other cats (more on that one later pls).
Ok so I don't live in a very big home - and our second bedroom, which is literally the only room I could keep her in (other than higher traffic areas in the living room or my bedroom) is my office - it has computer wires etc. all over and I cannot have her getting into all that stuff. Easy hiding places as well...I could use ANY advice on how to "proof" that area and make it explorable...its pretty much an art and design studio if you can imagine...not a place for a kitten (tho my cats are very good in there and don't get into much). I was thinking about some light see thru netting/fencing around the area of her cage or something to keep her away from anything dangerous....but I'm not sure. I still need to explore this. She may not ready to come out of the big dog crate yet anyways.
She's been in the crate now since Friday. I am now able to open the cage with her not getting too afraid, and she will eat wet food off the spoon, and she has even let me pet her (though she does hiss when i come near her, and bring my hand slowly (and cupped of course) to her head. Right after she eats, I try to pet her head and stroke her back, and she seems to really enjoy it! She starts to purrr and then falls asleep. And wakes when I stop, lol. But she will still hiss at me...and i do fear the switchblade of death swapping but she hasn't done that to me yet. I am not sure if i should let her come out to me and come in my lap for food before I pick her up. I thought about using gloves..but a giant gloved hand seems like it would be scary to a kitty and may bring her a step back. I am hoping she will be easier than I thought to socialize due to this petting and purring only after a few days. I am pretty sure that she has not had much human (if at all) interaction. So thats pretty much where I am at. I just got some of the gerber chicken and gravy baby food so I am pretty sure she'll be licking that off my fingers by the end of tonight! I am really enjoying this experience...but have a few questions and concerns...
Such as her litterbox. Is it normal for her to want to sit in it all the time? She seems to be urinating INSIDE the box...but yesterday I found a poopy outside of the box...she has pooped in it as well but that was only on day 1. I would like to find a way to make her more comfortable OUTSIDE of the box. For bedding I have a thin sheet/blanket covering the whole bottom of the cage. Then I have a folded towel in one corner, and my tshirt next to that. The litter box is in one corner and the food/water in the opposite corner. Someone suggested I get a stuffed animal to make her feel more comfortable...would that be a good idea for a 7-week old? Any other tips on her comfort and transition would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping that I can get her to a point where she is adoptable - and I know I'm going to want to keep her but know I cannot - ok so there is a small 2% chance I might. If not, I was thinking of contacting Pet Finder, or possibly a local shelter to help in her placement. Strict screening is very important to me. Any other advice relating to this also would be helpful.
I am also not sure if or when I should move the crate out of my office and into a more higher traffic area...like right outside our bedroom where there is a constant flow of traffic. I am also not sure how soon I should introduce my cats to this sweetie pie. They are already curious and sit by my office door! I have let them peek in, but no close up visits. Someone I work with said I should introduce them immediately as it could help w/ socialization, I just am afraid that she will get scared and it'll be a few steps back....
Also how long should I keep her in the this dog crate? Its a LARGE one btw...
Thank you if you've read through all this, I know my posts tend to get really wordy and detailed!
Here is a photo of her....in a rare moment sitting on the towel...
And here is her in the Animal Control Trap: