Playing With Kittens

[catapault]

It's been 6 weeks since we had to have Fog euthanized. I thought I'd stop by my vet yesterday and see what they had in the way of kittens. Two litters, 3 young healthy kittens and 2 with gunky eyes and ear mites - which they were being treated for, I hasten to add. These are kittens born outdoors, not feral so much as not tame. Back up when you open the cage door, one even hissed a bit. All are weaned, eating solid food.

Just looking at them I could tell "mine" weren't there but I said I'd ask my husband about fostering. And, BTW, my vet supplies you with food and litter for the kittens while you foster. But my husband is not ready for two new cats just yet, even as a foster situation. He still misses Fog too much.

So I went there today - and there are five more kittens! Three are socialized, two orange boys and an all black one. And two more slightly gunky eyed white with tabby patches.

Why am I there? To play with kittens. Vet tech agreed it would be good for the wilder kittens to be handled.

Spent an hour there, working one at a time with three kittens. Sat on the floor of an exam room with the door closed, held them, talked to them, fondled them, skritched their cheeks, over their head, over their body. The grey and white girl relaxed enough to close her eyes, purr a bit, and doze off. Her black sibling relaxed enough to purr, didn't nap. The wilder gunky eyes muted calico (white, orange, and sort of agouti / tabby patches - is that calico?) calmed down, I think purred a bit, but will take more work to get her to really relax.

Not sure I can make it tomorrow, for sure will go back on Thursday. I'm welcome any afternoon I can make it. So even if I'm not fostering I do think that in socializing them it will help these kittens find a good home. And it makes me feel good to get my hands on these kittens.

 

[gloriajh]

I'm so sorry about your baby.

I sounds as though you've found a wonderful way to deal with the piece of your heart that is missing - these kittens are so fortunate that you are able to love on them - this is an important time in their lives and you're contributing to their happy future.

Be well.
g

 

[kailie]

What a wonderful thing you are doing for those babies!

 

[farleyv]

That is a wonderful thing you are doing....they need you and you need them.

You have a good heart!

 

[Winchester]

I'm so sorry about Fog, Catapault. Playing with those little babies will help you. And it will help the kittens, too, as they get used to being handled.

It's so difficult to get over the death of a kitty. Sometimes you wonder if your heart will ever heal. I hope your DH will be able to have new cats in his life. You two certainly have enough love for them.

 

[catapault]

Back playing with kittens today. The grey & white, black & white, and all black are off being fostered by a woman and her teen-age daughter. The two orange boys and their black sibling are tame enough. So that left me with the gunky eye quartet.

I started with the calico female I handled yesterday. She settled down very nicely. Lisa, the vet tech said that the tabby & white male was the one most in need. He struggled when I picked him up. Once in the room I'm using I set him in my lap and tucked his head under my overshirt. Talked to him, petted him, and 30 minutes later he was cradled across my chest with his head resting in my other hand, sleeping.

BTW, I come in through the laundry room, take off my shirt and T-shirt and start them washing before I come into the house.

Decided to work for a few minutes with the no-white all tabby kitten. He hissed and growled at me. I said "Nonsense, you don't need to be so afraid" tried to pick him up and got bitten on my left thumb hard enough to draw blood and scratched on my right hand. Kitten was laying on its side in a defensive posture with bottle brush tail. I petted him with a single finger once or twice to show that there's no hard feelings.

Closed cage, washed my hands. Came home (been there an hour.)

Will see tomorrow if I think I can work with this little wild one.

It's difficult. If I had them here I would be using food as an inducement to like me. But all I have is an hour of cuddle time. It clearly is working with the other kittens but I'm not sure it will work with this terrified little kitten.

 

[tara g]

Sorry about Fog

You're doing a wonderful thing for those kitties, even if you can only spend x amount of time per day, you're helping them and yourself

 

[addiebee]

Why can't you use food as an enticement? Ask the vet. Tiny bits of cooked chicken or chicken or turkey baby food (just meat and water)? I think he'd be your pal in no time!

 

[catapault]

AddieBee, the kittens are kept several to a cage - gunky eye quartet are all together. Food - both wet and dry - appears to be available at all times.

I could not pick this kitten up without terrifying him into biting and clawing.

If I cannot carry him into another room how can I offer food to him without enticing the others in the cage.

If it terrifies him so to be picked up I think he'd be too frantic to accept treats even if I spend the whole hour working only with him.

I'd very much appreciate any suggestions people with more experience have to offer. Again, my understanding is that these are not truly feral kittens. They were born outdoors, maybe to barn cats (a distinct possibility around here.) I'll see what other information I can find out when I'm there tomorrow.

At least the two I worked with today are responding nicely.

 

[3catsn1dog]

Awww poor baby. When we got ramsie and bacon one was lovey and the other was heck on wheels. Lol. Ramsie wasn't one to be held but on her terms she would lay on your lap now I cart her around like a baby and give her tummy rubs....I'm still working on bacon not mauling me for belly rubs lol I must be able to rub fuzzy tummys in my house haha.

I hope over time that poor baby will get more friendly and relaxed around you maybe he just needs someone to be his forever mommy to love him up all the time.

 

[catapault]

A forever home is the goal for all of these kittens. But these timid kittens are less likely to be adopted, and the wild child has even less of a chance.

I cannot foster right now. That's why I'm going there an hour each day to handle them. My theory is that if I can tame them down to the point where they don't tremble, stiffen up, hiss - or bite! - someone might just say "Oh how cute, I'll take this one home with me."

 

[catapault]

I went in with some chicken today. None of the quartet were interested.

Did manage to scruff and lift wild child out of the cage and did work with her. Got her to relax on my chest and cuddle her a bit.

Ditto with the tabby and white male. Then decided to try the faded calico (white, gray, sand colored.) Didn't seem nervous, or sleepy. Made the mistake of allowing her down on the floor - belly to ground, scuttled over to wall and started circling the perimeter of the room. Did not want to be caught but eventually I managed.

Memo to self - cuddle only, no floor play.

Edit to add - did find out that these are kittens born to feral cats. No wonder they are timid, hiss, have gunky eyes and ear mites. But now their ears and eyes are improving with treatment, they have food and shelter, and I like to think I'm helping to socialize them and become loving pets.

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by Catapault

My theory is that if I can tame them down to the point where they don't tremble, stiffen up, hiss - or bite! - someone might just say "Oh how cute, I'll take this one home with me."

It's a very good thing you're doing. The faded calico sounds pretty. I hope these babies find furever homes, preferably together

 

[catapault]

Three more somewhat older kittens came in since I last updated, all gray with some darker stripes on their legs.

Two kittens went to their forever homes today - one of the older gray / gray striped kittens and also the dilute calico I've been working with. The other three that I've been working with have people who want them and will soon be going to their forever homes.

My husband came with me this morning, to look at a black kitten I like. He wanted to think about it over the weekend. When I got back home after playing with kittens this afternoon he said he was sorry he didn't come with me to get the kitten!

So tomorrow morning we'll be going to the vet to get one new kitten. Hooray!

There's an orange kitten I fancy but he tested FIV positive. The vet wants to wait a few weeks and re-test, hoping it's just antibodies from his mother. If he does test negative, he'll come home with us too.

Not that I'll be out of "work." Two kittens may have found homes between morning and afternoon, but two more came in - another all black and a black and white tuxedo.

This is winter! We've had temperatures in the teens! What were all these feral queens doing last August / September? Winter is dreadfully hard on kittens. If these weren't at the vet's they'd likely die.

But they're safe, and I'm to have a new kitten. Now, to think of a name . . .

 

[stephanietx]

Yippee!! Congratulations on convincing your DH on a new kitty. Can't wait to see pics!