Last week my kid's High School experienced a kitten invasion. We (the grownups) think a feral colony that was pushed out when they built a Whole Foods near us moved near the school because that didn't happen last year. The kids have been finding kittens all over and taking them home and passing them around until they find homes. One of them "stuck" at our place!
I've been Googling about kittens because I don't really have experience with them as I prefer older cats. I still have questions though.
This cat is about the size of a 3 week old but has the characteristics of a 4 week old (has teeth, walks without wobbling, plays with toys and explores, will lap KMR from a finger or even a saucer, does some self grooming and used the litter box at least once, pees without stimulation, regulates her temperature on her own, etc.).
Purr$ace (rhymes with Versace) is 10.5 ounces and drinks about 7-8 ounces of KMR a day. Every 2-4 hours during the day but goes all night without a feeding (7 hours) and is fine (doesn't cry for food like she does during the day). Should I start weaning it to regular food or is KMR better since it's undersized? [Um, as I typed this, she found our other cat's food and started eating it like crazy. I think I've answered my own question.]
I tried to find canned kitten food at the store but it was scarce and not from companies I like. Can I feed the same food as our other cats? (Merrick Grammy's Pot Pie, Merrick Thanksgiving Dinner, Fancy Feast Chicken varieties, Fancy Feast Seafood Classics, Soulistic Double Happiness)
What age do they get their first shots?
Her claws are sharp and long. Am I supposed to clip them or do I have to wait until she's older and they aren't so thin?
When we feed from the bottle, she drinks some but then she suckles without consuming for ages after. Should this behavior be encouraged or discouraged. She also tries to suckle on my husband and has looked for teats on one of our other cats.
Speaking of our other cats, they are both 1 year, came from different litters, but get along well with each other. They are both fascinated with Purr$ace. One is fascinated in a motherly way and I'd like to encourage that so that the little one has someone to teach her how to be a cat. However, the older one, Salem, doesn't quite get how to act towards the little one and today was kind of swatting at her like she was a play toy. So I want to make sure Salem doesn't hurt the kitten.
Our other cat, Tabitha, is less social and more cautious in general, and has hissed at Purr$ace so I also could use some advice to make sure they get along. She seems willing to accept the kitten but also somewhat afraid. So far I've just been handling Purr$ace while talking to Tabitha in a soothing voice and letting Tabitha smell the kitten on me and giving Tabitha the same amount and type of attention as before. Tabitha is very much *my* cat so I figure if she sees I'm not afraid of the kitten and also that I still love her (Tabitha), that we'll be okay in the end but I don't want to inadvertently do anything to mess up their relationship.
Finally, I was told to get non-clumping litter since the kittens eat it but this pine stuff I bought is horrible. Purr$ace hates it and won't use it when she used the little box before. I ended up putting it through the blender to make more the consistency of the clay litter. Does that mean it will be bad if she eats it and I've defeated the purpose of getting non-clumping littler?
I've been Googling about kittens because I don't really have experience with them as I prefer older cats. I still have questions though.
This cat is about the size of a 3 week old but has the characteristics of a 4 week old (has teeth, walks without wobbling, plays with toys and explores, will lap KMR from a finger or even a saucer, does some self grooming and used the litter box at least once, pees without stimulation, regulates her temperature on her own, etc.).
Purr$ace (rhymes with Versace) is 10.5 ounces and drinks about 7-8 ounces of KMR a day. Every 2-4 hours during the day but goes all night without a feeding (7 hours) and is fine (doesn't cry for food like she does during the day). Should I start weaning it to regular food or is KMR better since it's undersized? [Um, as I typed this, she found our other cat's food and started eating it like crazy. I think I've answered my own question.]
I tried to find canned kitten food at the store but it was scarce and not from companies I like. Can I feed the same food as our other cats? (Merrick Grammy's Pot Pie, Merrick Thanksgiving Dinner, Fancy Feast Chicken varieties, Fancy Feast Seafood Classics, Soulistic Double Happiness)
What age do they get their first shots?
Her claws are sharp and long. Am I supposed to clip them or do I have to wait until she's older and they aren't so thin?
When we feed from the bottle, she drinks some but then she suckles without consuming for ages after. Should this behavior be encouraged or discouraged. She also tries to suckle on my husband and has looked for teats on one of our other cats.
Speaking of our other cats, they are both 1 year, came from different litters, but get along well with each other. They are both fascinated with Purr$ace. One is fascinated in a motherly way and I'd like to encourage that so that the little one has someone to teach her how to be a cat. However, the older one, Salem, doesn't quite get how to act towards the little one and today was kind of swatting at her like she was a play toy. So I want to make sure Salem doesn't hurt the kitten.
Our other cat, Tabitha, is less social and more cautious in general, and has hissed at Purr$ace so I also could use some advice to make sure they get along. She seems willing to accept the kitten but also somewhat afraid. So far I've just been handling Purr$ace while talking to Tabitha in a soothing voice and letting Tabitha smell the kitten on me and giving Tabitha the same amount and type of attention as before. Tabitha is very much *my* cat so I figure if she sees I'm not afraid of the kitten and also that I still love her (Tabitha), that we'll be okay in the end but I don't want to inadvertently do anything to mess up their relationship.
Finally, I was told to get non-clumping litter since the kittens eat it but this pine stuff I bought is horrible. Purr$ace hates it and won't use it when she used the little box before. I ended up putting it through the blender to make more the consistency of the clay litter. Does that mean it will be bad if she eats it and I've defeated the purpose of getting non-clumping littler?
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