Feral Kitten - Help! Want To Do This Right

[Bamaprncss]

Hi New TCS Friends!

I am not new to cats (I currently have a 16 y/o feral rescue) and have rescued several kittens and cats over the years. But this one feels different.

I found 2 stray kittens in an automobile and was told the mother had been run over. I believe they are around 6 weeks old. I made it my mission to rescue them. The first one, grey and white little girl, took some work but I was able to get her by the scruff. She immediately began purring.

Her sibling was another story. Absolute panic. I took my time and was able to pet the kitty (black / white) without issue. Unfortunately, the vehicle had to be moved so I ran out of coaxing time. I grabbed the kitten by the scruff but when putting him in the cage he was able to turn in my hand. The kitty fought long and hard to get away (right into a busy street) but I wouldn't let go. I was bitten several times but still held on until I could get him to safety. I was not able to determine sex but did confirm there were no cuts or bites.

The grey kitty was spoken for by a coworker and the decision was made that they should go to her home together. I had reservations about this as I knew the black kitty (now referred to as Vampire Kitty) would need patience and extra attention. Both have been in her home for 5 days. The gray cat is loving and blends in well with the other animals. The Vampire Kitty not so much. As expected, he will not come out unless she leaves the room, seems to have to work to get food as his sister eats it all and is seen to be shaking. It sounds like the kitty is active and playful when she is not around. No surprise she no longer wants little Vampire Kitty. I had already said I would as I want to give him a great safe home and understand it will take time.

She is scared to touch VK after I was bitten so she is setting up a cage to capture him (or her). I have already called the vet and will take VK straight there to get a check and shots. Once home VK will have a complete separate room.

I need help and advice! I want to do this right. This seems like a very stressful transition he is about to go through, yet again. I feel that since I was able to pet him he can be a great pet. From what I have seen the scared ones that learn to trust you make the best companions. I anticipate VK being mine by tomorrow. How do I do this the right way??

 

[kittychick]

It's so wonderful that you were able to rescue those 2 babies. I don't think either would have survived long without your intervention! If they are indeed 6 weeks old - they would barely be able to be weaned - so I'm sure they were still really depending on mama. Poor things!

It sounds like your coworker - who was obviously being very kind by wanting to help both kittens - probably has never worked with a feral (or semi-feral - - since it sounds like the grey/white one she's still keeping had at least some positive human contact at some point). And it's a whole different ballgame to take in a feral kitten than it is one who immediately is purring and loving. It also sounds like she was scared of him from day 1 (which doesn't help). It sounds like you have more realistic expectations that helping VK become more socialized will be a process - - -one that you can't really put a time frame on (sometimes they warm up quickly - sometimes it takes quite a bit of time just to get them to the point that they understand you're not going to hurt them).

Keeping him in a small area (like your separate room) is usually pretty critical in speeding up the socialization process. We do start out feral kittens out in a separate room in a large dog crate. If you don't have one - I recommend trying to get one or borrow one. Letting him loose - even in a small room - will really slow down the socializing process - as he'll hide. He'll feel safer and you'll speed up the process if you can use a dog crate. We line the bottom of the crate with newspaper, put in a litter box (I'll tell you what we use in a minute), food, water, and a small cat carrier with the door removed (for him to feel like he can "hide" and be safe - but you can still get to him to work with him without continually dragging him out from behind/under something. We put lots of soft fluffy fabric in the carrier (we don't use towels, bc their tiny nails can really get caught in the towel loops and they panic) - we go to a fabric store and get cheap fleece-like material. We also use a kitty heating pad (not a human one - they get too hot for kittens) - - but put it outside the carrier (they need the warmth, but also need to be able to get away from it if they feel too hot). We also put fleece over the kitty heating pad. Since he'll be alone - we always also put in a small stuffed animal - like beanie baby size. It does comfort them.

He'll obviously need a litter box, but for a kitten that small - I usually don't even use a regular plastic litter box (even kitten size is big for them). We go to pet/grocery stores and have them hold boxes that are no bigger than 8 x 10 inches and then cut the sides down to about 2 inches tall so it's easy for him to step in and out of. Plenty big for him but lots less room in your crate. And we use clay (non-clumping) at that age.

Food-wise, is he actually eating solid food? He's so small that it sounds like a watered-down pate style kitten food is best, since it'll give him even more liquid. We actually don't water down - we use KMR (kitten milk replacer) for ones that little, and add small amounts of pate kitten food, since he likely will still be needing to lap his food. And you might also warm his food just a bit (but not to the point it's hot!) - - that will make it smell even more and make it even more enticing.

We also OFTEN rely on what alot of us that work with feral or terrified kitties call "kitty crack" - - - Gerber jarred baby food "Gerber 2nd Foods Chicken and Chicken Gravy". Be very careful that any baby foods you purchase have NO ONIONS (they're toxic to kitties).

If you lie on the floor outside his crate, and get the longest handled spoon you can find - - - and offer a bit of it on the spoon to him while you constantly gently talk to him (keep it soft and high-pitched), I can almost guarantee he'll be SO lured in by the stinky stuff that he'll lap it off the spoon. Slowly work the spoon closer to you - - and eventually work toward feeding it off your finger to him. I've (knock on wood) yet to have a feral kitten that didn't come around with the help of that stinky stuff!

So think SLOW.....on his level.....talk gently. I also keep a radio (or tv) on very low (with classical or something gentle) on most of the time to acquaint him with human voices....plus it kind of evens out the sounds you're making as humans (and animals) in other rooms so that he's startled less. I hope you can help this little baby over the hump of understanding that "human" doesn't equal "terror" - - I believe you can! Especially since you seem to understand this will be a process (perhaps short - perhaps not).

There is alot more we can all offer as far as help - - - lots of us in this forum have been in your shoes many times over - - so any questions -just ask!!

I hope you keep us posted - - and don't be afraid to lean on this wonderful site and forum. There are lots of wonderful members with lots of advice (and alot who don't write the novels I do - promise!).

 

[bigbadbass]

I'm far from expert, just want to give "grats" and offer encouragement on doing the right thing. At just 6 weeks a perfect candidate. He's young and barely developed...you are obviously knowledgeable...with your care, love and some "conditioning"...he'll come around. Great that you stepped up and are giving him a chance! You saved a life!

As I did same (albeit taking in an older semi-feral stray) I love to read about others performing a similar private rescue.

I'll be following....and pulling for ya'! Good luck going forward.

kittychick advise is right on the money....good stuff

 

[Bamaprncss]

Hi kittychick!
Thanks so much for the wealth of advice! I definitely would have been an offender of a few of those. I did get little VK today and took him straight to the vet. He was crying he was so hungry so I gave him (it's a boy!!) a can of kitty pate I had just purchased. Apparently he hasn't been eating much and he simply devoured the can. I took him straight to the vet and they have him at 6 weeks. He had ear mites and worms but we took care of those. He was so scared it was pitiful. VK is now home and we are sitting together in his new room. I put super soft blankies in there and like the idea of the carrier with a cover. So did he. I was going to use a human heating pad so glad you mentioned the kitty one. To Amazon I go!! Definitely will pick up some "kitty crack" too.

So far he is hiding from me but that is to be expected. I brought my Kindle in there and have been reading to him and just talking.

I do have a random concern. He doesn't seem to know how to drink?? I gave him water and he was uninterested but I didn't think that too odd. I heated up some milk a little and was surprised when he didn't even try and lap at it. I'm not sure if this is even possible that he doesn't know? If you have heard of this before let me know what I can do. The vet suggested putting some milk in with his soft food.

I did get some soft and hard food and will see what he is ready to eat. It sounds like maybe some soft pare and the KMR is the way to go? He is all bones so I think he needs the extra nourishment. Hopefully he hasn't acquired a special taste for my blood lol!!


Thanks for the well wishes bigbadbass! I really believe he is a very special kitty and can't wait until he understands that his worries are over and he is truly safe!

I attached a pic I was able to get of him at work. He was so hungry but it still took him over an hour to come out and try the food. If I even breathed too loud he would run. This is inside a storage container at work.

 

[bigbadbass]

awwwww can't wait to read as he grows, acclimates and understands he's accepted, safe and loved

 

[Bamaprncss]

Thanks so much bigbadbass . I will definitely keep you posted. I just realized I didn't send these messages to (@) you guys! Still learning! Sorry kittychick

I do think the poor kitty is underdeveloped. I don't think he has ever bathed himself either. I'm not sure how to train that.

 

[kittychick]

B Bamaprncss - glad some of what I offered helped you out!!! Raising an orphaned kitten from this small if tough going anyway- - throw in some feral tendencies and it gets even more unpredictable! But if I can help you NOT make a few of the mistakes I learned the hard way - - - I'm happy to help!!! And tonight I'm a stressball, and since I've got fibromyalgia - that stress kicks off fun stuff - including insomnia - but at least it means I can sometimes check in when most sane people are sleeping

I'm glad you've gotten him to the vet and gotten him even further on the road to a healthy kitty. Six weeks is SO young -- - but on the positive side, gives you an extremely good chance of being able to socialize him. Do keep in mind though that, like people, socialization looks different for different cats. He may end up being a lap cat - or he may always want to be in another room - just happy to know "his person" is near. That variation won't mean you've done anything "wrong" - - - it's just that (again - like people!) he'll be "who he is."

He sure is adorable - AND tiny! But again, 6 weeks is young. When you say he seems uninterested in drinking - that's something you need to keep a VERY close eye on. He needs to be intaking a good amount of liquid - if he doesn't, he'll become dehydrated, which is a very serious issue with a cat - - and especially with a very young, tiny one like VK. He may have still been intaking all of his liquid previously by nursing - - and really hadn't learned how to lap yet. Mother cats will usually start weaning at around 4 weeks, so many are weaned completely at 6 weeks, but some mamas are more patient and keep nursing several weeks past 6, as some kittens are slower to understand the lapping process. You mention water - but you also mention giving him milk. Do you mean cow's milk - like most people drink? Cat's can't digest cow's milk. It actually was the opposite of hydrating a kitten as it usually gives the nasty diarrhea and sometimes causes vomittting. A cat/kitten should never be given cow's milk (funny that for some reason - the vision of a cat lapping cow's milk became an image we all grew up with!). Instead he needs to be given KMR (kitten milk replacer). It is made by several companies and comes in two forms - premixed and in cans, and powdered. The powdered is much cheaper - - and you can make up only what you'll be able to use for that feeding you don't end up throwing a bunch out. The liquid is - of course- much easier as it's "pre-mixed." But - especially since you'll only be feeding one kitten - you'll throw a TON of it out, and since it's expensive in the first place - throwing it down the drain is kinda heartbreaking! At his young age - you might need to even supplement his food/liquid with a little bottle feeding. While he's technically old enough to be lapping/drinking on his own, we've had some undersized little ones that we also had to bottle feed to supplement. But you may not need to worry about that - hopefully utilizing KMR will fix that. Here's an article I've recommended before as to how to get your baby to finally lap water.

How to Get a Kitten to Eat Out of a Dish

THere's also a wonderful hard food (when you reach that stage) - but it's really expensive. It's made by Royal Canin and called "Baby Cat." It's great because the pieces are VERY small so they're easy for tiny mouths to eat - -and though they're dry, the food crumbles easily, and it even goes more quickly into a "mush" when you add KMR or water to it. We use it on our tougher cases that don't eat/drink as well. Plus they seem to generally really love it. But again - it's expensive!

Do you know how to check for dehydration - or did your vet show you? It's officially called a "skin turgor test" and it's very easy to do. I could explain it - but it helps to see it. I'd be checking him at least twice a day. Just google "checking kitten for dehydration" and you'll find lots of helpful videos. It basically involves gently pulling up the skin at the base of his neck, basically between his shoulder blades - if he's hydrated well, it'll snap right back. If the skin stays "up and tented" - -he's dehydrated and I'd get him to a vet asap, as they may want to administer IV fluids. If he'll let you do this next test (and it may be too much for you to do on him yet) - but he can also be tested by pushing gently on his gums. A normal kitten's gums should be pink, kind of slick, wet and glistening. A dehydrated kitten will often have very pale gums (more white than pink) - and they look/feel dry and kind of tacky.

And glad you're going to get him a kitten heating pad - - warmth for him is critical,but you definitely don't want fried kitten!

I'm a "researcher" - - I dig and dig on things to try and find the newest way to ___________ (insert whatever you want here), so I have sites I went to often when I first started dealing with ferals, TNR, etc. So here are a few sites I found helpful - - - hopefully you can glean some helpful ideas! A few of those I liked are (and keep in mind - - - different people/organizations often have slightly differing opinions on how to do things - I don't agree on everything they say- such as one of these articles talks about "putting the kittens up high" - - which has never helped me - - but these articles - - - and this site here! - - - are great places to find out what's worked for others!:

Taming Ferals - UrbanCatLeague

Why Taming Feral Kittens Can Be a Good Idea

How to Socialize a Kitten

Why Taming Feral Kittens Can Be a Good Idea

Sorry once again - this was so long. I hope it helped though. I think it sounds like you're doing all the right stuff (I take my computer in and read to them too!!!).

Keep at it - and keep the pics coming! I think you're making astounding progress!!!!!!

 

[Bamaprncss]

kittychick first of all, so sorry to hear about your fibromyalgia. I will definitely add you to my prayer list! Thanks so much yet again for all the help and information! I'm the same when it comes to research. That's how I ended up here! And you're right I found so much conflicting information and so many things that are bad for kitties it became overwhelming, especially when you are researching so many topics. Thanks to your help we are on a great path. I am sure there are some things I should be doing differently already mentioned but I definitely wanted to give an update.

Little vampire kitty has now officially been christened Jackson (Jax) for short. I fell asleep in the room with him Thursday night and woke up around midnight to him laying about 2 feet from me. I tried not to move but of course when he saw my eyes open he bolted. Yesterday morning when I opened the door he was crying for his breakfast. He attacked his pate with gusto and didn't even mind that I was there! I added some of the KMR to his food and watched as he tried to work out how to lap it up. I did try the bottle feeding and the poor guy was so hungry he bit off the nipple but he did get the fluids. He isn't ready for solid food yet from what I have seen but I did go ahead and get the Royal Canin baby dry food. I will start working that in the mix in the next week or so.

He is starting to peer at me around corners and doesn't seem to be opposed to my company. He took a tentative step toward me yesterday and I could hear him purring! He hesitated after the first step and decided to sit and watch me. I looked away but thanks to a floor length mirror I could observe him. I feel like he really wants to trust me. And I will show him I am worthy of his trust.

He is really struggling with using the litter box concept wise. But I think we are making progress. I watch him a lot through a window and noticed him really straining to go #2. I have been working in more liquids and am proud to say that Jackson had a perfectly normal poop today that was plenty hydrated. Everything seems to be moving better if you know what I mean!

I did give Jackson some of the kitty crack and it did bring him out. He loves it! Unfortunately, he still hasn't worked out the licking factor so hi bit my whole finger. I guess he still likes the taste of my blood.

I took this photo from the window. I watched Jackson stretch big, nuzzle the blankets, and drift off to sleep with this smile on his face. Sweet boy knows he is safe!

So getting fluids in him is my priority. I feel good that he is now getting a good amount of fluids in him. I tried the dehydration test and his skin did snap back so I'm feeling better about that. For the first time this morning he couldn't finish all his breakfast and his tummy is feeling full. I know that has to be a good feeling! I am going to try giving him a bath in a bit. Hopefully I will still have enough fingers left to type! He is the first boy kitty I have ever had and I am concerned about the spraying. My vet said that as long as I neuter him as soon as he is of age he shouldn't start spraying. I am researching that now too.

 

[bigbadbass]

Great report...good to hear he's quickly acclimating, knows he's safe and showing signs of bonding to you. With feral...even older ones...offering a dependable food source provides the obvious, primary foundation to build upon. Common knowledge ferals initially bond only to their "feeder/keeper", but that can be modified. With patience they (at least some) can even be fairly social. I've brought in 2 (semi) ferals that, with work and patience... are now wonderful house cats.
Bug was a bit of a behavioral project...Princess was easy...more than willing to find a family.

After abandonment, starving and/or wandering...I truly believe they strive to belong to a "tribe" or family and sense the safety and security that we offer. Hence their acceptance after our "showing them the way", albeit some faster or easier than others.

 

[daisyd]

Thank you for taking him in ! He sounds adorable ! If you are feeding wet food don’t worry too much if not drinking a lot of water ! Gracie used to stick her head in the water and shake her head ! Took her a while to drink water too (I had her at 7 weeks ). Jackson may never be a lap cat however you will notice he will always be close to you ...

 

[rubysmama]

Thank you for rescuing little Jackson. He is a cutie-pie. Sounds like you're making progress already. I'll be watching this thread for updates. Good luck.

 

[ritz]

Following. Just rescued two brothers around five weeks old. I volunteer for a car sanctuary. The have treated for fleas (I saw the eggs) and worms. Seeing and pooping outside box so changed to a very low box (the kind canned food comes in) and moved them to a bathroom.
My two older cats are a bit stressed. Sorry about them

 

[Bamaprncss]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and well wishes for little Jackson! He is such a special boy!

Jackson seems to look forward to our readings. Which is great news for me as my dog will turn his head back to watch tv like a husband when sports are on and my older cat fixes me with a look akin to a teenager when you try and say something cool in front of his friends and don't catch on they want to hang out sans you.

He's still a little shy with approaching me directly but now comes out with his tail up to greet me food or not. He purrs when I read and makes little "biscuits" with his paws. He doesn't much like to be picked up still but is starting to accept being petted but will usually swat at me when I'm done as if to say "don't think just because I like this that I can't take care of myself if you don't act right." I think it helps him that I'm not scared of him biting or scratching me. We are still taking it slow but he seems less scared of me. I can sense how much he wants to trust me. He is at least a third generation feral cat from my understanding so trust can't come easy. Especially after what he has been through. I think you are absolutely right about the need for a family bigbadbass

Definitely hang in there ritz . From when we know the mother was run over Jackson has been on his own since around 4 weeks old. We are both in the right place with those much more seasoned than us to help! Good luck with your new babies!!

He is trying to figure out the litter box. I have caught him twice mid action nowhere near his box. Both times I rushed him to the box to finish. Fun fact : grabbing up a cat mid tinkle will not cause him to stop but rather he will cover everything in a tiny stream until you get him where he is to complete it. He did seem embarrassed about it gauging by the loud meows while he finished. This morning he was waiting by his litter box obviously proud of himself and his night time potties in the box. I am equally proud of my boy!!

This morning we had an exciting moment. I have been working with Jackson on his lapping and this morning I was ecstatic when he began lapping up his KMR with his pate. Still not the least bit interested in water but has been getting plenty of the KMR. I am so glad to hear that water intake is not a big emergency as he is eating the pate daisyd . He has been tinkling 4-5 times a day since yesterday so I think he is finally getting hydrated. I will wait a little longer for him to approach drinking the water and make sure I am hydrating him. I love feeling his full little belly!

I was finally able to look at his little kitty pads and they are very cracked and raw. I cleaned them out well and am researching what to put on them that is kitty safe.

I attached a few photos after his first kitty bath (my stars did he need a good scrubbing). No he didn't like it but we fought through it. The kitty, kitchen, and I were all equally soaked. But he was purring when I had him wrapped up like a burrito (dare I a "purrito"). The second is him lapping up his KMR with a proud mom cheering him on. And the third is him taking a kitty nap all cute and tiny.

Thanks again for keeping up with our adventure! I feel like we're all saving this kitty together! So glad I found this community. Guess I found a new tribe too lol!

 

[Bamaprncss]

So Jackson seems to be getting hungry a lot more or either he is just more confident. I am giving him a can of kitty pate with 2 TBL KMR for breakfast and then split the same amount between late afternoon and night time. The cans (Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin) both say to feed as much as they will eat in one sitting. Should I be feeding home more? How much and how many times a day should I be feeding him?

 

[bigbadbass]

Recognizing and exploiting the old food bag, eh? Sounds like a normal, growing young kitty.

I'll yield to experienced experts to answer your questions, though great to hear his most healthy interest!

 

[Bamaprncss]

Yes! bigbadbass
He has figured out his help me cry (which is a pitiful broken raspy meow) will make Mom run to get him some food! Quite the system he has worked out lol

I will feed him all he wants but goodness knows I don't want to upset his tummy as he is trying to kick out the worms and other parasites. Plus I have a greedy older cat who will gorge herself and considerately throw it up on my carpet and fix me a look that says "yeah that just happened why are you staring at me. Get to cleaning." Hoping Jackie boy doesn't do the same. I learned moderation is key but he was almost starved to death so I cannot help but give him what he wants.

 

[bigbadbass]

When Bug and Princess "came in" (though 6 months apart) ...skinny and starving ...each ate like a slob...moderated as they put on much needed weight. Now down to one main feed a day, but special Royal Canin urinary dry food is out for Bug as he's got dysfunction there. Bug is a giant @ 16 pounds. Princess around 8?

My situation differs greatly from yours, as Jackson is a youngin'.......again I yield the floor to expert feeding advise.

I only wish I could have had Bug as a young kitty. Darn. He appeared in my woods last year at about 3 years old...still intact, starving, wandering, i'll never know his true background, unfortunately. His behavior is now exemplary, though his integration from violent semi-feral was somewhat challenging and tricky.

Keep up the great work....I love to read as Jackson "gets it"....step by step, little by little. I find it heartwarming.

 

[kittychick]

B Bamaprncss So glad some of my ridiculously long "reply novels" offered some advice that actually worked! I'll try to keep this under 2,000 words. And thanks for the kind words about my fibro. It's changed our lives pretty drastically, but I try to remind myself that are lots of people dealing with far worse things in the world.

I'm SO glad you changed his name to Jackson!!! (Plus I love the name - interestingly - have two friends who have black and whites named "Jackson"!) I do kind of subscribe to the "names can influence feelings/reactions" - - like, in a weird way, calling him Vampire Kitty (tho very funny & descriptive!) subliminally influences people to automatically think "bitey cat." I've seen it work at shelters that way - even workers seem to change their reactions to cats - not just adopters. People are weird creatures, aren't they?

I love love love seeing the pics - Jackson really is teeny (and adorable!). He definitely wouldn't have survived long out there without his mama!!!! It sounds like he's learning to trust his new mama!!!! And it's nice to hear I'm not the only "over-researcher" out there. My husband has to remind me sometimes to "turn down the noise enough to listen to my brain and heart" when I'm cramming in too much info on a subject.

I do think it's hard for some kitties to shake the feeling of what it felt like to be starving. The kitty in my avatar (Bowie - a failed foster) was almost starved to death when we took him in. As a kitten he'd been left for several days in the summer (temps in the 80s/90s) at the end of someone's driveway -24/7 -while they were having a garage sale. I guess in the hopes that someone would buy an old toaster and hopefully take the kitten too?!?!? It gets worse - he was in a tiny hamster cage, so small that he couldn't stand upright or turn around, no litterbox, shade, food OR water. Luckily, the shelter I was fostering for heard about him - drove by and just scooped up cat and cage on day 3. When we brought him to our house, we started slowly with the food and water to avoid vomiting (he was so hungry he actually tried to bite a piece of his ceramic food dish and eat it!!!!!). Even though we've had him now for 6 years and he's easily 15 pounds (I attached a more current picture ---you can tell he's far from anorexic!), he's never gotten over the "this might be my last meal!" style of eating. The minute he hears the "crack" of a can lid - he's right there!! I discovered I can even go into a bathroom on another floor of the house from the kitchen (where all but fosters are fed), close the door, turn on the faucet AND the bathroom fan on, flush the toilet - and THEN crack the can lid.......and somehow, the cat that sleeps so soundly you can make the bed over him and he never wakes up.....hears the can and comes RUNNING (well, waddling) in for food! I'm not exaggerating. Gotta give him points for astute "food can lid hearing" on that!!!!

So glad the dehydration test helped ease your mind! And it does sound like the lapping is coming. Some kittens are slower to come to that then others. And don't worry that he's lapping the KMR but not the water - - - that'll come shortly! As far as how much he should "technically" be eating - - if he's around 6-8 weeks old, he should be eating approximately either one full can of one of the larger (around 5-6 oz cans) a day, or 2 of the smaller cans (like Fancy Feast comes in) a day. But if he's also getting nutrition through the KMR - - which is great that he's starting to "get" that, bc that's adding even more nutritionally-dense liquid) - - he wouldn't even need to be eating quite that much a day. At this point I'm with you - if he wants it, let him eat it! (although don't forget - I have the giant belly-exposing fluff ball - - so perhaps I'm not the best person to come to for food advice

So glad the litter box is starting to be figured out. If he's not using it consistently - - -are the sides on it a little to high for him? For kittens that size we often use small cardboard boxes, about 8 x 10 size, with sides cut down to just about 2 inches high. Because even the "kitten size" plastic ones are often pretty high-sided for tiny legs like Jackson's!

One last litterbox thing - --the state his paw pads are in might also really be influencing his use of the litter box. If they're cracked and raw, the litter might actually hurt him to walk on. Like it would hurt you to walk on a sandy beach with scrapes on your feet. Plus open wound + litter = quick way to get an infection. And - - if you're using clumping litter - - you don't want him ingesting much of it, and he's probably licking his paws even more than normal if they're scraped. He may need antibiotics. If you have a vet you have a really good relationship with - I'd actually be tempted to call them and ask if there's anything they'd recommend that you can pick up over-the-counter to put on them. Our vet knows us well enough to offer advice on that type of thing over the phone (plus he knows we often live on the "budgetary edge" because of our kitties - many won't).

I think you AND Jackson are doing so wonderfully!!!!! I know the steps he's making may seem small at times - - -but isn't it amazing how those steps become milestones you want to tell everyone about??!! But then your friends and co-workers see you coming from a mile away and think "great....she's going to talk about the joys of good litterbox usage...run!" That's why I love this site - - -we've all been there and totally understand!

Keep us posted - -I think he's doing stupendously!!!!

 

[daisyd]

He’s still very young so you can feed Little and often (keeping the greedy big cat away of course ). He’s still energetic and will play and run it off ! I started cutting down the food at about 8 /9 months when they sTart getting lazy !

 

[kittychick]

And ritz ---I know it was a typo - but had to laugh at the idea that you help out at a "car sanctuary"....I laughed out loud at the visual of phoning around, desperately trying to find fosters for the cars...