Last weekend I picked up 3 feral kittens that someone had found under her apartment building. The mom was a plump and healthy looking blue russian, but she was timid with people. She seemed to have been a pet at some point because she would come within 3 feet of us and watch as we handled the kittens, but would not allow us to pet her or capture her.
Because the kittens were already hissing at people, I decided to take them home and wean and socialize them instead of allowing them to grow up feral. I have 2 cats that are both 1 year old. Because I don't know anything about the new babies, I have quaranteened them in walk-in closet using my bathroom door as a double barrier. I've been washing my hands after each contact with the kittens and now that they've become more active and playful on me I have started to change clothes after each contact.
It's been 4 days now, and the kittens are doing much better socially. One of them purrs and runs up to me as I enter the room. I'm guessing based on their progress that they were 4 or 5 weeks old on the day I got them. I've included a picture of one to see if they look about that age. They've really explored the closet now, and are very comfortable with it.
Because they are so young, my vet says she doesn't want to do vaccs on them yet (she hasn't seen them, she's going off the age I gave her). I want to be able to take them around the house and get them used to daily life with people, and slowly introduce them to the other pets. My cats are fully vaccinated with boosters due on the 27th of this month. Is there anything I can do with them at this age that won't endanger my cats? Can they get tested this young? And are my cats succeptible to diseases they've been vaccinated against since they are so close to their booster dates?
Because the kittens were already hissing at people, I decided to take them home and wean and socialize them instead of allowing them to grow up feral. I have 2 cats that are both 1 year old. Because I don't know anything about the new babies, I have quaranteened them in walk-in closet using my bathroom door as a double barrier. I've been washing my hands after each contact with the kittens and now that they've become more active and playful on me I have started to change clothes after each contact.
It's been 4 days now, and the kittens are doing much better socially. One of them purrs and runs up to me as I enter the room. I'm guessing based on their progress that they were 4 or 5 weeks old on the day I got them. I've included a picture of one to see if they look about that age. They've really explored the closet now, and are very comfortable with it.
Because they are so young, my vet says she doesn't want to do vaccs on them yet (she hasn't seen them, she's going off the age I gave her). I want to be able to take them around the house and get them used to daily life with people, and slowly introduce them to the other pets. My cats are fully vaccinated with boosters due on the 27th of this month. Is there anything I can do with them at this age that won't endanger my cats? Can they get tested this young? And are my cats succeptible to diseases they've been vaccinated against since they are so close to their booster dates?