Found 6 Kittens During A Storm, Need Advice!

Adoptus

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I was hanging out at a friend's when it started to storm pretty hard. We decided to check out the rain and lightening from her patio and that's when I saw 2 little kittens running out of a bush into the walkway of the apartment complex. I went to grab them and we kept them inside and waited until the storm settled. When it finally settled, I went to set them back before I headed home. During that time I saw some movement in the bushes and ended up finding 4 more soaking wet kittens. I'm not the type of guy to take home strays and the last time I had a cat or a dog was when I was wee lad. I don't know what provoked me to pick them up and take them home but I did. I realized it's not easy being a pet owner/ father. Hats off to all the parents and pet owners here.

I took them home in a basket, I did all my research, bought them kitten formula, high protein, grain-free, carrageen free, wet kitten food. They kept climbing out of the basket so I put them in a huge clean empty aquarium tank with blankets which worked wonderfully. I can keep the litter box far enough from their sleep/play area which is great!

They were scared when I first got them and they all took the kitten formula. It only took them a day to ravenously consume canned kitten food. I only have a problem with one of them which only drinks kitten formula and shows no interest in solid food at all , I've even bought different flavors. I'm worried for this one because she's so needy, meows all the time, doesn't play with the others and always runs for me when I take them out for play time. She seems to be maturing very slowly compared to the others and is very timid. I'm assuming she's the runt of the litter. Is this going to be a problem?

Also I've contacted over a dozen shelters and none have been able to take them in so I'm trying to adopt them away, but have not had any takers for the past 2 weeks. I can't keep taking care of them as I'm a very busy guy. I've kept in contact with my friend who's been stuck at home the past few days and she has not seen any sign of the mother or even an alley cat.

I've been feeding them twice a day, letting them out to play and get some exercise 2-3 times a day. They're usually asleep most of the time and if they're being rowdy while I'm busy I can usually Ohm them to sleep. Works every time btw if anyone wants to try it out.

 

Furballsmom

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Jcatbird

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They look pretty young still. You may need to give some extra feedings to the runt. Ohms are an excellent idea. You are doing a wonderful job with these beautiful babies. They will see you as Mom. Holding the runt near your heart may help too. It’s like hearing mom.
If your friend is stuck at home, maybe they could kitten sit for you to help. I don’t know where you live but there are many possible avenues you can take to adopt them out. I think they still need a couple of weeks with you though. They still have their baby kitten ears. Maybe 4/5 weeks old? That is young to be adopting out unless you can find someone who has your talent with them. Can you hang on a little longer?
It’s funny how we acquire kitties. They just seem to come to us. They have chosen you. They look absolutely happy and content. Please keep posting about how you and the kittens are getting along. Great job you are doing! Thank you for saving their lives! Welcome to thecatsite too! :welcomesign::clap2::rock:
Others will be along soon to offer tips!
 

danteshuman

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Hi one thing I learned from two kitten sisters was the littler sister did everything her big sister did exactly one week later...... including starting solids. At that age I would give them 3 bottles or saucers of kitten replacement formula and 3 meals of wet food. For the runt I would keep giving him bottles.

For my kittens I gave them a bottle every 4 hours when they were 4 weeks old. Then a bottle/saucer or wet food every 6 hours when they were 6 weeks old. My point is little kittens have little tummies and need to be fed very often. They also need to be kept warm. I would suggest looking up the kitten lady on YouTube for hints on how to care for them/how to tell how old they are/ what they will do at what age.
 

catsknowme

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Welcome to TCS and bless you for rescuing those gorgeous kitties!! Your story reminds me of Denis O'connor's book "Paw Tracks In The Moonlight" :happycat: The whiny kitten is probably hungry because she is technically younger than the rest of the litter (conceived later than the rest because cats, like dogs, ovulate after mating for up to over a week). The Miracle Nipple is a great Investment for kittens who are switching from mom. if you can, leave them some kibble to free feed during the day ( you can cut a hole in a box and put the food dish inside; they can still have the same amount of floor space by climbing on top of the box). NextDoor and Facebook might be good ways to find adopters as well as at the veterinarian hospital. They look very alert and healthy so you are doing a fantastic job - you have excellent intuitions :salute:
 

danteshuman

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Ack!!!!! I have never heard of that!!! The snake feeding sounds like an urban legend and irresponsible owners seem more likely (I hope!) Doing a home check, asking for a contract and a small fee to cover their vaccines/neuter or spay should help fix that. Some people recommend having them call their vet (so the vet knows you are OK to talk to) and calling/visiting their vet to see how they have cared for their pets in the past. Also I made it clear that if they had any problems they could come here to this website. If for any reason she couldn’t keep him, we would happily take him back. (After my poor baby boy was returned I would not adopt to college students, generally their lives are in flux.

I didn’t adopt out Jackie, he was adopted out by my stepdad to a co-worker’s family member. He was returned (2 weeks later) so I wish we had done more to try to find him a good home. I kept him to make sure he had a good home.... plus he is hyper/clingy so a bit harder to place. (& he had some major abandonment issues for a few months.)
:goodluck:
 

danteshuman

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You have ?two? black cats/baby panthers. Unforgently they are more likely to be overlooked! I suggest a kitten breakaway collar and a brightly colored bow tie you can get to slip on the collar to help your panthers shine. (Nick’s turquoise bow tie collar really shows up against his dark fur.) Plus photographing them on a white blanket/light back ground plus bright light helps them show up better. (It sucks but cute pictures are key to getting them adopted.) My trouble maker Jackie got three homes that wanted him. His brother that is a calm confident lap angel (& black) got no potential adopters!!!!!!! They have articles and things on YouTube on how to help get black kittens adopted.

The brothers grown up:
 

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GracieMae

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One thing that wasn't mentioned yet is check your litter for bonded pairs. A lot of litters I have has a shy kitten that needs to go to a forever home with the kitten she bonded to so she is a more confident kitten. Also please do not people just take a kitten from your house, always go to the adoptees house and ask them questions! This is how you can determine the environment your kitten will be in.

Also please make them sign a spay neuter contract with you. I can provide you a copy of one if you need it but it makes the adopters know they must provide a spay neuter before a certain date or age.
 

Jcatbird

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Adoption contracts are very important for the safety of the kittens too. Being able to check up on them, assurance of vet care and other things should be included. Anyone who does not want to sign a contract, should be rejected. A vet reference is something I always insist upon.
I have been privy to some very sad info about mistreated cats. I wish they were all urban legends!
 

tnrmakessense

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I was hanging out at a friend's when it started to storm pretty hard. We decided to check out the rain and lightening from her patio and that's when I saw 2 little kittens running out of a bush into the walkway of the apartment complex. I went to grab them and we kept them inside and waited until the storm settled. When it finally settled, I went to set them back before I headed home. During that time I saw some movement in the bushes and ended up finding 4 more soaking wet kittens. I'm not the type of guy to take home strays and the last time I had a cat or a dog was when I was wee lad. I don't know what provoked me to pick them up and take them home but I did. I realized it's not easy being a pet owner/ father. Hats off to all the parents and pet owners here.

I took them home in a basket, I did all my research, bought them kitten formula, high protein, grain-free, carrageen free, wet kitten food. They kept climbing out of the basket so I put them in a huge clean empty aquarium tank with blankets which worked wonderfully. I can keep the litter box far enough from their sleep/play area which is great!

They were scared when I first got them and they all took the kitten formula. It only took them a day to ravenously consume canned kitten food. I only have a problem with one of them which only drinks kitten formula and shows no interest in solid food at all , I've even bought different flavors. I'm worried for this one because she's so needy, meows all the time, doesn't play with the others and always runs for me when I take them out for play time. She seems to be maturing very slowly compared to the others and is very timid. I'm assuming she's the runt of the litter. Is this going to be a problem?

Also I've contacted over a dozen shelters and none have been able to take them in so I'm trying to adopt them away, but have not had any takers for the past 2 weeks. I can't keep taking care of them as I'm a very busy guy. I've kept in contact with my friend who's been stuck at home the past few days and she has not seen any sign of the mother or even an alley cat.

I've been feeding them twice a day, letting them out to play and get some exercise 2-3 times a day. They're usually asleep most of the time and if they're being rowdy while I'm busy I can usually Ohm them to sleep. Works every time btw if anyone wants to try it out.

You are a kitty hero. I've found that almost no one can resist a kitten in person. Can you take them in a basket to work with you under the guise of giving them care? I'd use the soft sell and not even bring up looking for a home for them. Just ask someone (you trust and know would be a good "parent") to hold one. Once someone holds a kitten, it's got their heart.
 

tnrmakessense

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I was hanging out at a friend's when it started to storm pretty hard. We decided to check out the rain and lightening from her patio and that's when I saw 2 little kittens running out of a bush into the walkway of the apartment complex. I went to grab them and we kept them inside and waited until the storm settled. When it finally settled, I went to set them back before I headed home. During that time I saw some movement in the bushes and ended up finding 4 more soaking wet kittens. I'm not the type of guy to take home strays and the last time I had a cat or a dog was when I was wee lad. I don't know what provoked me to pick them up and take them home but I did. I realized it's not easy being a pet owner/ father. Hats off to all the parents and pet owners here.

I took them home in a basket, I did all my research, bought them kitten formula, high protein, grain-free, carrageen free, wet kitten food. They kept climbing out of the basket so I put them in a huge clean empty aquarium tank with blankets which worked wonderfully. I can keep the litter box far enough from their sleep/play area which is great!

They were scared when I first got them and they all took the kitten formula. It only took them a day to ravenously consume canned kitten food. I only have a problem with one of them which only drinks kitten formula and shows no interest in solid food at all , I've even bought different flavors. I'm worried for this one because she's so needy, meows all the time, doesn't play with the others and always runs for me when I take them out for play time. She seems to be maturing very slowly compared to the others and is very timid. I'm assuming she's the runt of the litter. Is this going to be a problem?

Also I've contacted over a dozen shelters and none have been able to take them in so I'm trying to adopt them away, but have not had any takers for the past 2 weeks. I can't keep taking care of them as I'm a very busy guy. I've kept in contact with my friend who's been stuck at home the past few days and she has not seen any sign of the mother or even an alley cat.

I've been feeding them twice a day, letting them out to play and get some exercise 2-3 times a day. They're usually asleep most of the time and if they're being rowdy while I'm busy I can usually Ohm them to sleep. Works every time btw if anyone wants to try it out.

Your story is fantastic. Caring guy takes on six stray kittens. You need to take videos and pictures and post it on social media. You'll probably end up with not only more prospective homes than you need, but multiple offers of marriage.
l
 

danteshuman

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Yep, women find cat daddies attractive! (Maybe because it shows a man with a gentle side & one that can build a relationship so the cat will trust you?) BTW :rock: for raising those sweet babies/saving them! I would start telling your story on social media now (more pics and videos = more chances for each kitten to be adopted!) Also reach out to your local vets. You may not know this but bottle babies are a rare treasure. Bottle babies are super attached to humans (you might want to keep one,) figure human stuff out quickly & tend to like more human foods. After you have one bottle baby you want more! The bottle baby I raised from 10 days old thought she was human and liked broccoli.

Also I taught my three kittens up/high 10 (trying to teach them high five) to increase their chances of adoption. They all learned it before the 3 month mark when I planned on their adoptions to begin. If this interests you, once they are in solids look up YouTube videos and buy a clicker (plus tasty treats.) I didn’t use a clicker, still seeing my grown babies get up on their back haunches and reach up with both of their front paws to tap my fingers that are holding the treats, is still adorable! (I kept the rejected kitten & my mom adopted the other two. So I get to visit them. :catlove:)

I hope you find all 6 kittens a good home! :goodluck:
 

Jcatbird

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Oh yes! Kitties love doing fun things. I had two that were being adopted by someone who loved technology, games, computers, etc. I exposed the kitties to all of the above. Now they love computer games, steal the IPhone and even take selfies. Lol Cats are very intelligent. If you get them interested in something, they will amaze you. Bottle babies are very receptive to anything you want to teach them. You are their parent! They will be totally bonded to you and humans. Who could resist those little faces? Get them seen and they’ll find loving homes. I love the suggestion of putting your rescue story out there on the Internet. It would give you a larger pool of adopting homes to choose from.
 

Maria Bayote

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Wow! You are a hero! Bless your heart! Such cuties you got there!Why not keep the most needy cat? Just hoping here...:)

You've got good advices above. I know it's hard, but you can do this! If you can ask some help from your friends that would be fantastic.

And yes, I agree with the posters above.
A guy with a soft spot for kittens is a guy who can fully be trusted. :)
 

Purrrfectttales

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You might try reaching out to animal rescues on facebook. Even if they can't take the kittens they can probably post them on facebook to help you get them adopted. I've seen a lot of the rescues/shelter helping with rehoming animals that way. If you are going to do that it would be ideal to have them at least dewormed and at least one vaccination before you let them go.
 
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Adoptus

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Thanks for your help and advice everyone! It's been greatly appreciated, I know it's been a long time. I've been busy with the kittens and life in general. I pulled through with your advice and took photos which was really hard because they never sit still while they're awake and created a video. I'm in the process of editing and narrating to make it as interesting and straight forward as possible.

I know a lot of you have suggested that I get them to the vet, but none in my area are willing to take or check them for free. Like I said I never planned on keeping these kittens so I don't want to invest too much into them. I have to move out next month so I'm running on a tight budget and these kittens have got to go. Don't get me wrong though I've been frustratingly enjoying every minute with them. I just wanted to get them off the streets and get them to good owners who can afford to raise them.

So here's the UPDATE:
One kitten has been adopted to a very good owner who already has 1 cat. The black and white male Sylvester looking kitten was the first to go. They took him for a fee (to help with my expenses for the kittens) and took him to the vet immediately after picking him up. These are the type of people who I wish to adopt off these kittens to. I'm left with 5 now, 3 black cats and 2 striped.

They've been growing so much since I last posted. They're eating me out of my wallet haha *heh*! It's gotten to a point where they can all climb out of the aquarium so I pretty much just let them loose in my room with the litter, food and water out while I'm at work or busy doing other stuff. I put them back at night when I need to sleep, they usually tuck themselves in and settle down within a few minutes.

The bottle baby still refuses solid food and meows very loudly when she wants more which can get REALLY annoying pretty fast. I have gotten her on a schedule so she's doing better. She ended up becoming bigger than 2 other kittens and come to find out that the striped male is the runt of the litter. He's physically weaker than the rest and is the smallest. He's the only one that can't jump out of the aquarium on his own and I'm a little worried. He loves to play but is easily bullied, it doesn't stop him from playing though. I'm afraid he has worms or something, I will make it clear that whoever adopts these kittens must take them to the vet.

Here's a picture of the striped female which is the biggest of them all.

 
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