Found abandoned kitten, how old is it?

Metal Fox

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I just found this kitten about an hour ago, have been checking if there are any mama cats around but haven't seen any. The kitten looks older than what a kitten should, but is the size of one. It has green eyes, when a kitten this size should still have blue, and sharp teeth and claws. Was it possibly abandoned early so it lacks the nutrition from the mama cat, making it look so small?
 

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danteshuman

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I think a vet visit is your best call, to figure out it’s age. There is a kittenlady video on YouTube about how kittens age.

Will it eat wet food? If so, great! At that age I would buy formula to see if they would eat “kitten gruel” (1/2 KMR formula & half wet food.) I would guess that kitten is around 6 weeks but I’m guessing. 🤷🏻‍♀️ A vet can tell you for sure.
 

StefanZ

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Yes, this is my guess too, 6 weeks.
A good age to foster an outside born kitten, still in the interwall -8w of easy socialisation.

Goats milk is always good, if you can get it. Either as alternative to kmr, or as a supplement at any other occasion when you think the cat needs more than just water to drink.


The kitten will prob be a stunning beauty as adult.
 

danteshuman

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Plus the vet can deworm the kitten .... which sadly feral kittens almost always have. ⭐ The minions wanted to start trying wet food at 5 weeks but they still wanted milk to. The amount of milk decreased until they hit 8 weeks.... then they just wanted meat.
I tried to include the best pictures to show you the body shape not cute kitten pictures, hope it helps!
minions at 4 weeks:
128936A2-868D-4D83-8F47-6FC64AE0545C.jpeg
FFA42F17-5A74-45B5-9231-4D8FE2DEC996.jpeg
minions at 5 weeks:
EE756862-32DE-4A39-A529-584863712062.jpeg
7BB785F0-4BBC-4404-9784-8859E3F36E4B.jpeg
Minions 6 weeks:
CC5E6F0C-333C-4CF5-9C1A-730BA2C8FBF6.jpeg 9B037D15-A48B-42AE-864B-1C94BE5D8034.jpeg
minions 8 weeks:
BB7CCF69-80BB-4D53-8F64-EBD8E26EB720.jpeg
A1D92870-A20B-479A-87AE-BCDFABC634D2.jpeg
 

jefferd18

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A kitten's eye color usual starts turning at 5-6 weeks of age, so I too, am guessing that she is about six weeks of age. She looks rough, like she has been on her own for awhile. I am so glad you found her.
 

jefferd18

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Plus the vet can deworm the kitten .... which sadly feral kittens almost always have. ⭐ The minions wanted to start trying wet food at 5 weeks but they still wanted milk to. The amount of milk decreased until they hit 8 weeks.... then they just wanted meat.
I tried to include the best pictures to show you the body shape not cute kitten pictures, hope it helps!
minions at 4 weeks:
View attachment 348489
View attachment 348490
minions at 5 weeks:
View attachment 348491
View attachment 348492
Minions 6 weeks:
View attachment 348493View attachment 348494
minions 8 weeks:
View attachment 348495
View attachment 348496
Well I always say that if you are going to have minions around, make sure they are cute ones.
 

Mamanyt1953

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My guess is from 5-8 weeks, probably the low end of that, but since we don't know about nutrition, eh... Certainly old enough to gobble down a good quality wet kitten food...but start slowly with FREQUENT BUT SMALL FEEDINGS! Don't want to overwhelm his tummy!
 
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Metal Fox

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I think a vet visit is your best call, to figure out it’s age. There is a kittenlady video on YouTube about how kittens age.

Will it eat wet food? If so, great! At that age I would buy formula to see if they would eat “kitten gruel” (1/2 KMR formula & half wet food.) I would guess that kitten is around 6 weeks but I’m guessing. 🤷🏻‍♀️ A vet can tell you for sure.
I would take the poor little baby to a vet if I could, but the nearest vet is about an hour's drive and I only have a motorbike, so it would be hard to take it. I made some homemade formula for it, i havent tried feeding it anything else yet.
 
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Metal Fox

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My guess is from 5-8 weeks, probably the low end of that, but since we don't know about nutrition, eh... Certainly old enough to gobble down a good quality wet kitten food...but start slowly with FREQUENT BUT SMALL FEEDINGS! Don't want to overwhelm his tummy!
I would take the poor little baby to a vet if I could, but the nearest vet is about an hour's drive and I only have a motorbike, so it would be hard to take it. I made some homemade formula for it, i havent tried feeding it anything else yet.
next
Plus the vet can deworm the kitten .... which sadly feral kittens almost always have. ⭐ The minions wanted to start trying wet food at 5 weeks but they still wanted milk to. The amount of milk decreased until they hit 8 weeks.... then they just wanted meat.
I tried to include the best pictures to show you the body shape not cute kitten pictures, hope it helps!
minions at 4 weeks:
View attachment 348489
View attachment 348490
minions at 5 weeks:
View attachment 348491
View attachment 348492
Minions 6 weeks:
View attachment 348493View attachment 348494
minions 8 weeks:
View attachment 348495
View attachment 348496
Next time I'm in town I'll get her some dewormer. Thank you! I've noticed most of the stray cats around here have worms and other problems, and this one was surprisingly healthier than most of them.
 
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Metal Fox

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My guess is from 5-8 weeks, probably the low end of that, but since we don't know about nutrition, eh... Certainly old enough to gobble down a good quality wet kitten food...but start slowly with FREQUENT BUT SMALL FEEDINGS! Don't want to overwhelm his tummy!
Atm im feeding the kitty once an hour, a few syringes full of formal I made and some water fresh water as well.
 
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Metal Fox

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A kitten's eye color usual starts turning at 5-6 weeks of age, so I too, am guessing that she is about six weeks of age. She looks rough, like she has been on her own for awhile. I am so glad you found her.
There's quiet a few strays around my area, some that look really rough but won't let me near them. This kitty seems fairly healthy for being alone. It has a few fleas, I'm not sure if it has worms, but going to get dewormer anyways, its eating good and running around now. Also very talkative and loving.
 

jefferd18

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I would take the poor little baby to a vet if I could, but the nearest vet is about an hour's drive and I only have a motorbike, so it would be hard to take it. I made some homemade formula for it, i havent tried feeding it anything else yet.

Please feed her some wet food. At her age she can not survive on just formula. Do you have any can tuna in water? She needs to be eating some solids.
 

danteshuman

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Please wash her and comb her with a flea comb (& wash all her bedding.) Those evil fleas will weaken a kitty. You can kill the fleas with baby shampoo. Just crank the heater way up. Then start the suds st the neck & scrub a kitten down. Then the hard part, start a timer for 5 minutes and hold a squirming wiggling kitten as the soap suds suffocate those evil awful fleas! Rinse and dry kitten. Make sure you comb the kitten’s head to catch any straggler fleas on the head. (You can dip the comb in warm water or pick off fleas and float them in the water to drown and keep combing the kitten).

Also please don’t let her on the ground or around cats (esp those that go outside.) Panlokemia is highly contagious, survives on the ground/bottom of your shoes for a bit & has a very high death rate for kittens. The vet can tell you when she is old enough to get her first vaccine.

Take lots of pictures, kittens grow up so fast!
 

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She is obviously very malnourished. Her face is that of an older kitten on a small kitten's body.
Yes, this is what I think too. I think she's probably 9-10 weeks old, maybe even a bit older, but very malnourished. She needs de-worming, de-fleaing, and lots of good nutritious food, clean surroundings, and love of course :redheartpump:.

A canned cat food that says it's suitable for kittens fed 3 times a day is best, plus a bowl of dry kitten food always available, so she can eat as much as she wants. Add kitten milk replacer (or goat's milk) to her canned food until you're satisfied with her body condition. It's not strictly necessary but has many valuable nutrients to help her recover. You can also talk to the vet about a vitamin paste. When she's healthy she'll need her vaccines (and spaying) but until then keep her inside and away from possible virus carriers.
 

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I would wait to wash her, you could send a kitten into shock that way. by doing it too soon.

Dawn dish soap kills fleas and is relatively safe; so as long as you rinse it off thoroughly. The water should be warm but not hot, not cold. You shouldn't let the kitten sit in the tub as a dog would, rather, get a stool and sit it on there, then pour the water from a cup onto the kittens body. Don't wash the face. Again, rinse thoroughly, and only use a tiny drop of soap.

Feed KMR and canned food, no alternatives. Proper biologically appropriate nutrition is vital. Also, do not feed dry food ever.

I would start with small meals and amp them up over a time period so as to avoid scarfing and barfing.
 

jefferd18

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I would wait to wash her, you could send a kitten into shock that way. by doing it too soon.

Dawn dish soap kills fleas and is relatively safe; so as long as you rinse it off thoroughly. The water should be warm but not hot, not cold. You shouldn't let the kitten sit in the tub as a dog would, rather, get a stool and sit it on there, then pour the water from a cup onto the kittens body. Don't wash the face. Again, rinse thoroughly, and only use a tiny drop of soap.

Feed KMR and canned food, no alternatives. Proper biologically appropriate nutrition is vital. Also, do not feed dry food ever.

I would start with small meals and amp them up over a time period so as to avoid scarfing and barfing.

Question: What happens when the fleas scamper to the head and face? I don't want to hone in on someone else's thread but I too need advice when it comes to bathing cats/kittens.

Thank you.
 
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