Newbie here: Stray kitten showed up!

[schreib69]

We have two large cats, siblings: a tomcat and female; both basically get along with each other, but she knows who's boss, mostly. They have a semi-heated cubby in the garage for winter but garage is UNheated.

Tonight a little kitten showed up in the middle of our 80 acres of forest on our deck. Looks like just weaned, 8 weeks? weighs about a pound. I believe someone dumped it on our farm lane today, it found the house 200 yrds away, and we got it pretty quickly. Crying on our deck . . . gave it some food and beef bouilloun(sp?). Anyway, both our cats hissed at it at one point or another but don't appear inclined to attack it-- just stay away, not curious much. Their both neutured. To be sure I put the little fellow in a cat carrier and closed the wire door for the night. Read up a bit on this website how to do basic care and things for kittens; it's been 5 yrs since we got our two.

Anyway, this is Minnesota and we are into winter; soon temps will be below zero so planning on keep this guy in the garage and in the 30's. Our cats are mousers and come in during cold(<20F) winter days, outside most of the warm weather. This kitten seems to cry quite a bit but looks fine; was purring at one point. Quited down when held in my arms. Seems to be mostly happy and content in the carrier box; safe.
Questions:
-- can it use the same litter box as the big guys?
-- need kitten food and get it neutered . . . food brand for a kitten? other care suggested; it looks fine.
-- Things to look for as to concerns?

thanks!

 

[tabbytom]

We have two large cats, siblings: a tomcat and female; both basically get along with each other, but she knows who's boss, mostly. They have a semi-heated cubby in the garage for winter but garage is UNheated.

Tonight a little kitten showed up in the middle of our 80 acres of forest on our deck. Looks like just weaned, 8 weeks? weighs about a pound. I believe someone dumped it on our farm lane today, it found the house 200 yrds away, and we got it pretty quickly. Crying on our deck . . . gave it some food and beef bouilloun(sp?). Anyway, both our cats hissed at it at one point or another but don't appear inclined to attack it-- just stay away, not curious much. Their both neutured. To be sure I put the little fellow in a cat carrier and closed the wire door for the night. Read up a bit on this website how to do basic care and things for kittens; it's been 5 yrs since we got our two.

Anyway, this is Minnesota and we are into winter; soon temps will be below zero so planning on keep this guy in the garage and in the 30's. Our cats are mousers and come in during cold(<20F) winter days, outside most of the warm weather. This kitten seems to cry quite a bit but looks fine; was purring at one point. Quited down when held in my arms. Seems to be mostly happy and content in the carrier box; safe.
Questions:
-- can it use the same litter box as the big guys?
-- need kitten food and get it neutered . . . food brand for a kitten? other care suggested; it looks fine.
-- Things to look for as to concerns?

thanks!

and welcome to TCS!

Thank you for taking this kitten in

Good that the kitten is in the garage and being kept warm. Also good that the other cats are just hissing at the kitten and not doing anything drastic to the kitten.

It is normal for the kitten to cry as it has been abandoned and probably missing his momma and also he's in a new environment. Keep him warm and visit him often and as a kitten, it's easier to socialize him.

- Best is to have his own litterbox at this moment as he's just came indoors, your current cats may not like it and also the kitten may not use the litterbox as it has other scents of the cats. But you can try to see if he uses it and also if your cats don't mind after he has used it as everyone is new to each other.

- As for food, you can get KMR goat milk to nourish the kitten as I guess it could be under nourish. As 8 weeks is still a very young kitten and the goat milk will help as it hs rich nutrients in it.


- You can get wet food meant for kittens or get food labeled 'For All Life Stages'. Kitten food is good and it is full of nutrients for a growing kitten and you have to switch him over to adult's food when he natures at 1 year old. Where the food labeled 'For All Life Stages', you can feed him from now even when he turns adult and not need to change to adult food.

- If he looks healthy, anyway, it's good just to keep an eye for sneezing, runny nose, any eye infections and also it's good to have him checked by the vet for other illness and also have him dewormed.

In the meantime, keep him warm, happy and full.

Do keep us posted and also do post his photos here for us to see.

 

[schreib69]

thanks for your detailed response. . . I will keep you up to date with progress.

 

[poolcat]

Lots of good advice from tabbytom .

An 8-week old normally weighs somewhere around 2 pounds. Once a kitten is beyond that age and weight, most vets will be willing to neuter it. It's not like years ago when they would wait until they were 6 months old.

This kitty might like a stuffed animal that's about its size, with a face that has eyes and a nose. I buy used ones at resale shops for all my young fosters that are alone. They can be comforting for those that don't have siblings or a mother. They often like to wrestle with it the way they would if they had a sibling around. Also, fleece type fabric as bedding is a favorite with babies that have been separated from their mother too early. They often will knead it to self-soothe.

It's kind of you to rescue this kitten.

 

[schreib69]

Lots of good advice from tabbytom .

An 8-week old normally weighs somewhere around 2 pounds. Once a kitten is beyond that age and weight, most vets will be willing to neuter it. It's not like years ago when they would wait until they were 6 months old.

This kitty might like a stuffed animal t . . .

thanks to both of you, Poolcat and tabbytom.
blackie has eaten some wet canned food and some of our adult cat's food too, besides some chicken scraps. Doesn't eat too much at a time and not using the fresh litter box.
Our two big cats are really PO'd. . . jealous I believe! They will be outside in the garage for the next few days while blackie is tended inside. . . would like to see him use the crapper instead of dumping in his little cat carrier box. . . got it filled with straw, took out the cat bed.
He is really friendly, likes to be stroked on the head, purrs. I gotta' get him / her adopted before my wife gets too attached. . . two is enough!

 

[schreib69]

Tonight a little kitten showed up in the middle of our 80 acres of forest on our deck.
UPDATE: I finally figured out its sex: MALE

 

[schreib69]

I was able to adopt out this little guy, after reading up more, figured he IS male.
thanks for all the help.