[koriani]

I just wanted to say hello to everyone. I found this forum today.

I have worked at an all cat veterinary for 9 years as a veterinary technician and would be happy to answer any questions regarding cats.

I'm not up on dogs or other animals, but I can certainly try to help on those topics as well.

Hope everyone has a great day!

[labman]

Welcome. I like how this site is set up, but unfortunately it isn't very active. We certainly can use somebody who knows about cats. I have a good background in dog behavior and preventing health problems, but not much on fixing them. How about birds? Best I could do was suggests another forum, which I don't like to do. The more good people we have here, the more people will come, and the more help I can give dogs that I love with their people problems.

[koriani]

Thanks for the welcome. I intend to let my friends know about this site so hopefully they will pass on the information.

Maybe we can get this place jumpin'!

[sammy]

Hello this is great I've been having a problem.1i live in a apartment building and there is this female cat that nobody takes care of besides my family.wellthe problem is she want and had a litter of 5 underneath a staircase .well I was little concerned and moved them and the mother and don't know if I did the right thing 2 I have a 6 month old female cat and she's the baby and I'm worried that she might hurt the babies please help.

[koriani]

Hello,

I'm glad you are taking the initiative to help these cats. Generally, you don't have to worry about female cats hurting babies. Tom's on the other hand will kill babies if they are not his.

Since your cat is 6 months, I would definitely have her spayed before she goes into heat. That might cause problems with the other mom and babies.

You might be able to find a local group such as the Humane Association or Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (S.P.C.A.) to help with the cost of spaying.

They may also be able to help you place momma and babies if you don't plan on keeping them.

Make sure to feed momma a high quality diet such as Iams or Science Diet to ensure she has an adequate milk supply. Cheap store bought foods aren't as nutritionally complete.

Good luck!

Michelle :)

[sammy]

Hey thanks for help about the cat and her kittens but now I have a bigger problem the mother left.I started the babies on kmr milk but they are refusing to drink any ideals and should I be worried.My cat precious is spitting at them so I don't think she's going to help what's your advice on that problem.Should I be worried??

[koriani]

Hello,

Sometimes it can be hard to get kittens to drink from a bottle once they have nursed on momma.

Also, kittens tend to prefer the long thin nipples as opposed to the short, fat nipples for nursing bottles.

I have better luck with a 3cc syringe (not the luer lock type). You might be able to get syringes (no needles of course) at a local veterinary supply store or your local veterinary office.

The most important thing you have to remember is to take a cotton ball wetted with a little warm water and rub their genital and rectal areas after feeding. Kittens under 4 weeks old cannot potty on their own.

Watch out for constipation and/or diahrrea as well. I've had the best luck with Nurturall Kitten Milk replacer but KMR is fine if you can't find Nurturall.

Kittens need to be kept warm but don't put them right on a heating pad. Make sure there are a couple of towels between them and the pad. Leave a little room for them to scoot off if they get too warm.

A two liter pop bottle filled with warm water works well too.

Keep some Karo Syrup on hand in case their blood sugar gets too low. You might see lethargy and/or shaking if this happens.

I hope I'm not scaring you with all this information. I just want you to be prepared in case something happens. Most of the time, unless there is an underlying problem such as FeLV, the kittens do well being bottle raised.

I hope momma comes back!

Regards,

[sammy]

Thank u so much but your they have,nt been using the washroom but I'm going to try the cotton tip.Good news their starting to take the bottle but they don't like it very much their so fussy but sooo cute. ;)

[sammy]

Thank u so much but your right they have,nt been using the washroom but I'm going to try the cotton tip.Good news their starting to take the bottle but they don't like it very much their so fussy but sooo cute. ;)

[koriani]

I'm so glad to hear they are starting to come around to the bottle.

I've bottle raised many kittens over the years and it can be a very rewarding experience.

Kittens that are handled a lot usually open their eyes a bit sooner than those that are not handled. You can probably expect them to start opening their eyes at about 1-1/2 to 2 weeks of age.

Also, when they get to about 4 or 5 weeks, you can start weening them over to more solid foods. At first you should try mixing the milk replacer with canned kitten food until it's a very soupy consistency. Then place it in a dish or saucer and let them go at it.

They will be VERY messy and will need a good bathing afterward but eventually the kittens will get the hang of it. It's best to try this in a bathtub for easy cleanup!

When they are about 6 to 7 weeks of age, start soaking dry kitten food (preferably Iams Kitten) in warm water until it becomes soft. Then mash it up with a fork until it is can food consistency. You really don't want to get them too used to canned food or they won't want anything else.

Canned food is 75% to 80% water and does not have much nutritional value. Also, it can contribute to plaque and tarter buildup on the teeth.

At 7 to 8 weeks start offering them dry kitten along with the mushy dry. When they are eating the dry with no probem, stop the mushy stuff completely.

Remember, as they grow, DON'T play with the kittens using your hands. Only use toys! This is very important. As the kittens grow, they will start attacking hands and feet. This can cause injury especially to the elderly or very young.

It's cute when they are little but when they become aggressive adults, it's not so cute anymore. I've known people who wanted their cat put to sleep because it was hurting people by biting and scratching.

Keep us informed of their progress!

Regards,

[sammy]

Well thank you for all your help so far but now I have a bit of a problem.I ran out kmr and today is a hoilday so I gave the kittens carnation milk and egg yolk,water,suplement vitiatims and now they have diahrrea please help I'm a little worried. :'(

[koriani]

Hello,

The best thing would be to go back to the KMR as soon as possible. Although, the diahrrea could be caused from the sudden change of milk supplement instead of the type of milk itself.

You might want to keep some electrolytes on hand such as Gatorade to help keep them from getting dehydrated. Only give them a tiny amount.

I hope they get better soon!

[sammy]

Well good news they are getting better. i.m no to sure if I can bath them or not they a mess and a cloth is just not working.
::)

[koriani]

Bathing them is just fine. Make sure you only use something mild like baby shampoo or dawn dishwashing liquid. Avoid the face for now.

I'm glad they are doing better!

[sammy]

Well the kittens are doing great we named the white one prince and the dark one shadow .
They were born march/29/2004 and have come so far since we found them.They don't even what to stay in their bed anymore.My cat precious is starting to sniff them but still being off standish but as soon as she realizes that she's are #1 baby she'll be all right.But thank you for all your help so far and I will keep you updated about all their progress. :D

[koriani]

Great news!

Thanks for letting me know.

Regards,