I have found an orphaned kitten, and am hoping for some advice. My wife and I have a couple cats already, but never had one this young before. The little guy somehow got over to where I work at the McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, into our warehouse. How he managed to survive the airfield, all the massive construction, the shopping centers and busy main drags that run by us is unbelievable, let along slip into our facility.
Anyway, long story short... we're not sure how old he is. We've cleaned him up, gave him some wet food (pate for easy eating), fresh water, a couple tablespoons of whole milk in a dish if he wanted, warm beds, litter, the works... but he is skin and bones... and we think he still needs to be bottle fed, as he looks super young. We're going to take him into the vet, but we can't get in until Monday.
I've gotten a bunch of info online for us to try to get him bottle fed with the right stuff, and there are a ton of tips, some contradicting each other. So I wanted to see if anyone had a bit of advice for us in the mean time that we could take to the bank?
Here's a shot of him...
>>2015711
Another of him when he was hiding in our warehouse...
>>2015711
One last one of him out in the open while he wasn't sure of me still...
NO MILK. Cow milk is bad for cats. Also it doesn't need to bottle fed, it's a kitten but still older than you think. It's probably skin and bones just because it's been trapped in there and got separated from its mother/something happened to the mother.
>>2015711
yeah, no milk anymore please. unless it's that special cat milk from the pet store, they only get to drink water. but you should go to the vet and ask them to check if it has a chip already. maybe someone is looking for it. vet can also give tips and determine age. i mean, if you're gonna keep it you gonna have to spend some money so get used to that quickly.
also, no pork. ever.
cats need water with their food, so you did the right thing giving it wet food. no feeding it dry food exclusively.
there's so much information out there. just do some reading. below is just one random link basically.
take it to a doctor to get it checked.
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ten-common-mistakes-when-feeding-cats/
It's definitely old enough that it doesn't need to be bottle fed and can eat normal solid/wet cat food just fine.
>>2015735 is good advice.
>>2015735
>no pork. ever.
Why no pork for cats? I've never heard of this before. I sometimes give my cat small scraps of sliced sandwich ham...would like to know if/why this is hurting her?
>>2015747
It's not. They probably mean the pork products such as bacon, hams, smoked pork, etc that are loaded with sodium.
>>2015717
>>2015735
>>2015746
Never knew that about cow milk, thanks for the advice. As for not bottle feeding it... do you think I should get it some specially made formula/cat milk in the meantime to help him put some weight on?
I'll check that all out at the vet on Monday, just in case someone is missing them, in regards to the chip. I always worry though too, that people just abandon pets. Worked long enough in property management to see enough pets left behind.
>>2015756
If it's only emaciated due to the lack of food, then isn't much you can do besides just let it eat. If it's sick and that is contributing to its weight, then the vet will inform you what you should do. However, since it's probably dehydrated it would be a good idea to get it children's pedialyte and put it in it's water/mix it up with wet food. You should also be feeding it kitten food. Normal adult cat food isn't going to kill it or anything, kitten food is just especially made for kittens and has more calories which will help him put on weight.
You don't have to worry much now. As long as it is eating/drinking now on it's own, it isn't falling, collapsing, struggling to breathe, delirious, etc then it should be fine til it sees a vet. If it does any of the above, then you need to go to the vet immediately for IV fluids.
>>2015756
>Never knew that about cow milk, thanks for the advice. As for not bottle feeding it... do you think I should get it some specially made formula/cat milk in the meantime to help him put some weight on?
no. it's plenty old to just eat food.
>>2015747
>Why no pork for cats?
Cats can contract the Aujeszky's disease, also known as pseudorabies from pork meat. Especially from raw pork. Once they're infected there is no saving them. It is fatal. Please don't feed you cats pork if you love them. Warning sign about this are displayed by every vet here in Germany. Every cat owner should know this.
>>2015749
>It's not. They probably mean the pork products such as bacon, hams, smoked pork, etc that are loaded with sodium.
It is. But sodium is also not good for you cat at all that's true.
>>2015959
Further proof of this is that you will not be able to find an brand of cat food that contains pork. That is not a coincidence.
http://www.petplace.com/article/cats/diseases-conditions-of-cats/infection/pseudorabies-aujeszkys-disease-in-cats
>>2015961
>this disease is usually associated with contact with swine (pigs) but can also be acquired by ingesting infected rats or eating contaminated, uncooked pork
Then don't feed the cat uncooked meat
>>2015711
>>2015714
>>2015715
Heh, only now really looked at the pictures after posting several replies. You're in for some fun. This one's gonna grow to become pretty big I believe.
Also that long fur is gonna require some brushing or it's gonna become tangled and cause issues. Better see that it gets used to that once you've earned its' trust.
Seriously, thanks for the advice guys. Just updated with another picture, after first couple of meals (proper with the kitten milk, kitten food, and a bit of wet food mixed together, like you said) and a bath.
Took "her" to the vet today. He reiterated your advice pretty much to the "T". She's 5-6 weeks, was a bit dehydrated and emaciated, but otherwise pretty decent health.
Thinking she might be abandoned, because I figured we'd have to litter train her, but she used it on her own accord. Either that, or we're just that lucky that she's savvy enough.
>>2016846
Shes beautiful. If you plan on keeping her, which I hope you do, she'll love you endlessly. Good job dude.
>>2015961
How long after exposure ON AVERAGE does a cat have to live? Please bear with me and just answer what I am trying to ask.
Kill it. If you don't, your other 2 cats will.
>>2017860
Suck start a shotgun.
>>2016846
More pics
Give her a name
Get another litterbox
Keep her, OP
There's not much of a difference between 2 cats and 3 cats
>>2018063
You do have to train kittens, but it doesn't take much effort. Basically, if they start to poo, put them in the box. If they already pooed, put the poo in the box and show it to them. If they pee, put the box on top of the spot where they peed. They get the picture really quickly.
>>2018094
Literally first I have heard, I suppose my last kittens might have seen their mum do it, but idk. They were real real little when I got them, actually just barely too small to adopt usually.
I thought I heard that cats innately want to bury their shiz too.
