Rescued a kitten...

or should I say wild cat. Actually my mother in law rescued it today while I was at work. We manage a retirement mobile home park and one of the old couples that live here called to say a cat had been crying under their trailer for 2 days!!!! So this is what I came home to...
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...l/IMG_1253.jpg
It's a little girl and I am thinking she is between 3-4 weeks old....so I made a trip to the pet store and bought kitten formula and a bottle....all after 9 hours at work...try to feed the little monster with the bottle I bought and she wanted no part of it ended up using an eyedropper. She has a set of lungs on her that would challenge any human infant LOL
She is settled in for the night....I hope. Oh we have named her Bell and will be calling the vet tomorrow to see about getting her checked and shots...will get her spayed when she is big enough.
Oh....my cat Billie is not pleased with this "intruder" being in the house. Have to keep Bell in the bathroom in a cozy box for now.:)

Aieeee, I'm in love!!! :wuv:
You'll have to keep us updated on that little one!

I can hear the little "me-u's" from here. What a little cutie, and she doesn't know how lucky she is. CONGRATS!

Thank you:) but I don't know about the "little meuws" sounds more like MEOW MEEEEOOOOW MEEEEEEEEEOOOOOWWWWW:D

LOL! She's a girl who knows what she wants, and isn't afraid to ask for it. I like it! :giggle:

Yes, definately keep your current cat away for now, be sure to have all the blood tests done on this cutie, you don't want to have to deal with FIV or anything along those lines.


She's adorable though! And do you mean Bell as in 'Liberty Bell' or Belle as in 'Beauty and the Beast' ?

we rescued some 4 week old kittens last fall. we put the kitten formula in a bowl and kept touching their noses with the milk till they lapped it up themselves.

best of luck!

we also used soft food (nutro and nutrience) on a spoon and assisted them to eat. they had never eaten food before we got them so we had to teach them to eat. it didn't take much at all... just a nice relaxed atmosphere and lots of hands on feeding.

Cute!! :D And look at those claws!:eek: She is definitely not happy with having her picture taken.

She's adorable! Definitely older than 3-4 weeks, I'd say closer to 6. At that age, you will have a lot of trouble getting her to bottle-feed, as she's read for solid food.
I'd offer her a dish of gruel made of formula mixed with canned kitten food. KMR also makes a weaning formula called 2nd Stage or 2nd Steps, something like that, that you mix into a thick glop and that works well. You can also use a little human baby rice cereal mixed in for thickener. Put dry kitten food in a ziplock baggie and add enough water to just get it to begin to float, then stick in the refrigerator overnight and you will have soft pellets that she can start learning to eat.
She will also be old enough to lap water out of a dish and use a litter box, so make sure you offer both. You can cut down a cardboard box to her size and line it with a trash bag to make a starter litter box.

When I have kittens that age, I use appliance boxes as enclosures...you can get them from appliance and hardware stores, or ask on Freecycle. Several layers of newspaper on the bottom, and put a plastic sheet underneath the whole thing, as she will undoubtedly knock her water over. They are tremendously messy little beasts when they are transitioning. Plus, the box keeps them confined near their litter and food, so they don't accidentally starve themselves, or potty under the couch. I also provide them with hides...take a small box and cut a hole in the side and place a folded up towel in it for her to sleep on. Mine always go in there to sleep; they feel much safer when they are hidden.

Around 7-8 weeks, if they are eating dry food regularly and using the box consistantly, I allow them full house privileges.

Definitely get her tested for FeLV/FIV ASAP, as well as intestinal parasites. Small stray kittens almost always have coccidia, which can cause diarrhea and failure to thrive if not eradicated and if you have other cats, they can get it from her. If she's over six weeks, she can get her first shots too.

Hi! My name is Teresa and I'm new here. Good job with the rescue! I rescue special needs kittens/cats. I have a tortoise named Mousaka, approx 4 yrs old. My specialty is really cats, but my 14 yr old son wants a snake, which I know nothing about, so I joined this group. I know you mentioned you have a cat already, so you probably know exactly what you're doing with little Bell, but God forbid you should ever run across any problems or illnesses, I'd be more than happy to help. I was just wondering what you plan to feed this little guy and what you feed your other cat. KMR is a great start, have you started on solids yet?

I can't believe I forgot to mention... I, too, have a chihuahua named Peanut! lol She was just 3 this past Christmas eve. I also have a Rottie rescue named Princess who will be 5 this July. Can you tell the cats rank in this house?? lol

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Originally Posted by Entropy

Yes, definately keep your current cat away for now, be sure to have all the blood tests done on this cutie, you don't want to have to deal with FIV or anything along those lines.


She's adorable though! And do you mean Bell as in 'Liberty Bell' or Belle as in 'Beauty and the Beast' ?

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FIV couldn't be spread very easily by this kitten at this time! She'd have to bite into the muscle of her other cat to even risk spreading it. I have seen FIVs live along side normals for full 16+ year lifespans even in houses that take in COUNTLESS fosters and sick kitties...

Also Royal Canin carries a baby cat formula with little tiny sized kibble that's aimed at growth... it also absorbs well to make a gruel. I have my failure to thrive foster on it and he's actually growing! He likes it straight though with no nutrical or KMR powder on it... Congratulations on the new rescue!! It's so cool you're doing this!

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

we rescued some 4 week old kittens last fall. we put the kitten formula in a bowl and kept touching their noses with the milk till they lapped it up themselves.

best of luck!

we also used soft food (nutro and nutrience) on a spoon and assisted them to eat. they had never eaten food before we got them so we had to teach them to eat. it didn't take much at all... just a nice relaxed atmosphere and lots of hands on feeding.

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Thank you:) We had a pretty quiet night after she finally settled down....every little noise had her screaming lOl

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Originally Posted by Blu Mongoose

Cute!! :D And look at those claws!:eek: She is definitely not happy with having her picture taken.

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No she wasn't...she hated the fact that I was "trying" to hold her still:P

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Originally Posted by slartibartfast

She's adorable! Definitely older than 3-4 weeks, I'd say closer to 6. At that age, you will have a lot of trouble getting her to bottle-feed, as she's read for solid food.
I'd offer her a dish of gruel made of formula mixed with canned kitten food. KMR also makes a weaning formula called 2nd Stage or 2nd Steps, something like that, that you mix into a thick glop and that works well. You can also use a little human baby rice cereal mixed in for thickener. Put dry kitten food in a ziplock baggie and add enough water to just get it to begin to float, then stick in the refrigerator overnight and you will have soft pellets that she can start learning to eat.
She will also be old enough to lap water out of a dish and use a litter box, so make sure you offer both. You can cut down a cardboard box to her size and line it with a trash bag to make a starter litter box.

When I have kittens that age, I use appliance boxes as enclosures...you can get them from appliance and hardware stores, or ask on Freecycle. Several layers of newspaper on the bottom, and put a plastic sheet underneath the whole thing, as she will undoubtedly knock her water over. They are tremendously messy little beasts when they are transitioning. Plus, the box keeps them confined near their litter and food, so they don't accidentally starve themselves, or potty under the couch. I also provide them with hides...take a small box and cut a hole in the side and place a folded up towel in it for her to sleep on. Mine always go in there to sleep; they feel much safer when they are hidden.

Around 7-8 weeks, if they are eating dry food regularly and using the box consistantly, I allow them full house privileges.

Definitely get her tested for FeLV/FIV ASAP, as well as intestinal parasites. Small stray kittens almost always have coccidia, which can cause diarrhea and failure to thrive if not eradicated and if you have other cats, they can get it from her. If she's over six weeks, she can get her first shots too.

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Thank you:)

Okay to answer the rest of the questions and comments

I went and bought a jug of powdered "just born" kitten milk. She actually drank from the bottle last night and this morning but is doing alot of chewing. She does have a mouth full of little razors LOL Will be starting the "gruel mix" today as this bottle feeding is for the birds:P
She is in a box now but I like the idea of a larger box with some food water and litter tray in there....help get her on her way to eating on her own.
She has not had a bowel movement yet and her belly is full....she has gone pee twice after eating when I clean her bottom. I am hoping she will have a bowel movement on her own.
She actually goes on Friday to the vet for check up and shots...sure she will love that:eek:

I hope I'm not insulting you by telling you something you already know, but you can use a wet Qtip to simulate mom's tongue and help her go... you could also put the teeniest tiniest amount of karo syrup in her milk if you are getting worried...good luck at the vet Friday! You're doing such a wonderful thing! Are you intending to place her or hang onto her and see if your current cat will adapt or...? :D

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Originally Posted by gibbrishclown

I hope I'm not insulting you by telling you something you already know, but you can use a wet Qtip to simulate mom's tongue and help her go... you could also put the teeniest tiniest amount of karo syrup in her milk if you are getting worried...good luck at the vet Friday! You're doing such a wonderful thing! Are you intending to place her or hang onto her and see if your current cat will adapt or...? :D

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No offense taken...If she doesn't "go" by the time I come home at 2 pm to bring the other "adoptees" home I will try the karo syrup. She is defenitely going to be sticking around and being slowly introduced the the Queen Billie:D

I hear feliway helps these introductions... Maybe you could plug it in at the outlet closest to the room you're keeping Bell in so that Queen Billie may associate Bell's smell with that feeling from the feliway? I've not ever used it (or needed to), but whenever I go to adoption events I hear somoene touting those feline pheramone calming thingies :D

CONGRATULATIONS Mama!!

No gibber (please don't be offended, I almost always shorten screen names), it couldn't be spread easily but it's much better to have this little cutie tested now then worry about it later. :)

Awwww she is a little cutie!
I know when I caught my kitten a while back man oh man did she let the whole world know she was not happy at all. They sure can scream and become a ball of fur with claws and teeth.

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Originally Posted by Entropy

No gibber (please don't be offended, I almost always shorten screen names), it couldn't be spread easily but it's much better to have this little cutie tested now then worry about it later. :)

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I get it a lot on boards, I like it... I get called gib and gibby, giblet by one poster :D gibber is cool... I only jumped on my soap box there because I had 2 FIV+ foster kittens -one is now neg and must have gotten antibodies from mom she's got a new foster- the other is a faint + and is a 5 month old failure to thrive... we're looking to see if the snap test could cross react with another disease to give him the +... thank god my friend is in love with him and will give him his forever home! It'd be a real freak thing if this kitten with no serious wounds were FIV+ for real, but FIP or the others are still possible, I think... I got started on my FIV speel LOL sorry :)

awww so cute!!!

Every time I open this thread I have to scroll back up to adore that ball of cuteness....MORE PICS PLEASE :D

Little Miss Belle is doing very well. Switched her to "gruel" mix of kitten formula and we kitten food...she is doing well with it:) She has yet to have a bowel movement...am going to let her go till morning then guess I will try the karo syrup....
Sarah will get some more pics of her tomorrow and post them just for you:D

I'm a little "phobic" when it comes to cats, but gosh darn that is one cute little kitty! :D

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Originally Posted by iceman25

I'm a little "phobic" when it comes to cats, but gosh darn that is one cute little kitty! :D

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Thank you very much:D...she is irresistable isn't she??

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Originally Posted by ZEKESMOM

she is irresistable isn't she??

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Oh that she definitely is! Adorable enough to make me wanna get over my silly fear lol.

What an adorable little find..! I am sure that she (and the person whose trailer she was near) are much happier now.. :)