What to feed very young kitten.

[specklebang]

My youngest cat (I have two) was what I believe to be completely feral. She wandered up here when she was probably about 5 or 6 weeks old, and I couldn't go near her for about two months, but I would feed her and stand back where she could see me until I gradually got closer and closer. She acted as if she had never seen a human before, and although I can now pet her, and she'll jump up into my lap occasion, I can't pick her up without her squirming to get loose.

Yes, PuBare does what I call "slinky-cat" when you pet him. He wants it but his instinct is to evade you. 4 month of being feral is the reason (I think). But we've loved each other for 14 years and he guards me when I sleep.

 

[nota bene]

My half-feral man-cat, whom I adore, let's me pick him up, but he won't let anybody else. In fact, he's tremendously romantic and showers me with kisses, especially when he wants something. But I've learned to be cautious about how I turn my face to him. You just never know with a feral animal, a lesson I've had to relearn many times.

 

[nota bene]

Now I feel bad about dissing him. He's such a good boy. Has never made a mistake in the house, doesn't dig through garbage, or have any other bad habits. Chief among his virtues is that he loves me in a non-"commercial affection" way and is very devoted. His BFF is my female Aussie, and they both are generally at my feet when I'm at the computer. But he is half-feral.

 

[Cephus]

My youngest cat (I have two) was what I believe to be completely feral. She wandered up here when she was probably about 5 or 6 weeks old, and I couldn't go near her for about two months, but I would feed her and stand back where she could see me until I gradually got closer and closer. She acted as if she had never seen a human before, and although I can now pet her, and she'll jump up into my lap occasion, I can't pick her up without her squirming to get loose.

Heh, our last feral cat, we discovered in the bushes while we were washing my wife's car. He wouldn't come close to us but we put out some food and water. Two days later, he was at the front door waiting to go inside. He's never left since and that was about 4 years ago.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

We found a very very young kitten at work.
Mother cat is no where to be found. We left it over night to see if she would come back but didnt.
And a heavy truck shop is no where for a cat to be alone.
Question is what has anyone fed one that they have found?

Hehe - this thread must have your head spinning.

Take to a vet asap and check for terminal issues and fleas. Fleas can cause anemia and kill quickly, terminal issues can spread to other pets, and might be treatable, or if not, they can kill quickly.

Kittens need HEAT more than FOOD if they've been abandoned. It's essential they get heat. A cat's internal temperature is 104. A hot-pad UNDER a plastic box (with a towel in the bottom of the box) is great when they're itty bitty - cover it over half way, and use a thermometer over the edge to monitor the temp inside. Check frequently.

I've nursed a lot of baby kittens (people just abandon them in boxes around where I live) - in the beginning, some didn't make it. Now, I have less issues when I have to do so.

Goats milk is ideal from a bottle. It's sold in cans at grocery stores. (advice from my vet)

You can litter box train them easily right after you feed them by rubbing their bellies and butts with a wet cloth - and then setting them down in the cat litter pan. A shallow aluminum foil pan works great - just sprinkle a thin layer in there, done. Works like a charm. This mimics a mom's bathing - is essential for them since they can't use the bathroom on their own like human babies.

They only need an all liquid diet for a short while (when compared to a human baby). When they get a little bigger you transition to milk out of a dish plus bottle feeding - keep up the litter-box rubbing/training.

After they can drink from the dish adequately, thin down pate cat food with the milk so they get used to eating solids. Provide milk for a liquid on the side. Maybe even a dish of water. They will drink both.

As they become used to eating solids their litter box training should be coming along really well.

Soon, they can drink liquids and eat more solid foods.

And, of course, play with them - they love to bite and love to claw all over you and everything else once they get big enough (doesn't take long) - so get soft toys.

 

[Slartibartfast]

We found a very very young kitten at work.
Mother cat is no where to be found. We left it over night to see if she would come back but didnt.
And a heavy truck shop is no where for a cat to be alone.
Question is what has anyone fed one that they have found?

If its very young, kitten milk and a dropper. This would be 2-3 weeks old.

Also, take it to the vet asap.

 

[lizzie]

Heh, our last feral cat, we discovered in the bushes while we were washing my wife's car. He wouldn't come close to us but we put out some food and water. Two days later, he was at the front door waiting to go inside. He's never left since and that was about 4 years ago.

This one is way too wary for me to think she had ever seen humans. I suspect she was a truly feral cat, and born in the wild to a female who was also feral. The other cat I have (about 16 years old now) was one that wandered up, and like yours, was pretty much domestic after a couple of days. She's still an outdoor cat for the most part, but she loves to come in for a little while at night to spend time with me. She's also the one who follows me around in the garden, and likes to ride on my shoulder like a baby. :lol:

 

[Cephus]

This one is way too wary for me to think she had ever seen humans. I suspect she was a truly feral cat, and born in the wild to a female who was also feral. The other cat I have (about 16 years old now) was one that wandered up, and like yours, was pretty much domestic after a couple of days. She's still an outdoor cat for the most part, but she loves to come in for a little while at night to spend time with me. She's also the one who follows me around in the garden, and likes to ride on my shoulder like a baby. :lol:

None of my cats ever step foot outside, even the ones that started feral. They know they've got a good thing, they don't want to spoil it.

 

[lizzie]

None of my cats ever step foot outside, even the ones that started feral. They know they've got a good thing, they don't want to spoil it.

:lol:
If my cats liked living indoors, I would let them, but they like to hunt and chase, so I let them do what they like to do.

 

[Cephus]

:lol:
If my cats liked living indoors, I would let them, but they like to hunt and chase, so I let them do what they like to do.

I don't give them a choice. Indoor cats live longer and are healthier, on average, than cats that are allowed outside. Outdoor cats are exposed to all kinds of diseases. Indoor cats aren't. My cats, my rules, none of them complain.

 

[lizzie]

I don't give them a choice. Indoor cats live longer and are healthier, on average, than cats that are allowed outside. Outdoor cats are exposed to all kinds of diseases. Indoor cats aren't. My cats, my rules, none of them complain.

I do give them a choice, and my cats live long lives, and are healthy. I've never had to take one to the vet for anything besides routine vaccinations. To each his own. I live on 12 acres, and they roam it. They hunt at sunrise and sunset, and they come in and out as they please.

 

[wolfie]

:lol:
If my cats liked living indoors, I would let them, but they like to hunt and chase, so I let them do what they like to do.

I knew a guy who had ''indoor cats''..afraid to go out..crapping in kitty litter..hell..it stank!

 

[Dittohead not!]

Cats and humans have only been together for a few thousand years, so they haven't changed all that much from their wild ancestors. They do, however, take to the life of luxury offered by a doting human slave, and may not even miss roaming the fields and hunting mice.

Most cats, however, need to be outdoors at least part of the time, or so it seems.

My brother in law had a cat that was crazy, a real feline nut case. I thought, and still think, it was because he was never allowed to go outside. He'd purr at you one minute, then hiss the next. You never knew just what he was going to do, but you knew to keep your fingers out of the way. Crazy cat.

 

[Cephus]

Actually, here's my two "feral" kitties now.

 

[DiAnna]

We found a very very young kitten at work.
Mother cat is no where to be found. We left it over night to see if she would come back but didnt.
And a heavy truck shop is no where for a cat to be alone.
Question is what has anyone fed one that they have found?

Get some jars of baby rice cereal, mix with water (not milk) and see if the kitten can lap it up... it's very easy on their tummies. If so, add a small amount of Gerber's baby meat, mix it in, and offer it to the kitten. Eventually you should be able to soak cat kibble in warm water, then offer pate canned cat food.

I hope it works for you.

Edit: As others have said, kitten formula would be a good start before trying runny "solid" foods, but be sure to have a vet see it ASAP.

 

[Cephus]

Get some jars of baby rice cereal, mix with water (not milk) and see if the kitten can lap it up... it's very easy on their tummies. If so, add a small amount of Gerber's baby meat, mix it in, and offer it to the kitten. I hope it works for you.

From what we've found out since, it doesn't appear that "very" young was an apt description. I'd estimate, based on what he's said, that he's looking at 6-8 weeks old, plenty old enough to be eating kitten moist food.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

:lol:
If my cats liked living indoors, I would let them, but they like to hunt and chase, so I let them do what they like to do.

Hehe - my cat is indoors, and only recently came to tolerate the idea of being outside. Grass is just 'ick' however, he freaks if I put him down on it.

 

[Cephus]

Hehe - my cat is indoors, and only recently came to tolerate the idea of being outside. Grass is just 'ick' however, he freaks if I put him down on it.

It depends on how they're raised. My cats, with few exceptions, have never been outside. They don't want to go there because they have no idea what "there" is. On the few occasions I've ever taken them out in the back yard, they panic and want desperately to get back inside. It's where they're comfortable, it's where they're safe and they don't miss being somewhere they've never been.

 

[lizzie]

Hehe - my cat is indoors, and only recently came to tolerate the idea of being outside. Grass is just 'ick' however, he freaks if I put him down on it.

My cats love the tall grass, because it's good for hiding from the mice. :lol: It's funny to watch them crouching down in it, waiting to pounce.

 

[Cephus]

My cats love the tall grass, because it's good for hiding from the mice. :lol: It's funny to watch them crouching down in it, waiting to pounce.

My cats wouldn't know what to do with a mouse if they cornered one. In fact, most of them like mice, we've had all kinds of small rodents over the years as pets and they don't care. They let birds walk all over them. They let mice and rats sleep with them. The dogs and cats all curl up with each other. It's very peaceful and tranquil.

 

[lizzie]

My cats wouldn't know what to do with a mouse if they cornered one. In fact, most of them like mice, we've had all kinds of small rodents over the years as pets and they don't care. They let birds walk all over them. They let mice and rats sleep with them. The dogs and cats all curl up with each other. It's very peaceful and tranquil.

Do you give your animals drugs? :lol:
(j/k)

 

[ChrisL]

If a kitten has all of it's teeth, it's probably about 6-8 weeks old and can eat moist kitten food.

 

[Cephus]

Do you give your animals drugs? :lol:
(j/k)

Nope, they're just well fed, well cared for and loved. There's very little drama. Most of them have been raised together and don't see each other as dogs and cats, just family.

 

[CRUE CAB]

Get some jars of baby rice cereal, mix with water (not milk) and see if the kitten can lap it up... it's very easy on their tummies. If so, add a small amount of Gerber's baby meat, mix it in, and offer it to the kitten. Eventually you should be able to soak cat kibble in warm water, then offer pate canned cat food.

I hope it works for you.

Edit: As others have said, kitten formula would be a good start before trying runny "solid" foods, but be sure to have a vet see it ASAP.

So far so good with the baby formula and wetted down indoor cat food.
Seem its a she, and has all if not most of its teeth.
She was just so underweight that we thought it was younger.
Does the cat litter box thing already. Had one little accident, no biggie cleaned right up.
Lots more strength than yesterday too, can climb up on the bed and get out on its own. Getting its balance as well.
We figure its 4 to 5 weeks. Cant be sure.
Named it Lucky Sonny 13.
Being found made it lucky and Sonny is my wifes fathers nickname and his birthday was yesterday the 13th.