# Feral Kitten



## CaliKitty1 (Feb 13, 2016)

Found a feral in my woodpile and caught it by hand with some difficulty last night. It hisses at myself but is intrigued by the other cats (3.5months and 2yrs) I have. We tried to put kitten in the garage in a dog kennel to quarantine but it wiggled out of the kennel and got loose in garage. We blocked off garage and recaught this AM in a humane live trap.

It was fairly traumatized by the ordeal and is now in my guest bath and upsetting the dogs and cats by meowing. Kitten is young, I'm guessing 6-7 weeks and we did catch it and the eyes are still blue. It's got white, pale grey and orange splotches. Boris the two year old cat helped us catch kitty by leading us to the meowing. I haven't had the opportunity to get wet kitten food so it's on adult wet cat food. Not sure it can handle kibble and I haven't tried.

How much should we feed our feral find? I know cats are good about not feeding themselves sick but it's likely starved a little as mommy and litter mates are nowhere to be found. Little one was on it's own. It wolfed down the first few meals.


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## CaliKitty1 (Feb 13, 2016)

In room with feral now. It was meowing and let me pick it up in a towel. It let me hold and pet and is purring. I can feel bones, ribs. We'really going to vet in 4 hours. Has fleas, of course. Be surprised for none. Will it let me know it's eaten enough?


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## fanwoodguy (Oct 14, 2011)

It's been a long time since I had a feral kitten. Perfect age, she will be a pet within days. Feed her whatever she wants right now, interact with her at least 20-30 minutes 3 - 4 times a day. Hissing will go away within 5 days. It sounds like you have a new cat.


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## CaliKitty1 (Feb 13, 2016)

Last feral for me was twenty years ago and I was four or five. This one is calmer now and let me pet and hold her and rubbed against my hand for pets. Little nippy and licked my fingers while petting. She's a dilute calico, soft grey and cream and white. One eye looks squinted so I'll have the vet look her over before the other kitties get near. Just checked on her again and I thought she escaped a locked room for a second. She'd burrowed into the towel I'd been holding her in so much she'd disappeared. Better than hiding in the corner on tile because she didn't want the nest I made in a box. Still doesn't, is using a the towel I grabbed to keep kitty claws at bay. Seems to have stopped gorging wet food for the moment.


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## CaliKitty1 (Feb 13, 2016)

Update: feral kitten's age was overestimated by me. Vet thinks 4-5 weeks of age so I dropped her off at home in the bathroom again to go shopping Bought some KMR at the store and some actual kitten wet food for her. Bought Wellness Core as it's the only grain free kitten food my local pet supply store offers. Vet says her eye is inflammed but not needing antibiotics and he doesn't want to hop her up on meds. No ear mites or visible problems like a respitory infection. She pooped in her carry cage in the lobby so they got a really fresh sample to test for parasites, feral kitten was helpful for that.

Results coming in tomorrow. Hopefully she's healthy and can begin meeting my cats. Boris likes babies and the baby is only 3.5 months so I'll monitor interactions once she gets the vet stamp of approval. At her age she should hopefully learn to use her pie-pan litter box quickly. That'd be nice.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Lucky for this kitten that you came along. Can we see a photo?


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## CaliKitty1 (Feb 13, 2016)

This is the little woodpile rescue. She's interacting with us and curious of the other kitties and horrified by the big dogs that are very happy to meet a new kitty. Her on the stool she's just been caught, her in the towel was the first time she wanted to get picked up and cuddled.

Today she got test results as parasite free and had a bath that she mostly accepted with grace. May have a flea or two but we've been combing her for them. Still eating really well and likes me despite her bath.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

She's a cutie. I think your first guess of 6-7 weeks is probably closer. Her ears are fully up, they'd be floppy on a 4-5 weeks old still. The eye color is tough to tell, from your pictures, but they don't look deep baby blue to me - baby blue eyes also have murky pupils. My best guess would be 6 weeks.

I think you'll be fine with the kitten food, if you haven't opened the KMR you can return it. I feed my foster kittens at that age about 1/2 small can per day - but they're usually nursing off mum and eating kibble as well. I'd say start with 1 small can per day, in about 4 meals. I'd put kibble out for her too, to see if she knows how to eat it and to give her some extra calories.

As far as socializing her, I'd suggest going in and cuddling her twice a day at least. Pick her up and place her on your knee facing away from you (wear jeans  ) then use one hand to prevent her from jumping off - you might need to scruff her at first, but it's better to just hold her firmly instead. I use three fingers tucked underneath from one side - two meeting around her neck and the third to hold just behind her front legs. Use your free hand to scratch and pet her, if she relaxes then relax your holding hand, but don't let her escape. Once she's calmer and has relaxed a bit gently set her down - don't let her jump off!

I also like to read out loud to feral or nervous kittens, especially while they're eating. This associates your voice with food, and helps them get used to the tones you use, without your eye contact making them nervous.

Spend a LOT of time socializing her now, just sit nearby and let her get used to your presence at first, so that she becomes more social quickly. The faster she gets used to you, and then to other people, the more social she'll be as an adult. It looks like she won't be a tough case though.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh my goodness, she is scrumptious! I love her tabby markings along with her calico.  It sounds like she's making fast progress and learning that it's really great to live with a human. Hopefully, she's find the same about living with other kitties and dogs!


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## bluemilk (Oct 3, 2005)

She's a doll!


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