# Hi, I'm the new guy



## johnnyrelentless (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi, my wife and I just got two stray kittens from someone on Craigslist. He asked for a small donation ($20) to help him feed the neighborhood cats. He said they're about 2 1/2 months old, and they are very playful, though maybe a little thin. They have been home with us for about an hour now. They ate hungrily and used the litter box immediately. Their tails are only about an inch long, but they are very cute. They've never yet been to a vet, so I don't know anything about their health other than that they are playful and active and I haven't seen them scratch fleas or anything. But they've been living outdoors here in Florida, where fleas are ubiquitous. The man thought they were both males, but we don't know for sure. They will need to be spayed or neutered. I don't have a lot of money for a vet right now, but I thought taking them was better than leaving them on the street.

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.


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## Furball (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi Johnny!

Well, i admire you for taking them in there aren't many people out there these days who will take in older kittens despite them making excellent pets.

With regards to the fleas, you can buy flea treatment from a vet which you simply drop onto the back of their neck. I don't know how it works but i think its absorbed into the skin / blood which kills fleas. I've used it on my cat and the flea problem radically reduced. We still see the odd nipper but you'll always see one rogue somewhere.

As for the snip / spaying I wouldn't worry until they're about 6 months. Females can breed quite young (say about 10 months at the earliest) so you still have a bit of time. The males will start spraying at around 1 year (i mean up the walls etc) which can be quite stinky. I noticed years ago that this is worse when there are females around than when there are none. When there are none they don't seem to be interested in marking their territory so much (no females around so not much point advertising you could say).

To sex them is pretty easy. When 'convenient' take a look at the back end. The girls will have a small slot and the boys 'winkie' is lower down - at the bottom of the body where the belly begins. It's a very tiny little dot and two small other bits of plumbing. It's easy to miss but if you look carefully you can tell the difference unless they're long haired. If they are long haired then your job is a bit harder but not impossible (i've got it wrong a few times).

Also if they're tortoiseshell (3 colours - usually white black and ginger) then they're automatically female. No idea why but males can't have 3 colours for some genetic reason so if you've a tortie (or two) then its definitely a young lady. Females can also be just one or two colours though so if you've got those then they could still be female. I know thats a bit confusing but it should help you a bit!

All the best,

Furball


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Your kittens _could_ be male, but it's rare. 

If they weigh at least 2 lbs., they can be spayed now. Lots of vets follow the 2 lbs./2 mos. old guideline now. Kittens seem to recover from the surgery very quickly - my twins were fixed at 9-1/2 weeks old, and were running up their cat tree that evening. There are low cost spay/neuter places, do a Google search in your area.


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## Furball (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi Marie!



marie73 said:


> Your kittens _could_ be male, but it's rare.


What makes you say that? - I've bred hundreds of kittens in the past and males were never a rare thing. If anything in a 6 kitten litter we'd usually get 3 or 4 males. Sometimes it would be fewer but not often.

Oh.. and i've made more than the required posts, any idea when i can post in the other forums?- There is a topic about missing your cats that i'd like to reply to (that was my reason for joining!)

All the best,


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

> Also if they're tortoiseshell (3 colours - usually white black and ginger) then they're automatically female.


This^^

There ARE tortie males. It's just rare.


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## 6cats4me (Apr 30, 2011)

*SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS - Broward County*



johnnyrelentless said:


> They will need to be spayed or neutered. I don't have a lot of money for a vet right now, but I thought taking them was better than leaving them on the street.
> Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.


Hi there from another Florida cat lover! Check out the links below for lots of really low cost spay/neuter programs where you can get your kitties taken care for a very low cost.

Hope this helps and good luck with your new cat family! 

*SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS - Broward County*

www.strayaid.orgSpay Neuter Information for Broward County
also has adoption/rescue program information
AARF Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic 
(954) 615-2722


Humane Society of Broward Co.
(Note: HS merged with Pet Aid League and MASH)
2070 Griffin Road
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
www.humanebroward.com
(954)989-3977 - Adoption Information
(954)463-7729 - SPAY NEUTER HOTLINE


United Pet Way
1511 E Commercial Blvd PMB 129
Fort Lauderdale FL 33334
Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program
[email protected]
(954) 202-9991


Broward County Animal Control
1870 SW 39 Street
Fort Lauderdale FL 33315
www.broward.org
Offers Spays & Neuters for $10 - income restrictions apply
(954) 359-1313


Pet Aid League (Serving Broward, Dade & Palm Beach)
5950 W Oakland Park Blvd #102
Lauderhill FL 33313
(954) 463-SPAY {463-7729}


ABC (Animal Birth Control) for Broward, Inc.
P.O. Box 433
Hollywood, FL
Spay/Neuter Clinic
(954) 922-3604


Discount Pet Clinic (DPC) Spay Neuter Clinic
6902 Stirling Road
Davie FL 
(954) 989-9879


Farley Veterinary Clinic
Hollywood, FL
(954) 989-5382


Margate Animal Hospital
Margate, FL
(954) 972-9400


Cats Exclusive Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic
6350 W Atlantic Blvd
Margate, FL 33063
www.catsexclusive.org
(954) 975-8349

Cooper City Animal Clinic, Dr. Raul Mendy
Offers Low Cost Spay Neuter for cats & dogs
9600 Griffing Road
Cooper City, FL 33328
[email protected]
(954)434-6166


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## Furball (Jun 9, 2011)

marie73 said:


> This^^
> 
> There ARE tortie males. It's just rare.


Ah! Sorry i thought you meant in general 

That might be a geographical thing then because here in the UK its unheard of to have a male tortie. The USA is a big place though and you've probably got millions more cats than us so there might of been a genetic thing happen out there somewhere then.

All the best,


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## johnnyrelentless (Jun 9, 2011)

Wow, great, thanks for all the information!


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

Good luck with the kitties! They can be so much fun.


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## johnnyrelentless (Jun 9, 2011)

6cats4me said:


> Hi there from another Florida cat lover! Check out the links below for lots of really low cost spay/neuter programs where you can get your kitties taken care for a very low cost.
> 
> Hope this helps and good luck with your new cat family!


Thanks, this info is a great help!


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

Def. look into s/n.. unlike what some here have said, I have seen females pregnant at 6 months of age.... outdoor cats have been know to go in heat at 4 months old.

And of course welcome to the forums!! when do we get pics?


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