"Noreen Cooper" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what I'm getting myself in for but here goes. Bear with me
as I summarize a bit of background info.

I didn't grow up with cats but my son has always been a huge cat lover.
When he was younger, I felt the need to guarantee the temperament of our
home kitties and decided upon the Scottish Fold breed. We couldn't be
happier with our two cats, one straight-eared and one folded-eared. The
folded-ear cat has never once bit my son, a very easy cat to maintain.

I've read quite a few books on cat care over the past five years and am
the primary caretaker of our two family cats. My son is now 8 and while
visiting a friend, he found out a feral mom had dropped five kittens into
a backyard down the street. He fell instantly in love with one of the
kittens and I decided to let him have one. The kittens are relatively
well-socialized by the neighbor children; the mother, aunt, and
grandmother all look out for them; the 6-week-old kittens are still
nursing; but the family who presently fosters the brood feeds everyone but
does leave the kittens out all night. Hence the kittens are quite covered
in fleas and Advantage is prohibited until at least 8 weeks. (As an
aside, this family has paid to have both the feral grandmother and aunt
spayed at their own cost but have yet been unable to catch the mother).

I have heard that it is better to adopt feral kittens earlier since the
longer they stay with their mother, the more they will shun humans. I've
noticed a huge difference in just one week where at 5 weeks the kittens
were blissfully playing and ignoring any humans standing around to
6-weeks where they are running away. I invite any comments from the
group but we were thinking of taking the kitten one week from now, at
7-weeks-old to begin socializing it into our family.

What the foster family plans to do is try and place the remaining four
kittens in pairs as litter mates. Since we are over there almost every
day, the odd-out kitten at least knows us.

Sorry to be so long-winded. I guess I'm feeling a little insecure in my
ability to care for a semi-feral cat. The basic reason for my post is to
find out from the experts here all the things I should do health-wise for
the kitten. I'm planning an immediate trip to the vet but the bigger
concern is how to de-flea a kitten. Are there any flea dips which can be
given to a 7-week-old? Or are there other methods you'd suggest?

I guess I'm also wondering how the semi-feral kitty will get along
eventually with two very over-domesticated cats. The straight-eared fold
is indoor-outdoor and the folded-ear is indoor only. The plan right now
is to take the semi-feral kitten inside for a month or so and then allow
her access outdoors but bring her in at night.

Noreen


Since the kittens are used to people, I'd leave the kitten with its mother
until it is a full 8 weeks old. It's better for the kitten anyway to remain
with its mother as long as it can.

That way, the kitten can be given Advantage when you bring it home. Also,
you don't have to use the whole tube.

Good luck, and enjoy your cat.

Bill