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Dog lover turned kitten mother, LOTS of questions..
Hi all! Yes, I have converted. I still love my great dane, but the newest
love of my life (Hailey the supposed maine coon) has me stressed. In all 21 of my years, I've never owned a feline, so perhaps having rescued a 4 week old kitten that insists that I'm her mommie from which she can nurse. While I'm crazy that she has fallen in love with me, I'm terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and kill her. So I'm going to start out slowly and ask a LOT of questions! 1. I've learned that milk causes diarreah (I can't spell), but are there special nutrients that are in a cat mother's milk that she is missing in her kitten chow? 2. Longhair beauty that she is, we're having a.emm...pooping problem. Yeah, it sticks. I've trimmed the hair down around the "area" but it still gets stuck. I've been using baby wipes after she's gone (god, thank you for baby wipes) and they work well...takes away the smell and gets ride of the doodie....but is there any way to keep from having to wipe her? 3. Declawing...Yeah, I'm sure you are all going to hate me for it, but it's getting done. She's an indoor cat and I'm afraid that she's going to scratch the babies. What age do vets usually recommend the procedure? 4. Spaying..what age? I have more questions, but I'll let ya'll get to these!! Everyone's expertise would help! Thanks, Momma-Kittenhead |
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"Nicole Johnson" wrote in message
thlink.net... Hi all! Yes, I have converted. I still love my great dane, but the newest love of my life (Hailey the supposed maine coon) has me stressed. In all 21 of my years, I've never owned a feline, so perhaps having rescued a 4 week old kitten that insists that I'm her mommie from which she can nurse. While I'm crazy that she has fallen in love with me, I'm terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and kill her. So I'm going to start out slowly and ask a LOT of questions! 1. I've learned that milk causes diarreah (I can't spell), but are there special nutrients that are in a cat mother's milk that she is missing in her kitten chow? Milk causes diarrhea only if a cat's lactose-intolerant. Of 4 cats, none of mine has ever shown a problem w/ milk, so far. (Given to them as small treats; not a lot at any given time.) Her kitten food should be fine. There is a product (or two) - KMR (or is it KRM??) - Kitten Milk Replacement that's available at pet supply stores if you want to try & see if she'd like her food supplemented. 2. Longhair beauty that she is, we're having a.emm...pooping problem. Yeah, it sticks. I've trimmed the hair down around the "area" but it still gets stuck. I've been using baby wipes after she's gone (god, thank you for baby wipes) and they work well...takes away the smell and gets ride of the doodie....but is there any way to keep from having to wipe her? I'd say just keep wiping & keep her hair trimmed back there. Eventually she'll (hopefully) clean herself, although you may have to come to the rescue now & then - forever after. g 3. Declawing...Yeah, I'm sure you are all going to hate me for it, but it's getting done. She's an indoor cat and I'm afraid that she's going to scratch the babies. What age do vets usually recommend the procedure? I don't know. 4. Spaying..what age? Two months at the earliest, up to about 5 months. That's probably early enough to catch her before her first heat. I have more questions, but I'll let ya'll get to these!! Everyone's expertise would help! Good luck, & may she have a long life! :-) Cathy -- "Staccato signals of constant information..." ("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon Thanks, Momma-Kittenhead |
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"Nicole Johnson" wrote in message
thlink.net... Hi all! Yes, I have converted. I still love my great dane, but the newest love of my life (Hailey the supposed maine coon) has me stressed. In all 21 of my years, I've never owned a feline, so perhaps having rescued a 4 week old kitten that insists that I'm her mommie from which she can nurse. While I'm crazy that she has fallen in love with me, I'm terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and kill her. So I'm going to start out slowly and ask a LOT of questions! 1. I've learned that milk causes diarreah (I can't spell), but are there special nutrients that are in a cat mother's milk that she is missing in her kitten chow? Milk causes diarrhea only if a cat's lactose-intolerant. Of 4 cats, none of mine has ever shown a problem w/ milk, so far. (Given to them as small treats; not a lot at any given time.) Her kitten food should be fine. There is a product (or two) - KMR (or is it KRM??) - Kitten Milk Replacement that's available at pet supply stores if you want to try & see if she'd like her food supplemented. 2. Longhair beauty that she is, we're having a.emm...pooping problem. Yeah, it sticks. I've trimmed the hair down around the "area" but it still gets stuck. I've been using baby wipes after she's gone (god, thank you for baby wipes) and they work well...takes away the smell and gets ride of the doodie....but is there any way to keep from having to wipe her? I'd say just keep wiping & keep her hair trimmed back there. Eventually she'll (hopefully) clean herself, although you may have to come to the rescue now & then - forever after. g 3. Declawing...Yeah, I'm sure you are all going to hate me for it, but it's getting done. She's an indoor cat and I'm afraid that she's going to scratch the babies. What age do vets usually recommend the procedure? I don't know. 4. Spaying..what age? Two months at the earliest, up to about 5 months. That's probably early enough to catch her before her first heat. I have more questions, but I'll let ya'll get to these!! Everyone's expertise would help! Good luck, & may she have a long life! :-) Cathy -- "Staccato signals of constant information..." ("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon Thanks, Momma-Kittenhead |
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In response - Yes, I've looked at the alternatives. Soft Paws (they even
come in cute colors!!), training, sprays, the other procedure that starts with a T that I can't spell (tendenoniton or something), laser surgery, nail clipping, living with it.....so I asked a breeder in the area, because I didn't want to do something that would hurt her....she told me this... "if Hailey is an inside cat, she doesn't need to protect herself (she's an only child). If declawing was so inhumane, no vet would declaw any animal." It took a lot of convincing, and my vet even let me watch a procedure...so we're going to go through with it. I realize that it's a VERY controversial topic, but I appreciate your advice! I'll keep ya posted! Momma-Kittenhead "Karen Chuplis" wrote in message ... in article k.net, Nicole Johnson at wrote on 7/6/03 6:44 PM: Hi all! Yes, I have converted. I still love my great dane, but the newest love of my life (Hailey the supposed maine coon) has me stressed. In all 21 of my years, I've never owned a feline, so perhaps having rescued a 4 week old kitten that insists that I'm her mommie from which she can nurse. While I'm crazy that she has fallen in love with me, I'm terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and kill her. So I'm going to start out slowly and ask a LOT of questions! 1. I've learned that milk causes diarreah (I can't spell), but are there special nutrients that are in a cat mother's milk that she is missing in her kitten chow? KMR "Kitten Milk Replacement". Available from vet and pet stores. 2. Longhair beauty that she is, we're having a.emm...pooping problem. Yeah, it sticks. I've trimmed the hair down around the "area" but it still gets stuck. I've been using baby wipes after she's gone (god, thank you for baby wipes) and they work well...takes away the smell and gets ride of the doodie....but is there any way to keep from having to wipe her? She'll grow out of it, although, you might consider keeping a poop shoot shaved as she gets older. But, once she figures things out and learns to groom herself, you'll be fine except for the occassional dingle. 3. Declawing...Yeah, I'm sure you are all going to hate me for it, but it's getting done. She's an indoor cat and I'm afraid that she's going to scratch the babies. What age do vets usually recommend the procedure? Are you prepared for what could happen? Early arthritis, urinating, biting? Millions of babies are raised everyday with cats with claws and survive just fine. I did. Your fear is totally unjustified and so is the procedure. Consider, if you must, or if a problem (highly doubtful) would crop up, Soft Paws. Getting her used to claw trimming now would make her very easy to keep trimmed. There is NO need to declaw. That's all there is to that. Have you even considered these options??? 4. Spaying..what age? Most people do it between 4 and 6 months. I have more questions, but I'll let ya'll get to these!! Everyone's expertise would help! Thanks, Momma-Kittenhead Really consider your options (THERE **ARE** OPTIONS) to declawing. It is terribly inhumane. I'd suggest you rehome her before doing it. It's terribly selfish of you when claws won't be a problem if you just trim regularly. Karen |
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In response - Yes, I've looked at the alternatives. Soft Paws (they even
come in cute colors!!), training, sprays, the other procedure that starts with a T that I can't spell (tendenoniton or something), laser surgery, nail clipping, living with it.....so I asked a breeder in the area, because I didn't want to do something that would hurt her....she told me this... "if Hailey is an inside cat, she doesn't need to protect herself (she's an only child). If declawing was so inhumane, no vet would declaw any animal." It took a lot of convincing, and my vet even let me watch a procedure...so we're going to go through with it. I realize that it's a VERY controversial topic, but I appreciate your advice! I'll keep ya posted! Momma-Kittenhead "Karen Chuplis" wrote in message ... in article k.net, Nicole Johnson at wrote on 7/6/03 6:44 PM: Hi all! Yes, I have converted. I still love my great dane, but the newest love of my life (Hailey the supposed maine coon) has me stressed. In all 21 of my years, I've never owned a feline, so perhaps having rescued a 4 week old kitten that insists that I'm her mommie from which she can nurse. While I'm crazy that she has fallen in love with me, I'm terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and kill her. So I'm going to start out slowly and ask a LOT of questions! 1. I've learned that milk causes diarreah (I can't spell), but are there special nutrients that are in a cat mother's milk that she is missing in her kitten chow? KMR "Kitten Milk Replacement". Available from vet and pet stores. 2. Longhair beauty that she is, we're having a.emm...pooping problem. Yeah, it sticks. I've trimmed the hair down around the "area" but it still gets stuck. I've been using baby wipes after she's gone (god, thank you for baby wipes) and they work well...takes away the smell and gets ride of the doodie....but is there any way to keep from having to wipe her? She'll grow out of it, although, you might consider keeping a poop shoot shaved as she gets older. But, once she figures things out and learns to groom herself, you'll be fine except for the occassional dingle. 3. Declawing...Yeah, I'm sure you are all going to hate me for it, but it's getting done. She's an indoor cat and I'm afraid that she's going to scratch the babies. What age do vets usually recommend the procedure? Are you prepared for what could happen? Early arthritis, urinating, biting? Millions of babies are raised everyday with cats with claws and survive just fine. I did. Your fear is totally unjustified and so is the procedure. Consider, if you must, or if a problem (highly doubtful) would crop up, Soft Paws. Getting her used to claw trimming now would make her very easy to keep trimmed. There is NO need to declaw. That's all there is to that. Have you even considered these options??? 4. Spaying..what age? Most people do it between 4 and 6 months. I have more questions, but I'll let ya'll get to these!! Everyone's expertise would help! Thanks, Momma-Kittenhead Really consider your options (THERE **ARE** OPTIONS) to declawing. It is terribly inhumane. I'd suggest you rehome her before doing it. It's terribly selfish of you when claws won't be a problem if you just trim regularly. Karen |
#8
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In article nk.net,
"Nicole" wrote: In response - Yes, I've looked at the alternatives. Soft Paws (they even come in cute colors!!), training, sprays, the other procedure that starts with a T that I can't spell (tendenoniton or something), laser surgery, nail clipping, living with it.....so I asked a breeder in the area, because I didn't want to do something that would hurt her....she told me this... "if Hailey is an inside cat, she doesn't need to protect herself (she's an only child). If declawing was so inhumane, no vet would declaw any animal." It's illegal in many countries. Animal cruelty. It took a lot of convincing, and my vet even let me watch a procedure...so we're going to go through with it. I realize that it's a VERY controversial topic, but I appreciate your advice! I'll keep ya posted! Momma-Kittenhead Oh, please don't. I don't want to hear about how you're mutilating your poor kitten. Don't you understand that you're cutting off its toes? That it's likely it'll have trouble balancing? It'll be in pain, possibly for the rest of its life? How anyone could do that to a creature they claim to love is beyond me, but then human parents main and mutilate their children. We have laws to take their children away from them. I'm just sorry no-one can take that poor kitten away from you before you do this to it. Priscilla -- Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum. (thanks be to topfive.com) |
#9
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In article nk.net,
"Nicole" wrote: In response - Yes, I've looked at the alternatives. Soft Paws (they even come in cute colors!!), training, sprays, the other procedure that starts with a T that I can't spell (tendenoniton or something), laser surgery, nail clipping, living with it.....so I asked a breeder in the area, because I didn't want to do something that would hurt her....she told me this... "if Hailey is an inside cat, she doesn't need to protect herself (she's an only child). If declawing was so inhumane, no vet would declaw any animal." It's illegal in many countries. Animal cruelty. It took a lot of convincing, and my vet even let me watch a procedure...so we're going to go through with it. I realize that it's a VERY controversial topic, but I appreciate your advice! I'll keep ya posted! Momma-Kittenhead Oh, please don't. I don't want to hear about how you're mutilating your poor kitten. Don't you understand that you're cutting off its toes? That it's likely it'll have trouble balancing? It'll be in pain, possibly for the rest of its life? How anyone could do that to a creature they claim to love is beyond me, but then human parents main and mutilate their children. We have laws to take their children away from them. I'm just sorry no-one can take that poor kitten away from you before you do this to it. Priscilla -- Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum. (thanks be to topfive.com) |
#10
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"Nicole" wrote in message thlink.net... In response - Yes, I've looked at the alternatives. Soft Paws (they even come in cute colors!!), training, sprays, the other procedure that starts with a T that I can't spell (tendenoniton or something), laser surgery, nail clipping, living with it.....so I asked a breeder in the area, because I didn't want to do something that would hurt her....she told me this... "if Hailey is an inside cat, she doesn't need to protect herself (she's an only child). If declawing was so inhumane, no vet would declaw any animal." It took a lot of convincing, and my vet even let me watch a procedure...so we're going to go through with it. I realize that it's a VERY controversial topic, but I appreciate your advice! I'll keep ya posted! Momma-Kittenhead Uh-oh... though thinking yourself prepared, you have no *idea* the can of worms you've probably opened yourself up to w/ this one, I'm afraid. The declawing issue has got to be the biggest source of arguments & flame wars on cat ngs, w/ the indoor-outdoor issue probably in 2nd place. I'm not pro-declaw, but otoh I'm not vehemently against it, either. Two of my cats have been front-declaws (one was my decision back in '86, & the other came that way when I adopted her in '93) - w/ no resultant problems that I can tell. Although, I assume as w/ any surgery, there must *sometimes* be adverse after-effects. Cathy -- "Staccato signals of constant information..." ("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon |
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