If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
newbie and a question about fostering
G'day.
New around these parts. Might even become a regular poster... I work at the local SPCA down here and the animal control officer brought in a box of 5 3-week old kittens. The mother's deceased from being killed by a stray dog or two. Seems like mummy taught them the basics about kitty boxes and cleaning/grooming. Needless to say, they are really the cutest things and the SPCA I work for is in the business of fostering adoptable kittens (we take anything from 2-3 weeks, usually anything under that, we have to euthanise since the chance of them living is low and we can't really afford to keep them), so I've become the proud foster mum of 5 adorable kittens: 2 ginger tabbies, 1 torti, 1 gray and 1 cream tabby. I just want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing when I feed them. Right now, I'm giving them kitten milk (lactose-free, plus vitamins, etc). every 6 hours on advice from the local SPCA inspector. Questions: 1- Should I feed them closer to every 4 hours than every 6 hours? 2- Should I move them to wet food within the next few days, since their teeth seem to be poking through and how do I wean them off the milk? 3- Do I substitute milk with food every second feeding or start out once a day or move them to food all in one sitting? I've never had to foster kittens before- most of the ones that I've gotten (23 or so in the last 17 years) have been weaned and litter trained. -- Aphrodite's Cat ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ If I become an evil Overlord Rule # 29: I will dress in bright and cheery colors, and so throw my enemies into confusion. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.522 / Virus Database: 320 - Release Date: 10/1/2003 |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
GOOD FOR YOU.
My group does 'bottle babies' a lot. The way we wean them from the bottle is to mix the kitten milk (we use KMR) with canned kitten food to start. Then decreas the amount of KMR in the mix over a week or so. Then add dry food to the cage for 'at will eating' at about 5 weeks to supplement and decrease the amout of canned food/milk. Always have water available also. Make sure you handle them alot as they get older so they become used to people. Do they seem hungry every 4 hours? If not then go to every 6. Good luck. Since this is your first 'bottle babies' I wouldn't be surprised if you keep one. -- Joe http://www.jwpitt.com/cats.htm Cat Rescue http://www.animalrescuefoundation.com God created the cat so man could have the pleasure of petting the tiger "Aphrodite's Cat" wrote in message ... G'day. New around these parts. Might even become a regular poster... I work at the local SPCA down here and the animal control officer brought in a box of 5 3-week old kittens. The mother's deceased from being killed by a stray dog or two. Seems like mummy taught them the basics about kitty boxes and cleaning/grooming. Needless to say, they are really the cutest things and the SPCA I work for is in the business of fostering adoptable kittens (we take anything from 2-3 weeks, usually anything under that, we have to euthanise since the chance of them living is low and we can't really afford to keep them), so I've become the proud foster mum of 5 adorable kittens: 2 ginger tabbies, 1 torti, 1 gray and 1 cream tabby. I just want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing when I feed them. Right now, I'm giving them kitten milk (lactose-free, plus vitamins, etc). every 6 hours on advice from the local SPCA inspector. Questions: 1- Should I feed them closer to every 4 hours than every 6 hours? 2- Should I move them to wet food within the next few days, since their teeth seem to be poking through and how do I wean them off the milk? 3- Do I substitute milk with food every second feeding or start out once a day or move them to food all in one sitting? I've never had to foster kittens before- most of the ones that I've gotten (23 or so in the last 17 years) have been weaned and litter trained. -- Aphrodite's Cat ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ If I become an evil Overlord Rule # 29: I will dress in bright and cheery colors, and so throw my enemies into confusion. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.522 / Virus Database: 320 - Release Date: 10/1/2003 |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
My husband was pretty reluctant to even let me foster these. We've got an
Alsatian and 2 kittens (6-7 months and 4-5 months) already. He said we couldn't keep one. ( The animal control officer who dropped them off is getting either 2 or 3 and we're getting the rest. Kitten season is right around the corner and people are already looking for them. Thanks for the advice... will try and see how it goes. With any luck, in a few weeks, I'll have 5 healthy kittens ready to be homed. -- Aphrodite's Cat ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Things to try your sanity #8: A piece of foil candy wrapper makes electrical contact with your filling. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Joe Pitt" wrote in message .. . GOOD FOR YOU. My group does 'bottle babies' a lot. The way we wean them from the bottle is to mix the kitten milk (we use KMR) with canned kitten food to start. Then decreas the amount of KMR in the mix over a week or so. Then add dry food to the cage for 'at will eating' at about 5 weeks to supplement and decrease the amout of canned food/milk. Always have water available also. Make sure you handle them alot as they get older so they become used to people. Do they seem hungry every 4 hours? If not then go to every 6. Good luck. Since this is your first 'bottle babies' I wouldn't be surprised if you keep one. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.522 / Virus Database: 320 - Release Date: 10/2/2003 |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
newbie with a kitty question..;) | Christine | Cats - misc | 12 | January 29th 04 02:13 PM |
Newbie Question: How can we stop our Cat eating threads | Joseph Lappin | Cat health & behaviour | 4 | October 15th 03 02:13 PM |