What to do? Feral kitten, unknown age - my first cat?

Question

We have adopted a feral kitten (long story). We are new cat owners. Advice is needed!!!
1) my husband guesses the cat is about 7 weeks old, but I don't know how to tell. It will eat wet and dry kitten food, though I added some water. How do you tell how old it is?
2) what is a normal activity level for a kitten? Our kitten won't come out from under the dining room table. I have a box under there lined w/ old clothes for her to use as a little nest, plus food & water and a litter box. It is not very curious or active.
3) it has a little drainage from the right eye, which closes more than the other one, but still opens ok. I will take her to the vet, but tomorrow is a holiday and I am just wondering if I should go to the emergency clinic or if it can wait for an available regular appointment, when we can get shots too.
4) should I start worm medicine immediately or wait to see what the vet says?
5) How do I tame a kitten this old? Should I pick it up even though it hisses & runs away?

Answer 1

Since she is so young, wait and let the vet decide on worm medicine. The vet will give you medicine for the eye. It is not an emergency, Wipe out the junk with a damp paper towel.

When the kitten feels safe she will come out and play. She may of been starving before you took her in and needs to build her energy up. Also, her eye infection and parasites will slow her down a little. And, like a baby, she'll sleep alot.

Be sure she has plenty of water in addition to her cat food. she needs to keep hydrated and if she has a fever with the eye infection, she will need extra water.

Keep picking her up. You may have to wrap her in a towel to keep her from scratching. Just spend time holding her...watch TV holding her...anything. The more contact and soothing petting, the faster she will be tamed. With lots of contact, it may take 3 days max. Cats appreciate love. :)

By the way, thanks for saving her/him!!

Answer 2

Since you numbered the questions I'll answer in sequence -

1. Firstly, if the kitten is eating solids then it would appear that it has been weaned and could be about that age. I think you'll have to ask the vet for a more certain opinion though.
2. If it's a stray it's most likely scared of being inside the house and won't come out of somewhere it feels safe, in this case under your dining room table. I wouldn't be immediately concerned about this and would leave it here as it does feel safer. Keep in mind also that it may not recognise the litter box as being that and may use the carpet.
3 & 4. I would suggest getting it vet checked sooner rather than later and wouldn't worm it before getting veterinary advice. Keep in mind though that if it doesn't seem to be in any real trauma it may be worth leaving it a few days for it to calm down a bit before being subjected to the added new experience of a car ride. If possible it might be worth getting a mobile vet to come to you so that it doesn't have to undergo this.
5. Don't pick it up if it doesn't wish to be, you will most likely be bitten or scratched and it will be petrified. Remember this is essentially a wild animal that you have adopted. Minimise loud noises and sudden movements, approach it slowly and hold your hand out so it can smell you if it wants. Also, cats can find direct eye contact to be confrontational so avoid this.

Good luck, it sounds like you've got quite a lot of work ahead. This kitten is going to take a lot more patience than tame ones but with care and love it will hopefully settle in.

Answer 3

The vet should be able to estimate how old it is. He's probably scared if he's never had human contact, so that may be the reason why he doesn't seem active. As for the vet about the eye, just keep an eye on it. If it gets worse you may want to visit an emergency vet because it could cause problems or could mean that they are sicker than just having an eye infection. So just watch it and if it doesnt get terrible and he doesnt seem to have other symptoms, it can probably wait until the vets office is open again. As for worm medicine, i would wait. Vet stuff is usually alot better and safer and they'll be able to tell you what dosage and how often.

7 weeks is still very young so you will be able to "tame" it. At that young it takes alot of work but it is definently possible. Try to gain its trust by seeing if it will play. As long as it is not biting or scratching, you should try to hold it as much as possible to get it socialized. If it is agressive, maybe you can contact a rescue that deals with ferals and rehabilitating kittens to see if they have any tips. Good luck!

Answer 4

Wow...you've got some great answers! I've taken in many feral kittens over the years, many much older than yours, and never had a problem with them becoming tame, particularly at that age. I have 2 hiding under my kitchen table at the moment...they've been there a couple weeks, but each day they come out and get more comfortable around me. I don't agree about trying to pick them up before they're ready, it just scares them really bad...if you can be patient, just keep showing it you can be trusted, and it won't take long til she comes out!
You'll have to get the eye checked, but you know that. Most street kittens have some issues like flu, chlamydia etc, but all of mine have come good after treatment. If you notice any other respiratory symptoms I'd take it to emergency, otherwise it sounds like she should be ok for another day.
It sounds like you've set her up well with bedding, food water etc...it won't be long before she starts to appreciate all that! Right now she's just not sure if you want to kill her or help her & she's too scared to take much of a chance!
I'd wait on the worming...plus, if the kitties frightened it will be helpful if the vet administers it, so the cat doesn't become even more scared of you!
You are so nice for taking this kitty in! I'm sure she'll make you really happy & be so grateful to you.

Answer 5

Hi welcome to the cat world! I have 4 cats, always had cats as a child, then dog, now cats again, I'm also a pet loss grief volunteer counselor.

You can tell by the teeth, how many and how advanced they are coming in, you can't tell an exact age but it helps, the vet will giveyou more of an idea how old he/she is.

If it's 7 weeks, it's still just a baby and probably afraid, it's good it's eating. Encourage it to play, use bright colorful strings or sparkly toys and don't push them on it, sit back a distance and dangle it or toss it near the kitten and gently pull it across the floor, it will watch you. It might not feel well though with the eye problem. It probably will need some meds for that as infections in little ones can be serious, they don't like to mess around with them. Gently take a cotton ball, wet it with warm water and wipe the eye off until you get to the vet, it will make it more comfortable not to have crusty stuff build up or irritating stuff draining down.

The box is a good thing, a safety zone. Let baby have the safety of the box. I would try to take baby out tho and hold near your heart so the heartbeat is felt by him/her. Also lightly pet baby, and let him/her sniff you and your hair. My biggest advance with a feral cat was letting it sniff my hair, it was like hey we both have hair! Do NOT start worm meds, let the vet decide. Take a stool sample if you can.

I would try holding a few mins and then gently setting it down so it can get to it's safety box, do that many times so it realizes you are not a threat and it will start to relax and petting with the heartbeat will start to feel good. It may take time for baby to relax though, just be patient, she/he is still young. My kitties are siblings and they were not really that active and curious until about 10 weeks old so with time you should be ok.

I would get an appt Friday or Sat for the eye, it's a little young for shots, but get a leukemia test, that's important that she/he be tested because the disease runs in feral cats alot.

Good luck! Didyou pick a name?

Answer 6

This may sound a bit contradictory, but do consider it as a whole. What feral kittens need most is handling, cuddling and the education that human hands will not harm. It is also a good idea to try to convince that kitten to come to you, rather than forcing yourself on the kitten. Some soft coaxing, just sitting close to the box and allowing the kitten to investigate you. The realization that you are the food source, all help in this matter. Grabbing and forcing this little one to be held can cause panic and make it feel trapped. In that case, they can scratch quite hard, to try to escape. Sit on the floor, speak softly and gently, and use some sort of string type toy to entice him to come out and play.

You will have to take your time to win over her heart. It is worth it and doesn't take very long. Realize that this kitten has no idea what normal life, in a house, sounds like or looks like. Even the sound of a toilet flushing or a dishwasher running can be scary. Having that box to hide in is a very good idea. He can poke his head out to see what is happening and pull back into a safe place, until he decides the activity is not going to hurt him.

Let him come to you, regardless of the fact that it may take some bribes at first. A few weeks and it will be much easier. A few weeks earlier in his would have made it a lot easier. thank you for giving a home to the homeless. If you would like to get a better idea on the age, you can do an internet search involving aging cats by teeth, and there are a few websites out there with actual photos, which should give you a fairly close idea. Good luck.

Answer 7

First of all, good for you for adopting a feral cat!!!! She really needs you! Secondly, I wouldn't worry about a little drainage from the eye on an emergency basis, but do make a regular appointment with a vet as soon as you can. My cats had similar symptoms and it turned out to be feline conjunctivitis (what we call pink eye) and the vet treated them with ointment. The cat should be checked out anyway and tested for feline leukemia and AIDS. (Don't freak out, these are normal tests for any rescue cat and are usually fine!!!)
I have heard that starting an anti-worm medicine without knowing whether or not the cat has worms can be very bad for the animal. Not sure how true it is, but it is probably worth waiting until you see the vet since that is on the agenda anyway.
As for the normal activity level for a kitten, generally they are very rambunctious. However, when I brought home my two cats when they were only 8 or so weeks old they were very quiet for the first few days as they adjusted to their new environment. I can only imagine how scary such different sights and sounds were for them and they were not feral kitties to begin with. When we got them from the shelter, they actually recommended closing them off in a small room to start off with. As long as the kitten is eating, don't be too concerned for now.
Try to get the kitten interested in coming to you. Try some toys in a few days when the kitten has had more time to acclimate. Maybe something dangling at the end of a stick so there is a little distance. Make sure the clothes in the box smell like you and your family. Ask your vet about taming the cat as well. Unfortunately feral cats generally take more time to get used to human homes so please be patient!!
Also, make sure to ask your vet (perhaps when you make the appointment) about possibly giving the kitten some of the kitten mil or some sort of vitamin supplement for kittens sold in pet stores to boost its immune system. Our kitties were all shelter kitties when we got them and have suffered dental problems as a result of poor nutrition early in life. Try as hard as you can to avoid this as it can get very costly.
Good luck with your new friend!

Answer 8

i got two kittens from the pound and they said they were 6 weeks and then the next day the vet told me they were 4 weeks - shots and worming are dependant on age of the kitten- i wouldn't recommend worming it until you go to the vet because it's harsh on their bodies - also- be careful with mixing the wet and dry food- try to stick with just one mild kitten food it will eat because changes in their diet can give them diareah (sp?) and they can then dehydrate (mine did- probably from changing from mothers milk to food) and thats no fun when they are small and will necessitate a quick trip to the vet. I would watch the eye- probably just keep it clean with water and a soft cloth- if it looks worse tomorrow or swells shut then you have want to go to the emergency clinic. if you call the clinic they'll probably just tell you to bring it right in (they have never seemed to want to answer my questions on the phone) you didn't say how long you've had the kitten but think of the changes that have just happened in its life-- give it some time to become curious and active- it is probably just looking for safety right now- you may even want to confine it to a smaller area (bathroom, laundry room) so it can get used to a certain area and feel more secure. taming it will take time- if you have it in a small area (ie bathroom) then you can just start out taming by being near it - sitting in there on the floor reading a book or something so it can get used to you and approach you-- the hissing and the running away are just it being scared- it needs time to see it doesn't have anything to be scared of

Answer 9

it is highly unlikely that there is any need for the emergency clinic. kittens are prone to different forms of viruses that attack the upper respiratory tract, and a feral kitten is twice as likely to have one. it's common.
before starting any medical treatments, wait for your vet! her first series of feline distemper vaccinations will be started on your first visit since it sounds like she is old enough. the main determining factor on when to start vaccinations is waiting for the antibodies that her mother passed to her in the milk to go away. those antibodies bind to the antigens in the vaccine if the vaccine is given too early, thus rendering the vaccine ineffective.

the best way to tame a kitten is to just be nice. talk to her as much as possible. be non-aggressive. most importantly, feed her. cats tend to bond to people who feed them. makes sense right? with patience, your cat will soften up. although, if she has already become a little feral, she may always be a little bit more distant than other cats.
the nest you built is a good idea, although maybe you should try to gradually move the nest to a place that is close to you and your husband's own nest (aka the bed or the couch, etc)


you age kittens by looking at their teeth. your vet will easily be able to do this. they won't start losing those teeth until they are 14 weeks old... i think.

kittens in a scary environment may hide for a long time. have you considered getting another kitten that is not feral as a companion? having a playmate around that does not show fear of you and your husband may greatly help her acclimate to her new home. personally, i would keep picking her up, but other people disagree. it's one of those things that works for some people for some cats in some situations. for others it doesn't work.

Answer 10

Hi there, I think most of the answers you have are spot on. Do take kitty to the vet as she may have some sort of respiritory infection or conjunctivitis. The vet will prescribe antibiotics. Mine had a touch of cat flu she was allways sneezing and was weeping in both eyes. Ater a week of antibiotics it was cleared up. I have kept on top of her health by giving her premium wet & dry food and she hasn't been ill since. I also have a ferral kitten, when I got her she was about 7 or 8 weeks (your vet can estimate her age by her weight, and breed, any cats that have slender bodies & longer ears may have oriental genes so would typically be a little lighter your vet should be able to give you a pretty fair idea though as they will have charts to guide them) I know this is all a bit long winded but I will also give you a step by step on how I tamed Jasmine. As I said she was young when I got her and had only been handled by people & not socialised. The first night I got her home I left her in the spare room with all the essentials. On the 2nd night to coax her from under the bed I took some wet food in & placed it near to her. Once she was eating that I kept the food on my hand and offerd it to her. When she took that I placed it just out of reach so she had to move to get it till eventually she was out from under the bed. I then started 1 bite of food & 1 pet to the head. As she became more comfortable I increased the amount of pets to 1 food reward by this point she was purring. Eventully I would put the food on my lap, she would come for it and sometimes walk over me,but it was 3 weeks before she sat on my knee out of her own accord. In the 1st night I probably sat for 3 hours and same on the 2nd night. She is now 20 weeks and is starting to show normal kitten behaviour like chasing toys running up and down the hall and is generally becoming more confident. Once kitty is comfortable with you then introduce family memers. Just take it slow & your cat will adjust. Also talk to your cat in reasuring tone's my cat knows what its okay means. Cats do get used to words or phrases you use. I hope this has helped.