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phylny

(8,353 posts)
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:11 PM Jul 2018

Happy update! Was: I need kitten advice!

Last edited Tue Jul 3, 2018, 07:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Updated to add, Lady Liberty, AKA Libby, has found her forever home. She was presented by her new mom to her new brother as "his" kitten. He is over the moon happy. Libby spent the morning snuggling with her new human siblings. I purchased a case of cat food and gave her new mom some money to cover the cost of the first vet visit.

--------------------------------

Thanks to all. Oh, BTW, she not only pooped on the towel in the "shower hotel" last night, but pooped in the crate on the way to her new home today. Such a little thing made such a stink!

As I was driving today, I turned a corner and the car ahead of me was stopped. The door opened, an arm came down, and then they pulled away.

I saw something in the road, and thought it might be a dead opossum. Nope. It was a tiny kitten. It was 91 degrees and someone dropped it on asphalt.

I have a home for it starting tomorrow, but tonight it's safe in my glass-enclosed shower. A couple of questions:

I've put water in a shallow bowl, and it's eaten a bit of cat food twice. Is it okay for me to leave the cat food out for it? It hasn't had a drink that I can tell.

I have a towel in the corner of the shower for it to curl up in. I have made a litter box with a shallow cardboard box and some newspaper. I've given it some cuddles as well.

Is there anything else I'm missing until I deliver it tomorrow? How often to cats urinate/defecate? Drink water? What should I worry about? Will it make itself warm enough in the shower? Our air conditioning is at about 75 in the house.

Thanks, from a dog owner!
36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Happy update! Was: I need kitten advice! (Original Post) phylny Jul 2018 OP
My cat, MUCH larger, eats a bout 2/3 cup of kibble a day, and drinks about 1 cup of water mr_lebowski Jul 2018 #1
All kittens should be free-fed for their first months. ginnyinWI Jul 2018 #20
Concur, I should've been clearer ... fat ADULT cats is what I meant. (nt) mr_lebowski Jul 2018 #24
Yes leave the wet food out. It will get water that way. If it is wet food. applegrove Jul 2018 #2
I don't think taking a little kitten to bed is a great idea. Rorey Jul 2018 #30
Has it pooped? Phoenix61 Jul 2018 #3
I don't see poop yet, and I'm willing to stimulate it. phylny Jul 2018 #8
At that age it should be fine Phoenix61 Jul 2018 #10
You mean an asshole? (I don't care about my language.) Laffy Kat Jul 2018 #27
How tiny is it? safeinOhio Jul 2018 #4
I've had a number of cats, sounds to me like you are doing a great job. Thanks for saving him too. Hoyt Jul 2018 #5
Good on you! TomSlick Jul 2018 #6
Oh, THANK YOU, phylny!! And sounds as if you're doing everything you need to keep this baby Leghorn21 Jul 2018 #7
are your dogs cool with the kitten? LSFL Jul 2018 #9
My dogs are interested, but the kitten phylny Jul 2018 #14
Thank you for saving this little kitten. democrank Jul 2018 #11
Thank you for saving herm! Corvo Bianco Jul 2018 #12
Catpartment and occupant. Rent is reasonable LOL phylny Jul 2018 #13
Thank you for saving the kitty. onecaliberal Jul 2018 #16
What a beautiful kitten radical noodle Jul 2018 #19
oh it's a Meezer! ginnyinWI Jul 2018 #21
Looks like a pure-bred seal point Siamese... 7 - 10 weeks, maybe Number9Dream Jul 2018 #22
Totally concur ... i'd guess the jackhole who dumped it was punishing the person who bought mr_lebowski Jul 2018 #23
Oh, pretty baby!! Sorry about the errant poopies, but hey, who among us has NOT pooped on our Leghorn21 Jul 2018 #29
What Tom said above, "Cuddles are a good idea." Duppers Jul 2018 #15
Looks like a Siamese -- beautiful cat. Thank you for what you're doing. fierywoman Jul 2018 #17
people suck Demovictory9 Jul 2018 #18
How wonderful! If you'd been in Michigan, I'd have taken her in a nanosecond, but catbyte Jul 2018 #25
I was in NY when I joined DU, but now phylny Jul 2018 #34
Bless your heart forever! raging moderate Jul 2018 #26
Thanks for the update, that is great news. braddy Jul 2018 #28
You are a hero! Beautiful babe you saved. Thank-you. Guilded Lilly Jul 2018 #31
Thank you for rescuing the little kitty. FuzzyRabbit Jul 2018 #32
I'm sure. As I have said, cats like me. That is all phylny Jul 2018 #35
You're a good person. TomSlick Jul 2018 #33
You did a good thing. irisblue Jul 2018 #36
 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
1. My cat, MUCH larger, eats a bout 2/3 cup of kibble a day, and drinks about 1 cup of water
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:15 PM
Jul 2018

A kitten ... doesn't need much. S/He will probably pee 3-4 times and pop 1-2 times a day. It's maybe not going to use the box though, so keep an eye on that. 75 is fine if you give it a plush towel to lie on. A kitten is fine to leave food out for, yes. Only fat kitties need to be limited from eating on demand, basically.

BTW ... WHAT A DICK this person was. Fucker.

ginnyinWI

(17,276 posts)
20. All kittens should be free-fed for their first months.
Tue Jul 3, 2018, 10:26 AM
Jul 2018

They are growing fast. You can start to put on the brakes when they are older, say 8 months or so.

If the kitten is only five weeks old, it will need wet food rather than dry, until all its teeth are in. You can easily look in her mouth and see.

applegrove

(118,021 posts)
2. Yes leave the wet food out. It will get water that way. If it is wet food.
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:18 PM
Jul 2018

Poor little guy. I would take it to bed with me but I bet your dogs might not like that so better you keep it separate from them. You've done a great deed.

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
30. I don't think taking a little kitten to bed is a great idea.
Wed Jul 4, 2018, 04:06 PM
Jul 2018

I still haven't told my son what happened to a kitten when he was an adolescent. He's 34 now. I'm glad I found the kitten before he woke up. It was the only time I ever lied to him.

Phoenix61

(16,953 posts)
3. Has it pooped?
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:20 PM
Jul 2018

Really young kittens can't poop on their own. You have to poop them by rubbing their butt with a warm, wet cloth.

phylny

(8,353 posts)
8. I don't see poop yet, and I'm willing to stimulate it.
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:29 PM
Jul 2018

The cat rescue thought by the weight it was about 5-6 weeks old. It's eating, knows what to do with the wet food.

Phoenix61

(16,953 posts)
10. At that age it should be fine
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:34 PM
Jul 2018

You did a wonderful thing. I can't believe someone would dump a kitten on the road like that. What a not nice person.(I'm trying to clean up my language

safeinOhio

(32,531 posts)
4. How tiny is it?
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:20 PM
Jul 2018

Might not be weened and need to be bottle fed. Talk to pet store about formula. Best of luck.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
5. I've had a number of cats, sounds to me like you are doing a great job. Thanks for saving him too.
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:20 PM
Jul 2018

Definitely fine to leave food out. I bet it has taken some water. Might want to put a couple of dishes in there. The towel should do the trick, although you might add another one if it's small. Unless the shower is really cold, 75 should be fine. I would hope the new owner will get him checked out.

If she looks strong when you pick her up, she's probably OK until new owner can have her checked.

My cat thanks you too.

TomSlick

(11,034 posts)
6. Good on you!
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:21 PM
Jul 2018

Leaving the food out should be OK.

Depending on how long the kitten will stay, a layer of kitty litter in the box would help. Cats instinctively dig and bury. I doubt a kitten would understand paper in a box.

I think the temp should be OK.

Cuddles are a good idea. I suspect the poor thing is traumatized. However, cuddling a kitten will make it difficult to let go. I hated cats until Herself conned me into naming one and holding it. Now, I'm a dog and cat person.

I remain fundamentally opposed to capital punishment but anyone who would dump an animal is due a sound beating.

Leghorn21

(13,520 posts)
7. Oh, THANK YOU, phylny!! And sounds as if you're doing everything you need to keep this baby
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:29 PM
Jul 2018

comfy and, yeah, alive!

Cats by and large will poop once a day and maybe pee twice...I’m no expert, but have had cats for one billion years! If Baby is old enough to eat, that’s great, and, wet or dry, it’s fine to leave it out for the night. Puppies will, like, eat till they’re near dead, but kitties don’t tend to do that.

Cats don’t drink much water, as other poster pointed out, so especially, if he/she is eating some wet food, that will keep baby hydrated.

The towel should be just fine for comfort and warmth.

THANK YOU for fetching that lil baby out of the road and bringing it to your perfect home/shower!!!

phylny!!!

LSFL

(1,109 posts)
9. are your dogs cool with the kitten?
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:34 PM
Jul 2018

Pre-weened cats do need stimulation to defecate. My feral Dominoes Cat stepped up and licked. the crap out of my foundling kitty and now they are inseparable. I call them "The Family" and along with my complicity my Wally Cat and Squeak kitty are ruling the roost. If one of your canines wants to eat a bit of kitten poo...you might have some magic!
DOMINOES FOR LIFE AND FAMILY FOREVER!

Thanks for saving the kitten, friend. Many would have driven on.

phylny

(8,353 posts)
14. My dogs are interested, but the kitten
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:47 PM
Jul 2018

does not need that drama. Plus, we're dogsitting our daughter and son-in-law's two dogs, one of which is infirm, and I'm freaking exhausted, and did NOT need this little kitten temporarily in my life, but damn, I'm glad I was there.

And who - WHO?? - drops a kitten on steaming asphalt and calmly drives away?

radical noodle

(7,990 posts)
19. What a beautiful kitten
Tue Jul 3, 2018, 02:30 AM
Jul 2018

It looks like a Siamese. I think you're doing great. The kitten looks big enough to eat, drink, pee & poop on its own. I can't imagine why anyone would dump such a beautiful kittie. Thanks for doing this.

ginnyinWI

(17,276 posts)
21. oh it's a Meezer!
Tue Jul 3, 2018, 10:29 AM
Jul 2018

That's shelter lingo for a Siamese mix. he/she looks older than five-six weeks. Maybe more like 7-9 weeks. Poor little thing to get dropped out of a car! What is wrong with some people???

Number9Dream

(1,558 posts)
22. Looks like a pure-bred seal point Siamese... 7 - 10 weeks, maybe
Tue Jul 3, 2018, 01:13 PM
Jul 2018

Agree with ginnyinWI, it looks a bit older. Points are fairly developed. Beautiful creature! Some shithead dumped a cat worth $600 from a breeder. You're a great person for helping this little angel.

 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
23. Totally concur ... i'd guess the jackhole who dumped it was punishing the person who bought
Wed Jul 4, 2018, 12:37 AM
Jul 2018

the cat by taking it away and dumping it. Some asshole spouse, perhaps?

That is definitely a pure-bred Seal Point, my ex-stepmom and mom of my brothers raised Siamese for half of my life. Siamese and Snowshoes (very close relative) are all I've ever owned, and along with Burmese is all anyone in my immediate family has.

Unless you're friends or family of a breeder (or you come across some asshole dumping it), you're not getting that kitten cheap.

Thanks for taking care of the baby!!!

Leghorn21

(13,520 posts)
29. Oh, pretty baby!! Sorry about the errant poopies, but hey, who among us has NOT pooped on our
Wed Jul 4, 2018, 04:02 PM
Jul 2018

towel and/or in a car at some point?!?

Agree with above DUers, why, that’s an “old” baby kitty - which is GREAT, because the older she is, the better her odds for survival, as she can eat on her own...which is a GOOD thing!

Congrats and kudos and THANK YOU, phylny!!

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
15. What Tom said above, "Cuddles are a good idea."
Mon Jul 2, 2018, 09:55 PM
Jul 2018

Just like young puppies, kittens need cuddles and reassurance. And they do purr when they feel safe.

Thank you, thank you for rescuing this baby.

- Dog & Kitty person here

catbyte

(34,170 posts)
25. How wonderful! If you'd been in Michigan, I'd have taken her in a nanosecond, but
Wed Jul 4, 2018, 03:45 PM
Jul 2018

from your screen name, I just figured you were in New York. I'm so glad she has a home. You're a hero!

FuzzyRabbit

(1,958 posts)
32. Thank you for rescuing the little kitty.
Wed Jul 4, 2018, 04:55 PM
Jul 2018

You did all the right things. Are you sure you're not a cat person?

phylny

(8,353 posts)
35. I'm sure. As I have said, cats like me. That is all
Wed Jul 4, 2018, 11:44 PM
Jul 2018


I actually DO like cats, but I'm lucky we have two dogs. That's Mr. Phylny's limit!
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