Advice on cleaning and Taming a 12 week old kitten.
Discussion
Earlier today we collected a kitten we had seen advertised, it was in such a state in the place it was kept that we couldn't have left without it knowing how badly it was being treated. (I will be reporting the farm to the RSPCA as the condition of all their animals are awful).
The kitten is very dirty, luckily no clumps so shouldn't have to cut any of her coat, but just generally dirty all around her feet and underside. We have given her 2 sponge baths using animal shampoo which have helped but she still smells really bad and her coat looks very oily after the baths. Any ideas on how we could do a better job?
With regard taming her, when the guy on the farm gave her to us he had to don gauntlets and handed her to me with one hand holding her round the neck and one hand holding a leg. The poor thing was scratching and biting away like mad, luckily I had winter gloves on and was wrapped up warm so don't have any lasting bite marks (or infections)!
We have been giving her constant love and stroking and she has already made a huge improvement allowing us to hold her and stroke her without biting at all and only scratching when she gets startled and runs to hide. What else can we do to try and get her settled enough so she feels she can eat/sleep/drink and [s]be merry[/s] use the litter tray. At the moment unless we are holding her she just slowly retreats to the nearest corner and doesn't move!
Pictures to follow
The kitten is very dirty, luckily no clumps so shouldn't have to cut any of her coat, but just generally dirty all around her feet and underside. We have given her 2 sponge baths using animal shampoo which have helped but she still smells really bad and her coat looks very oily after the baths. Any ideas on how we could do a better job?
With regard taming her, when the guy on the farm gave her to us he had to don gauntlets and handed her to me with one hand holding her round the neck and one hand holding a leg. The poor thing was scratching and biting away like mad, luckily I had winter gloves on and was wrapped up warm so don't have any lasting bite marks (or infections)!
We have been giving her constant love and stroking and she has already made a huge improvement allowing us to hold her and stroke her without biting at all and only scratching when she gets startled and runs to hide. What else can we do to try and get her settled enough so she feels she can eat/sleep/drink and [s]be merry[/s] use the litter tray. At the moment unless we are holding her she just slowly retreats to the nearest corner and doesn't move!
Pictures to follow
Bit of an update!
Just got back from the Vet's who said..... firstly she is a he, so her name 'wilson' suits him a bit better now
The Vet also said he is in good health and has nothing wrong with him, no fleas either
He ate some wet and dry food at some point overnight and used the litter tray but still hasn't drunk anything. He is getting tamer and friendlier by the minute though and is beginning to trust us a little, no violence anymore, the claws don't come out at all
We are very chuffed as it's a huge improvement just since yesterday
We also got a worming tablet from the Vet so will be attempting to give that to him shortly!
Just got back from the Vet's who said..... firstly she is a he, so her name 'wilson' suits him a bit better now
The Vet also said he is in good health and has nothing wrong with him, no fleas either
He ate some wet and dry food at some point overnight and used the litter tray but still hasn't drunk anything. He is getting tamer and friendlier by the minute though and is beginning to trust us a little, no violence anymore, the claws don't come out at all
We are very chuffed as it's a huge improvement just since yesterday
We also got a worming tablet from the Vet so will be attempting to give that to him shortly!
Goliath205 said:
...but still hasn't drunk anything.
Some cats don't drink anything - we have two, one drinks loads and the other nothing. They both have the same food.Goliath205 said:
We also got a worming tablet from the Vet so will be attempting to give that to him shortly!
Bit mean of the vet not to give the kitten the tablet! You need to shove it as far down its throat as possible and then tickle his chin/throat to try to make him swallow it. Even then he might spit it out. He will hate you again after this.Might be easier to mash it up in a small amount of food, but they often notice and won't eat it.
As above, I'd put the worming tablet in the food if possible right now.
It will take him a bit of time to get used to you and trust you, grabbing him and shoving a tablet down his throat is not the ideal start for you and him right now. If it can't be put into the food I'd leave it a day or three and see how he settles. He may really like Turkey say, so a few bits with the tablet quartered and wrapped up in it and he may not notice..... I am sure a few tidbits over the next few days will help him settle in nicely.
Oh, and well done for rescuing him and please let us know how you get on with the RSPCA.
It will take him a bit of time to get used to you and trust you, grabbing him and shoving a tablet down his throat is not the ideal start for you and him right now. If it can't be put into the food I'd leave it a day or three and see how he settles. He may really like Turkey say, so a few bits with the tablet quartered and wrapped up in it and he may not notice..... I am sure a few tidbits over the next few days will help him settle in nicely.
Oh, and well done for rescuing him and please let us know how you get on with the RSPCA.
New kittens are always a bit fearful of their new surroundings once brought home, once he knows he can trust you 
Feed him, give him a safe place where he knows he can be and not be disturbed (mine use under the bed and their (trip to the vet) cat basket) and he'll be coming to you in no time
As for the smell, go whole hog & bathe him in the kitchen sink, he'll hate you for a couple of hours, but forgive you
There are specially formulated shampoos for kittens that won't take the oils etc out of their fur/skin
May he bring you many years of happiness (get another one to keep him company)
Boys are little more stand offish in their affections than girls
Feed him, give him a safe place where he knows he can be and not be disturbed (mine use under the bed and their (trip to the vet) cat basket) and he'll be coming to you in no time
As for the smell, go whole hog & bathe him in the kitchen sink, he'll hate you for a couple of hours, but forgive you
There are specially formulated shampoos for kittens that won't take the oils etc out of their fur/skin
May he bring you many years of happiness (get another one to keep him company
)Boys are little more stand offish in their affections than girls
Edited by ali_kat on Monday 27th December 19:53
We were advised with our two to decide which room they were going to be introduced to first & to put beds etc in there. Then, as they begin to explore, they always know where there 'safe area' is & they retreated to it if worried or frightened.
Not long before their confidence increased & they took possession of the rest of the house!
Not long before their confidence increased & they took possession of the rest of the house!
The vet should've wormed him for you!
Re: Water if you are feeding mainly wet food, most water will be acquired through this. However if mainly dry food, kitten should be seen drinking but they are not always very good at doing so, if this is the case add some water to dry foos or increase the wet.
good luck, sounds like he'll be a good un.
Re: Water if you are feeding mainly wet food, most water will be acquired through this. However if mainly dry food, kitten should be seen drinking but they are not always very good at doing so, if this is the case add some water to dry foos or increase the wet.
good luck, sounds like he'll be a good un
. Good on you OP, heart warming stuff. And as for those 'cat farmers'...
Re: water, mine drinks plenty of water, but very rarely from the bowl by his food. I put a few around the place, and someone told me the reason is some kind of cat/food/water contamination paranoia. No idea how true this is.
Re: water, mine drinks plenty of water, but very rarely from the bowl by his food. I put a few around the place, and someone told me the reason is some kind of cat/food/water contamination paranoia. No idea how true this is.
ds?Deva Link said:
Goliath205 said:
...but still hasn't drunk anything.
Some cats don't drink anything - we have two, one drinks loads and the other nothing. They both have the same food.Goliath205 said:
We also got a worming tablet from the Vet so will be attempting to give that to him shortly!
Bit mean of the vet not to give the kitten the tablet! You need to shove it as far down its throat as possible and then tickle his chin/throat to try to make him swallow it. Even then he might spit it out. He will hate you again after this.Might be easier to mash it up in a small amount of food, but they often notice and won't eat it.
Much easier than sticking fingers down a tomcat's throat...
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