Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 9/22/2008

Question
Dear Dr. Sherrell,

I live in China and one of my professors found an abandoned kitten that I eventually decided to take in. As far as I can discern, the kitten is somewhere around 5 weeks old, since she's able to eat solid food softened by water and has no problem walking around (but she's smaller than anything that I've seen in a Western pet store). I wanted to know if you could provide some advice as to keep a cat in such a condition in tip-top shape - particularly what kind of vaccinations and treatments you recommend getting for her, and at what age, since I've read on various websites differing opinions on when kittens should get vaccinated, and whether orphaned kittens should be approached differently.

Also, because of the area of the world I'm in and the situation I found her in, I'm a little concerned about whether or not the kitten has been exposed to rabies. I've had her for about 10 days at this point, during which I can say with certainty that she hasn't been bitten by this animal or that, knock on wood, she hasn't shown any symptoms of being rabid. Nor have I found any evidence of her having been bitten before I got a hold of her. Do you think that with this kind of evidence she's likely not rabid, and if a kitten has to be a certain age before getting a rabies vaccination, what's the best way to protect ourselves from this danger before then?

Many, many thanks in advance!

Best,
Vincent

Answer
Vincent -

A five week old kitty should be eating kitten food with no problem.  The vaccine regiment may differ because you live in China where feline diseases may differ from those in the states. Perhaps you can consult with a veterinarian in your area to find out what vaccines the kitty will need.  

Unfortunately, I am not aware of the prevalence of rabies in China. Animals that are rabid usually exhibit neurological signs.  Have the kitty examined  by a veterinarian to determine if she has exhibited signs of rabies.  The only definitive way to determine if she has rabies is to examine her brain tissue; hopefully the doctor will not suspect that she has been exposed to rabies.

Continue to feed her both canned and dry kitten food.  Cats should be fed a primarily meat diet since they are primarily meat eaters and should be fed a diet composed largely of meat.  

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM