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QUESTION: mine is originally a straycat who decided to spend sometime with me,sometime in the street.she gave birth to two kittens in my house, now they are 82days old.sometimes she tries to take them with her into the street but i fear lest she should lose them and become sad and lest they should not be able to cope.what should i do?when is the suitable time to allow them to accompany her?is there a certain strategy i should follow while allowing them to go out?
nabila
ANSWER: Nabila,
I generally don't recommend that cats or kittens be allowed to wander outdoors without supervision either in an appropriate enclosure or by having the cat on a harness and lead. The main reason that I recommend that cats be supervised is to keep them as safe as possible from traffic accidents, cruel people, wildlife and of course accidental poisoning and preventing the deaths of many song birds. Indoor cats live longer and healthier lives when they are provided with adequate medical care and properly cared for. The short answer to preventing accidental injury to the kittens is to keep them indoors. Having mom spayed will cut down on her urge to wander and prevent her from contributing to the serious pet overpopulation crisis worldwide. If you have mom surgically sterilized she will also be far less likely to develop potentially life threatening health issues such as breast cancer, uterine infections, ovarian cancer, infections of the mammary glands, or uterine cancers. There is also a significantly reduced risk that this kitty and her offspring will develop serious behavioral issues if they are all sterilized.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: if cats stay at home does their come a time when they donot recognize one another as mother and siblings?when are they separated from their mother? are their other ways to strilize them? shots eg?
Nabila,
Without being sterilized there is a good chance that the cats will inbreed if they don't have access to other receptive cats. Spaying and neutering is the most effective and humane option to sterilize these kitties. Vaccines should be administered with care, please consider checking out recent research on cycling vaccines as there is a significant amount of recent research that suggests we are over vaccinating our cats and it is causing serious health problems. The University of Guelph has done some research over the past several years that suggests that appropriate vaccinations in kittenhood may be all that is required aside from the mandatory rabies vaccines in most jurisdictions...
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
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