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Cats/smelly kittens

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Expert: - 10/31/2008


Question
We have 3 week old kittens, & their mother, in our home. Their eyes are open & they are crawling around everywhere. They all smell quite a bit when you get close to them, or hold them, my hands smell after handling them. They smell kinda like rotten milk. Can I wash them, or what can I do to improve their smell before we give them away?

Answer
Jennifer,

I am somewhat concerned about the smelly kittens, it's not normal for them to be stinky - in most cases the younger the kitten the nicer they smell....If you are feeding cow's milk stop - it's not appropriate for kittens and it contains very little fat and protein that they need to grow. If you want to introduce them to solid foods make sure that mom has a good variety of kitten weaning formula mixed with pureed meat and plain, full fat, organic, unsweetened yogurt...When the time is right mom will teach them to eat...The kittens won't be weaned properly for at least another 3-5 weeks depending on mom. Mom should have a good quality holistic kitten food to ensure that she is able to keep up with the demands of her kittens and her own nutritional needs. Please see some of my previous answers regarding proper age for weaning in kittens that are being raised by their mother - the requirements are different from those of hand reared kittens. You can't bathe a kitten under the age of 6 weeks and the kittens should really stay with their mom until they are 10-12 weeks of age. This gives mom the opportunity to wean the kittens completely, teach them how to use the litter box, and the kittens get to learn manners and important skills throughout that crucial time with their mother. Once the kittens have reached the age of 6-8 weeks you can bathe them with an all natural, mild shampoo formulated especially for kittens. I would recommend a company called Earth Bath as they use high quality, gentle ingredients. When you do bathe the kittens it's extremely important that the room they are bathed in is very warm, that you have plenty of thick towels available and that they be placed in a warm room to finish drying off once you've dried them as much as possible with the towels. The water to bathe the kittens should be body temperature or slightly over so that the babies don't become hypothermic.

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Ali

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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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