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Cats/Strange kitten behavior

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Expert: - 12/15/2008


Question
On Saturday we walked into a pet store and they had these tiny little kittens. They said some lady had come in and dropped them off. I bought the cutest, most shy little boy and brought him home. Wow did he change. He was just so happy to be loved. They told me that he was 6 weeks old but come to find out he is only 4. The only thing he does that i am not quiet sure about is that when he walks or is sleeping or doing anything he extends and curls his front paws non stop.It would be like us flexing and unflexing our fingers all day. I mean I don't think I have seen him ever stop. I think there may be a problem but I'm not sure. Have you ever seen anything like this before?

Answer
Jenn,

There's some good news for you, your kitten is perfectly normal given his tender age. Your kitten is simply kneading as he would with his mom when he nurses. It's a happy thing, he's telling you he feels safe and comfortable, he may even be purring if you listen closely. I also wanted to pass on some nutritional advice given the age of this little fellow because he is awfully young to be away from mom and siblings..If your kitten isn't getting a high quality holistic food made from human grade ingredients like Wellness or Spot's Stew you may want to consider supplementing his diet with a kitten weaning formula like KMR, some plain, unsweetened, full fat yogurt and some cooked, pureed chicken breast. The weaning formula will provide this baby with some much needed vitamins and calories, the yogurt will keep him from having diarrea because his system wasn't really meant to be accepting much in the way of solid food at this age and the chicken breast is a high quality source of protein and other nutrients that baby carnivores need.

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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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