Expert: Jessica - 8/14/2009

Question
I live in inner city Chicago. I recently captured a feral kitten (I would estimate about 10 weeks old). It was one out of a litter of four. It stood out because while two of the kittens were black and white, and one was a silver tabby like the mom (very common coats for alley cats), this one was all cream colored except for a charcoal colored tail, ears, and rings around the eyes. the cat also stood out because I would often observe it roaming on it's own, while it's siblings would always be together, most often close to mom. it's independence set it apart as much as it's looks. At any rate, after about a month of scheming on how to capture the kittten, I finally decided to set a trap. I made a trail of canned salmon and salmon juice that started at the  abandoned garage that they inhabit and ended at the entrance to my backyard, where I had a cage set up with even more salmon inside. I rigged the cage with a rope that was long enough to reach the porch, where I could sit and wait at a far enough distance to not alarm the cats. Eventually, the kittens came and, after a iittle aprehension, entered the cage and took advantage of the free meal. to my surprise, the only one that did not enter the trap initially was the one I was actually targeting (clever little dickens!). Instead, it remained just outside of the cage, as if he was on look-out while his siblings perpetrated the heist. It wasnt until mom came and entered the cage that the target kitten finally decided to do the same. Once inside with mom, I pulled the rope to slam the cage shut. Mom was totally hysterical! she was flailing around so much I worried she might inadvertently injure the kitten. I waitd until the kitten was at the back of the cage then opened it slightly, allowing mom to dart out. When I brought the cage in the house, the kitten started doing a masterful impression of mom, frantically trying to get out, even hanging upside down by the bars at on point. Once the kitten calmed down (probably due to fatigue), I placed a small box of litter, a small container of Fancy Feast, and a small container of water in the cage. The cage was also lined with shredded paper. It has now been 48 hours and the kitten has not touched the food. In addition, it just sits almost motionless in one spot all day. it will scratch and kick if picked up, but other than that, nothing. I did manage to wrap it up in a small blanket and feed it a mixture of warm milk and egg via an eye dropper. I had to wet it's mouth with the stuff, then once it licked it's lips, it seemed to enjoy it. It greedily licked the end of the dropper as I slowly pressed the squeeze part. after about four dropper-fulls of the milk/egg mix, the kitten would no longer open it's mouth, so I figured it was full (I keep saying "it" because I'm still not sure of the sex). Once I placed the kitten back in the cage, it just balled up in the corner again, totally unresponsive and oblivious to the food and water in the cage. I dont want the kitten to starve, so I've been repeating the eye dropper procedure about every 4 to 6 hours, which has so far been successful in at least getting something in the kitten's system. Another area of concern is the fact that the kitten has not yet let go of any waste. I know it may take some time to get used to the concept of kitty litter, but it still needs to go somewhere, sometime. I know I need to take the kitten to the vet asap, but due to financial constraits I'm hoping to find some sort of service that provides veterinary care to those in low-income stuations such as myself. If not, it may be a couple days until I can scrape up enough money for a standard vet vivit. it the meantime, I'm really hoping the situation does'nt take a turn for the worse. I dont know what else to do. I'm even contemplating capturing one of it's siblings to see if a familiar face will make it liven up a little. Also, If the sibling is lively and eating regularly and the first one still isnt, I'll really know there's a problem. Any advice or suggestions you can give would be greatly appreciated. I apologize for being so long winded, but I didnt want to leave out any details in order to ensure the most in-depth response possible.

                                                 Thanksabunch,

                                                            Ken

Answer
Hi Ken.  Yes, by 10 weeks, kittens are just about as feral as can be.  However, they are more adaptable than adults, and I think that with some patience and work, you will be able to tame him up quite a bit in just a few weeks.  Hold the kitten as often as possible, spending quiet time watching TV or reading, despite its resistance at first.

The 48-72 hour mark seems to be a turning point for most terrified cats, and I think you should see the kitten begin to use the litter box (or the shredded papers) shortly.  I have had ferals who’ve held it so long that a sudden move, such as reaching in to get their food bowls, will actually scare it out of them, but after 3 days or so, they begin to loosen up.

They generally will refuse to eat for the first few days except for overnight, when the entire house is dead and dark.  So I would recommend to continue leaving the kitten some canned food just before you go to bed.  Fancy Feast is a nice one, but you can also try some cheap stuff.  My cats go for the 9-Lives pate (loaf) style recipes because they’re nice and juicy.  It’s not the healthiest, but it does seem to be one of the most tempting.  You can even give the kitten boiled chicken breast if it will eat it.  In my experience, none can resist, and if you hand-feed it, this will make you fast friends.

In the meantime, if you can switch the baby from the milk and egg mixture onto some kitten formula, that would probably be better.  It’s balanced with all the nutrients he or she needs, including taurine, for a healthy heart, brain and eyes.  If the kitten is 10 weeks, formula should still be perfectly okay for it.  As the baby approaches 12 weeks, you’ll want to wean it off the formula as much as possible, as kittens begin to become lactose intolerant around this age.

I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all to catch a second one, because I am all for two kittens having a home rather than one!  Research indicates that cats who live with other cats are healthier physically, emotionally, behaviorally and mentally.  They suffer fewer anxiety disorders, are obese less often, owners report fewer behavioral problems, and their reflexes and problem solving skills tend to be sharper than cats who live alone.  In fact, over a dozen countries have outlawed owning just one cat, claiming it’s animal cruelty to keep them isolated.  The one down side is that you will have two kittens to socialize.  If you don’t mind a challenge, I think it would be an all around beneficial situation.  

Good luck with the little one!  I hope all turns out well.

Jessica