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Cats/very little fur on kittren

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Expert: - 9/2/2009


Question
Dear Sir.

My wife and I rescued an abandoned black kitten we reckon was a couple of weeks old. We have been taking care of her for over a month now and she seems to be normal and healthy except that:
1) She has very little fur and absolutely no fur on her belly.
2) She doesn't lap up liquids at all although she eats voraciously.
3) Her claws wont retract comnpletely.

Can you please advise.

Thanks. Mohsin  

Answer
Mohsin,

I would not worry about drinking water at this point.  If the kitten is getting enough water from the food, it will drink very little water. If there really is a dehydration problem, your veterinarian could tell you immediately.

As to the lack of fur, it could be due to a variety of reasons. (1) Some breeds have very little fur. (2) Some kittens do not get much fur until they are 4-6 weeks of age. (3) The kitten may have an allergy and is licking its fur off. (4) The kitten may have an over sensitivity to body mites. (5) The kitten may have a fungus infection.  Of course, there may be more reasons.  A visit to your veterinarian should help determine if there is a medical issue with this kitten.

There are some breeds of cats wherein the claws do not totally retract.

Please let me know how the vet visit goes.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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