Expert: Ali - 10/26/2010

Question
I live in a rural area and started feeding a few feral cats.  In the spring the mother had 2 kitties, only one survived which i am feeding now and managed to tame her and she allows me to pet her.  I can't bring her into my home since i own 2 dogs.  It's starting to get cold now so i turned our storage shed into a makeshift home for her.  For the last 3 days she refuses to eat anything.  I've tried alot of different cat foods, cooked chicken breast, she won't even smell it.  I can't afford to bring her to the vet so my heart is breaking.  Can you give me any information on what i can do to help her.  
Her mother recently had another litter of 5 kitties which i am also feeding.  
She is constantly grooming herself and does alot of scratching so i assume she has fleas.  I can't afford to buy her frontline since i am feeding not only her but her mom and dad plus all the 5 new kitties.
Thanks for any advice you can give.
Paula

Answer
Paula,

This baby might be sick - a lack of appetite can signal a variety of serious health issues that should be addressed by a veterinarian ASAP. I realize that financially times are tough which is why I've gone ahead and compiled a binder full of charities and other resources that might be able to help with the costs of vet care in situations where a pet parent isn't able to afford the cost of veterinary care by subsidizing the kitty's medical care fully or partially.

As for your concern about bringing this tame kitten into the house with your dogs so long as you have treated this baby for external and internal parasites and you introduce her gradually there's no reason why she couldn't enjoy living indoors with your dogs. If you like I can provide you with some basic information about introducing this little one into the household with your dogs.

I would also encourage you to consider seeking the help of an organization like Alley Cat Allies to get momma kitty spayed or she's just going to continue having babies time after time which isn't really fair to her or her babies and it isn't financially feasible for anyone to commit to caring for an indefinite number of kittens when it's so easy to stem the flow of new (and unfortunately) unwanted litters.

If you're interested in hearing more about charitable resources that might be able to help with the costs of vet care for this tiny kitten I'd be happy to provide you with a list of names and websites. All that I ask in the name of not wasting your time or mine by having me provide resources throughout North America that may not be available in your area would be if you could provide me with the US state that you're writing from as well as the general area of the state which will allow me to concentrate on organizations that are most likely to be able to offer you help in your area. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again - I'll be more than happy to help you and your feline friends out to the best of my ability.