Cats, along with dogs, are favorite pets. Despite the fact that a person must be responsible for those whom he has tamed, thousands of animals end up on the street every year. Kind and compassionate people try to help such poor people. And many people decide to adopt a cat from the street to make it a member of the family. From the article you can learn how to make life with a new furry friend a joy, not turn into hell, and the kitten does not end up back on the street. You will also learn what to feed the little foundling, how to care for and raise it.
Every street kitten dreams of finding a home
What to do with a street kitten first?
First of all, when you find a kitten, you need to make a plan for what to do with it. First, you can simply inspect it. For your own safety, it is better to do this with rubber gloves. Bald patches, discharge from the eyes and nose, and fleas should cause concern. A kitten from the street can easily have injuries to its paws and tail. Their inspection must be done carefully so as not to expose the baby to unnecessary stress.
The first step with a kitten that has been picked up from the street is a visit to the veterinarian. This step should be taken as soon as possible, especially if animals already live in the apartment. You will not be able to independently determine whether an animal is healthy or not unless you yourself work as a veterinarian.
"Cat distemper"
A mortal danger for a kitten is the panleukopenia virus (“feline distemper”). In the absence of timely treatment, the kitten will die in 90% of cases. The virus itself is very tenacious. If it ends up on the sofa or bed in the apartment, it will no longer be possible to get rid of it.
At the veterinary clinic, the kitten will be tested and examined for fleas, ticks and ringworm. The doctor will prescribe medications for treatment against parasites and give nutritional advice.
What to feed a stray cat from the street?
Life without a permanent roof over its head, malnutrition, and sometimes hunger for several days make the street cat unpretentious in food. But this does not mean at all that food from your table is suitable for a small kitten.
Fried and fatty foods, sausages and smoked meats, as well as fresh pork can lead to poisoning and gastrointestinal upset in a future pet.
beef or wet food. The portion should be small so that the kitten does not overeat. You should not give your kitten cow's milk, as it will most likely cause diarrhea. It is better to just give water at room temperature.
The portion for the baby should be small
Feed carefully
An outdoor cat, and especially a kitten, needs special food. Their stomach is weakened from malnutrition and bad food, from parasites.
The easiest way to feed food is for small kittens. This is a balanced diet with precise dosage. Low-fat cream, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk are suitable. Do not feed your cat table food or canned fish. A cat accustomed to starving will eat everything that is given to him, but then problems will begin: constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite. It is best if the diet is prescribed by a doctor.
What not to give to cats
Get rid of fleas and parasites
How to properly treat a kitten from the street against lice, fleas and ticks should be asked at an appointment with a veterinarian.
First, the kitten should be thoroughly washed with kitten shampoo. Under no circumstances should shampoo be used on humans. The substances contained in it can cause allergies in the animal. It is advisable to bathe your kitten with a helper to reduce the likelihood of injury during bathing.
After water procedures, the kitten should be wrapped in a towel, gently dried and released so that it can lick itself and dry.
When the baby is completely dry, apply special drops to the withers and rub the product in thoroughly.
A suspension is suitable for fighting worms for a kitten, since even adult animals are reluctant to take tablets. 14 days after treatment, the pet is ready for the next stage - vaccination.
A trip to the vet
When we had all our purchases, we could go to the vet. In general, I was afraid that while we received all these things, one of the neighbors would take the kittens. Therefore, it may be easier to do the opposite: take the kittens, take them to the veterinarian, and on the way back stop at the pet store for everything they need. In addition, the veterinarian may advise you to buy something in addition, and you will still have to stop by.
It is better to go to the veterinarian immediately with a carrier, because otherwise they will run away. Although, if the kitten is alone, maybe it’s okay. And all the way I tried to pack the kittens into the basket, and they immediately jumped back out. And the mother cat didn’t really want to ride next to them. If there is only one kitten, then at least for the trip you will need a disposable absorbent diaper, or better yet two.
When we arrived, the veterinarian weighed each kitten, examined it and gave medicine for worms. It turned out that there are no parasites on the kittens, their ears are clean, and they can take them home.
Here's what else I learned from the vet:
- Kittens should be wormed twice, ten days apart, and repeated every three months. If the cats were given medicine for the first time on June 10, then the second time should be given on June 20, and then at the end of September.
- Even pets that do not go outside should be vaccinated. Vaccinations are given 10–14 days after worming.
- There is no need to wash kittens that have been taken from the street. If they have shingles or parasites, washing them will spread them. Kittens wash themselves and very quickly become completely clean.
- Kittens should not be given milk, as it gives them diarrhea, but fermented milk products can be given.
- It is better to wear a mask and gloves when cleaning the litter tray, because the waste may contain infectious viruses.
- Kittens of different sexes can have children, even if they are brother and sister; if you don’t want this, then the cat is neutered closer to a year, and the cat is sterilized after the first heat. Although they may have time to have kittens earlier.
We paid 504 rubles for a visit to the veterinarian, this is for all four kittens and the deworming medicine that we received with us. I think such a low price is due to the fact that we live in Ryazan and it’s inexpensive here. Surely Moscow prices are much higher.
The next stage is vaccination, which is just ahead of us. In the same clinic, it costs up to 800 rubles for one kitten.
Clinics usually post prices on their website. Here is an example of prices for vaccination at the Vetbro clinic in Moscow:
After the veterinarian, we went to move the kittens home and on the way back we stopped for food and a carrier.
My cat-loving friends gave advice on food, and I followed them. Gradually we will select the optimal nutrition, but for now we started with what we learned from friends:
Here are the links from the message: Felix food and canned food for training
I know that there are people who are very responsible about the nutrition of kittens and buy a mother’s milk substitute:
We didn't buy a milk replacer, but just took kitten pate and dry kitten food. Four cans of pate and two kilograms of dry food cost us 800 rubles.
We bought only one carrier and put all four kittens in it to take them from the veterinarian home. It cost 1750 rubles. This is not a good purchase because the carrier takes up space. If we had bothered earlier, we would have ordered a folding one from Ikea, with delivery by mail.
Vaccination
In order for a kitten in a new family to be healthy and happy, it needs to be vaccinated. Viral diseases such as calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, viral leukemia and “feline distemper” are deadly for animals. Even a domestic cat can easily become ill and die without treatment. She doesn't even have to look for them specifically. The owner can bring pathogens from the street on shoes or clothes.
Timely vaccination is the only way to avoid fatal diseases for your beloved pet.
Be sure to ask your veterinarian about the vaccination schedule.
The kitten must have all preventive vaccinations
Limiting contact with other animals
As soon as the furry tenant is brought home, where pets already live, you should take care of a separate closed place where the kitten will spend at least a month. A new pet should not cause other animals to become ill. If you can’t allocate a whole room, you can place it in a spacious, lockable cage or glassed-in loggia. The furry resident should be completely isolated. Pets should not be allowed to interact with the new pet for the duration of the quarantine.
Temporary isolation is an important stage on the path to a new life
After treatment for parasites and vaccinations, the kitten must be kept in isolation for 21 days. For some, this path may seem too long. But this is the only way to protect old-timers at home from unwanted diseases.
Education
So, the kitten has been treated and the quarantine is over. It's time to help him get comfortable in the house. And here the owners may encounter difficulties. When the kitten lived on the street, he was left to his own devices and could do whatever he wanted: go to the toilet in any flowerbed, sharpen his claws on trees. Now the space for maneuver has changed and turned out to be unfamiliar. The owners’ task is to help the new resident quickly get used to the new place.
You need to get used to the tray right away. It should be open and large in size. First use sand or soil as a filler. These are exactly what the kitten got used to when he lived on the street. Gradually you can mix cat litter into the soil/sand. Eventually the kitten will get used to it and you can completely switch to it.
On the street, the kitten had to hide from danger. Therefore, in the new home there should be places where he can hide and be alone.
Kittens love to play. Games will help your pet quickly get used to it and begin to trust its new owners. A fishing rod toy will be a great helper. The kitten will be at a safe distance during play so that it can relax and not be afraid.
Playing with a kitten is the best way to gain trust
Don't grab the kitten suddenly. Better call. When he comes over, give him a treat and pet him. The pet should see the owner as a friend, and not as an aggressor or a source of danger.
When raising a kitten, you should not shout at it, much less hit it. You need to talk to him strictly and calmly.
If, for example, he took food into the room, you need to return it to his bowl. This must be repeated until he understands that this cannot be done.
A natural need for a kitten is to sharpen its claws. If you want to keep your furniture intact, buy a scratching post. Take the time to explain to your animal how to use it. You can spray the scratching post with catnip, which cats love. Over time, the kitten will love it and most likely will not spoil the upholstered furniture.
What's good about cats
It seemed to me that cats are good because they are easy to care for and do not need to devote too much time to them. I want a dog, but I understand that I won’t be able to walk it two or three times a day for an hour and a half, play at home, train it and work with a dog handler and animal psychologist. And you can pet cats, play with them, record silly GIFs with them, and type hearts on Instagram.
If there is a small child in the house, then he learns to take care of living beings, understands when he can squeeze them and when he can scratch them. Well, the plus is that it’s fun and interesting for the child to play.
Of course, if the child is small, then you should not expect him to clean up after the animals. Probably, this can be assigned from the age of five or six, we will try later.
I think that in order for cats to be a joy and not become a cause of disputes in the family, you need to follow these rules:
- The decision to get a cat should be unanimous, and not by majority vote. After all, everyone will live together, and it is important that each family member is comfortable;
- Agree on how the responsibilities for caring for the animal are divided. In our family, we divided the responsibilities like this: I do daily care, clean the tray, feed, and my husband buys food and cleans the tray completely every few days. If someone can't do something, someone else will take over. And without reproach: “But you should have, but didn’t.” If you should, but didn’t, it’s okay, someone else will do it. If someone is not consistently doing their part, then this is a reason to talk and redistribute responsibilities.
- Decide what to do while traveling. We have relatives who are ready to look after the cats if we are away, so there were no problems with this.
- Be prepared that the cat will not want to be petted. Our cats do not sit on hands and run away when petted. They can come and sit side by side, follow on your heels, but they scratch if you sit them on your lap. Well, it’s okay, but they have fun fighting among themselves.
In general, the hassle with cats can be greatly reduced. There are cat litter boxes that connect to the sewer system, and owners don't even have to clean the litter box. There are water fountains that run on electricity, and there are automatic feeding systems. And in the end, you can just enjoy the fact that sweet pies live in the house.
Happinnes exists
Happiness comes in different forms, and sometimes it’s your own apartment, where you feel good.
If you want one, come to the Airplane. Look at this happiness
What kindness harms street kittens?
When you see an outdoor kitten, you will definitely want to pet it or help it in some way. And the first thing that comes to mind is to feed. Don't rush to give everything you find in your bag. It is better to spend a little time, go to the nearest store and buy suitable food. Try to leave food away from large crowds of people so that the baby does not get scared and avoid meeting, for example, stray dogs. Dogs are often aggressive. They can easily hurt a kitten or even maim them in order to take food.
If you are not ready to take the kitten with you, you should not call it over, giving false hope of finding a home.
Is it worth adopting a kitten from the street: care features
Street cats are a consequence of man's irresponsible attitude towards animals. Not all of them were born on the streets. Many were left to fend for themselves for various reasons. But whatever the reasons, they do not justify people.
Before adopting a kitten from the street, weigh the pros and cons. Think carefully about whether you are ready
- treat it (if necessary)?
- keep in quarantine?
- bring up?
- pay enough attention every day?
- ensure his safety in the apartment?
- not to offend or punish him?
- make him a full member of the family?
Devotion and love do not depend on the breed.
If you give positive answers, quickly bring the fluffy ball home. Open your heart to him. Through tenderness and care, show that the most important thing is love for your neighbor. And it doesn’t matter what his origin is.
Pet health
An animal picked up on the street should be carefully examined, paying special attention to the face and eyes (whether there is any discharge or watering). The kitten’s behavior, activity and mobility are of great importance. By observing the foundling, you can determine whether it needs urgent veterinary care. Ideally, the cat should be shown to a specialist before he enters the house, but this is not always possible.
Even if the kitten appears healthy, it may be infected. Most often, street animals suffer from dermatophytoses - lichens that can be transmitted to people and other pets. And treatment of lichen is a long and troublesome task.
Stray animals are also often infected with skin parasites and worms. Therefore, when sheltering a baby with an unknown fate, it is necessary to carry out antiparasitic treatment. The veterinarian will tell you what medications to use and how to do it correctly, who will first conduct a clinical examination of the kitten and weigh it. It is difficult to determine the optimal dosage by eye, so consultation with a specialist is mandatory.
Usually, outdoor cats are immediately washed with flea shampoo. But it's not right. There is a high probability that such an animal has lichen. In this case, bathing will provoke the spread of foci of infection throughout the body, which will significantly complicate treatment. In addition, such products are toxic and can be dangerous for a weakened cat, and even more so for a kitten.
If there are a lot of fleas and they cause suffering to the animal, you can use a spray or drops. Babies should be treated exclusively with a kitten spray with a special dosage. If the cat behaves calmly and does not itch every minute, it is better to wait for a consultation with a veterinarian.
