I Found a Stray Kitten

She has big ears!

OP: You're a good soul.

She needs a litter box. Don’t use clay litter, kittens eat it and it’ll kill her.

Trust me on this.

She has some yellow colored fur on her front but she's mostly striped.

You must take her to a vet now. She may have any kind of diseases and she needs to be checked out. NOW, OP. NOW!

No cow milk either. Cats like it but she’ll puke, their digestive system can’t handle it.

1 the kitten might belong to someone especially if it purrs.

2 it needs his/her mother for the pooping concern. Find the rightful owner or call a vet.

[quote]No cow milk

Then what?

"I was walking on the sidewalk up a block from my condo..."

You were whoring around at 2 in the morning , hon. No judgement.

Damn she's adorable. I don't know anything about kittens that young, but you should take her to the vet for a check up.

Adorable. But please, if you can afford it, take it to a vet where you'll find out everything you need to know.

I'm not the OP, but would it be possible to determine the sex based on this photo?

You could always give her to the Snake House at your local zoo.

I already asked around the neighbors on the side of the street where I found her. So far no one had said she belongs to them or anyone they know who lives around here. I plan to take her to the vet or no-kill shelter within the next couple of weeks.

Seriously doubt anyone would claim a stray kitten. People are usually more than happy to give them away.

Keep her, OP. She chose you.

Another nice kitty thread. Kitty threads are the very best thing we do at Datalounge.

"She chose you."

And you based that on the kitten's astrology?

Kittens only need to be stimulated to poop during the first couple weeks. That kitten looks old enough to poop on its own. She's probably just been malnourished and has nothing to poop or pee.

She would have to have been in a home handled by humans or she would never let you pick her up, and wouldn't be affectionate like that. Don't worry about it.

Put out soft pate'-styled canned food and a low dish of water. You may have to rub a dab of it on her lips for a while before she licks it off and 'gets' that it's food (I had to bottle feed a kitten once for a month because he just wasn't understanding; they learn so much from copying mom and other cats).

Kittens often have worms and fleas, and these vampires can sap their strength and sometimes even kill them. Again, a Vet visit is a good idea. But it's too young to be 'fixed'; don't let the Vet try to twist your arm- there's plenty of time for that later.

You don't have to keep washing her. Just get a small flea comb and groom her, and use a wet wash cloth or moist paper towels and give her a once-over occasionally.

R18, no. It was based on the fact the kitten had so many other choices at 2 in the morning. It chose OP. THAT, is destiny.

Don't clip the kitty's claws. They are her only defense against predators.

Don't let the kitty outside. Keep her indoors at all time. She'll live 15-20 years if you do.

The kitty needs to see a vet, if only for rabies and distemper shots. She also may need flea and/or worm medicine.

Can me use to makes MooGooGaiPan?

You stole someone's pet

Thanks everyone. I'll try giving her some canned kitten food mixed with formula today. She was licking my arm today so I think maybe she's ready to be weaned to food and not just formula.

R23 She was dirty (I cleaned her with wet towel afterwards) when I found her and seeing as no one has said she belongs to them or any neighbors, I doubt she's anyone's pet. She would've died if I didn't take her in with me that night, because the coyotes that roam around my neighborhood at night would've gotten her before dawn.

You did make me smile OP with your wording, you made it sound like you stole her.

Question: are cats who never get outside truly happy?

Keep her, OP. You were meant to have her.

Don’t wait to take her to the vet, do It asap.

[quote]Can me use to makes MooGooGaiPan?

Why don't you share your whorebag mother's recipe? The one that she serves to the guys on the street?

Also, which one of them ended up being your dad after his dick fell out of her overworked cunt?

No need to rush her to a vet. But PLEASE keep her as your pet. The sweet little thing needs a home and the kitten, the Universe, and God choose you! It's a win-win situation. You'll be glad you did.

Do housecats yearn for outdoors?!

Poor OP. Went out prowling for dick, but went home with a pussy.

OP , The Kitten Lady's channel on youtube. She gives all kinds helpful info on rescuing kittens, from how to care for them, how to determine their age, gender, etc. That little kitty is precious and kudos to you for wanting to help her.

The Kitten Lady

She just pooped! I just fed her another bottle and she's now exploring the kitchen area. No signs of the small piece of bottle tip that she swallowed, but then again I didn't dig through her poop to find it. Thanks again for all the advice and ideas. I will for sure take her to the vet in next 2 weeks unless she's not growing or appears sick, in that case I'll pop over right over to the vet where I used to take my dog. I'm leaning towards keeping her, she's entertaining and very loving, I say this as a dog person who never thought about keeping cat as pet.

Why are you delaying the visit to the vet? Get that little sweetheart checked out asap!

[quote] She just pooped!

I adopted my two girls when they were 3 and 4 months respectively (they were foster mates, but not litter mates). The only times they have been outside since have been to go to the vet for their annual exams and shots. They enjoy looking outside and there's a cat that comes by and stares at them through our patio door, but they do not makes any sounds or movements to suggest they want to go out. We have coyotes and bear not far, as well as some highways a block or two away. They seem perfectly happy inside.

[quote] Don't clip the kitty's claws. They are her only defense against predators.

[quote] Don't let the kitty outside.

Those make zero sense together. If she's kept inside, she will not encounter any predators and need a defense against them.

When eldergays mommies die they get unnaturally attached to kittens. Is it your special time of life OP?

R36 I'm deciding whether or not to keep her. If I take her to the vet it means I'll be keeping her. If I take her to the no-kill shelter then it means she'll be there to be adopted to another home. But like I say if she's not growing or looks sick then I'll take her right away to the vet.

Keep the kitty, OP, and thank you for taking her in. As I am typing this, one of the kitties I adopted from a shelter a while back is gently nibbling my toes.

Eat it!

Kitten formula and soft kitten food, R8.

No, asshole r44. I thought you meant another kind of milk. It's been a long time since I had a kitten, but I'm quite certain I never used "kitten formula."

Your post about bathing her gave me an idea: now is when you should get her used to water, bathe her gently in the sink.

Good for you OP. Not to sound like a broken record but take her to the vet sooner rather than later. Also, hopefully you keep her and if you do, I would suggest adopting another kitten too. I know I'm getting ahead of myself and not trying to scare you but kittens do much better in pairs. Better socialization. We found our little guy when he was just a few weeks old. He's a social guy and likes being around people but he doesn't know how to play right. I mean he jumps on me and bites and scratches. Can be a real dick. Don't think he's mean just didn't know how to properly play as another kitten would have taught him. Just a suggestion- sorry I know it's a lofty one but one to consider. Our guy is now five and id still like to get him a playmate (we do have a dog but she's kind of afraid of him bcs he's jerky to her too). Hope you keep her and best of luck!!

[quote]now is when you should get her used to water, bathe her gently in the sink.

Cats allow themselves to be bathed now?

R46 Yes I definitely want to bathe her either today or tomorrow, and I've already bought kitten shampoo for the purpose. But her claws are kind of long and sharp, they already dig into me when she walks on my arms and chest. Good thing I don't have a hairy chest because she would've played on my chest. So I was thinking of clipping her claws before I give her a bath.

I also got her to eat a tiny amount of kitten paté canned food, about a tablespoons of it. I just placed it on my finger and then put it under her mouth. She sniffed it then licked some of it before I put the rest in the bowl. This was after she took a full kitten bottle and her belly got full and round afterwards. Then she climbed up my shoulders again and swatted at imaginary flying insects in the air (shit I'm already making up a story for her). I petted her for a little while and now she's napping, flat out from a food coma after stuffing herself.

OP I think you need to keep this kitty.

Cats are evil and bring bad luck into your home. Beware.

If we're lucky the cat will get lost in OP's home !

It's always fun when it happens !

OMG she is precious! She looks old enough to be weaned onto a kitten food you can pick up at a good pet feed store...something mostly meat.

OP you are a gem!

"Cats are evil and bring bad luck into your home. Beware."

Thank you for the warning, Svetlana from Transylvania.

Wow! Op stole someone's kitten!

I adopted a cat from the Humane Association and they showed me how to clip a cats nails using regular nail clippers. I think you press the pad the nails should extend and you just clip the point so it won’t do damage if she takes a swipe at you. They probably have the video on YouTube. They just outlawed declawing cats in NYS. Nail clipping still allows for a cat to run up a tree if threatened, but eliminates removing the to toe joint that gets (amputated) declawing.

Hooray for OP! Have fun raising Poopy!

I’m not a cat person, but lately I’ve found myself watching Chaturbate models who have them and I enjoy watching them sometimes more than the model themselves! There’s one guy who has his cat high five him and he gets a treat.

She's cute OP

That kitten looks healthy and used to humans, so it was probably either dumped or got out of someone's house accidentally. Might be about six weeks old or thereabouts?

Do keep us posted, OP, especially if you decide to keep her. If you decide not to keep her, we're going to turn on you so fast it will make your head spin.

I adopted a black cat that was at the dumpster at my work. He had been abused and just dumped. In the beginning he really wouldn't let me touch him. But after years having him, he knows he is loved. He has become the sweetest cat. The best choice that day bringing him into my life.

The first few days with a new pet should be a sensual and erotic time as you explore each other's bodies. I suggest you peruse the "improvised dildos" thread for ideas about how to make the most of it.

Let the kitty keep her claws, even if you have to endure her little scratches. If she accidentally finds herself outdoors again, she will have little chance in a neighborhood with coyotes.

You should name him Bootsie Gumdrops.

Should I also be adding kitten vitamin or weight gain drops to her food? She is thinner than she appears in photos, she's got no or little fat on her, is that normal? I just talked to a neighbor and found out that apparently he's seen abandoned kittens here recently too, he thinks it might have to do with a recently vacated, foreclosed house about a couple of blocks where I found the kitten. That's where he said he'd seen strays hanging around the property, rumor is that when those people left their home, they also left behind a couple of cats. One of the cats was seen recently hiding in the rock garden front yard of the same house where the my rescue kitten was found, this was what the lady who owned the house told me. She said she only noticed the cat when her dog was barking at it.

I've gotten the chance to peruse photos of kittens 3-6 weeks, and if I had to make a guess I'd say this kitten is around 4-5 weeks old, closer to 4 than 5 weeks. Definitely smaller than 6 weeks unless the kitten is a runt.

Are you sure you there weren't other kittens around? He may have gotten away and the mother might be looking for it.

[quote]I adopted a cat from the Humane Association and they showed me how to clip a cats nails using regular nail clippers

That's strange. From most accounts I've heard from Vets they advise not to use human nail clippers on cats.

[quote]OP , The Kitten Lady's channel on youtube

R33, I enjoy the Kitten Lady too. I was turned off a little when she got into that Social Media fight, but she does provide good info.

OP, can you contact your local shelter and ask if they would be willing to trap the cats and kittens?

R67 After I brought her back that night and I put her in the box after cleaning her up a bit, I went to the same spot to look for signs of any other kittens. Mainly I was concerned about the coyotes getting to them that night. I've seen coyotes walking on our block late at night, but they're afraid of humans and once they see you, they're gone. But I can imagine that without humans and with kittens and cats around, the coyotes get easy dinner. But no, no signs of mother cat or other kittens, and I stayed there looking until 430am.

Kittens are considered hors d'eouvres to coyotes. Kudos to OP for saving the lil squeaker.

All house cats need their front nails clipped. It is best to do it yourself. They don't like it, but tough. Their nails do not get worn down indoors and scratching posts are just that. A place to stretch and scratch - sometimes they discard the outer shell of the nail.

DO use regular nail clippers. Don't listen to maiden aunts who are afraid the only that loves them will be mad at them if they cut their nails. An overgrown nail is painful for the cat and cat scratches are not only not fun, they can be dangerous. Ridiculous to not clip their nails. Twice a month. Do NOT brush their teeth or touch their anal glands. That's a vet's job.

OP, a stray picked me too. She was around seven months and really malnourished. She didn’t poop at all for a while, then little tiny poops.

She had worms. I took her to the vet and he gave her some kind of one dose worm medicine. You should definitely take her to the vet and see if you can find out if she has worms at least. They’ll want to give her shots. I don’t know if yours is too small.

Mine was really skinny, then, when she fattened up for about three weeks, suddenly she was in heat. So I had to wait until the heat was over to get her spayed. That was horrible. She healed up really quickly and was bouncing around the house like a pinball after about three days.

Small kittens like yours have baby teeth. I guess they fall out and get replaced like human teeth. My kitty had already gotten her adult teeth. The vet could tell by looking at her teeth.

Mine was really friendly almost right away, she was so happy to be fed. But even feral very small kittens will let you touch them if you keep doing it and they’re hungry. I used to feed feral kittens when I was a kid and they let me touch them when I was feeding them. When they got a little older, that ended. Pet her a lot.

I don’t know if my cat was dumped, or she let me pet her because she was a feral that was nearly dead from starvation and was just happy to get food. But either way, she’s cuddly now.

You need to do a few things while she’s small: buy her a leash and collar and get her to walk in it, even if it’s just inside the house. Harness leashes are best for cats. Ride her around in the car frequently. Not to the vet. Drive her when you go get gas or some short trip. Believe me, this is really important. They need to get used to riding in the car young. You’ll probably have to get a carrier to do this but you’re going to have to get one anyway. Bathe her often and let her play in your bath water if she wants to. Sooner or later she’ll get dirty and need a bath, and if she’s used to water it’s much much easier. Cut her nails regularly so she can get used to it. Carry her around the house every few days at least. Sometimes cats get squicky about being carried, and then it’s a big hassle to move them around.

Repetition is important. If you let any of these things go for weeks on end, she’ll soon forget it was okay and then she’ll fight you.

Go easy with the feeding because it needs to be gradually built up, and get her to the vet for worming and the distemper starter shot.

Another thing, brushing their teeth is good, but you definitely have to start them young. I used to have a cat that had bad dental problems and had to have her teeth professionally cleaned every year. They were so bad she had to have a lot of them pulled anyway. If you can get her used to tooth brushing now, by all means do it. You can save a fortune.

She looks like she could be at least part Maine Coon. Get her used to being brushed. Also, when you clip her nails, make sure to just take the tips. The nails actually have flesh inside about half way down and it hurts them if you cut into it. When my Coon was a baby, in addition to clipping his claws, I used to just gently squeeze his paws to get him used to it so when I squeezed them to clip the claws he didn't know the difference.

By squeezing, i mean gently pressing down on the large center pad. That will make them extend the claws.

R73, is anyone saying that people shouldn't clip their cats nails? And again, it's advised not to use human clippers on cats. Most vets recommend using a clipper designed for pets claws because regular, human, clippers, tend to split pets' claws.

If you start them young, they won't mind it as much (if at all) as they get older.

Baths however should be limited.

OP, that’s really sad if some asshole dumped their cats and now the poor mother is getting pregnant and having litters. They can get pregnant really fast after a litter. If that cat is still alive, she needs to be trapped and spayed. They all do, or they’re just making coyote food.

Because there was a lot of rain last year, there are tons of coyotes everywhere. I’m pretty sure mine was hiding from coyotes when she came in my house. The door was accidentally left unlocked and blew open during a windstorm, and she walked right in and helped herself. I’m lucky I didn’t come home and find a coyote in the house. My front door can’t be seen from the street so no one noticed, luckily. Except one cold, starving kitty.

You could try looking on the Nextdoor app to see if someone’s looking for a cat or kittens. Doesn’t sound like it though. There’s also Facebook pages where people post missing pets, and various animal foundations also post lost and found pets. Also check the local area for “lost” posters. But locally here, I’ve heard the shelters are overflowing. I was even told, don’t bother trying to go through a shelter, they’ll just put her down. But if you can’t keep yours, look for private rescues. Try the local vets. A lot of them will refer you to some local organization.

God bless people who foster animals. I don't know how they do it without ending up adopting hundreds of animals.

R78, the reason I mentioned the baths is because when I got mine, she was filthy and had to be washed. She was so freaked out by the water, she climbed up the back of my shirt and climbed on my shoulders and head. I had to use the shower hose attachment and hose her down with warm water over my head, while trying to get baby shampoo on her as she clung to my back and shoulders. I got just as soaked as she did.

It’s better to wash them every once in a while than have them think water = Satan. They can clean themselves after you get them clean once, but my cat stepped in paint and leaned against a newly painted wall. I had to take her to the sink and wash paint off her butt, and once again, total freak out. Right now she’s got one partly white whisker. Guess why? And kittens get into everything. It’s like having a drunk toddler in the house.

And one of the dining chairs now has a white paw print on the seat.

The kitten looks about 4- 6 weeks of age right now. Good rule of thumb is 1 lb. per month of age, on average. Kitten glop formulas tend to be more nutritious, better tolerated, with good growth rates for rescues and hand reared kittens. Much easier to wean them as well. Since you can freeze the extra, there isn't much extra work once you make a batch. I like to add in a canned specialty formula called Hill's a/d, but any quality cat pate will work (no fish products).

Now that your kitten has pooped, get the next sample in a baggie for the intestinal parasite check at your vet cline. The sooner, the better.

Yes, you can definitely clip her nails, and get her conditioned to this regular type of care. Kittens can also be crate trained, so they tolerate the smaller quarters, or "playpens" if you have to leave her for a few hours try Amazon or Chewy.com).

The boys have a longer anogenital distance as compared to girls. Sexing the little ones can be tricky if you haven't done much of it.

Fo the kitten glop formula, I always use canned goat milk, and the canned kitten pate rather than worry about vitamins or other supplements. The kitten should be weaned in the next week, it's plenty old enough now, and you won't have to be feeding it every 4 hours.

Sexing kitten link below.

I 💟 You, OP.

You were once lost, but now you've been found.

She/He's chosen to enrich your life and make you happy and loved.

😻 [italic] Keep the Kitty !

R81 understood. I wasn't referring to your post specifically. Cats, if you introduce them to water young, just like with most things, won't get freaked out by it (or will get less freaked out), and the occasional bath is fine, especially if they've gotten in to something is a must, but some people try to bathe their cats weekly, and it's actually not great for them.

OP, you are a nice guy. And you showed patience by not returning any of the nastiness that some of the responses wreaked of. I wish the two of you well. As a person who did a favor to friends by adopting their very domesticated cat, I was so pleasantly surprised by what great company my boy ended up being. I had never had a cat as a pet, but he was a delight. If your cute little kitten becomes part of your household, I hope you have many years of enjoying each other's company.

I think it's beautiful fate. You should keep that sweet little girl. Trust me OP. She will bring you joy.

R79 Yes it does sound more likely that there are kittens being born and unfortunately becoming food for coyotes. I'm in Austin and over here there are residential areas, especially in the more established neighborhoods that are close to nature preserves, that have our share of wildlife encounters. At my parents' home there were a spate of cats being killed by coyotes who come down from the nature reserve during nighttime. The place where I'm now is also close to a nature preserve, and it's not unusual for residents to see coyotes, foxes, and also deers wandering around at night at the golf course nearby.

Thanks to everyone and the helpful comments, duly noted and appreciate them. Never thought I'd be a cat daddy, I'm in the middle of a stay-cation and didn't think I'd spent the time caring for a kitten.

You should name him Bootsie Gumdrops.

OP, you're a gem!

That kitten was likely dumped. People think they can just leave cats and they will be fine on their own. Wrong! Feral cats never last long and die miserable deaths after having 100's of kittens. I am sure the other kittens are either dead or will be soon and mom is around but hiding. This kitten was definitely around other people. You should try to find out who was in that home before and report them for abandonment.

I agree- do not feed too much. If her system isn't ready, it could end badly.

Kitty is adorable. We need more people like you, OP. I don't care what you look like, you deserve a great BJ for what you did!

Good for you. I have strong allergies so as much as I love cats and dogs I could not take any in and live with them.

When can I put her in a harness? Are there harnesses that fit a 4-5 weeks old kitten?

Cats should never be allowed outside to roam. Their risk of death and disease sky rocket.

Love ya, OP. You can ask a vet about a harness.

OP you need to make up your mind whether you are going to keep that kitten ASAP, it will just get attached to you and then feel abandoned when if you take it to the shelter, you are becoming its mommy. Many people want kittens more than older cats so if you aren't keeping it, it will get adopted.

No shelter is truly "no- kill" and kittens are very hard to get adopted. When they say "no-kill" I was told it means they will send it to another shelter if it doesn't get adopted in x amount of days. There is no guarantee the shelter they give it to is no kill. Your best bet is to try to find it a home yourself if you decide not to keep the kitty.

Here’s some things my year old cat does that you could be prepared for:

“I found a vitamin on the floor. Think I’ll eat it.”

“OMG NO!”

“No? What is this “no”? It means nothing to me, so I’m going to ignore it.”

Or, “I’m hungry. So I’m going to chew this picture nail I found on the floor, noisily, with it sticking dramatically out of my mouth.”

“Omg NO NO NO NO NO!!!1111!1!”

“No? There is the word again! Well, I wouldn’t have to eat nails if you would feed me RIGHT NOW.”

Or, “I hate this food! Guess I’m going to have to jump on this desk and chew on this pencil eraser, although there’s three kinds of cat food on the floor.”

Or, “whee! I’m going to leap through the house doing laps! And this vase is in the path of my laps. *sorry not sorry*

“I hate this food.” *buries it*

“I really hate this food.” *drags a Kleenex out of the trash can and buries the cat food plate under it*

“I’m near death from starvation at 5:00am.” *walks on your head and sits on your face*

Just to be on the safe side, lock up anything breakable for at least a year. Especially if it’s on a good place to sprawl out.

Here’s an interesting one: “I am going to sit by the toilet and intensely watch you take a shit. Also, I’m going to sit by the bathtub the whole time you take a shower.” This is what cats do that have lived outside. They’re guarding you when you’re at your most vulnerable. Mine doesn’t even want to pee unless I go to the bathroom with her. When I go, she goes. And she’s afraid of the dark. Too many coyotes outside here. So I leave the bathroom nightlight on. She still doesn’t want to go alone. She prefers the big light on so she can see everything. You might want to walk yours to the cat box after meals and stay there while she goes. They’re afraid of predators while they’re pooping. Stay in the doorway or in the bathroom until she’s done. Don’t rush her. Brush your teeth or something.

Weirdo^

Cats under 1 are like teenagers. They are usually very wild and crazy then settle down. Get the cat fixed at about 3-4 months old.

you need to make the decision now OP. This sweet kitten needs a Great Vet too. You need to start taking her to a vet.

The cat is lucky to be indoors and getting food. Take your time OP and do what you think is best for YOU. If you are not going to be a good or happy pet owner for the next 18 years, then take the kitten to a shelter. That will save you the expense of having it fixed and kittens most always get adopted. Good luck.

Here’s an article about why cats have to be right next to you in the bathroom. One of the reasons I’ve read is that you are the cat’s protector and if you shut the bathroom door, you’re leaving the cat alone to be eaten by predators. I can see an outdoors kitten feeling this way. My former stray was living outdoors in an area where coyotes have eaten house pets, including one that tried to drag off a small dog right in front of a neighbor, who had to bang a fence with a broom and yell loudly to scare it off.

I’m serious about staying in the bathroom until the kitten is done pooping. If it gets afraid because you leave, it could jump out before it’s done and make a mess outside the box. Don’t rush it. You don’t want it to be afraid of pooping, especially as a kitten.

[quote]Question: are cats who never get outside truly happy?

Some bird species around the world are near extinction because of outdoor cats and you're wondering if an indoor cat is truly happy? Grow the fuck up and get some perspective. We share this planet with and are responsible for far more species than just the domestic cat, ffs.

R21 is spreading confusion.

Clipping the claws is perfectly alright but probably unnecessary if the cat has a scratching pad or post.

Declawing is inhumane. It removes the top knuckles of the paw and creates lifelong discomfort/anxiety. In many areas this practice is illegal.

Cats that go outdoors have about one-third of the lifespan of indoor cats. I've adopted several feral adult cats over the years who adjust quite nicely to an indoor-only life. Plus, there's also the issue of other animals (birds, etc.) that are at risk when people let their cats go outside. Keep her in.

Funny, my family and I have never actively sought out cats, they seem to find us.

My parents have had two lovely cats that were strays. They were in a rural area where people thought it was okay to dump them. One was a female and possibly the sweetest cat that ever lived and one was a gorgeous male snowshoe.

The snowshoe was about 8 months or so when he found my parents. He picked the right house, as the other neighbors were not good animal people. He was playful and funny and very sweet. He was vocal when he wanted outside, but he was always supervised and came back inside without issue. He didn't seem to mind this. He also was a vigiliant bathroom cat and he'd jump up beside you and just hang out while you did your business. Sadly, he only lived about 8 years; he got some type of rare infection.

I know it's a bit hokey and out there, but we always thought the snowshoe was the sweet female coming back to us. So, hopefully, our kitties will find us again.

So, OP, if you keep the kitty, I'm sure she will add value to your life.

4 out 5 surveyed veterinarians say childless fraus and Dataloungers make the best kitty parents.

OP if your story is true, and I don't doubt you, although some douche nozzles apparently do, you are an angel to take the kitty in. God Bless.

R106 I was JUST reading a new survey that said 5 out of 5 people who say what you said are diseased cunts.

You are such a kind person. I ♥️ you 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

If you suspect the kitten has fleas, use regular blue dawn dishwashing liquid to give the kitten a bath. The dawn soap penetrates the fleas' thin exoskeleton and kills them. You'll also wash away the eggs. Look online, there's plenty of kitten bathing videos.

I agree with r95. Keep the kitten or find a home for him on your own. I do TNR and have dropped off kitten litters with the ASPCA. They claim that they don't euthanize and will hold on to kitties until they find homes but I have my doubts. If the kittens grow up and become adults without finding homes, really, they're still going to find a home?? Where are all these cat homes coming from?

I don't know when this happened but gays avoid being cat parents with a vengeance now. It is all about dogs. I don't know why cats are deemed as feminine when a Tom cat will tear the fur off a big dog without it realizing what it has done. I love dogs but they are too much work. Cats are easy and usually fun.

I used to have a cat that looked like this one OP. He was the best pet I ever had

All right, I'm in too deep already emotionally with caring for this kitty and I've decided to keep it. I'm going to find out whether it's a she or a he when I give the bath tomorrow, thanks for the link on how to determine sex of kittens. It's sleeping right now and I'm not going to stress the kitty out by examining genitalia. She/ he fell asleep after playing with me for a good 45 minutes, she ate about 1/4 of a can of kitten chicken paté as well as 2 tablespoons of kitty formula from a bottle. I fed her couple of hours ago. I'll take it to the vet some time this week or early next week. Last time I had a cat was when I was 7 years old but that was a family pet and I wasn't his main caretaker, rather it was my sister who did.

OP you made my day!

OP, yay for you! Now it's time for DL to name the cat. I think it' only appropriate to name it Miss Sissyboodles

I'll admit to being jealous OP (and I'm never jealous).

She chose you out of all the world, out of all the people in the whole world she chose you, she arranged things because he wanted you to be her owner!

OP - It will kill you, and it shall then eat you.

[quote]They’re afraid of predators while they’re pooping.

Getting a covered litterbox helps with that. I got my cat one that's a big dome. I got it when I moved apartments, she had a normal box before and I didn't know just how much litter she had kicked out of it until I moved the fridge to clean when I moved, the box is tucked in the corner of the kitchen next to it. The covered box gives them the security and also keeps the litter contained.

"Cat parents"?????

I love cats. I have lived with many.

But I have never been a parent to one. I could not be, because I am not a cat myself.

Maybe it is this term--"cat parent"--that is leading to the decline in cat ownership?

I feed the stray cats in my yard, and they're all called 'pookie', I don't know what they've named each other, so it seems rather democratic.

[quote]Maybe it is this term--"cat parent"--that is leading to the decline in cat ownership?

Surely it's not as bad as "meowmie," is it?

That's great, Op! You will be very happy with your little friend. I've adopted a number of strays over the years, or I should say they adopted me. They've been wonderful pets.

The sweetest one was an older feral cat who took up residence on my porch in the city. He'd always run away when i tried to approach but he'd eat the dry food I left for him. One day I came home during a heavy rain. He was curled up wet and asleep in a flower pot on the porch. I went in and got a towel, picked him up (he didn't resist) and brought him inside and cuddled and dried him. He never left the house after that, didn't want to. He was so grateful to finally have a home that he'd literally hug my leg with his little front legs. He'd stand there embracing my leg and purring.

He had a number of health issues, it turned out, as older strays often do. He didn't live as long as I hoped but I'm so glad I was able to make his final six months happy and secure.

I do cat rescue and have some advice. You need to worm the kitten asap. Here in Europe, you can buy the tablet in a pharmacy, not sure about the US. You need flea treatment as well; there is spray that can be used on kittens. Do not get things like Stronghold; the kitten is too young.

The best food is expensive; Royal Canin, Hills etc. A lot of kittens and cats are allergic to the supermarket brands, ie the wheat, corn and soy they put in them. You will know, because the kitten will have diarrhea or yellow poop that smells like hydrochloric acid. Don't give cow's milk. Also, use filtered or bottled water, not tap water. A cheap bottled water is fine.

It is no problem clipping the claws with human clippers; just hold them sideways on the claws. Bathing in the sink is no problem either.

Until the kitten is older, confine it at night to one room. They can't always get to the llitterbox on time.

Good luck, OP.

What a lovely thread full of lovely people. Especially you OP.

R96 ever try a WATER BOTTLE? on stream to the face? No becomes quite effective.

Every cat that I have ever owned has been a back yard stray.

I also leave food and fresh water for the neighborhood strays who stopped by regularly. I've made some very great (and very cute) friends.

And nobody's gonna stop me from carrying on my self designated mission .......... 🙅

R124 Royal Canin and Science diet are not ideal ingredient wise, and really only good if you need to use a prescription diet.

Wellness, natural balance limited ingredient dry are also good. Spoiling your cat with soft foods will take a toll on its teeth and then cleaning which effects kidneys. Just keep it simple.

Awwww OP, this warms the cockles of my heart. Much like the other poster who found a kitten a couple of years ago and kept him too.

"I found this Kitty" Episode II

" I found this kitty 2.0" which is actually a different thread than II:

Kitty threads buoy me up when I'm having a crap time at work. Thank you, cat lovers of DL.

I love (this) pussy!

Sweet cat. Looks male.. and gay. Probably a baby top.

Awww she loves you now OP. Sleeping soundly with a full belly, she worked this out quite well for the both of you.

Good for you, OP! And, as you are currently staycationing, you'll be better able to keep an eye on your kitten and help it get acclimated to its new surroundings. Be mindful, too, of the possible dangers for one so small -- pilot lights, electrical cords, loose window screens, etc. -- and use this time to kitten-proof your place and/or gently teach it what to stay away from.

I would also recommend an enclosure with room enough for sturdy food and water bowls, a small litterbox, and something to get cozy in, to keep her (him?) safe and secure when you can't be there to keep a watchful eye out. I had a metal cage meant for a large dog that I used to quarantine an injured kitten I took in, and it worked just fine, but the example shown at the link seems much more comfortable, and it looks like it is plenty easy to set up and take down (there does appear to be a mesh top that comes with it for containment of critters that climb).

Wishing you all the best in your upcoming adventure!

[quote]Spoiling your cat with soft foods will take a toll on its teeth and then cleaning which effects kidneys. Just keep it simple.

This is just completely and utterly moronic. What on earth would make you believe such a thing? Please tell me you don't actually own a cat.

Wet food is infinitely superior to dry food, especially for male cats which are prone to urinary blockages. The notion that dry food somehow "cleans the teeth" is absurd. Cats are obligate carnivores and therefore eat meat. They do not need corn, grains or other vegetables, all of which are found in cheap, carbohydrate-laden dry foods.

As any knowledgeable vet will tell you, the worst wet food is superior to the most expensive dry food when it comes to cats.

You can't sell a cat for $1.50. But there's always a lonely queen to suggest that they need a home gym and their own ipad, $200 food and twice a month trips to the vet. And of course R137 is correct. A can of friskies is better for their system than a 60 dollar bag of dry food. Times change. Cats don't live longer and no animal deserves human heroics. Those treats in a bag do all you can for their teeth. Don't do more. They want meat. No kidney flushing or cancer ops. Weirdos. Nobody feels anything when they're dead. Kill the thing when it gets sick and uncomfortable. Just feed it twice a day and play with the thing and give and receive what might be love. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. If you don't look as well cared for as a simple cat, you're doing life wrong. IF you have only enough emotional energy and reserve for a stray cat and its needs, keep it to yourself. You'll embarrass the cat.

I fostered a large number of kittens and volunteered for our shelter. I used to bathe ‘em if they were really a mess but found out it’s best not to until they’re older. 6 months or so. The flea comb is a good idea. The more time you spend grooming playing and feeding her the happier she’ll be. She’ll sleep a lot. And do take her to the vet.

Vet time and keep her. She's adorable.

Pussy update?

I've never met a cat who was embarrassed.

But I've met plenty of cat owners who were.

What are you going to name her, OP?

Lil Poopsie?

R136 Yes I did go on amazon and got her all sorts of kitty/ cat items and I did get a similar play pen for her, 45 inches in diameter so it's pretty big for him right now. I'm going to put her inside tonight actually.

Hi there, sorry I didn't get a chance to update yesterday, whew it's exhausting caring for a young kitten. Or should I say a young kitten with lots of energy, she loves playing after I feed her. Play consists of using her paws to push dog toys/ ball that I had from when I had my dog. We've already established a routine whereupon after she eat and her belly is full, she lays on her back and gets sleepy but still playful. I take the ball to tickle her belly, she then uses her hind paws to try to push the ball away. Anyways it usually ends with her rolling around playing with the ball or jumping high in the air before pouncing on it, Kitty attack tactics or whatever, it's super adorable.

Set up appointment to take "her" to the vet next week. I'm at a loss as to determining whether it's male or female, so I've been still calling it "her" because I first assumed that it's a female. I'll upload some photos maybe tomorrow. So far I've trimmed her claws, given her a bath, and is in the middle of training her to drink out of the bowl. I give her the water in a kitty bowl but all she does is look at it then dips her paw into the water. I guess it's an improvement over putting her entire paw inside it as she did the first couple of times.

She still won't drink water, instead she sees the bottle in the kitchen and meows for it, once she tried to climb up the counter trying to get to the kitten bottle! But good news is that she eats kitten canned paté food pretty well now, though she won't eat out of a bowl and instead preferring me to dole out a small portion at a time. It's really cute, when she's done and wants more, she just looks at me and meows, it's like I'm her personal butler or something. She uses the kitty litter okay, not perfect. One morning I found her sleeping inside the kitty litter with the litter shoved to the side (clumped with pee and poop). Why did she do that, anyone know?

I'm trying to decide between a covered kitty litter pan or a stainless steel one which apparently many people have said is odor-proof and easy to clean. Haven't thought of a name yet, I guess it's to be determined until I know if it's male or female. She's a sweet little rambunctious thing, she was cussing me out when I clipped her claws, but I did a tighter burrito roll and she did better. She's very smart too, when I greet her in the morning, she tracks me and intently looks at me as I prepare her breakfast. I think I've been converted into a cat person!

OP some cats actually drink by putting the water on their paws and then licking it. Just so you know.

Will you show us a video of her? I’m sure she’s so adorable when playing

My uncle and his wife hated cats. They are in their 50's now and found a stray. Long story- they kept it and freaking love it. My uncle is head over heels for the kitty. He said he has missed out on cats his whole life and regrets it. Now they have 3 cats! I tell you, I never in my life would have thought this would happen. They still love dogs but my uncle said he is officially a cat person and gets teary eyed when he thinks about almost giving her away.

OP, R148, I've told this story on DL before, but who cares? My (older, straight) brother is very much a dog person. One day, he came home from work during a downpour, and there was a kitty sheltering in his barbeque, crying piteously. He got it to come indoors, toweled it off, and they began a friendship. The problem is, my brother is extremely allergic to cats (we knew this from when we were kids). He wanted to keep it inside, but he finally did everything he could to accomadate (sp) the cat on his deck, to make a rain-free shelter, a litter box, and to feed it and give it water every day. He named it 'Oreo', since it was a tuxedo cat. One day, when he was coming home from work, the cat ran across the street to greet him, and he saw it get hit by a car. The cat managed to limp away, into the nearby woods. My poor brother was distraught, and we searched everywhere before we finally went out for dinner (as we had planned) and tried to figure out our next steps. When we got back home, Oreo was huddled under his deck, waiting for him. He took it to the 24 hour Vet right away, and I just left him alone so he could focus.

When he brought Oreo back, she had some injuries, but the vet gave him Rx drugs to give to the cat (it turned out to be a boy, not a girl like he thought). She slept a lot, and was very gentle, but eventually he recovered. That's when my brother realized he was too much for him to handle. I had to help him cat-proof his house, since his only experience was with dogs. He was desperate for me to adopt the cat, but I just can't right now: maybe once I retire, but I've got a full-time, demanding job right now that I can't afford to give up. He finally took it took a shelter, and they discovered the cat had been microchipped, and they ended up reuniting the cat with its original owner, who had been looking for it.

Anyway, when my brother and I are out and about, and he sees some kitty perched somewhere, or pacing along the street, he inadvertently says, "Hey, kitty!" in that little kid voice that so many of us use, without thinking. He got hooked on cats, late in his 50s. His allergies only allow him to enjoy them from a distance, but he totally 'gets' us now.

R148, feel good story!

Using human nail clippers is fine. I prefer the animal specific clippers as they are more ergonomic with the way I clip my cats. They're less than $4 so it's not a huge investment.

OP, you may want to provide a box for the kitten to curl up in. I volunteer and shelter cats will lay in their litter box when they're skittish and/or stressed. When they relax and feel safe, they stop laying in the litter box.

Also don't indulge into too many spoiling habits. Feeding her by spoon may be cute now, but do you want to do it for the next 18 years? Put the food in a plate or low bowl (some cats do not like high sided bowls that squish their whiskers), smear some along her mouth (the side, not from the front) to get her started. Make it food she loves. You don't want to have schedule your next decade so you spoonfed your cat.

Do NOT de-claw her, please!!

My ex was allergic to cats as well but he kept one anyway and eventually developed an immunity or they dissipated. He became able to have a cat full time without issues. He did use OTC and prescription allergy meds (he had to search for the right mix) plus he always toweled off the cat to keep his dander at bay as much as possible. He also did a few other things suggested to minimize allergies (like clean bedding often) and it seemed to work.

On another note, I still don't get why so many view having a cat as a female thing to do. The vast majority of females and gays I know have dogs only. The ones who seem to get cats are families.

I don’t know why I clicked to watch this thread. I’m a dog person.

Oh. And I’m a heartless bitch.

Post more pics, OP.

Please?

Aww I'm glad you're keeping him/her. Please get this toy, for his/her kicking tendencies- they won't take it out on your hand:

Male or female? Pick up the tail - one dot=male; two dots=female.

You're doing great, OP, but get to the vet sooner rather than later to deal with inevitable worming and flea treatment.

OP if this is an EST, well, you're forgiven. You will live a happy life with your kitty. Keep us updated!

It is obviously an EST.

God bless you, OP. You'll find that cats are full of love and sweetness.

That is one cute kitten. I have only adopted mature cats as most people want kittens. Older cats have a hard time getting adopted, so I do what I can to help them out. Older cats take some time to give their heart away a second time, but they eventually do. Patients is needed, My little Hermione took almost two years. Wishing you the very best with your infant kitten.

R160 Thank you for opening your heart and home to an older cat. I usually take in strays if I get a cat, kitten or an older one.

All the DL cat love is helping me not think about my depression.

I have gotten near 100 cats/kittens homes after being dumped or born to a feral mom. My ex is a teacher for a large school district so he would put the cats up for adoption on the district web page. I always met with the people and insisted they updated me on progress. Out of all of those cats, only one person stopped contact with me when they said things were not working out with the cat. Everyone else sent me photos of the cats growing up. I also TNR many ferals. Mind you, most of them were dumped off as kittens in the apartments next door to my neighborhood or abandoned when people moved.

R163 ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

R163,You help me forgive myself. A thousand years ago, we recognized St Francis of Assisi. Good people are important to the world..

I believe pets in general and in my case cats, make us all better people. Pets put their lives in our hands until they die and that is a trust we only experience with pets. When you know someone has a pet, you have a valuable insight into a good person. We are guardian angels for our pets.

Sorry I didn't update since a few days ago. The kitty is still doing well, I think she's close to weaning because she's taking kitty formula less and less, last night she only took half a bottle but gobbled up the kitten chicken and salmon paté. She still won't drink water so I have to dip both her paws, one at a time, into the water bowl so that she'll lick off the water. She doesn't mind me doing it and I figure she'll get some water that way plus help her learn how to clean herself which she's doing quite well already. She now eats about 1 full can of kitten paté a day spread out over 3 feeds, and I still give her formula 1-2 times a day.

For some reason even with all the toys I've bought for her, she still prefers the box, actually any box. She even prefers to nap inside the box sometimes. She'll get into the box and wait for me to put a toy in there, she'll entertain herself for a while scratching at the box and playing with the toy. She likes the dog toys as opposed to the cat toys I got her. When she gets tired, she'll walk up my body as I'm sitting or laying there with her, and she'll climb up to my ear or under my chin. Then she rests against me while purring, sometimes she'll rest a paw on my cheek. She'll purr like that for an hour sometimes. Also she's fascinated by my phone, every time I observe something funny that she's doing, I take out the phone to try to capture it, but as soon as she sees the phone she stops what she's doing and come over to try to get to the phone.

She's also quite a jumper and swatter. She jumps up and down with ease, and I've noticed that she also likes to sometimes stand on her hind legs like a bear and swat at my fingers or toys when I'm playing with her or swat at flaps on the box. She's also playfully biting me, is that something that I should be concerned about? I don't want to encourage her to bite even in play because in the future I'll likely get another cat and that cat won't appreciate rough play. Also I don't want her to be rough with other people who pet or play with her.

I'm taking her to the vet on Friday and to get her used to the carrier, I've put her inside my dog carrier which is bigger than the cat carrier I got for her. She of course being the jumper that she is, got up on top of the carrier and made herself at home. For some reason she loves being perched on top of the dog carrier.

I also managed to take a photo of kitty laying down on her back, the light colored-speck is a tiny piece of kitty litter stuck on her anus. Maybe you guys can help me figure out whether it's a girl or boy.

Looks like a boy, OP. Thanks for updating. You're doing great.

Thanks for the update. He/she looks so adorable 😍😍😍😍😍

Name it Poopsie!

It's natural for kittens to bite and scratch. Be gentle while discouraging the behavior.

My own cat was an adopted feral stray (about 5 weeks when I got him). I love him to death but he went through a long period of wild play where he'd want to wrestle my hands and arms. His tiny teeth and claws were so sharp I had cuts all the time. I should have had his claws clipped or learned to do it myself. Finally he outgrew that stage.

This link has some good tips.

This is a girl kittie, I see an urethra and a vagina and no balls. You gayboys are seeing dicks everywhere 😂

She's so sweet! It's great that you two are getting along and that you decided to keep her.

Fighting is a normal part of growing up. Normally, kittens fight among themselves and with their mama, but I guess you're the parent now!

Have you figured out a name yet?

Maybe you should find another stray or adopt another (older) kitten or cat so she has a playmate and can learn the proper socialization she's missing out on not being with a litter.

Young cats love to bite and claw each other in play, and it can get quite ferocious with growling and fighting. But they're just learning how to protect themselves against a real predator if the time comes, and they never go too far. Kinda like S&M for kitties.

I'm glad there are now 2 differing opinions on whether it's a girl or a boy. Now I don't feel too dumb for not figuring out myself. She just spent 2 hours laying on top of my chest and against a stuffed animal gray striped cat (looks kind of like her but bigger) that I got for her in case she gets lonely when sleeping. She does love to bite to get my attention to play or when she needs something, like food or be let into the litter box. I've bought this top-down entry litter box that I'm trying to teach her how to use, I figure since she loves jumping so much she'd have no problem using it.

I have some ideas for names both girl and boy names. For a boy I was thinking something like Dumbledore, and for a girl I was thinking Mimzy. But I'm open to suggestions!

R177 Name the kitty whatever feels right. Kitty is adorable!

For a girl: Vivian Vance For a boy: The Damon Butt

You probably don't want to let her bite and scratch you, even while playing. Right now, she's tiny and can't do much damage but, when she gets adult claws and teeth, it will hurt. If she starts, just say NO. Don't use her name when reprimanding her because you don't want her to associate her name with being reprimanded. You want her to associate positive things with her name or she will flinch every time you call her.

Kittens play bite. They grow out of it. Just be gentle.

That’s a beautiful little girl. Imo! OP you’re doing everything right so far including a box she can retreat to. I managed to lose track of a whole big litter of kittens one day (fell asleep snuggling with them) and when I awoke they had disappeared. Found them under an end table all crammed together in a mass like seeds in a milkweed pod or scales on a fish. Kittenhood is a magical time and you are so blessed for saving this one!

Never habitue a kitten to your hands as toys. Definitely play with them and let them bite and scratch but not your hands. Always a toy. It's cute when they nibble your fingers as a tiny kitten. Not so cute when they're full grown.

Cats on wet food don't drink much or any water at all. They get enough from the canned food. My cats eat canned food primarily with kibble snacks. I add water to their canned food (1:1 food/water) to compensate for the kibble snacking. They never drink water, though I make sure to have a bowl available. My cat sitters note my cats drink water when I'm away because then they only get one canned food feeding daily and eat more kibble.

If you can afford it, OP, consider getting one of these Snuggle Kitty's for the kitty. It simulates a heartbeat and comforts/soothes young kittens. Many people couple it with a heatpack so they can feel like they're snuggling with their moms.

Too cute.

She is so cute, and you're adorable, OP. If you want her to have more fluids, try putting an eyedropper of water into the wet food. They will drink water when they're thirsty. I have a 15 year old boy cat with kidney issues and he drinks all.the.time.

One way to stimulate a cat to drink more water is to buy one of those little fountains for cats. They're not expensive but not every animal takes to them

R186 and you have to make sure to clean them thoroughly every few days. Depending on where you live and the climate, you might have to wash it out every two days or so. Otherwise it builds up a slimy film that is toxic for cats.

OP, make sure you use low mineral bottled water, not tap water or high mineral bottled water like Badoit.

Filtered water might be ok.

[quote]OP, make sure you use low mineral bottled water, not tap water or high mineral bottled water like Badoit.

r188, is San Pellegrino low or high mineral?

SP is frizzante (effervescent), so no cat would drink it. I use the cheap stuff from Lidl, but have used Volvic. Sorry, I don't know about non-European bottled water. I do know that hard water, ie, if you have calcium deposits on your kettle, will fuck up your cat's kidneys BAD. Just read the label. If sodium and calcium are low two digits, it's fine. High mineral water is in the hundreds.

I used to leave out a water fountain but my cats hardly drank from it as they got enough moisture from their canned food. I would have continued to use it, especially for when I travel, but yeah, the hassle of keeping it clean is daunting. It builds up slime pretty quick.

It's easier to hydrate my cats with canned food.

What's wrong with you people? It's a fuckin' cat. I knows how to eat and drink. If you must turn on the faucet and let the cat drink. Or try different types of cat formula from the vet.

Because we want what's best for our kitten, that's why.

If a kitten has teeth, she should be transitioned to solid food. Water, no milk ever for a cat.

If a kitten isn't pooping, you do what the mother cat would do - massage her abdomen. It'll happen.

Playful? Kittens are crazy rambunctious. That's why I'll only adopt an adult cat if I do it.

"They will drink water when they're thirsty."

I had to trick the two less than an month old kittens I found and raised 30 years ago, they were not interested in drinking from the water dish. So I put an ice cube on the floor and they were VERY interested in that. Put the ice cube in their water dish and they started drinking from it. Very young cats need to be guided when there is no mother - that's your job OP.

Mimzy is an adorable name, regardless of gender. Whenever s/he wants to use her mouth or nails, gently extricate yourself and substitute a toy in its place by distracting them with it.

Dunno, I think kitty might be a male, based on this photo:

Thanks R196, LOL I think it's my tendency for overthinking things that I keep going back and forth whether it's a girl or boy. This is the better photo so if any of you guys want to take a stab at it.

A funny thing happened today when I was playing with her/ him. She of course loves her box so I put it next to me when playing with her. I also tried to have her play with the stuffed animal cat that I got her, which she's taken to right away. But this afternoon I found her licking the stuffed cat's butt, then she proceeded to lick my shoulders as she laid on my chest. Afterwards she went back to lick the stuffed cat's butt again. This is alternating with rambunctious play inside and outside the box with various toys.

MAYBE THE CAT DOESN"T WANT TO HAVE A PRONOUN!!!!!

"Whenever s/he wants to use her mouth or nails, gently extricate yourself and substitute a toy in its place by distracting them with it."

Cats NEED to scratch for the health of their claws, R196. Modern scratching posts are good and required:

OP, your thread is one of the only bright spots in this miserable, hate-filled world in which we live these days. And it reminds me how grateful and lucky I am to have my sweet, gunny, and sassy girls. Thank you.

That’s a boy. I’d bet money on it.

I grew up in the country in south Texas. We used to make tamales out of stray kittens. They were delicious. 😋

Just can't understand why anyone would say don't let the cat outside. Try watching the world through a window for a month and then tell me what is so good about it. If you couldn't do it why you think your cat should. Stupid people who do not understand that the needs of animals are not different from humans. The cat has obiously chosen you OP and that's the best scenario. You can have the best friend in the World, the love of your life. This is coming from someone who never wanted any pets, but got involved with a cat needing a home and after 3 days could not imagine living without it. I have had my cat for 7 wonderful years, never loved anything more and treated her as my equal. Like every cat she loved being outside during the day and I would not even think otherwise. And the love I gave her, she gave back in so many ways. Unfortunately she has passed away 6 months ago and I still find myself crying sometimes. Since your cat is a kitten, you most likely have got many years to enjoy her company. Rest assured, if you decide to keep her, you will never regret it.

r203 It is deeply irresponsible to allow a cat outdoors, unsupervised. Period. They are perfectly fine indoors with the right toys and play time with their adult parents. If the cat wants to be outside, perhaps it is to get away from their adult parents.......

[quote]Just can't understand why anyone would say don't let the cat outside.

Because we have more than one fucking species on this fucking planet and your one single precious species is decimating them like crazy, you selfish cunt.

Jesus Christ, have you people had biology at school at all? Trash people who can't look past their own nose is exactly what's wrong with this world. Bird populations are getting wiped out globally because r203 can't get beyond their infantile urge of ascribing their own perception of the world and their own emotions onto a fucking CAT. They're pets, not people.

IF you had kept your cat indoors, he would've lived at least twice as long than a mere 7 years.

If cats are PETS, you don't let them fucking outside unless they're on a lease. I let mine out - in 1984, not today. Fuck nature, these animals are pets, not wild. Learn to play with them INSIDE, they'll be fine. Cats that have been raised inside are actually afraid of going out. R205, you're an insane asshole spreading horseshit.

I mean insane asshole R203, not 205.

"Unfortunately she has passed away 6 months ago..."

PASSED AWAY? It's AN ANIMAL, It died. I can't fucking stand this religious "passed away" shit with humans, let alone a damned cat. Get a fucking grip, R203, it died.

OP, i'm so heartened that you took in the kitty. I've had a lot of cats over the course of my life, and they were all strays. They were always older, though, so I never had the joy of having a young kitten. Just a few random comments: Cats don't really like to drink water the way dogs do, so you have to feed them at least some canned cat food for them to hydrate. Almost none of my cats have ever played with the toys I bought them. They would almost rather play with a bottle cap that fell, or a piece of paper, or...anything. I stopped buying cat toys years ago. Breeze is a great litter system. You just leave the pee pad in the bottom, and only have to replace once a week or so. One of my cats would sleep in any box or bag that was available; cats like hiding in caves like that. And, finally, cats are the best. Good luck to you and yours.

Such a cute pussy.

r203. In my neighborhood, Waze has made my street a major thoroughfare. 2 cats and 1 dog has died due to hit and runs.

Drown it. I’ll do it for you if you like. x

It's not safe for cats outside. In the US, the coyote population has spread from Alaska to Florida and a researcher has identified the contents of their diet (via analysis of their feces) to be 25 pc cat. Really! In Europe, we have foxes, wild boars and other animals which carry rabies. plus there are cars, poisons like anti-freeze left in garages, cruel children, dogs, aggressive cats....all things which spell disaster for your cat. Also, when a cat gets sick, its' natural tendency is to hide itself away, and so your cat may do this if allowed outside. You may never see it again.

I always arrange to live in a place with a terrace or cat-proof garden, and my cats are out there with me. They do need and love to be out in the fresh air, with all the stimulation that provides.

Indoor cats are very vulnerable to being poisoned by cut flowers and common house plants, the majority of which are toxic. Outdoor cats are not, because they have access to grass to chew.. So you must get a list of toxic plants and flowers and keep them out of your house.

Whether they're let outside or not depends on the safety of where you live.

I intended to keep my crazy boy stray kitten inside but by the time he was six months it became impossible. By then he had trampled all my houseplants to death and just had so much wanton energy we finally let him out into the back yard. It was hilarious. It's a good sized yard the the first time he did nothing but run back and forth along the width of it before running up and down each side yard. We brought him back in and began letting him out supervised each day. He soon began wandering around the neighborhood and it was alarming to see him sometimes three blocks from home.

He always came in at night, though, and we live in a quiet neighborhood with very little car traffic. Now, at age 12, he mostly stays in our yard and always comes in at night. He's also in and out during the day. I'm retired so I can accommodate this. But I know people who live on the edges of woods or heavy traffic and the risks to the cats are too great to let them out.

So did he keep it? Tell ALL

I always supervise my cat when she goes out in the back field. She understands the command "inside" since she heads back when I say it.

My rescue cat turned out to be so much trouble I had to let him out, no, I did not want to but he seems happy outside. I still feed him, he does not hunt.

R212, Sometimes, your posts horrify me. i know you're British, and are younger than me (at least, that's what you've told us). I really hope you aren't meaning some of your posts. I remember you called my country a 'shithole country', but I've had no control over where I happened to be born. I'm a relatively genial older (57) American. If you need a friend, I'll try to be one. if you don't feel that's okay, I will, too (I can't make it anything else, right?).

Go have a lie down, R212. My tongue is firmly in my cheek at all times. It's a British thing. x

When I lived in the city I had a beautiful brown tabby indoor cat in a large house but on a busy street. My clever father built her a cat deck off an upper window when she was a large kitten. It was the cutest thing. She would sunbathe out there on her little deck placed above large shrubberies. One day, shortly before she was to be fixed, she disappeared from the deck. I looked outside and there was a large cat (I assumed to be male) looking into the shrubbery where I found her unharmed. Got her fixed and there were no more problems.

OP -- you don't need to get another cat, as others have said. As long as you keep your cat engaged and pay attention to her, she does not need another playmate. Cats are not pack animals in the way that dogs are, and they don't tend to form bonds with other cats in the household. I have two cats now, and they barely pay attention to one another.

There are variables, R221. And it was pointed out above not for "playmate," reasons but for reasons like learning how to properly socialize as well as learning its cat behaviors (which are learned from its mother and littermates). Your cats might not need each other but it is entirely dependent on how old your cats were when they were weaned from its family. The kitten in OPs post sounds like it was separated from its family a little too early.

I don't know anything about cats, but is it really that difficult to determine a kitten's gender?? It seems hard to believe.

Have you named your pussy?

The best cat toy, IMO, is a feather on a stick. They will play and jump around for the feather for a loooooong time.

Some good tips in the video posted on this thread:

Yeah, R222, but I've had litter mates that were adopted at two weeks old. As adults they went their own ways, and only one of them was very attached to a me. I've heard of situations where they are attached to each other and avoid humans except at meal time. There are no set rules.

R223, I've never hard difficulty determining gender of kittens. That sounds like it comes from those idiots who change the little box once a month and wonder why the house smells.

My guy LOVES this toy:

Just because you in a town doesn’t mean there aren’t coyotes living in your neighborhood.

I live on the edge of my town and we can hear them howling and yipping at night. Quite the distinct sounds.

New title for this thread: "Adorable Tiny Helpless Kitten Adopted By Sweet Pushover Gay Man. Kitten Now Runs Household"

"Is that a problem?"

OP is pussy whipped.

It took R233 200+ posts to come up with that!

Whats the latest with your furry angel? I believe she had a doctor's appointment on Friday and I haven't read the results. I so hope she's in good health and free of Cat-HIV. She's absolutely adorable and I would be depressed majorly if there are complications in her short life. I love her story of having picked you for her parent, then getting scared when you tried to pick her up and dashing beneath a car. Cats, kitties, kittens all make my life bearable. People don't have time for me anymore now that I'm quite old and rightly considered a bother. My Cat is the center of my life, I've even set up an endowment for her if I "bite the big one." Wishing you and yours a happy evening...

well, even the sweetest and most innocent threads on datalounge get invaded by priicksters, so I am not all that surprised. mostly though, this thread has been almost as human and non- negative as some of the really good music threads. I hope your kitten and you are doing fine, OP.

R235. DL has a sort of a Pantheon. Of course, we worship Joan Crawford, Judy Garland and Bette Davis. But most DLers worship the men and women who shelter little animals, especially cats and dogs. I automatically give everyone a pass when they tell me they love a pet. One of our most notorious trolls has a small dog, and when she mentions the little dog, I just can't hate her. I hate that you feel alone, honestly. But you're really not alone. The men and women who look after dogs and cats shine in our firmament. We all wear a tiara of the saints, and the men and women who care for our helpless friends remind me that we have more work to do, and we always need to try harder. R235, you're already doing exactly what God intended.

R235, can you elaborate on your endowment for your cat? I hope I outlive my cats but I think about what will become of them should I go first. They would likely go back to the rescue I adopted from and at which I volunteer. I have seen enough cases of returned senior cats sitting in cages once again when their owners have passed. It's depressing all around. My family won't and couldn't care for my cats. My friends have zero interest and/or are allergic. My cat friends--I have two who take care of my cats when I travel but they have their own brood of cats and can't take on anymore.

I would gladly donate to/endow an organization that takes on owner-died cats and let them live out their lives comfortably. I just don't know any in my area.

R237, I love your post.

R235 and R236 Thank you for your lovely posts, I too have always had a soft spot for animals especially strays. But like I said, I've always been a dog person until now, and the other day I found myself singing to her (yes she's a girl!) and I'm surprised at how much I love her. I've decided to name her Luna because there was a nearly full moon out at 2am that night when I found her. Here's the full story of how I got her, which I bypassed in my post. I went outside to get some cool, fresh air (well as cool as Austin could get in late summer heat) at 2am since I couldn't sleep. About 2 blocks of walking I heard a series of loud meows, first I thought I was hearing things but then the sounds became louder. I look down and see a scurrying tiny kitten run to me then quickly dart back around the other way, walking parallel to the sidewalks and onto the lawn of a house. I approached the scared little kitten and when I got closer I could see that she too was freaked out by the grass where she was sitting. She then ran under the parked car as I got to where she was sitting, and I could see why she was freaked out, there were some fire ants ready to bite her and she got out of that situation just in time.

She was hiding under the car and still meowing loudly, loud enough to wake up the dog from inside the house who started barking loudly. Then the lady who lived there came outside to see what the commotion was about. I, embarrassingly only wearing a t-shirt and casual shorts (didn't expect to look presentable at 2am walking in the neighborhood) waved at her and said "I was walking by and saw a little kitten who ran under your car, she'll die if she's left out here tonight. Would you mind to grab her and hand her to me? I'll see to it that she's okay." I guess I looked non-threatening enough that she approached me and we talked a little bit. She said she didn't own any cats and that her neighbors didn't own any either. The lady actually let me go under the car to get the kitten. For all her trouble of running away from me, she didn't struggle and let me hold her when we walked back to my condo. I wiped her off with wet cloth and put her inside a box while I went back to look for possibly more kittens, I thought maybe her litter mates were in the same predicament. But no signs and after about another hour and a half I went back home.

There was an emotional void from not having a pet and I'd never raised a kitten before (though we've had family cats growing up), so maybe that's why? But I absolutely love her and shudder to think of her being taken by coyotes that night when she darted out of nowhere meowing loudly in confusion and fear. I don't know what happened to her litter mates, though I'd imagine nothing good as she was already starved/ dehydrated and kind of dirty when I found her. Will now try to keep an eye out for possible strays in our neighborhood.

Luna is healthy and very playful and rambunctious, still doing her best imitation of a bear when she stands up on her hind legs to play-swat with me when I'm holding a toy trying to play with her. But she has her sleepy moments too when she'll come up to my chest or shoulders and nap. She purrs quite a lot when she's laying against me. Growing so quickly too, every day I see that she's grown a bit and she's probably put on just slightly under 300 grams or so since I got her about 2.5 weeks ago.

Should I have her spayed sooner rather than later? I'd heard from an ex who has cats that it's better to do it sooner because the cats stay more in the kitty mindset than that of a grown cat. Is that true?

Luna is a great name! Soon you'll be signing your posts "Luna's Dad." For a domestic shorthair, spaying at 6 months is fine. Four months is the absolute soonest it can be done. How did the vet visit go? Flea or worm treatment? Tests for fIV/FLV?

Really hope she's going to be an indoor kitty.

R238 is the reason I have decided that once I hit a certain age, I will not adopt or have any more pets...

I have seen too many stories about poor animals whose owners pass away and their cold, heartless, families, just dump off on the street (not even bothering to take them to a shelter or pound). It absolutely breaks my heart that people do that and thinking about the sadness, despair, and confusion the poor pet must feel not understanding that its owners are gone and why they're being left to their own devices. I get physically ill thinking about that (I know, Mary!).

I've thought about leaving a sizable amount of my estate to someone who will be responsible for caring for any pets I might have, but I still have my doubts that any pets would be well taken care of by anyone and instead that they'd just do it to cash in on a couple of million dollars.

R242, you don't have to leave millions of dollars for a pet's care, but enough to cover food, vet care, and other incidentals plus a generous amount of your choosing to show your appreciation to the person who takes the pet. Then leave the rest to a worthy and deserving pet rescue and care agencies (or other caring charities) in your area.

It's better to give a homeless pet a happy home for as long as you can then to leave them to languish in a shelter or, worse, euthanized. I would imagine you could even work with a pet rescue to find a good home for your pet if it comes with an allowance for its care. There is probably already legal precedent, talk to your estate attorney.

I know, R243, I was essentially illustrating that my concern would be someone volunteering to take care of the animal only to just take the cash and run.

Money does a funny thing to people. Or rather, money makes a funny thing come out in people.

Speaking of which, similar situation in the article below, which talks about a man who was left a sum in his Aunt's will to take care of her pets and he took the cash and dropped the pets off at a shelter. People are horrendous assholes. The article also mentions an organization that will take your pet in and take care of it and guarantees that they will find a home for your pet if you name the organization in your will.

I know, R244, people can be horrendous assholes, we see it every day in the news. Really, there is no guarantee to what will happen to our pets and estates after we're gone but we can try to cover all the bases as best we can while we're still in this world.

If you're reluctant to adopt, perhaps your local shelter has a program like ours where you can visit and cuddle shelter cats while they're waiting for new homes. I know people who do it but I must say, they are known to break down and adopt, too.

Any cat I would own would live til at least 20, with the lavish care I bestow on my cats. But I am not sure I will live 20 more years or more likely, not be able to provide the vet tech level care I have always provided. For this reason, I have not gotten another cat. For the time being, we are fostering kittens.

R245, I have a long way to go before I hit the age where I'll stop adopting a pet. When that time comes, I will figure out how to dedicate my time/efforts towards some sort of Animal care. I have been thinking lately of putting that money I wrote about earlier that I would have given to someone to take care of my pets towards starting some sort of shelter for those animals who are abandoned by the illness or death of their owners and/or for Senior pets who can't seem to get adopted.

R240, TALK TO THE VET about spaying, not us. And like babies, kitten need a lot of sleep. Don't interrupt her. Sleeping is one of adult cats favorite activities too. Get a cat instruction book!

R241 She got the FIV/ FeLV tests and got her 1st series of core and non--core cat vaccines, the vet thinks she's about 7 weeks old. I took a stool sample for testing too but she did get her first deworming treatment on Friday. She also had ears cleaned and treated for ear mites, the tech said it's pretty much guaranteed that stray kittens have ear mites. Now it makes sense that Luna was scratching her ears when cleaning herself.

OP, I'm more convinced than ever that you and Luna were meant to be together, after reading your update. And I think Luna is the perfect name for her.

Yayy Luna! Yayy OP! It warms the cockles of my shriveled black tarry heart to hear your story. Please enjoy Luna's kittenhood for as long as you can- they grow up so fast.

OP when are you starting Luna's IG account?

Make sure you link it here.

There are many on fixed incomes and/or disability who are housebound who'd love to have a kitty companion of any age but cannot afford it. Leaving even a small amount of money in your will to cover food and future vet bills guarantees your 4-legged baby will be matched with a 2nd wonderful home.

How much did all that set you back, OP? I think earmites are unlikely, because cats who have them have very distinct, agitated symptoms, extreme head-shaking etc. Also vets where I live (Europe) do not do lab tests of stool samples for worms; they just give a vermifuge tablet to a kitten or cat that hasn't been treated. This must be repeated 2 weeks later.

But it sounds like you can afford all this so your new kitten is a lucky girl.

It's not uncommon for cats to have itchy, dirty ears and not have a live earmite infection. The earmites are gone but the cat may have an infection from all the crap left behind by the earmites. After Banfield recommended a 3rd earmite test to see why my cat still had itchy dirty ears, I went to an old school vet for a 2nd opinion. He told me the above and prescribed an over the counter ear cleaner, but I had to be persistent in cleaning my cat's ears 2x daily for 2 or 3 weeks (it was ten years ago). The duration was to thoroughly clean the ears and not allow the detritus to perpetuate. My cat hated the cleanings but sure enough, her ears cleared up permanently. If we had stuck with Banfield, we'd probably still be getting earmite tests and applying medication for non-existent earmites.

Sending you and Luna, Love and positive vibes.

Any serious flea treatment should also take care of eatmites. Then you just have to clean them with some oil on a cotton swab.

R257 you should never stick cotton swabs in a cat's ear. You risk more damage to them by doing that.

I just heard on the radio that there's a traffic delay on the 101 because someone threw a live cat out the window while driving.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?

If you can't find a stray kitten you can call your own, and you live in So. Cal., pawworks has some extremely cute kittens (and cats).

The innocence of baby animals has always been heart breaking to me. So many die without ever really having been loved.

That person better have been fucking ARRESTED R259!

I work with a rescue group almost every weekend, R261, and it can be especially difficult. The kittens are tough but the real tearjerkers for me are the older, senior cats who get discarded because they become ill or their owner dies or people just bizarrely decide one day that they don't want the cat anymore . Someone that the cat has depended and trusted for years then just discards them and I can't imagine how confusing and sad that must be to them. This is why I always encourage people to adopt senior kitties.

I heart you, r263. I really, really, really heart you. And all of the rest of you in this thread who practice pointless kittery.

From everything you've described, it sounds like the poor thing was abandoned. That would explain the thinness. I'm currently fostering a cat my friend found in Brooklyn. The cat would show up at the entrance to her building every night and she would feed him. She took him in and I offered to foster, but only after the cat had been checked-out , as I already have a cat and dog. Turns out the little thing is FIV+ and it looks like the tip of his ear was cut off. Don't just drop the cat at a shelter. If the cat is FIV+, it will be euthanized. I've already decided to adopt him. No way I'm risking him going to a shelter of any kind. I simply don't believe some of these no-kill and rescue places.

Take the cat to a shelter to be checked-out. It likely ate something while on the street. Just please don't leave it at a shelter.

" and it looks like the tip of his ear was cut off."

R265, that's commonly done to feral cats who have been trapped and spayed/neutered and returned to their habitat. No need to cry over it. In addition, a shelter sucks, but the street is worse.

This is Luna a couple of nights ago, she gets very hyper at night and wants to play or run around. So I have to put her inside the X-large pet pen that I got her. I put the pen which is in the spare utility room, she doesn't like bright lights so I dim the room to suit her. Problem with the zip-up pet pen (45" x 45" x 24") is that she's super smart and figured out how to open the zipper, or at least she almost succeeded when I accidentally left a slightest portion unzipped. I come back to find her head peeking out of the flap.

About the strays in my neighborhood, I've noticed what seems to be a stray but its ears are not clipped. I tried giving it food and water about a week now, and the cat seems disinterested and very jumpy. I see the cat almost every night and at odd hours of the night, and also during the daytime where she's more adept at hiding. But when I go outside she's mostly hanging out at same spot. She's on the thin side and yet she doesn't eat much or barely at all when I try feeding her. Should I try taking the cat to the no-kill shelter? I'm concerned as the cat seems to have gotten thinner. I'm going to ask around the neighborhood to see if by any chance it's their cat, which is awful if it is since that means they leave the cat out all the time even during 105 degree weather.

In this video, sorry for poor quality, she climbs to the top of the litter box and has a crazy expression on her face. She then jumps down from the litter box like a lunatic.

Sorry here's her jumping down from the litter box. This isn't even her at her most hyper, I'm beginning to think Luna has kitty ADHD

Don't tell me the other stray is Luna's mother looking for her lost kitty!

OP, I think the better people on this thread will respond soon. I feed stray cats, and so far, I've never had any success getting them to trust me, and I'm worried about the winter.

R270, That would be the most epic DL outcome! I really hope it's not true. Let's just hope that stray kitty finally gets a home.

R270 No, it's not Luna's mother, this cat I've seen before for some time maybe about a year or so, and no she/ he wasn't pregnant or lactating. I'd just never given much thought about it thinking it's someone's cat that they keep outdoors. But with my recent experience, I've began to keep open eyes out for strays, and I've noticed this cat more often because she's out all the time and getting thin, her ears aren't clipped. I have a neighbor in my condo who also keeps a cat that used to be a stray indoor/ outdoor. That one I call Clip Ear because he's a black cat with clipped years from being trapped and neutered then released. My neighbor said she took him in after taming him. So now I'm thinking of all these possible strays in my neighborhood and it's really sad to think about upcoming winter.

Oh no! This kitten has become a gateway drug! Op is becoming a cat lady!

OP, there have been some other members here who given wonderful advice, about leaving a garage door half open, for example, to give the cats shelter during the winter. There was one guy who explained how to construct an amazing 'Original Peoples' oil lamp that would provide heat. I'd be happy to host the stray cats on my porch. Unfortunately, I recently had to admit to having an animal control company trap raccoons that tore a hole in my roof. It's been very hard for an animal lover like me. And even harder for them, of course. I don't forget that. OK, DL, I think OP has saved this amazing beautiful and charming tiny kitten! How do we help him with his stray cat? I have many of them, and their little cute faces pop around the corner when they hear me opening a can of food for them. It's fricken 90 degrees, but we'll down to zero in a couple of months, and those poor skinny cats can't live through that.

OP, Normal for growing kittens to be very active at night. Once they're fixed they then turn into lazy cats that sleep all the time.

If people have a lot of strays in their neighborhood and have the space for it, they can set up temporary housing that will keep them warm through winter. I've seen some DIYs on YT that involve styrofoam coolers, blankets, heating pads, etc.

I established a night time routine right after adopting my cats 10 years ago. Before I go to bed, we have a play session to burn energy. Then they get a big serving of canned food. Get them tired, put them into a food coma. I don't know if this is the sole reason, but my cats leave me all night. It helps I'm a deep sleeper. I can count on two hands the number of times they have waken me during the night. When they were younger, they were getting a little annoyed with each other and sometimes would get into slapping fights in my bed.

[quote]When they were younger, they were getting a little annoyed with each other and sometimes would get into slapping fights in my bed.

R277, You have the best problem of all to have.

"I'm beginning to think Luna has kitty ADHD"

OP, you are fucking crazy, Kittens (like all children) are insane, get used to it.

R278, my sister cats have DL vicious level slapping fits. I feel bad but I can't help but laugh sometimes. You can hear the slaps land on flesh.

Alas, they're getting older and I see fewer slap fests nowadays.

OP, you sound like such a sweetheart. Stray cats do not live to an old age. Males live 2 years, females to 3, from what I've read. If this stray is thin, it is very likely due to a worm infestation. A recently abandoned cat can be older, but they do not last long on the street for all the sad reasons mentioned above.

How long do you plan to keep your kitten penned at night? I think you are missing out. Having your cat sleep on your bed is one of the great joys of pet ownership.

Here's something you can consider - get a cat toilet training kit. No more smelly itter trays; if your girl proves to be clever.

What an adorable lil pooper! The videos are cute.

OP, what great videos! Luna is adorable -- there aren't many things more sweetly funny to watch than a kitten reconnoitering and then pouncing on real (toys) or imagined (air) prey.

She seems quite happy and secure bouncing around in her pen, and I imagine it must give you peace of mind to know her tiny self isn't getting into anything dangerous while you're not able to keep a watchful eye out.

"Here's something you can consider - get a cat toilet training kit. No more smelly itter trays"

How about CLEANING the litter box? Cat training to a toilet is absurd and doesn't work most of the time. Plus your cat may act out and cause other problems like peeing in the wrong places.

As for the cat slap fights R280, those cats need more activity. If they were more active they wouldn't take their energy out on each other.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that my three cats sleep in our bed at night. They've done so since they were first kittens and were rescued. They each have a small dog bed that sits on our California King. When my partner and I get out of the shower at night and stand at the sink brushing our teeth they know that it's bedtime. They run from wherever they are and make a mad dash for the bed. They each get one treat, which is just a single piece of Instinct Ultimate Protein dry food (they eat wet food, Rawz brand so dry is a real treat for them) and then they get in their dog beds and curl up. On weekends, or if we're in a mood to spoil them, they might get two or three pieces each. We watch this though because we want to keep them as healthy as possible. I can't imagine losing one of them.

There's absolutely nothing in this world more comforting and more peaceful than waking up in the middle of the night, reaching over and petting their fur, only to hear them begin to purr with contentment.

A bit of advice, OP. Get your kitten used to having its teeth brushed and do this for him at least every other day. Every day is really ideal. This will help not only his dental health, but his overall health remarkably. My vet says it's really one of the very best things you can do for your pet.

Oh wait until she gets into her Tasmanian Devil phase- she'll parkour everywhere and stick to walls, fabric, anything, and then parkour some more.

I have 3 cats (one was my father's- I took him in when my father became to0 ill to take care of him), which is 1 cat more than what I would have liked. But he's a 15 year old Melanistic Bengal (which is basically an expensive black cat), and nobody is going to adopt a senior black cat. I love kittens, but as a poster upthread stated, they'll always get adopted. So I adopt adults.

I'm so happy you've adopted her OP, you'll have a lovely time in winter when she'll go into snuggly phase- she'll be your warming blanket everywhere.

Squeeeee! She’s a mighty hunter, OP!

R275 My cat is STILL active at night and she's almost 2 years old! It annoys me and ruins my sleep. Still love her though.

^ that's because she slept all day when you were at work

Cats are nocturnal and will be up during the night.

But they sleep for about 20 hours a day, so it should not be too troublesome.

Some people have installed cat cams in their home, and it turns out that indoor cats do indeed sleep all day. Outdoor cats and feral cats which have been fitted with collar cameras lead a much more active life, however. Much of that involves maintaining and avoiding various cat territories.

[quote] feral cats which have been fitted with collar cameras lead a much more active life, however. Much of that involves maintaining and avoiding various cat territories.

Not to mention they're spending all that time they should be sleeping on high alert trying not to be eaten.

Cutest toddler kitten! I've only had one kitten, and Mom and Dad really adored him, so I gave him to my Dad to keep him active as long as possible. I think Dad lived an extra ten years because of Gus. Best decision I ever made.

Hey OP, how is Luna doing?

The little bean! How about a new pic? They change so fast when they're that young. She seems absolutely adorable. Good for you OP for being open enough to allow that you might (yikes) become a cat person. Believe me, she will repay you in love and adoration for a lifetime.

OP, thank you for adopting your little girl, Luna, and giving me faith in humanity, again. It keeps happening despite myself.

My matigot girl is my absolute joy. Like a lot of people here, I know older cats are harder to adopt and she'd been in the shelter for quite some time. I had no choice. She claimed me with a head bump and kept all the other kitters away the whole time I was there. Smartest little being with fur I've ever encountered and more loving than most human beings.

Thanks, also, to everyone talking about leaving something behind to care for our friends. I've called my lawyer and spoke with several younger relatives about it. It wasn't on my radar before. Thanks again, DL.

Quick update. Luna is doing well and she's not a baby anymore, kittens grow so fast but maybe it's because she was so little and helpless when I got her. Still rambunctious and very curious. She's been sleeping with me at night but also sleeps in her pen too because she likes to, she'll meow to be let inside the pen to sleep sometimes. When she sleeps with me, she either lays next to my neck or next to my feet. Loves to play with my feet for some reason, and she also likes to bite or chew on my gym shorts. I think she likes the texture of those shorts. Luna loves to watch me brush my teeth too, she makes it a point to observe me doing that, she gets very focused and cocks her head to the side when watching me brush my teeth. I've bought kitty toothbrush and toothpaste, will try to brush her teeth soon.

Luna likes to play tag-and-go-seek. She'll come up to my forehead and tap it with her paw, waiting for me tp try to quickly grab her it before running away. She'll do that several times in a row sometimes. She picked up fleas after I let her out on a leash around the grounds of the condo last week, there are a lot of pets and animals like raccoons that come out at night. I had to give her a bath with flea shampoo, found about 5-6 dead fleas on the towel during the bath after drying her.

Bad quality, short clip of me bathing Luna, she's the calmest animal that I'd ever bathed, much better than all of the dogs I'd owned. Didn't try to jump off and I think she even likes water because she got very relaxed during the bath. I'm bathed her in a large steel pan from Europe, I think they use it to make stews. But next time I'll bathe her in a sink or a pet basin that I just got.

I'm so glad that you were able to give this precious girl a home. I absolutely love cats myself. Lots of luck to you.

Thanks for the update, OP, and the photos and video. Luna is such a gorgeous little girl, and you're going to have such a nice life together. One of the odd things about our relationships with cats: the other domestic animals are animals that we chose to live with us. Cats are different: they chose to live with us. They domesticated us. That's one of the reasons there are people who have such conflicted feelings about them. You have to think about that, if you let your cats outdoors with other people. I know it varies, in different areas, but be careful about having an outdoor cat (I prefer that, but have learned not to trust that).

Warning about fleas: Once they get into your house, they're extremely difficult to get rid of. It's best to keep kitty inside.

R302 Good to know, and I'll be using preventative measures when I take Luna outside on a leash. But yes she'll be an indoor cat except for leashed outings. I found out about the stray cat that I was worried about and who was noticeably losing weight. I went out to try to feed it today and the cat's owner (I use that term loosely) saw me. He said that yes his cat looks like a stray because he keeps her as an outdoor cat and as a mouser. He lives in a duplex that he owns and rents out the other unit, he said they had problems with rats so that's why he got the cat. His dog and bird live inside the house but not the poor cat. I mentioned that the cat has been looking skinnier lately, and he told me that he'd noticed it too. I also told him that I'd seen the cat drink out of dirty water from the curb sometimes, and he said something to the effect of cats will be cats. Ugh.

Do you LOCK HER IN THAT CRATE or is her choice to be locked in????

[quote]Warning about fleas: Once they get into your house, they're extremely difficult to get rid of. It's best to keep kitty inside.

That's good advice from R302! If additional treatment is required, though, play it safe and consult your vet. Over-the-counter flea treatment can be extremely dangerous. The Hartz brand, in particular, is notorious for killing cats, and there have been widespread (but unsuccessful) efforts to have it taken off the market. The linked article has details on that.

Thanks for starting this thread, OP! It's been a real pleasure to follow your progress with your new housemate.

Aww she's still a little bitty thing. Thanks for the update.

You should immediately wash all bedding, steam clean all furniture and carpets to kill flea eggs. As well as steam clean floors. Trust me on this...fleas are no joke- eggs can survive for 3 months.

OP, my large male cat is out in the day time and in at night. I use Advantage on him about every four months (squeezed onto the back of his neck). Early on we found out he was allergic to fleas. He was a stray feral tiny kitten and his mouth would became red and swollen until we got the fleas under control. Used to bathe him and monthly application killed all fleas. Now we never see fleas at all but he keeps mostly to our yard. We still treat him every few months just in case.

Loving the photo and video updates, OP!

I agree with the above posters regarding avoiding any and all OTC flea treatments. When Luna is old enough (I believe at 8 weeks?), definitely get something from her vet to prevent future infestation. She may also need treatment with Droncit for tapeworms she might get/have gotten from ingesting fleas. In the meantime, Dawn dish soap is safe and effective for flea baths and for mixing in a cup of water to dip a flea comb into.

The bath video you shared looked like it was quite successful (and aren't you lucky to have such a cooperative kitty); the video I linked has a couple of really good tips that might be of interest for future efforts.

Please keep the updates coming!

... Or you could just keep the cat indoors at all times.

R304 She's not locked in, she likes her pen as I'd said she sometimes meows to be let in the pen to play, sleep, or nap sometimes and especially at night. I think it's because she considers the pen her sole territory as we both share the condo territory. Reason why I think this is because she tries to fight me when I'm trying to get her out of the pen or I'm trying to clean it, she tried to swat me and defend her turf.

Thanks for the advice about fleas and shampoos. I'm getting her all spruced up so that when I take her to visit my sister in a couple of weeks at her beach house, my sister won't freak out. I told my sister that I'd rescued a kitten, she was freaked out when I told her I got her off the street. My sister is a total dog person and she has one of those hybrid dogs right now, a labradoodle.

I can just see OP's house next year, awash with cat perches, beds, toys, litter trays, a fountain, cupboards full of various cat foods.

R310, cats do not like to travel or be out of "their" environment/territory, so good luck with your trip. Cat might completely freak out - worse than your sister.

r312, cats can certainly travel- all the breeders travel with their cats to competitions- if they place, they can sell the cat's progeny for more money. I adopted an old breeder (9 years old), and he LOVED traveling- when I brought the kennel out, he would run right in.

OP, I would get a little cat carrier and put it in her pen with an old Tshirt that you've worn or sweated in-she'll get used to sleeping in it. Then I would try to drive her around in the car as often as possible, so she doesn't associate car rides just for going to the vet.

I'm babysitting my niece's kitten for the second time in two months while she's traveling. He's about 3 months old, another rescued stray, fostered by a vet tech.

He's adapted very well and had the run of the house. I have to lock him in his room while I eat, though, he's such an eating machine. Even tries to drink my coffee. I'll have him again at the end of January.

About fleas - indoor cats can still get fleas. How? Through you. Yes, people can track fleas into the house. It happened to me and my 2 indoor cats during a time of high flea infestation in my area. I had to get my cats dipped twice (at the vet's) and flea bomb my house twice (flea bombs provided by vet). My cats also had to be treated with Advantage for the next year. After all that, the problem never occurred. But just beware that it is possible.

Also flea/flea eggs can travel in boxes ( I used to work at Neiman's BH, and we would have to spray for fleas occasionally). I always open all my deliveries outside the door, then sweep the porch.

Love that wet pussy!

My little Hermione travels/flies with me all the time as she and I travel for free/space available. She loves looking out the window when I place her travel case on my lap, and no one is looking. She never makes a sound and most often, no one knows she's on board. She's very cute going through security, she knows the drill and is reading for me to pick her up to go through the walk through metal detector. At one time, every two weeks we were on a flight.

Pics, r318? Please, please, please, please, please.

R318 = very unusual if true

Hey OP, how are things in the Luna household?

OP, please keep posting. I enjoy the progress of your story.

Hi, OP. I hope there haven't been any recent updates because you and Luna are busy having a swell time at your sister's beach house!

Dear Kitten.....

You must also explain to the little kitten about the rules of friendship!

I think OP is sorry he started this thread and had no idea people would be wanting a lot of updates.

In the Luna household things are going smooth cat-wise. I get so much joy from having her as pet. We managed to make the drive to Port Aransas to my sister's beach house without incident. I did as recommended and had an old shirt of mine inside the kennel with her and she tolerated the drive pretty well, I was surprised. My sister and her dog were very suspicious of us when we got there. First of all, my sister is a dog person through and through, and her dog is really shy and distrustful. The entire time we were there the dog avoided me and Luna. Luna was either left inside the guest bedroom or had to be on a leash, my sister's house rules. She pretty much behaved quite well, except for one time she got too excited during meal time and she stepped into her food. Tracked mackerel and salmon kitten canned food over the kitchen floor, which my sister wasn't too happy about. But even my sister had to admit that Luna was a very cute and well-behaved cat.

Developmentally, I think Luna has hit a plateau in growth. Is that normal? She's been kind of stuck at just under 2.7 lbs for about the past week and a half. She measures about 10 inches from head to butt when standing. Does this mean that she's going to be on the small side? My vet won't spay her until she weighs 3 lbs, so I'm literally trying to fatten her up so that she'll make the weight soon. Hopefully by next week she'll be 3 lbs. Play-wise, Luna still behaves like a funny, crazy kitty. I'm training her to do high-five, or should I say high-ten, and with good success so far. I put my hand towards her and she put up her paw up and against it for a high-five, sometimes though I put my hand to her and she puts up two paws against my hand for a high-ten! Still jumping high and doing acrobatic moves in the air, I'm sure if there was a cat ballet company, Luna would be headlining the troupe as prima ballerina. Still playing tag-and-go-seek with me, and she lets me hold her paw and gloat in those instances when I happen to catch her first before she could run away.

Luna is also getting to be a natural at walking with harness. I've never seen a cat take to the harness so well. Oh and bathing, against I've never had an animal that was so well-behaved during baths. Funny too, because Luna's ritual with baths begin with her licking her wet paws from standing in the pet tub half-filled with warm water. Then she settles down quickly, sometimes she'll even sit further down into the wate. Luna is also overcoming her fear of the hair dryer, now she really enjoys being dried off after baths, I found her poking her little head out from the towel when I last gave her a bath few days ago, she was enjoying the warm air from the dryer because she knew that's how she gets dry.

There have been some cold days this past week. When I put on a jacket, Luna thought it was only natural for her to crawl into the warm interior of the jacket. She'd decided my jacket was the perfect hiding place. Our bedtime ritual is her watching me brush my teeth. Then instead of sleep she'll go crazy for a few hours entertaining herself with toys that I'd bought her. Only after that does she come up and nap next to me. Luna's currently playing with the cricket toy that I got a few days ago, she likes then cricket sound the toy makes when she pounces on it. So far she's got many versions of pounce-sound toys and she's still playing with the stuffed animal mommy-cat that I got her when she was first found. She grooms the mommy-cat stuffed animal, and she also sometimes tries to groom my hair.

I'll try to take some photos or videos soon. I bought a pet sling to put her inside while I walk around, so maybe I'll take a photo of her in it. I'm busy with work and also doing stuff around the condo, feel kind of bad for not spending as much time with Luna. A few times she's explored too much around the house by herself, and one night I couldn't find her. After about an hour of searching, I found her inside the laundry basket hidden under some clothes, asleep. Another time I found her behind the toilet in the downstairs bathroom. So for now if I have to leave for few hours or long stretches, I put Luna inside her pen, I've gotten her a larger one for this purpose, it's 62 inches x 62 inches circumference and 36 inches high. I'm also getting a cat tree condo soon, so that she'll have more things to hang out and explore. One last thing, can anyone here recommend good ways to pet-proof the home? I'm afraid mainly with electrical cords and things like that.

Thank you for your posts. They radiate contentment. Will you make her a Thanksgiving turkey made out of soft wet cat food? That would be a killer Christmas card pic!

You are such a sweetheart, OP, your posts are charming. I never had to do anything about electrical cords for pet-proofing, but I removed all toxic plants from my house, including cut flowers. Most plants turn out to be toxic. I also made sure there were no glass objects the cats could tip over and break, mainly because of the risk of them getting glass splinters in their paws. My cats could come out with me on the terrace or in the fenced garden, but never out on the street. A fast dog like a Jack Russel can kill a cat within seconds.

PS, try the toilet training kit suggested above. You'll be glad you did.....

She's such an exception kitten, I hate to think that she'll never reproduce. I know there are a glut of unwanted baby kittens, but I'm always hoping the exceptional ones will be allowed to reproduce .

She looks adorable in the first photo.

You didn't find a kitten. She found you.

Make sure you get her fixed and all of her shots.. It will cost money but you can't really put a price on the love you get in return from a pet that you love and take care of.. In no time she will want to go roam around outside and howl if you don't let her so get her to the vet to get her shots and to get fixed before that happens. There may be some non-profit places that offer discounts if costs are a concern for you as it can be very expensive for veterinarian bills. You should check that out..

R334, whatever her measurements, she's a KITTEN. As she gets older her bones will mature and get heavier and you'll see some weight gain. You should wait until she's 6 mos before spaying. I've never bathed a cat, even outdoor-indoor cats, it was never necessary. Don't bathe her too often, OP. Once a month if you must.

I mean to address the above to R327, OP.

Thanks for the updates, OP, I'm enjoying reading about your sweet kitten.

Hi, OP. Glad your trip with Luna went well.

Over the years, I've had cats and dogs that paid zero attention to electrical cords, and a few that wouldn't stay away. The link here is for a basic solution to protecting your kitty from even accidentally getting tangled up in them. The two links that follow are for a somewhat more aesthetic/"grown-up" solution.

And just for the heck of it...

"Since it's pretty well-established that dogs need to be bathed regularly, it is usually presumed that cats do, as well. But the truth is, there is simply no reason to bathe your cat. In fact, cats can spend up to 50% of their waking hours grooming to cover themselves with their scent."

"But the truth is, there is simply no reason to bathe your cat."

"In fact, cats can spend up to 50% of their waking hours grooming to cover themselves with their scent. So when you step in and bathe them, you are essentially erasing their ID—a Raw Cat staple and a source of serious mojo. Moreover, if you choose to bathe your cat regularly, you are cultivating a negative association with merely handling her. It can get to the point where, even at times when you innocently reach out to love on her, she won’t necessarily know that you’re not about to haul her away to the tub, and she could take a defensive posture toward you. This kind of association can be difficult to break."

When I first adopted my cats, I bathed them. I tested mildly allergic to cats and read that bathing them would help. I bathed them twice. It was so traumatic for them and after they scratched me up jumping out of the tub and onto my back to escape, I gave up. Cats using your back as a launching pad to get the hell out of trouble can inflict some serious damage. Haven't bathed them in 10 years and it's been fine.

I use baby wipes on one of my cats who has soft BMs and needs a little more help on the back end.

I used these hideous cord protectors for the first few months but luckily my cats showed zero interest in chewing or even touching electrical cords. I was glad to take them all out and chuck them. But if you have a cord chewer, these should work.

R344, when it licks its back end after you do baby wipes... make an appt at the VET.

I love Luna! And the OP, too.

I've never bathed any cat I ever owned and never will. It simply isn't worth the hassle and effort and, as R344 so accurately indicated, having my skin shredded like paper. Luckily, none of my guys have ever had required being bathed as part of a vet recommended course of therapy.

When my adopted stray was tiny I bathed him with flea wash, he was such a little flea bag. He was young enough to be easy to bathe with no after effects at all.

I also bathed an older stray I adopted. He was feral and hanging out on my porch. He was such a sweetie, so happy to have a home, that he sat and let me do it. He turned out to have significant health issues and I only had him for less than 6 months but I was so glad to be able to make them happy months for him. My older adopted strays have always been loving and gentle.

OP, when I think about what might have happened to Luna if you hadn't found her I'm just grateful for caring people like you.

I know that the bottom line of datalounge is "celebrity gossip and pointless bitchery" or however that credo reads, but this lil thread makes me not mind the aforementioned credo, If I may be so bold, because it is so exactly the opposite and so enjoyable to participate in. . I am more of an "oh the humanity" kind of guy, and I could not be happier for OP and Luna. In the land/era of trump, I need evidence of humanity and kindness and this thread fulfills that. Thank you , OP, thank you Luna, and apologies for interrupting anyone's pointless bitchery, which yes, I guess, has its place, which I guess is sort of inevitable.

[quote] Don't clip the kitty's claws. They are her only defense against predators.

[quote] Don't let the kitty outside. Keep her indoors at all time.

Why the fuck then does she need to defend herself against predators if the OP keeps her indoors at all times? Do you assume he keeps falcons circling around his seasons?

"ceilings, not seasons

OP- I was one of the early people enthralled with your post about finding Luna. I am happy you and Luna are doing so well!

Now, I have gone and taken a 4/5 week old kitten from its mama! Let me explain:

I feed ferals and TNR. I've gotten over 100 cats either homes or TNR'd thanks to my ex putting kittens up for adoption on his school district website (he works for a huge school district).

I am down to one un-spayed female. She is tiny and I thought she was pregnant at one point but she never got huge like before. Then I see her in my garage with 2 tiny kittens! She lost all 4 of her previous litters to a Tom cat and getting run over. I just went to see if I could get close to see how many there were and they didn't run. I pet them and checked on them but left them alone. I felt very guilty thinking I could save these two kittens lives if only I would have taken both. The next day I didn't see them. Nor the next. Nor the next. I said if I saw them again I would take them. I saw one and it didn't run so I grabbed it last Thursday. Since then, I have seen the other one with mom but never to where I could catch it.

After a day, the kitten started eating wet food from my hand. And ate. And ate. And ate. I made sure not to feed it too much. I bought some formula from the pet store to mix in with its wet food. It has rapidly taken to me and it a very playful fur ball. It peeps like a baby chicken. Problem is my cat doesn't like it at all. He hisses and growls very loudly even thought the kitten is in a walk in closet behind closed door.

I contacted a lady who has helped me get homes for strays before. They may take it. I'm attached, though. But I can't risk it with my male cat. He has the sharpest claws I have ever seen on a house cat.

Some really lovely posts here. As gay men living in modern times, I am sure that all of us, even the youngest, have suffered to a certain degree from being different and marginalised. As a consequence, we are often more sensitive to the suffering of others, including animals in need.

Cats' and kittens' claws must be clipped regularly if they are to coexist in a human abode. Otherwise they will use everything are around them as a scratching post and destroy your home. My vet ended up in hospital because of a cat scratch. If not clipped, the claws will grow so long they will turn into hooks. But you must start early, otherwise you will have a lifetime of expensive vet visits for this. Declawing is what renders cats helpless against predators. You cannot count on your cat never getting out accidentally in its' entire life and needing to get up a tree to avoid a dog.

R355, my cat is 2 and a half years old, and I've never clipped his nails. He's not cuddly, but he's pretty docile; still, there's no way in hell he'd let me do that. He has a scratching post that he uses regularly. When he was a kitten, he tried to sharpen his claws on the couch, but I told him no and carried him over to the scratching post. He got the idea.

[quote]Cats' and kittens' claws must be clipped regularly if they are to coexist in a human abode. Otherwise they will use everything are around them as a scratching post and destroy your home.

I've had two cats as an adult, and a constant series of cats during childhood. Not once did we clip any of their nails, and not once did any of them scratch anything they weren't supposed to. No using everything around them as a scratching post. No destruction of any home I ever lived in. Some of you live at the absolute height of ridiculosity.

[quote] Don't clip the kitty's claws. They are her only defense against predators.

What's also ridiculous about this advice is it is so patently false. A kitty actually has multiple defenses against predators: she also has teeth, she can run away, she can climb trees, and she can scare a predator by hissing and making her fur stand on end.

I have never in my life heard of a single vet in my entire life advising someone not to clip a kitty's claws, so long as you are careful.

R358 For God's sakes, don't get a cat if you're going to mutilate it.

There is a big difference between clipping and declawing. Clipping/trimming is GOOD. Declawing is BAD (as noted above, even strictly indoor cats should never be declawed in the event they accidentally get outside). And, yes, if you do not trim a pet's claws (cat, dog, bird), they will grow until they curl under and into their paws, which is painful and crippling.

I clip my cats' claws about every 3 weeks. I started getting them used to the process as soon as they were adopted at 6 months. They don't love it but for the front claws only, the ordeal lasts about a minute. Every 2-3 months, they get the full treatment with all 4 feet trimmed.

My cats are indoors only and their claws will hook without trimming. Not fun when they start kneading me.

Declawing is a whole other thing altogether and is completely barbaric.

Declawing also usually hurts cats for the rest of their lives - using the litter box may HURT worse, so they may not use it.

I've never clipped a cat's claws. No, they don't grow into hooks. Scratching a tree or a scratching post indoors maintains them. That's one reason a scratching post is essential for an indoor cat. Also, if you clip a dog or cat's nails, you must be especially careful not to go too far or you'll hit the vein. That's why I always let the vet do the dog's (clipping is a must with dogs).

R353 Thank you for your efforts (and your ex's) to help place kittens in homes. I think Luna was around 4 weeks old when I found her, I'm glad that I got to experience raising a kitten from that age. I've also talked to some neighbors about how to curb the problem of strays having litters around here. Maybe I'll contact the local TNR soon and see if they recommend anything.

Regarding bathing, I think it's individual to cats, some cats apparently like baths and water in general. But I think maybe these cats are outliers, who knows? I have a feeling that Luna would take to water, I watched a yt video that showed this ex-stray cat that was taken in by firefighters and that cat enjoys soaking in baths. I think Luna is more like that cat in spirit, water doesn't bother her, which only endears her even more to me because I've been a swimmer all my life. Cutting Luna's claws, that's been the one thing that she hates. She doesn't bite or scratch me when I do it, but she does wail loudly and sometimes tries to escape, but generally she lets me do it. I've noticed that immediately afterwards she does let me pet and hold her while she's purring, then she decided to retreat to her pen and nap for hours.

I took Luna out in the pet sling, she was curious and wanted to go down to the ground but I wouldn't let her this time, maybe next time. She did fine with seeing other dogs and people, some came up to her and petted her which she tolerated really well. She was interested in the bird sounds and looked upwards at birds in trees. Sound of the short video got cut off, sorry about that, but you can see how big she's gotten (still weighs just under 3 lbs).

Luna is precious!

" I think it's individual to cats, some cats apparently like baths and water in general. But I think maybe these cats are outliers, who knows?"

My adopted stay kitten was fascinated with water. HOWEVER, after flea bath, that was it. He didn't need baths and I didn't want to upset his MOJO - his identity. Stop the fucking baths!

Just my opinion, but I'm a believer in keeping cats indoors all the time. So many horrible things can happen to them. My girls have no interest in the outdoors and they don't even go near the door when I open it, and I'm very happy about that. I never have to worry that they might sneak out.

Cats should not be allowed outside unsupervised if possible. I have known people who had a cat where it just didn't work out indoors (extreme circumstances). They kept it outside but it stayed in the garage at night. I can see in that kind of circumstance it may just be better to let the cat outside than to give it to a shelter.

Luna is so big now! I have 3 cats (one is my late father's)- they are all indoors, and the only time that I've ever bathed them was when they all had fleas. Cats naturally have a sweet odor by their nape- cookies, maple, vanilla. I also clip the nails (just the sharp tip) of my father's cat, because he's a kneader and will claw the shit out of your lap or your shoulder if you hold him like a baby. He's 15 and is in a fine fettle.

Thank you for your updates, OP- you should start an Instagram page for Luna, so we can still follow her adventures, after this thread dies down.

I'm so pleased you saved that poor kitten, OP! I have two that I raised from only hours old after their mother died. I found them by a dumpster trying to nurse from her dead body. They are both six now and I can't imagine my life without them.

Please don't let Luna outside unleashed! She could easily get away and get hit by a car. I would also seriously encourage you to begin TNR in your neighborhood. The county does it free in most areas and will even provide the traps to you. You simply set them, trap the cat and then take the cat to a designated place where it's desexed, ear-tipped and given a rabies vaccine. I've all but eliminated kittens in my neighborhood by doing this. My neighbors and I all feed the ferals but didn't want to increase the ever-growing population.

[quote] I all feed the ferals but didn't want to increase the ever-growing population

STOP FEEDING THEM THEN.

Cats don't need baths unless they come into contact with a skunk, get fleas or somehow get exceptionally dirty.

However, there are always "retarded" cats that LOVE water and will swim and bathe and go into pools.

R370, all of the ferals in our neighborhood have been desexed and that prevents breeding. Are you suggesting that instead of spaying or neutering we simply starve them to death? If so, that doesn't really work and even if it did it's inhumane.

This cat does not seem "retarded" LOL, I've been told that tabbies are the more adventurous ones that like water more than other types of cats.

That's so awesome, R373!

Thanks for posting it.

My god, that is a terrible image, R369. How do you think the mother died?

The cat in R373's video likes HIM, not the water so much, she's as nervous as hell in that surf - meowing, swallowing over and over. She only doing it because she thinks he's her mother. Once an adult, fugetabouit.

But the fact is that certain big cats that live in warm climates like water and have no water aversion. I know that it's domestic cats that we're talking about but I'm more apt to think that there is a wide variance in water tolerance. However I do agree that more often than not, domestic cats don't take to water and in fact avoid it. Though there are exceptions that occur more commonly than we think. In this video, the grown cat actually loves his baths so much that the firefighters who adopted him as firehouse cat have to get him out of the bath water. On IG too there are more active cats that accompany their humans in their outdoor endeavors, some of them involving water, some not so much. I'm okay with Luna not liking water but I do notice that she likes to steep in her bath (I'd given her 3 so far) but maybe that will change too with time as she grows older.

The Van cat from Turkey likes water, and swims in Lake Van.

R377, take those videos with a grain of salt. A normal very day cat should not be bathed.

That cat was long past weaning when you found her. I hope she's getting real food now. No clumping cat litter for at least 3 more months. She needs shots and deworming and then she's a happy housecat.

Flame the Firehouse Cat and his fireman are adorable.

R380 Hi, Luna was estimated to be around 3.5-4 weeks when I found her by the vet when I took her there after I had decided to keep her. She's been getting "real food" since about day 6-7 after I got her, kitten paté and kitten kibbles though she prefers canned food to kibbles. We've had no problems with kitty litter, knock on wood, so far as I know. She's had her shots and dewormed too more than a month ago and now just needs to follow up with vet visits/ booster shot schedules. The vet said she's maybe going to be on the small side, but otherwise she's quite healthy, energetic, and very smart. She plays frisbee with me now, they're pocket size frisbees that I throw to her and she catches then brings back to me.

Last post in a while, thanks to all for caring about Luna's progress. At the end of the day she'll let me know if she enjoys water or not, it's not hurting her and I don't think I'm being a bad cat parent for introducing her to water. Thanks again everyone, it's been very informative and heartwarming to hear all of your personal stories with cats. I would definitely be inquiring local TNR places to try to help the neighborhood strays. I've been finding out a lot of backstory about strays here, and it's been eyeopening the plight of stray cats. I regret not raising or having kittens/ cats sooner, to think that I could have had cats in addition to my dogs. I've raised numerous and different breeds of puppies since I was 6 years old, but they're definitely not as fun as kittens and it pains me to say they're not as smart and mesmerizing to watch.

OP- did she purr at first? My new addition does not purr yet. She's now about 5 weeks.

My cat loves to go out in the rain. He goes out, gets all wet, then comes in for his rub down with paper towels. Then he goes out again. And again. He's pretty spoiled but I enjoy him so much.

Cat frisbee sounds awesome. Mine used to bat tinfoil balls back at me like ping pong. Also he would fetch them if I threw them. This is all good exercise for an indoor cat, as is a laser pointer.

Wishing you and Luna all the best, OP, and hope that (a) you haven't been scared away from your own thread; and (b) you won't stay away too long.

"This is all good exercise for an indoor cat, as is a laser pointer."

Laser pointers are good for about 20 seconds. The cat can't catch it and will either stop and think you're a tease or it will get mental issues.

After 10 years, my cat who liked the laser light as a kitten still likes it as an adult and will play for more than 20 seconds. I just make sure the play session ends with a toy she can catch. No tease. My other cat figured out the laser light a long time ago and rarely bothers.

I'll miss you and Luna, OP, but do what you need to do. You and Luna are angels! Love you both.

r373

That cat is cute but clearly retarded

Hello OP, how are you and Luna doing?

I took in a stray about a year ago. Black kitten in a garbage pail. Been through baths, Vet, FIV, scratching up my entire apartment. This is my first cat, and it's all been fun- he was so tiny and so scared but so fearless! Anyway, what I'm asking is it normal for a young cat to butt my head in the morning? He's telling me he's hungry, I assume. This is why I'm sleeping, like at 6AM...

Kitten are children, R392. He wants to eat, he'll get your lazy ass up.

Baths are OK, as long as the cat decides to get in water... also avoid shampoos and chemicals that may hurt her when she does her cleaning... clear water is best.

R392, It's absolutely normal.

Head-butting, hair-grooming, face-licking, nose-tapping - these are all ways cats contrive to wake you up when they decide it's time.

"Baths are OK, as long as the cat decides to get in water..."

Again, baths are NOT okay, and not necessary.

I hope that poor kitten escapes her deplorable new owner!!

My cat puts one paw on my ass cheek when it' time for breakfast, believe it or don't.

How does Luna feel about the movie version of "Cats", OP?

OP, you are without a doubt a very nice man. I adopted a cat from a family who were desperate to find a decent home. I think I provided that. The six year old daughter in the family had named him Bryce, of all things, but I kept calling him by his christened name. He had his nails removed, i,e, declawed during his time with his first family. Good God, Bryce was a joy. I hope that the declawing was not a problem for him . He was a people cat. He loved people, even relative strangers, like when my sister and her husband visited for a couple days. He spent more time with them than me. I find it so sweet that you occasionally update this thread .Me, Always was more of a dog guy, but Bryce made me a plain ol animal lover.

Hey OP! How's it going?