Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens

1. 

   I got him for Jasmine, who has always had another cat or cats around, and needs a companion cat. My beloved Salem passed away August 3 from cancer. The new kitten is very timid. He's about 2 months old, not solid black but that "tabby cat" black with striations of gray/sand/brown. He did not even want to be petted and meowed piteously, so I stopped and left him alone in the closet. Later I put a blanket over the carrier in there, making a "cave," and he later went into it. I've been going in there periodically just to talk sweetly and offer him food. A few hours ago I got him to eat a bit of Friskies Turkey & Giblets, and he's eating the Science Diet Kitten Food I leave for him in a bowl. I put him in an empty bedroom, in a small closet. I put my blanket that has my smell and the smell of Jasmine, my 15 month old cat.

   I got Jasmine at 5 months from a friend, she was scared too but not this scared. She'd been in a house with several cats since she was rescued at about 5 weeks, abandoned in a hotel.

   So I just wanted to share my new kitten with y'all. Jasmine is getting very curious outside the room door, but she's going to have to wait until the little guy is ready. I have a feeling it could be days before he is ready to meet her. I've already brought the blanket downstairs, the blanket the kitten was laying against, so Jasmine could get a smell of her.

   Will see how it goes. I think it's too soon to try handling her, but maybe tomorrow or the next day.

   Mojo

   Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

2. 

   Congratulations on the new addition. Slow and easy wins the race. It will not take long.

   Posted 2 months ago by ailuromaniac #

3. 

   Congrats Mojo and welcome to our group!

   Posted 2 months ago by Lainey #

4. 

   Aw. I hope he will get used to you soon.

   Posted 2 months ago by melixx28 #

5. 

   He woke me this morning meowing piteously at 4:45. I brought him more canned food. He's eating everything I give him. I put the dish in front of his carrier/cave and he ate with me a few feet away, talking to him. Then I sat near his cave and talked to him; he took a few tentative steps almost all the way out of the box toward me, but then went back in. I think he must be feral.

   Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

6. 

   We've made great progress today. He came out and started playing with toys this morning, while I sat in the room. But If I even crawl up to him he whelps if I try to pet him. It's frustrating. This morning he got close enough to where I was sitting against the wall to sniff my arm and sides, but he darts off each time I try to pet him. It's frustrating. Since he is still not 100% trusting me, I don't think he's ready to meet Jasmine.

   Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

7. 

   So I guess my question is, What can I do to get her to trust me to pet her? I've played with her, talked softly to her, played music, fed her. it's only been 30 hours, but I don't want her to freeze into a paranoid, avoidant mode.

   Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

8. 

   Stop reaching for kitty. They are marvelous self petting machines. Hold you hand near you palm up with fingers curled. Let her sniff and rub herself on the fingers. After a while you can begin chin scratching and move to ear scratching. Remember kitty may never be a lap cat but will soon seek your company and attentions.

   Just an FYI. Reaching for a kitten is like a raptor swooping down to catch a tasty snack. You want to be viewed as a source of tasty snacks, not a predator seeking a tasty snack.

   Posted 2 months ago by ailuromaniac #

9. 

   Con'cat'ulations on your new kitten Mojo! I'm certain the little one will come out of his shyness in time. Treats do wonders for popularity at our house..haha..but it takes slow gentle movements and soft voices. Maybe don't approach your kitty too much but stay nearby talking to him. I predict within a week you'll be asking us how to keep him from climbing up your leg, leaping to your shoulder and sniffing at your ears. Hahaha! Above all..be patient. Best of Luck and welcome to TDK! =)

   Posted 2 months ago by Karenopa #

10. 

    Congrats on the new addition Mojo!

    Posted 2 months ago by JoanfromNewJersey #

11. 

    We just went through introductions with our kittens; it took about a week for them to feel comfortable with each other. Good luck :)

    Posted 2 months ago by ESVA #

12. 

    Cute kitty on your avatar, ESVA. My newbie, Kensho, is at the vet's today because it's his third day straight of diarrhea. I've had to segregate him from Jasmine until we get him cured. The vet found he was dehydrated and recommended leaving him for IV fluids and blood tests, which I did. Kensho's body temperature was also elevated. I'm hoping to get him back late this afternoon.

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

13. 

    Hi Mojo, welcome to TDK :o)

    Ask your vet about a product called Feliway - it's a synthetic feline hormone which is very, very good (I speak from personal experience!) at calming stressful and/or anxious situations. It's available as a spray, and also a plug in diffuser. It's the diffuser I've used to great effect. You may it useful for both calming little Kensho now, and also when introducing her to Jasmine.

    Good luck, hope Kensho is feeling better soon. Keep us posted!

    Posted 2 months ago by MadcatwomanintheUK #

14. 

    It just takes time. Good luck!

    Posted 2 months ago by Sheba's Mom in Phx, AZ #

15. 

    the diarrhea could be caused by the science diet it really isn't a good food. the most likely allegerns from the Science diet (many people refer to it as science death lol!) would be the soy, corn, bha/bht, or some other preservatives. the only meat in it is poor quality, it could also be triggering the diarrhea.

    wet food is best for cats anyway if you don't have the time to feed and learn about how to prepare raw food. the more moisture the better, espesially if a cat has diarrhea.

    hope everything goes well!

    Posted 2 months ago by furryfriends50 #

16. 

    Was Kensho wormed just before you brought him home for the first time? If so, this could be the cause of the diahrrea. It sounds like you're doing all the right things with him - what a lucky little boy he is to have such a caring and loving mewmy! Let us know how it goes. It took my miso 7 weeks (of hell) to accept little sumi. And miso was only 7 months old herself! Now they LOVE each other!

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

17. 

    Thank you all for your comments. MCW: Feliway won't work here in Costa Rica, because ones windows are constantly open due to the tropical climate, and I understand Feliway is a plug in scented diffuser thingy. Anyway, I don't think stress or anxiety was the issue with Kensho anyway, as the vet said he has worms. She recommended leaving him overnight for more IV fluids and so they can pinpoint exactly what kind of worms he has. Furryfriends, I didn't know that about Science Diet. I fed the Science Diet k/d for 29 months to Cloud when he had CRF and it seemed to work well for him. I always thought SD was one of the 'good' (i.e., relatively healthy) cat foods. But now that I have a definite diagnosis of worms, I think that is the cause.

    Anyway, I'm sure looking forward to getting my little boy back home.

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

18. 

    Congratulations on your new baby boy! The others have said "just have patience" and I agree. It's HARD though, when you're so tempted to pick up and cuddle a baby.

    You're doing all the right things for Kensho. :-)

    Posted 2 months ago by Siobhan #

19. 

    Eleniki, no Kensho wasn't wormed prior to my adopting him. He'd only been fixed.

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

20. 

    Mojo, take a look at Furryfriends' recent thread about feeding a Raw diet. It's very informative, and I agree absolutely with her views on Science Diet (and in fact most commercial pet food, but specially the big supermarket brands).

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

21. 

    This is it, in case you couldn't find it: http://www.dailykitten.com/chat/topic/20416
    Even if you're not interested in feeding raw, the info on the included links is essential for any cat lover/owner.

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

22. 

    How come I can't get an avatar? Every time I try to sign up it says "That email already in use" But the instructions from this site is to be sure to use the same email address you sign up with. What gives?

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

23. 

    Mojo... I'm not computer geek enough to give you direction on the avatar. Someone will be along to help with that.

    I do want you to know it took MONTHS for my two kitties to get along. I thought they never would! Chloe was 2 when she adopted me, and Mili came into the picture 3 years later - so Chloe was an only-kitty for 3 years. They get along fine now. There is still some hissing from Chloe when Mili gets 'too cuddly'.. and they DO NOT cuddle together at all. Just the personalities they have. Mili would love to, but Chloe won't have it.

    And welcome to TDK!

    Posted 2 months ago by 2 Popoki #

24. 

    Well, I finally got Kensho back late this afternoon. The vet is still not sure what is going on and needs to get a stool sample to test. (I brought her one after I got him home.) Diarrhea has many possible causes in cats. She ruled out Feline Leukemia, which is a big relief. She's got him on some pill that I think is for Giardia, or Coccia, or both. Plus a probiotic for his tummy. His coat seems softer now that he is more hydrated from the IV fluids he got.

    On another note, he is quite a biter. I know he doesn't intend to hurt, but I'm wondering what is the best way to discourage this, as these are not always soft and gentle "love bites" but playful and potentially hurtful, particularly if he keeps doing it as he grows up. I never minded the love bites from Salem, or the love bites Jasmine sometimes gives, because they were different. Kensho will actually pounce on my hand sometimes, or bite my forearm. I've tried saying "No!" in a loud voice, and that didn't seem to work. I've tried grasping his head in one hand, with his mouth shut, while saying No! I've tried lifting him up by the scruff of the neck. Then this afternoon I gentle swatted him away with a magazine, and that seemed at least to get his attention.

    Any suggestions for how to discourage a feral kitten from biting?

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

25. 

    Hi Mojo,

    Pollyanna used to bite a lot when she was younger and when she did I would just go limp and softly pull my hand away and then give her another toy to play with. I also played very gently with her to encourage gentleness all round and she is a gentle kitty now... I think its all just a natural behavour that comes with kittens and maybe because Kensho was a little ferral bub he has more of a fighting instinct. I think he will calm down in time as he gets used to his new home and knows you are his loving new mamma who he can trust.

    Posted 2 months ago by Pollyanna #

26. 

    I feel so bad for Kensho. I'm having to give him a quarter of a pill twice a day for his giardia, or whatever it is. Since I hate pilling cats, I grind it up and mix it with a few drops of water and give via syringe. Well, that ain't so easy either. The first batch squirted mostly across the floor. I got five more days of this, and keeping him in a separate room. Jasmine is still not showing her normal interest in eating, either. I have no reason to believe she's contracted anything, she's just got a reduced appetite. I put down her canned Friskies in the morning and she didn't touch it. After I spent some time in the room with Kensho, she's on my lap as I sit and type this....unusual for her, she's not much a lap cat normally. I believe she feels threatened by Kensho, and it's effecting her appetite. The experts say you should ignore a new kitten and shower your existing cat with love, but that's impossible when the kitten is sick and needs nursing care.

    Here's some pics of Jasmine and Kensho. Jasmine is white with gray spots. Kensho is black & sandy/gray.

    http://www.picasaweb.google.com/gsmith659/SalemJasmine

    http://www.picasaweb.google.com/gsmith659/Kensho

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

27. 

    Jasmine is a little stunner, Mojo, and so is Kensho. Those Jasmine eyes! Salem was a gorgeous panther - he was very like my miso, who you can see if you click my avatar, and go to miso's page. I'm sorry for your loss. We all know the grief of losing a beloved furry companion. Cloud too was beautiful - I had two marmalade (ginger) sisters many years ago, and I loved them. They were unusual because they were female, and the ginger gene is only 1% female. They lived to be 17 and 18 (only Kinj is on my catster page).
    I would agree with you about Jasmine going off her food because of a bit of jealousy, but she will come round as she becomes friends with Kensho. I had exactly this problem when I introduced sumi to miso - just as I thought there was hope of integration, sumi got very sick with chronic diarrhea http://www.dailykitten.com/chat/topic/18675 and it really threw the whole introduction thing off for another 2 or 3 weeks. Sumi's diarrhea was horrendous; we thought we were going to lose her. It was never entirely clear, but it seems she developed a sensitivity/allergy to a worming drug, Milbemax, the 3rd time she was given it. She was only tiny, and these drugs are toxic. There were some tapeworm eggs showing in her feces AFTER she got better, which now seem to have disappeared. A mystery. I am currently giving her a homeopathic remedy for tapeworm, which is given in water twice a day over a month. She is thriving anyway, which is the most important thing, and the diarrhea is gone. Miso went off her food too, and then was starving once sumi came out of her sick room and they became friends. Cats are so sensitive.
    I would feed Kensho fluids (see syringe feeding on above sumi thread); chicken broth and chicken mushed in broth, also described in thread. He needs simple, plain food, not commercial food right now. Again I ask you to read Furry Friends thread http://www.dailykitten.com/chat/topic/20416 as it contains some real gems of nutritional advice. Do not give your cats dry food, especially Kensho, as he needs all the moisture he can get right now, and dry will sap moisture http://www.blakkatz.com/dryfood.html
    Lets hope the feces sample yields some answers soon. I am sure the parasite (you say he does have worms) is causing the diarrhea, but it is so debilitating for kittens. Don't let your vet give Kensho something to stop the diarrhea, as his body needs to expel whatever is causing it, and an immobilizer would cause his gut to go into stasis.
    Lastly, lucky you living in Costa Rica - looking at your photos, I was brought right back to Ecuador, where I worked last year for 4 months in a Cloud Forest. Ah, the flowers, and the Angel's Trumpet tree.....

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

28. 

    Wonderful pictures!! Hang in there, you'll make it through this.

    Posted 2 months ago by 2bpurring #

29. 

    Purrs & headbonks for a warm welcome to you & your kitcats! I have 2cats:
    Dottie(dotted tuxied girl of 13) & Crockey (Creamsicle gentle giant guy)!

    Posted 2 months ago by jeankit #

30. 

    Eleniki, thanks for the links and advice on raw food diets. It is hard to argue against it. I remember, after Cloud was diagnosed with CRF in '06, I made a raw food recipe for him out of Dr. Pitkairn's book. Cloud barely even sniffed it. Salem was the same. I'd put so much time into making that! I had to throw it all out. I now see that it takes time and finesse to get cats weaned from their habituation to canned and dried food.

    Miso is beautiful by the way. Very similar looking to Salem except for the bushy tale, which Salem didn't have. Salem was a pudgy guy too, he loved to eat most anything. Kinj was quite beautiful too; I'm surprised to hear of female orange cats b/c I thought they were all male. Cloud was so sweet, I'll never forget him. His pictures are all over my walls.

    Thanks for the advice on dried food. And here I've got dried food out for Kensho right now. But you're right, it makes no sense now when he's got diarrhea, which he still has as of last night.

    Posted 2 months ago by Mojo #

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