Kitten weening and litter training

[animal123]

I have a kitten i found outside abandoned. My guess is he is close to or little over a month old. He is a little bigger than my hand, im a full grown man. he walks and plays. im wanting to know how id go about litter training him because he has no mother to show him what to do. I also would like to know how i would go about weening him also. right now he eats about an ounce and a half of mothers milk every 2-3 hours. i have meow mix on hand so i can start weening. any advice is greatly appreciated!!

[wolf63]

I can't offer much advise - sorry. But you are right to be concerned. If kittens and puppies are not correctly socialised with their own species and humans they can become a little anti-social. I had a dog that saw other dogs as of another species - he was, in his mind, a human.

If all goes well he will probably end up as your best friend - you are mum.

Best wishes for the future. Somebody will be along later to give you good quality tips to help you with your new little one.

[jules77]

I am confused, how do you know the kitten is taking an ounce of mothers milk if it was abandoned?

This link may help

http://www.pusscats.com/Kittens.htm

[LottieAnne]

If your kitten has not been weened he is probably only around three weeks old. Buy some small packs of kitten food and mash up a very small amount adding a teaspoon of water, If he does not seem keen try putting some on your finger and offering it. Keep up the milk, either special cat powdered milk mixed with water or evaporated milk mixed as for babies but double strength. You should take him to a vet and get him checked over. The vet will also have leaflets etc with advice you can follow. Cats are naturally very clean and he will probably use the litter tray of his own accord. You can encourage him by putting him on it after each feed and making a big fuss of him when he 'obliges'.
Go to your library where you will find some good books on rearing cats and kittens.
Good luck.

[elaine33]

Litter training, put the liltte fella into the litter tray after eating, get a cotton wool ball and wet it then gently rub his bottom to simulate the mothers licking motion which is how mothers get kittens to go to the toilet. His little tummy is tiny and will not hold much food so small regular meals are a must. Good luck with him

[stonekicker]

also if the little critter does poop in the wrong place, put this in the litter tray and then show the cat where it is. most kitties have accidents all over the place at first anyway but they are essentially very clean creatures. if you show him where you want him to poop he will catch on pretty quick. i always fed my kitties a mixture of soft cat food, weetabix (not a lot!) and some cat milk or water mixed to a sloppy paste. they eat very little and often so feeding him and looking after him will require a lot of effort! well done you for rescuing this little chap and i'm sure he greatly appreciates it and will make an excellent, loving pet in time.

[showcatbenga]

Besides following the advice already posted I would also recommend a quick trip to the vet for a health & age assessment. This allows you to choose a de-flea & worming product & programme. These are the current healthcare requirements for a kitten that is probably 6 to 10 weeks old from your description. Feral kittens tend to be slightly smaller than their lucky domesticated cousins due to the variable nature of their food supply. The other things you need to plan are;
1. Taking out health insurance to cover accidents, allergies & illnesses. Unless you earn enough for this not to be a concern for you.
2. When to have your new charge vaccinated against cat flu, feline lukemia virus, etc. because s/he is at risk after the temporary immunity gained from Mum's milk runs out after about 14 weeks. Shop around your local vets since costs vary & it's a very basic service. This being up to date is essential if you need to put your pet into a cattery for any reason - holidays, re-decorating, moving house, etc.
3. When to have your charge neutered. This can be done as early as 3 months but most vets prefer to do it from around 6 months onward, ask your vets advice. A need for this is to stop adding unwanted kittens to the population & avoiding the health risks associated with breeding. When is as soon as possible but often left until indicated by a female cat coming into season for the first time or a male becoming more terratorial & fighting with the other local cats or starting to scent mark in more destructive ways i.e. clawing & urine spraying.
4. Don't forget to have your precious little identi-chipped so that s/he can always be returned to you. Mostly done at the time of vaccination.
If you are worried about the costs contact the Cat's Protection who will provide low cost or free vaccination & neutering, or the Blue Cross who provide essential vetinary care in your area.
Good luck - x.

[madboutcats]

i cant add anything more to all this great advice animal123. i do hope everything goes ok and you keep us all posted on how you and the kitten get on, we'd all love to know.