Oh no. I found a little kitten in the road! (Photo update!)

Oh my gosh. It is so cute. I am sure it is feral. It ran across the road from a field and into another field. I snatched it up and brought it home.

My plan is to de-flea it tonight, giving a bath, clean its ears, get all the burrs out of its fur and of course feed the little devil.

Since I have an FIP positive tested cat, I cannot keep any more cats. I have the kitten in a large container with box, food etc. It is in my guest room. It seems scared and happy to be eating!

On Tuesday I will call my vet to drop the little one off for an evaluation, while trying to pitch the thought of adoption to one of my co-workers.

I think I may have saved this little one from a typical barn cat life. Around here farmers consider cats part of the farm but don't treat them with much respect. The come and go.....get sick, die, eaten by other animals, stepped on by cows etc. They also get hit by cars..... and reproduce like crazy, repeating the cycle.

I will keep you guys posted on how its doing. It looks quite healthy, but dirty and smelly. I think I spotted its Mom in the field too. The farmer won't miss the kitten. I am sure they have many more.

Why don't people spay and neuter their animals? I just don't get it. :rolleyes:

Glad you snagged this little one. :)

Awwwwwwwwww. Good for you for saving the little one. :) I'm proud of all the PTers of the world. Good people are hard to come by...

I'm so glad you scooped up this little one and are ready to introduce it to a better life. That's a very lucky kitten. I was looking through the special needs cats in my area on PetFinder yesterday and found a rescue out in farming country that had rescued kittens from a farmer that subscribed to the rural method of "shoot, shovel and shut up". He'd already shot the mother and about 9 kittens. It must be the same in your area as in the Olney, Illinois area where ReachOutRescue saved 12 kittens, they let them breed because they find them useful in keeping down rodents and then simply kill the excess. These people seem to have no idea that each cat is an individual with its own personality.

He/she tolerated the bath. I was as gentle and fast as possible. The kitten is quite skinny and quite young. He/she is nibbling on the baby cat food that I bought her and is tasting the KMR milk. I did find that the cat pooped in the towel while I was towel drying her/him after the bath. I am sure this kitten has never seen a litter box. I am hoping that by keeping the kitten confined and with a litter box, it will get the idea. I put a nice warm blanket and a beanie baby in with the kitten....and toys.....I have check on it a few times tonight....and it is calm, sleeping and warm......

Tomorrow is a new day. I would like it to feel secure in its new little home - and don't think exposing it to my cats is the right thing to do..........I surely hope a guy I work with will take this little furry creature and give it a furever home. It is a grey tiger kitten....rather muted in color....long hair on its tail......looks like it will be medium hair in length....maybe tomorrow I will roll it over to see if it is a boy or girl.....It seems semi feral...no hissing.....just a couple of meows....it seems shy....but not crazy wild........

Anyone interested? I know, I know. There are so many, many cats and kittens in need of a good home. I feel pretty confident that the guy at work will say yes.

If I can find my camera tomorrow, I will take some photos! ;)

I'm so glad that you were able to rescue this little kitten and he/she sounds so adorable.:) Hopefully it'll get a clean bill of health and the man at work will want to adopt it. I look forward to seeing pictures of him/her.:)

I am fairly sure :rolleyes: this kitten is male. I am fairly sure it has worms, too. I will let the vet take care of that. I bought drugs at the Petco, for worms and ear mites, but the directions say they are for older kittens, so I will keep little Mr. Muffet ...aka kitty...... secluded for sure. I hope once the vet visit is over and he has a clean bill of health, he will be adopted.

I am having trouble with him not using his litter box. I hope with a new clean cage a couple of times a day, he will get the idea. I put a little poop of his in the box, hoping that he'll get the message. Jenluckenbach gave me some pointers too. Thanks Jen.

Its funny. I am not attached to this kitten.....as I know I am at my limit. I think the FIP thing has me convinced that I am at my limit, too.

I will spend some time with the kitty today, to try to get him to purrrrrrrr.

I feel as though I should have left him with his Mom, in the field, near the road, to live out his probably short life....and then I rethink it and figure I saved him from a short life. He seems so lonely and scared. I know. I know.

Maybe he will fall in love with the beanie baby lion in his cage. Hey, maybe he will lean how to roar! :eek:

P. S. When I spyed him, he was in the road...right in the middle and when I stopped he ran into a field.........his Mom, I think, was in the field on the other side of the road.....trying to catch something......she never even noticed me......So I didn't snatch him off a leash......but I did run through a field to catch him.....he didn't just walk up to me.......Yes, I kitnapped!

SAS, I'm so glad you got him. :) Just thinking about what could have happened ..... :eek:

Keeping him away from your other kitties is of course the best thing to do. I bet he's happy to be clean now, and get some decent food and lots of loving. :D

Good luck getting him adopted! I really your collegue wil take him.

Sallyanne, when he is skinny he has worms and when he is not strong- ... I very well remember the foxes in your area! I hope he'll find a great home. If he's rid of the worms I am sure training him to the litterbox will be easier. :)

I can feel all of his bones. To the vets with him.

I held him for about an hour, in his room and he never even tried to get down or move. He slept. I can't decide if he is ailing or just a mellow kitten. He didn't seem so mellow dancing around in the middle of the road.............

He has used his litter box today.....drank his KMR milk ....eaten a little baby kitten food......tomorrow cannot come soon enough. I think I will take him to the office with me so that I can be squeezed in easily at the vet. He fits in the carrier so nicely now, that it will be easy. I will put him in the back room at the office....until his vet visit...then take him home...until I get him adopted out.

He is too young to neuter.....so I will give the person who adopts him a voucher at the vets......no more kittens coming from his direction....! :eek:

P. S. I have changed my mind about taking him to the office. He seems quite relaxed in his cage and I don't want to put him through so many long car rides. I will call the vet and schedule an appointment for ASAP - maybe tomorrow....

Thank you for snatching him from the fields so he can have a better life than being part of the food chain.

Hope the little fella is going to be OK.

Well, I decided to wait until tomorrow to take the little one to the vet. His appointment is for 11:30. I hope he will get a clean bill of health. I'm working on the guy at the office, to take him home but don't want to rush things. I am concerned about two things right now: 1.) not exposing the kitten to my cats and 2.) not growing attached.

All you have to do is hold this little critter for 5 minutes and you fall in love. I am trying to keep him from digging a little hole in my heart! I think my vet will lecture me enough to keep him in his own room until he is adopted out. I found the kitten only 1/2 mile from my vet's house! Maybe she'll take him!

So, if all goes smoothly, I hope to have him adopted out by the end of the week.

He is such a sweet kitten. :eek: :D :rolleyes:

What is FIP?

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a major viral disease of both wild and domestic cats that is almost always fatal. It was first discovered in the 1960s, and in 1970 the causative virus was identified as a coronavirus, which are a group of viruses that cause disease in pigs, dogs, and humans. However, FIP virus (FIPV) does not infect humans. Although coronavirus infection is common among cats, the incidence of feline infectious peritonitis is less than 1%. It occurs more commonly in multicat households and in purebred cats. For example, the Burmese breed seems to be more susceptible to FIP. Sometimes a period of stress occurs just before the development of FIP, such as neutering, vaccination, or moving.


FIP affects cats of all ages and both genders, but mostly young (kitten to two years) and older (fifteen years) cats. This may be due to the undeveloped immune system in the young cat, and weakening immunity in the older cat. It is possible for several kittens in a litter to develop FIP. It may be a factor in "kitten mortality complex," that is, the unexplained deaths of fetuses, newborns, and the very young.



Not all cats infected with the virus become seriously ill, but infected cats with mild symptoms or even no symptoms can become carriers and pass it on to other cats for as long as several years. A carrier cat that develops lowered immunity may eventually develop the full-blown disease.


Although the way FIPV is spread is not yet clear, the major source of the virus is in the feces of cats. Since it is rather unstable, it cannot survive more than a few weeks in the environment, so environmental spread is probably not a major source of the infection. It is also possible for cats that have had no contact with diseased cats to develop FIP. In multicat households that have had cats with FIP, it may mysteriously recur after months of being free of disease.


After a cat ingests the virus, replication follows in the pharynx and small intestine. The virus can be shed from the throat, lungs, stomach, and intestines and spread to other cats one to ten days later. It then reaches the lymphoid tissue, and eventually the infection spreads throughout the body. The virus may incubate for as long as several years before symptoms appear, when the disease is no longer contagious.


There are a number of strains of FIPV--some more virulent than others--and a cat with a strong immune system may not develop the disease. The presence of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may predispose a cat to the development of FIP.

Some of the initial clinical signs of FIP are fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and lethargy. Other cats have sneezing, watery eyes, and nose discharge. Several weeks later, more definitive symptoms appear. The disease at this point is divided into wet or dry, but many cats have a mixture of the two.


In wet FIP (around 60-70% of FIP cases), fluid accumulates in body cavities--most commonly the abdominal cavity--with gross abdominal swelling; or the thoracic cavity, which may cause breathing problems.


In dry FIP, lesions develop in different sites, and symptoms depend on what organs are affected. In up to 50% of cases, eye inflammation or neurological problems such as paralysis, unsteady gait, and seizures will develop. Other lesions may affect the kidneys, liver or gastrointestinal area.


FIP is difficult to diagnose through standard laboratory tests, and many veterinarians don't bother with blood tests. However, some tests can help point to FIP as a cause for your cat's condition. The coronavirus titer test can determine the presence of coronavirus in your cat. X-ray and analysis of fluid present in the body cavities is one of the most useful tests. Examination of biopsied tissue is another way FIP can be confirmed.


Thus far, there is no effective treatment available for FIP. Infected cats can be treated symptomatically, but euthanasia becomes the only option as the disease progresses. Alternative veterinarians recommend homeopathy, herbs, and nutrition to treat symptoms, but not as a cure.


The most effective way to deal with FIPV is through strict control of infection. In a multicat household, any cats with signs of possible FIP should be isolated and kept indoors until a diagnosis is made. This is especially important if the cat is pregnant. After her kittens are born, they should be removed from her after four to six weeks (by that time they will have acquired antibodies from the mother, and started producing their own) to protect them from acquiring any viruses from her, including FIPV.


Hygiene is crucial in controlling FIPV. Make sure litter boxes are scooped daily, throw away the rest of the litter every week, and disinfect the boxes with bleach. Also clean and disinfect the area around the box. Use at least one litter box for every two cats. Change food and water daily, and disinfect bowls and utensils weekly. Almost any common household disinfectant can be used to destroy FIPV, which can survive up to three weeks in the home.


Other measures to control FIP include minimizing stress, especially if you have more than one cat. Do not bring new cats into the home for six months. And you might consider screening your cats for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, which suppress the immune system of the cat and predispose it to developing FIP.


A vaccine is available for FIPV, but it is controversial and some veterinarians do not recommend it. Studies are continuing to create a more effective vaccine that will cover all strains of FIPV.

My vet tested Miley for FIP and she tested positive. That means that she was exposed to it, not that she has it. She does have issues with soft stools and we are working on that. So although she tested positive it seems that testing the other three cats is pointless because there is no treatment for it! Something else to worry about!

Now aren't you sorry you asked? :)

Good save on that little one. Wow what a mouth full of info on the FIP...you got me worried. My Olney, Illinois rescues are sneezing, and have watery eyes...the vet says just a URI...but now I am second guessing. Keep us posted on the little one. Oh, can we PLEASE see pics? We at PT are picture-a-holics!

Good job, SAS! Can't wait to see some pictures! ;)

And while I was looking for the camera, I took the time to find rechargeable batteries and recharged them! How about that for thinking ahead?

Today is Vet day for Timstead, the little kitty. I know, he has a name, not a good sign! I named him Timstead because he was found in front of the farm called Timstead Farm.

I will take photos of him today, after the vet visit and hopefully with the guy who is going to adopt him. Even if the guy says no, and he just might, I will still take the photos. I have my camera WITH ME today! I never cease to amaze myself somedays......thinking ahead.....!

Well, I had better get to work. The appointment is for 11:30, thus I must leave 1/2 earlier for travel time. Timstead is in the car - its cool out right now...in the 50's....so the car is fine. He is in his carrier, large enough for a lion....along with his litter box and food.

He is doing so nicely with the litter box. He had me scared there on the first day. He pooped all over the place. Day two was fine.....and hey, its already day 3, nearly 4!

I will keep everyone posted.

I just love little kittens. I know I cannot do this too often....or else I will fail at the delivery stage.



UPDATE: The fellow at the office is taking the kitten and keeping his name (assuming it is a male :rolleyes: ) So Timstead has a home. We have the Vet visit....and few more hours in the car and then off to his new home! I will buy the food, post, pay for the alterations and offer free cat sitting services as well. Its a deal made in heaven. Another kitten saved!

I hope that everything goes well at Timsteads vet visit and I'm so glad that he also has a home.:) I can't wait to see pictures of him. He sure sounds adorable.:) Now you'll also be able to watch him grow up.

He spent the afternoon on my lap, since he will be going to his new home tonight.

Here's what he had done to him:

Ear mite removal. What a gross scene that was...oh my gosh. He will have meds for 6 weeks.

He had three kitten shots...don't recall what for....

Stool sample....he has round worms and some other unusual parasite. So meds for three days straight then again in three weeks.

He had fleas and they put a flea treatment on him at half strength.

I scheduled a vet appointment in three weeks with my vet, so his new purents don't have to go if they don't want to. I just want to see this through to the "final alteration".

My vet knew of the kittens, as the farm had a "free kittens" sign out all weekend. I guess this one didn't get adopted. The vet was also familar with the gray cat we think it Timstead's Mom.

All in all, the kitten was well behaved. I, on the other hand, got a speeding ticket (3 points and $144) on my way back from the vet.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Let me go take some photos right now. I will upload them this evening, when I get home.

SAS

Yea! Timstead

I promise to download some more tonight......didn't have time to do the Imagestation thing last evening.

By the way, Timstead had a quiet night last night and was a good boy and used his litter box. They are keeping him in his crate for a few days, until the flea and worm treatments take hold. All in all, his new purents are thrilled with him. Timstead has this look to him....very bright eyed and intelligent looking. You should have seen him looking for me when I had him in the office. When someone else was holding him, he was looking at me! Made me feel so special.

And that is why a would fail "Fostering 101"

Thanks for saving this little guy. You are his guardian angel SAS. :)
He is so precious.

Congratulations, Timstead, on your new furrever home. You are so precious I know you're going to be pampered and loved.

Good work SAS!

What a sweet thread. Sallyanne you are Timstead's very own guardian angel. I am amazed at your strength to not take this little guy on as one of your own :) but glad that you have found him a good home. This is the best of both worlds because you will undoubtedly be given *Auntie SAS visiting rights.* Sorry about the speeding ticket. How could a policeman give a ticket to someone with such an adorable passenger? :confused: :)

Tickets serve many purposes, mostly income for the city/town/state. I was going too fast and now I will slow down for at least two years until the points go away.

I lost sleep last night wondering if Timstead was using his litter box.... if the two folks who took him will love him enough.....if he will carry fleas in to their house....worry, worry, worry. I do that for a living.

I did tell Chris, the guy at work, that if they change their minds at any point, that I would take him back and find him another home. The same goes with TiTi, the bengal kitty I rehomed.

So yes, Timstead found someone to give him a better chance at life and for the first year, free medical services for his purents! I feel so responsible for scooping him up off the road.......and changing his life...I know it should be for the positive, but I think about all the fun he will be missing, running through the fields, eating mice....etc.

I will have constant contact with the kitten's dad since he works with me. Once that changes, I am sure I will not keep in touch....as often.

If I can, I will force Chris, Timstead's dad to take photos of him as he grows.
:)

Sallyanne I just noticed that your last post in this thread caused you to roll over. haha! Not literally but your post count just turned to 3,000. :) I normally don't take any note of post counts, either others or my own, but just happened to glance at this when I read your post. Let me just say that, though you don't post often, when you do they are so enjoyable, informative and funny and sometimes all three in the same post :) (I enjoyed your statement about worrying for a living....I think many of us do that. :D ) Congrats on two things - the rehoming of Timstead and 3,000 terrific posts. ;)

I don't post as much as I did in the past, although I do post. I just don't have as much time as I did a few years ago. How can that be? I don't know!

Thanks for being such a good friend and person to so many of us, Pam. We have a connection for life, I do believe.

Hey, and guess what? Today is my birthday! Lots to celebrate!

No, I will not tell you how old I am. Just know this, when I go to light my candles on my birthday cake today, at the office, the staff has asked for the fire department to be on :eek: "standby"! :eek:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pam

Congrats on two things - the rehoming of Timstead and 3,000 terrific posts. ;)

---

Let me edit that then! CONGRATS ON THREE THINGS! Happy Birthday to you!!! I hope it is a good one for you and all of the other campers. :cool: :cool:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...happybday2.gif

I managed to miss this story completely! What an adorable kitten!
Congratulations on all of your celebrations today! :D

He sure is a cutie pie.:) Happy Birthday and Congrats on your 3000 posts too.:)

Happy Birthday my friend :)

What a wonderful thing to pass the 3,000 just for the story of a cutie pie kitty like Timstead :)

He will be feisty and funny in no time once these dreadful worms and fleas are gone. And I'm sure his new purrents WILL love him- who couldn't :)

Happy Birthday, Sallyanne!!! I am not too far behind you!!! :eek:

And thank you for taking in the little lost soul and giving him a chance at life. I'm sure he is going to be just fine!!!!! :)

Congrats on those 3000 posts, too! I feel like you have been here as long as I have, and you are definitely not as much of a blabbermouth as I am!!!! :o

Logan

Great job SAS!!!! I could feel your heart melting as you described him purring in your lap. He is precious!!

According to Chris, Tim's new dad, he has been using his litter box, loving being combed for fleas, not liking the ear mite meds and not bothered by the worm/parasite meds. He sleeps in his container, with the beanie baby etc.

Chris said that he heard a bunch of noise coming from his cage early this morning....and when they looked in, Tim was evidently bored and decided to mix litter, water and kibble together, forming a concrete of sorts. They think he was trying to get their attention.

Once Tim gets over the worm/parasite meds and flea treatment, they will allow him more space while they are there. Tomorrow I will drop off a bunny fence to keep him confined but not tortured by staying in the container. It won't be long until he will figure out that he can scale the fence. By then, he will be old enough to leave out 24/7.

Tim is happy! And being a good, good boy. He has such an intelligent looking face. He is so calm. He will probably do an about-face soon and become a holy terror! :D

Congratulations on Tim's new home. A job well done!

Now for my advice.......NO CLUMPING LITTER
That kitten is too young, and the fact that he is making cememnt shows why. Kittens will get wet and then the litter will cement on their fur, and then they'll lick it. VERY bad for the tummy. :(

I haven't had such young kittens before. Even Lucy was around 16 weeks when I got her. So she and my other cats were ready for prime time when they arrived. Little Timstead had never seen litter before now.....I will let Chris know to switch his litter. They may have already done so. It was pretty comical to hear the story.......sounded like Tim really was trying to cover his food! All he had was water and litter to accomplish his task!

I need to set Tim free from my worry list. I bought him a scratching post today, to give to Chris......and will buy him more kitten food some time next week. Once the Dr. appointments are over, I will set them free of me. I just need to KNOW that he is healthy and neutered before I sign off on him.

:)

Yours truly,

Ms. Worry Wart

SAS, do you think you could get just one more picture before you send
him off on his new life? One is good but, two is better. :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...d/ed0e9cfc.jpg

His eyes looks watery and they were, as he had just come from the Vet where they dug ear mites from his dear little ears for 1/2 an hour........he eventually had no tears ..... I will look for more photos....I took several...

By the way, I saw his Mom on the road tonight. He looks just like her. She hangs out on the side of the road according to my Vet who lives only a few houses down the road from where I found Tim.

:rolleyes:

Sallyanne, that last picture is heart wrenching- how good to know that he is better now :)
He'll be a little cat teenager who is up to no good in no time and never again look so miserbale thanks to you :)

That picture is a real tear-jerker. What an adorable kitten, and how I would love to see him making cement! :D

I'm glad that you saved him! ugh i hate what barn cats have to go through!! :( i hope you find someone who will adopt him!

Update on the kitten:

Timstead = Radar - name changed

Radar is doing just fine. He has a slight URI so is taking meds for that along with the ear mite meds ..... He is using his litter box faithfully and enjoying total freedom of his new home. Chris, his new purrent dad, tells cute stories each day about how Radar found his mirror image for the first time.....and where he sleeps, all tucked away, instead of sleeping with them in their bed....etc. etc. He loves being brushed and combed and is easy to pill :eek: ! Can you imagine. Wait until day #14 on the pills, and will see what Chris says then.

All in all, Radar is going to be pampered and loved and protected! I am so darn happy for the little guy. He should change his name to Lucky!

As soon as Chris takes new photos and Radar begins to get bigger, I will pop them up here!