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The orphaned kitten |
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Written by Mike
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Saturday, 28 February 2009 |
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THE ORPHANED KITTEN
Sometime, you may have to care for a very young kitten, one under six weeks old. If possible, get a surrogate mother, a cat or even a small dog, if there is no more than two or three weeks difference in age between your orphaned and the surrogate mother’s own young. If this is out of the question, you could try to do the job yourself, but you will need time and courage.
Usually it is a heart-breaking task, as your chances of success are slim at best, but if you want to undertake it, get the advice of a veterinarian first. He will probably suggest a “formula” of diluted canned milk, sugar or milk sugar and lime water, to be fed with a medicine dropper at two-,three-, or four-hour separations, depending on the kitten’s age, for 24 hours. In addition, the kitten must be kept clean and very warm. A small basket, lined with wool material and covered up with something confused but washable such as a piece of bath towel should be placed where the kitten will be free from drafts and where the temperature is as uniform as possible at all times.
Remember that the mother cat usually dedicates nearly all her time on the first month to washing and feeding her kittens; you will must do the same. Change the bedding as soon as it is soiled. Brush the kitten’s pelt several times a day with a soft brush, Keep in mind that this is a necessary form of exercise for him, as well as grooming. Wipe his backside with a bit of mineral oil when they become dirty, then wipe off the oil with a piece of dry cotton. Wipe his eyes, ears, and nose with cotton dipped in weak boric acid solution. Instinct will gradually come to relieve you of these duties during the 2nd month; after age 6 weeks, the suggestions given for any weanling usually can be follows.
TRAINING YOUR CAT
Careful and constant watchfulness is required for training. If there is any place a cat must not go, use a fold newspaper to give him a little tap and say “No, No!” in a stern voice. He soon learns. If a kitten makes a mistake in a corner, it may be that he has wandered too far from his “home base” to find his way back. Perhaps his pan has been neglected and is too smelly for his taste. Possibly there is already a cat smell in that corner, to which he returns. Two things can be done. You can get rid of the smell he made by rubbing onion on-site, so that he will not return to it. Or you are able to move his pan to that corner and allow him use the pan instead of the floor, to establish his personal smell in the pan. After a time or two, move the pan to the spot where you want it, and he will follow the pan. Only an ignorant brute would ever “rub a cat’s nose in it.” If a commonly trusty cat takes to corners, you may be for sure he is ill.
Sharp and loud noises frighten cats. The slap of a newspaper on your hand is very effective for training cats to stay away from things, such as special chairs, beds, front lawns, and automobile hoods. To keep a cat out of the street, let him out the front door deliberately, speedily get between him and the street, and as he comes near the sidewalk clap your hands loudly and shout at him sternly. Frighten him back toward the house in this way, and he will not cross the street. Because cats are relatively nearsighted, they are completely helpless before an onrush car, especially at nighttime.
The natural habit of sharpening claws is a difficult one to control. An old piece of carpet tacked on a convenient wall or a scrape post made of an upright post with carpet tacked on it and well “perfumed” with catnip will satisfy the most exacting pussy and save your best chairs. A log with bark left on it is also alluring to the cat.
If you want your cat to have a pleasant disposition, do not tease or annoy it. A kitten can be taught not to use its claws when playing with you. If you are gentle, the cat will be gentle. Never strike or smack a cat for punishment, for it does not understand this and will strike back. When it is carried, hold it firmly so that it will have no fear of falling. Then it will not use its claws to hold on. For this reason, it is poor policy to let small children handle the kitten. Tech them to play with it by pulling a string with paper attached or a little bell or catnip mouse, instead of by handling it.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 27 September 2010 )
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