BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Cats here we go again! -or guess what my husband found?

My husband Lee teaches in DC every weekend for the Dept. of Criminal Justice and this weekend he has an extra two days--Monday and Tuesday because he needs to take a class himself to renew some credentials. So anyway he gets up this morning to check out of one hotel to go to another one closer to his class and he starts the car and a flock of birds fly over head making bird noises. But he said it was odd bird noises that sounded more like kitten mews. So he listens and it IS kitten mews! He pops the hood and there not an inch away from the fan is a tiny black kitten mewing its little lungs out! It froze and he grabbed it by the "handle" and put it in the car with him.
He made a pit stop on his way to class and bought a small box and some litter and a bit of Half-n-Half and some baby food meat (ham--he knows everybody likes ham!) Then he found a parking space in the shade and put the windows down a little. He has been calling me on every break to give me kitten updates!
You should hear this viking of a man who is in a handgun qualification class tell me with pride in his voice how the kitten left him a gift in the litter box! And guess what? Yes of course it is another BLACK kitten! (What is it with this man and black cats?)
So he is talking Craig's List--but I already know how this story is going to end. (He has already named it--Solo.) Sigh. I don't know why he just doesn't start a cat sanctuary and get it over with!
I hope the weather holds out--right now it is only in the 70's. He has shooting at the range all day tomorrow. (He may just drive all the way home drop off a kitten and turn around and go back with no sleep.)
You know those photos of soldiers in Iraq holding kittens? Yep, you got it! Oh and for my sister Kira-----how about an early Christmas gift?

RavynG

That is sooooo incredibly sweet of him. If only more people were like that. I agree..since he named it he won't be able to let it go. I love black cats. I think they're sensuous. Cute too. I'm impressed how he bought the food and milk for the little one. He's a good kitty daddy.

he brought it home tonight and will go back tomorrow for his last day of class, I knew he would! what a pitiful ittle bag of bones! I don't know if it is male or female yet and it does not appear to be sick, just starved. And it is meowing CONSTANTLY. I hope it survives and can put on some weight. It is very loving with head butts and purrs and nose kisses and very active. It jumped off my shoulder and climbed on the dog. Sam just looked at it like--who are you? It is so fragile but active, I hope it does not break a bone! I am guessing it has been without momma and decent food and water for about a week, it looks to be about 8 weeks old. It's eyes are clear and its ears are clean and it has good teeth and a pink tongue, but it is hoarse from meowing so long (and it still has not stopped!) and its little joints pop when you pick it up! I have not checked to see if it is male or feale yet--I want to try and put some meat on its bones before I fuss with it too much. I hope it survives--it is a sweet thing, head butts and nose kisses and purrs. oh---hear that? the bathroom is quiet! do I look and wake it up again or just let it be and hope it is ok?
RavynG

Awww! the poor little baby. It needs all the love and assurance of safety and home it can get. I would not worry about waking it up, I would check on him/her.

Does it have a soft warm bed in the bathroom and something to cuddle up to -- like a pillow or stuffed animal? That would really help. A blanky would be good, too.

What are you feeding kitty? When I had sick or weak kitties (years ago) I fed them very,very diluted baby pablum (cereal). Gerber rice cereal is good, mixed with hot milk, then cool to lukewarm. Make it as thin as possible until kitty is able to eat more. This should help put weight on him/her. Check with a vet first, but I think this will be ok.

Kitty should stop meowing so much when it is no longer feeling hunger pangs and feels more secure. If it continues to meow a lot you should take it to a vet. The joints popping may be a sign of something more serious, so kitty should be checked soon.

yes I have the smallest cat crate in the bathroom with a towel in it, a small litterbox (an aluminum baking pan) behind the toilet, and I have water, cream and baby food meat and some kitten formula kibble for it. Right now it is drinking the cream and eating the kibble and it is already using the litterbox with no problem. I gave it a spoonfull of sourcream mixed with yogurt this morning and it tore into it. Last night it was drinking my cranberry juice out of my glass! so it is not a picky eater! I usually make a rice cereal gruel like you said with some yogurt and maybe a touch of tuna juice to flavor it. The litter box evidence is already changing for the better. And last night it was crying crying so I picked it up and started gently thumping it with two fingers and sure enough! after a couple of minutes I get this BUUUURRRRP! every baby needs a good burping!
My husband is calling it Solo, but if it turns out to be a girl it may have to be adjusted to Sola. (must be an eclipse!)
Kitten is very active and curious but it already knows it can go and be quiet in the crate. and it has seen the other cats and jumped ON the dog--not a hiss or a worry, so it seems to be a friendly one too. Makes me sad to think of the possible fate of it's momma or any litter-mates tho! Oh--if I could I would create a whole planet just for kitties and puppies!
RavynG

update--we kept "Diesel" for 5 weeks and he grew big and strong and our male Merlin taught him how to be a proper cat. He found his forever home with good friends of ours and has been renamed Loki--to better fit his personality. He is thriving and weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds! That was the day before Halloween when he left, and the day after we had to have our beloved Akita, Samantha put down. She was 14 yrs old and the last few days she lost control of herself and was ready to go. It has been a quiet month without the baby and our Samma. The other 4 kitties are trying to adjust and it will help when we get the Christmas Tree up this week. But it has been so hard for me! I have never been without a dog in 48 yrs! But no more for us, we want to travel and it is hard enough leaving the cats. Just thot I would catch you up--now to figure out how to change my password--had some trojans and want to make sure everything is safe.

RavynG

[quote=WalkingGranny]That is sooooo incredibly sweet of him. If only more people were like that. I agree..since he named it he won't be able to let it go. I love black cats. I think they're sensuous. Cute too. I'm impressed how he bought the food and milk for the little one. He's a good kitty daddy. [/quote] I can't say nothing more, you took my words from my mouth :)