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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Eight week olds

44 replies

Camargue · 23/11/2013 19:15

Just got a pair of lovely 8 wk olds from Celia Hammonds(. I was reluctant to take them so soon but they insisted it was fine) Still a bit concerned about socialising them, so what should we do to help them best? They seem fine, under the chair atm and have been with mum in foster home.

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cozietoesie · 23/11/2013 19:40

It is a little soon (10 weeks would have been better) but I know that all rescues are in quite desperate straits with overloading at the moment so that may have informed their view.

Have they eaten, drunk, used their tray yet, etc?

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Camargue · 23/11/2013 19:52

Eaten and drunk a but but not used tray. Had a rousing game too! That is awful about shelters, they are doing a great job.

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cozietoesie · 23/11/2013 19:57

Eaten and drunk is good. The tray should come if they know how to use it but it might be a good idea to put them on it in a hopeful way and do a quick scratch holding their paws just to remind them of their duty.

How long have they been in the house? (I'm assuming you've had no accidents.)

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Camargue · 23/11/2013 20:15

Will do, thanks! Only a few hours here. They are tearing round in circles now and one has purred.

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cozietoesie · 23/11/2013 20:17

They could still be crossing their legs. Sounds as if they're well adjusted though.

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Camargue · 25/11/2013 20:37

All going well, they are both using the tray perfectly, and settling in really well. Sleeping a lot today. How soon should we let them out into the rest of the house? Also, they are both sneezing. Is that fairly common? No eye discharge or other problems, and feeding and playing fine.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 25/11/2013 20:51

I'd ring the vets tomorrow, just to check.

They'll have had their jabs won't they?

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Camargue · 25/11/2013 20:52

Yes, had first jabs, thanks. They are so small it's easy to worry!

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Fluffycloudland77 · 25/11/2013 20:55

Maybe something is irritating them, they are a lot closer to the ground than the rest of us or it could be litter tray dust if they are digging lots.

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cozietoesie · 25/11/2013 20:56

Maybe not, at only 8 weeks and with a foster. (They won't have had their second jab anyway I would have thought - too young.)

Camargue - if they haven't had their jabs, I'd ring the vet and book them in. They'll need two jabs two weeks apart.

It may not be flu - could be dust or something if they've been hiding under the armchairs - but best to be safe.

Oh - and excellent news about their tray use and settling.

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cozietoesie · 25/11/2013 20:57

x post. Get them booked for their second, anyway. Camargue. And get the hoover out.

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Camargue · 25/11/2013 21:27

Jabs booked. And will hoover! Good idea.

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timtam23 · 25/11/2013 22:12

Aww they sound lovely and getting 2 together should help as they will keep each other company. I took in a 7 wk old stray a few months ago and at first he was quite wary of being picked up or our hands getting too close to him - I think we were so large compared to him, and he had been through a lot in his short life (found under our car bonnet!)
He absolutely loved (and still loves!) playing with crumpled sheets of newspaper, big paper bags, shoelaces and we also bought one of the "fishing rod"-type toys so that we could play with him whilst giving him a bit of space to get used to us.

I work but my DH is at home all the time and I think that really has helped the kitten as there is always someone in the house with him and we would potter about & just chat to him. Also when the children were at school he was more likely to come out at the start.

He is 5 months old now and is just the loveliest cat, still a mad kitten but very friendly & affectionate. A very noticeable difference from my other cat (who was also a stray kitten but when I was at work he was on his own, and with hindsight I left him on his own too much)

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Camargue · 28/11/2013 11:19

Lovely to hear the cat under the bonnet update, I remember reading that!
Poor kittens have got mild cat flu acc to the vet (they are between 2 vaxs so will have to postpone 2nd). I'm having trouble getting the medicine (liquid form) into one of them - would it be ok to put into small bit of milk or yoghurt? (they have never had either of these, as I wouldn't give as part of usual diet, but they definitely like the smell) They're sleeping a lot but still quite bright so am really hoping they get through it ok. Such a worry!

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Fluffycloudland77 · 28/11/2013 11:23

You can buy cat milk, that way they won't get runny tummies too.

Poor little things.

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cozietoesie · 28/11/2013 12:05

Poor wee morsels. If it's any consolation, quite a lot of cats get a mild dose - usually because they're infected before the vaccinations have taken full effect and live long lives, albeit they get snuffles and you need to keep a good eye on their teeth.

Seniorboy has residual cat flu which rears its head from time to time and he's nearly 19. (He's got the snuffles and sneezes right now so I'm having to wipe his nose a bit and keep the heating on. But he's broadly OK.)

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cozietoesie · 28/11/2013 12:08

PS - probably a good idea to drop an email to let CH know so that they can check Mum's status and any other kits that might be in the foster home.

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Camargue · 28/11/2013 15:14

I suppose I should have been prepared for this possibility, just never occurred to me - maybe they picked it up as they waited in the shelter for a bit when we got them, as they were in foster home before. Have told CH, thanks cozietosie. One's congested now and off his food so am trying smellier food and have put olbas oil on a hanky - our bathroom is so big and draughty that steam treatment is difficult. Ds is fretting terribly, it's his first pet poor thing, and I'm pretty fragile myself. vet did say they were looking good in themselves. It's so sad to see them not playing.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 28/11/2013 15:21

Have you googled the ingredients to make sure they aren't poisenous to cats? Essential oils are pretty toxic and these are small poorly kittens.

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cozietoesie · 28/11/2013 16:17

Olbas oil appears to be safe for cats as long as it's not applied directly to the cat's skin, thank goodness.

They should be OK, camargue although you'll need to keep an eye on teeth as they get older. (Cat flu can contribute to gingivitis.) Seniorboy may be a terrible snuffler right now but remember that he's an old cat who likely has a dodgy immune system. He wasn't nearly so prone to sniffles when he was younger and he's now on l-lysine to help his position. (And frankly, he's doing well to get to his current age, regardless.)

I wouldn't worry too much - and try to soothe DS's fears a bit.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 28/11/2013 16:41

Oh good.

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cozietoesie · 28/11/2013 16:47

It's apparently an irritant if applied directly to the cat's skin, Fluffy. You judged rightly to be cautious.

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Camargue · 28/11/2013 20:18

The vet suggested the Olbas, but I will be sure to keep it away from skin, thanks. Will try to worry less! Insurance not covering it as it's within first 14 days, which is a potential issue for the future I guess.

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cozietoesie · 28/11/2013 20:29

If it's of interest, Seniorboy has not needed his nose wiped tonight. He may be a snuffler tomorrow again but tonight it looks as if he's winning gradually - and I'm sure your two will as well. Lots of good food and water and keep them warm seems to do it.

Good luck.

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Camargue · 29/11/2013 13:24

Hope Seniorboy is better today, cozietoesie. Ours are looking brighter tho still sleeping a lot. I'm back with another question - since starting the antibiotics (such as I have managed to squirt into them!) neither of them have pooed - I want to avoid a weekend vet trip if possible - should I be worried? No signs of straining, they just don't seem interested in going. They have weed a bit.

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