Kitten Facts

The antics of a playful kitten are a delight to watch. This handful of fluff and fun is a fascinating little creature. As you hold it in your hand, consider this: A kitten's tiny body has about 440 bones — nearly 40 more than a human. It has more than 500 separate skeletal muscles compared to some 650 found in the human body.

Look at the ridges on its tiny nose pad. They form a pattern as unique to an individual kitten as a fingerprint is to a human. Behind this nose pad lies a maze of bones and cavities that serve a kitten well. This area, called the mucosa, is nearly twice the size of the olfactory mucosa in humans and indicates the importance of the sense of smell to cats.

A newborn kitten's sense of smell enables it to locate its mother's nipples. Many kittens, shortly after birth, tend to stake out a single nipple which they claim for their own. This acute sense of smell combined with the sense of touch helps guide the newborn until its eyes open at about three weeks and its other senses develop.

The hairless skin of a kitten's nose and its paw pads are particularly sensitive to touch. A kitten learns to use its paws to investigate the texture, size and shape of an unfamiliar object. It may extend a paw, gently touch an object and then touch it firmly before drawing closer to use its nose for a final inspection. Its sense of smell and the tactile paw pads will continue as investigative tools throughout its adulthood.

A newborn kitten relies on its senses of smell and touch because its eyes remain closed for seven to ten days after birth. At first its vision is poor because its retina is not completely developed. It is not able to see as well as an adult for about three months. From then on, its vision becomes one of the most important of its senses.

A kitten's as well as an adult cat's eyes are large compared to the size of its head. If our eyes were as large in comparison to the size of our heads, they would be at least the size of a softball. The large eyes are part of the kitten's heritage, designed to facilitate its work as a hunter.

Throughout its life, a kitten depends upon its whiskers to provide information about its surroundings. Whiskers serve as wind detectors, which, combined with a sense of smell, contribute to its swift identification of the source of any odor. This can be observed as an inquisitive kitten twitches its whiskers as it sniffs.

Whiskers also protect a kitten's and an adult cat's eyes. A springing twig or a sharp blade of grass will touch the whiskers before catching the eye and trigger a protective eye blink. Whiskers fall out periodically to be replaced by new ones.

The loss of whiskers can impair a kitten's or cat's motion and orientation to its surroundings. Sometimes the mother cat will bite off the whiskers of kittens who may wander too far away or are too inquisitive. Mother knows best. Once a kitten is in your custody, never trim or cut off those whiskers.

When a kitten gives you an affectionate lick, you may liken the experience to the feeling of rough sandpaper. This is the result of numerous knobs called papillae on the surface of the kitten's tongue. They form backward-facing hooks which help hold food and provide the abrasion needed for self-grooming.

The taste buds are carried by mushroom-shaped papillae at the tip and sides of the tongue and the cup-shaped papillae at the back of the tongue.

Kittens have their own distinctive eating habits. They tend to consume a large number of small meals. Usually a kitten approaches its food, sniffs it quickly and then starts to eat. After consuming a small portion, a kitten leaves and returns at intervals to eat. This "occasional eating" is typical cat behavior and should not be confused with reluctance or refusal to eat.

As a kitten drinks water, notice how its tongue laps under the water in much the same manner as an elephant uses its trunk. It flicks its tongue quickly in and out of the liquid, swallowing after every third or fourth lap. Because water is involved in virtually every function of a kitten's body, it's important to keep fresh drinking water available at all times in a clean bowl.

While most of us associate catnip with causing a few minutes of extreme playfulness in a kitten, this reaction may not occur. A kitten's capacity to detect and react to catnip is inherited and sometimes described as the presence or absence of a "catnip gene." About 30 percent of cats do not have this gene and will not exhibit any particular behavior in association with catnip. Kittens with the gene usually don't respond to catnip until about six to eight months of age.

A final thought: Perhaps a kitten's most unique trait is its individuality. Each one has its own personality. Properly socializing a new kitten by introducing it with care to its new home, family and friends, will help develop its personality. The result is a delightful companion for years to come.

Source: http://gianteagle.petkare.com/index.asp?FrameId=4&CMD=Menu&SId=2236

Another baby squirrel

Clara got company. Her name is Sarah and she is 2 days old. A dog carried her around.

New Kitten Baby

Always, always isolate a rescued cat or kitten from your pets for at least fourteen days and until it has been examined by your veterinarian and tested for lethal disease; even a tiny kitten can pack a killer virus or parasite.

Make the kitten comfortable in a room that is frequently visited by you and that is separate from your other pets. Wash your hands with an antibacterial soap between visits to the new animal and your household. Consult with your veterinarian so that you are able to weigh the risks against the many blessings of taking in an orphan kitten.

Determine the Kitten's Condition

If the kitten is lethargic or cool to the touch, you may have a life-threatening emergency (such as exposure or distemper). Get the kitten on a heating pad or other primary heat source (see item 2) and get it to a veterinarian right away or consult an emergency veterinary clinic.

Do NOT feed a chilled newborn -- you will kill it. Instead, administer slightly warmed Pedialyte (an infant rehydrating fluid, available in any grocery or pharmacy), using an animal nurser, syringe, or dropper. (You can greatly extend the life of the Pedialyte by freezing it as ice cubes, bagging the cubes and storing them in your freezer, by the way.) Feed the kitten only when it is warmed and indicates it is hungry.

If the kitten seems over-warm and/or is breathing rapidly, it may be feverish or suffering from heat exhaustion or worse. Contact your vet or an emergency veterinary clinic immediately for advice if you can. To help lower the kitten's body temperature, try wiping it down with a cool, damp cloth; then administer Pedialyte. Get the kitten to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Warm the kitten

A newborn kitten is not capable of generating or maintaining body warmth and must depend on its mother (and now you) to sustain warmth and life. Keeping a newborn orphan warm (even on a warm day) is a priority, more important initially than feeding (do NOT feed a chilled kitten, by the way -- you will kill it).

Bundling up the kitten will do no good; it has no body heat of its own to retain. And putting the kitten near a space heater or other heating element is neither sufficient for the long-term nor safe.

Wrap a heating pad, set on low, in a towel or flannel and place it in or beneath the nesting box, leaving room for the kitten to crawl off the heated area as needed.

Emergency, short-term measures: If you don't have a heating pad, put the kitten on a wrapped hot water bottle or snuggled against a tightly sealed and well stabilized jar of warm water. Better yet, put the kitten next to your body -- next to the skin if possible.

Then go out and borrow or buy that heating pad after the first feeding or take the kitten to the vet immediately if its condition is poor or questionable.

Empty the Bladder

Newborns cannot evacuate their bowel or bladder unassisted. The kitten you have found may be in excruciating pain or in danger of going toxic from having to retain its own body waste. You should help the kitten empty its bladder before proceeding with warming or feeding or even the trip to the veterinarian.

With the kitten on a towel in your lap, lightly rub the kitten's body with a rough, dry washcloth. (At that point, the kitten may roll over or otherwise present its bottom to you.) With a generous handful of soft tissue (a good idea to have handy at all times) gently stroke the kitten's behind, keeping the tissue in contact. The kitten should oblige by urinating a rather amazing amount. Simply rotate the tissue until kitten stops urinating or the tissue is soaked, whichever comes first.

Another method to stimulate evacuation is to use a tissue or wash cloth moistened with warm water instead of a dry cloth or use a moistened Q-tip(hold the kitten over a sink or a folded towel if you use the latter method).

The Formula (more about Formula and feeding HERE)

Never feed a kitten cow's milk or human baby formula as this causes stomach upset and severe diarrhea. If a kitten is already dehydrated, this could prove fatal. This includes condensed/evaporated canned cow's milk!

There are several good milk replacers on the market, available in liquid or powder form (my personal favorite is called Just Born). The ready-mix liquid is more convenient. Be sure the product is engineered for kittens and that it is fresh (some have a short shelf-life). Milk replacers can be found in any pet supplies store, most veterinary clinics, and even in some variety stores.

If the kitten seems weak or ill and you cannot get to a veterinarian right away, you should administer slightly warmed Pedialyte before offering the milk replacer.

Baby Squirrel Clara 9th day of arrival at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue

She weights 1.5 oz today and eats 2 cc's every 4 hours.

HOW, WHEN & WHY TO SPAY/NEUTER YOUR CAT

OVERVIEW OF SPAYING (FEMALES) & NEUTERING (MALES)

Because of the pet overpopulation problem, more people are spaying/neutering their felines now than ever before. Over 10 million dogs and cats in the United States alone are being put to death by euthanasia each year in animal shelters because there are no homes for them. And, the great majority of these animals are perfectly healthy, friendly and young. Because of this, great care should be taken to prevent pets from unplanned breeding, or breeding without homes available and waiting for the babies. The best solution to this problem is to spay your female pets and neuter your male pets.

There are additional benefits to the pet owner for having this procedure performed on their pets: these benefits include the pet having, for the most part, a longer and healthier life; improved behavior and more responsiveness to their human family; increased safety as spayed and neutered pets are less likely to want to roam the streets outside and become injured or lost in search of a mate; no unwanted kittens; less tendency of the spayed or neutered pet to "mark" or damage household furnishings, and a marked decrease in many medical problems such as mammary cancers and uterine infections which are fairly common in unaltered cats.

Simply put, spaying or neutering removes an animal's ability to reproduce. Spaying of females involves removing the female's uterus and ovaries surgically. Neutering involves the surgical removal of the male's testicles. Both surgeries are performed under general anesthesia, and are considered relatively safe, routine and painless. Usually, the animal is up and about within a day of their operation.

BENEFITS OF SPAYING/NEUTERING YOUR FELINE

There are many benefits to having your pet spayed or neutered. For females, having them spayed will prevent them from going through any more heat cycles. Un-spayed females normally come into heat several times a year, and these cycles can last from several days to several weeks, and include such behaviors as spraying of urine (yes, females can spray, too!!), marking with urine, howling, and some other obnoxious behaviors. Neutering a male before he reaches puberty almost always prevents completely the development of all mating behavior, which includes spraying urine and marking territory with urine, and the desire to roam outside searching for a mate. This in itself puts the cat at great risk for injury or even death from being hit by cars; being the object of human cruelty; infection and disease from other cats; death from natural predators, and cat fighting.

THE SPAY OPERATION (FEMALES)

Most frequently, it is recommended that female kittens be spayed at six months of age, or preferably before their first heat. The surgery, called "ovariohysterectomy", involves anesthetizing the animal, and the veterinarian makes an incision through which the cat's ovaries and uterus are removed. The surgical incision is then closed by either non-absorbable stitches (which must then be removed in approximately 7 to 10 days); or by sub-cuticular stitches, or by sutures that are placed below the skin and that gradually dissolve on their own in the body. There is another procedure that can be performed on female cats, and that is called a "tubal ligation", which is the surgical procedure which makes the female sterile, but does not prevent her from coming into heat and attracting males. Obviously, tubal ligation is not very popular for that very reason!!

We are often asked whether or not female cats can still be spayed even if they are in the middle of a heat cycle. While most vets prefer to perform the surgery in cats not currently in heat, most surgeons will still spay a female kitten or cat when in heat. There is often a small additional charge for this, as there is more time and attention needed during the surgery due to the increased blood supply to the uterus during a heat cycle. But, spaying a kitten or cat in heat is far better than waiting and perhaps having other serious consequences to the feline occur, such as unwanted pregnancy, disease or illness contracted from other cats she may be seeking to mate with.

THE NEUTER OPERATION (MALES)

Another name for the neuter surgery performed on male cats is "castration".

Male cats are usually neutered between 5 1/2 and 9 months of age, before habits such as spraying urine are started. Neutering involves the removal of the source of sex hormones and sperm cells, which is the testicles. The two incisions are usually so small that stitches or sutures are not even needed. And, normally, the cat is sent home the very same day.

NEUTERING VS. VASECTOMY IN MALES

There is another procedure available for preventing fertility in males, and that is a "vasectomy". While a vasectomy renders a male cat sterile, it does not affect testosterone levels as long as the spermatic artery is kept intact. A vasectomized cat, in other words, can mate, but cannot father kittens. This procedure is rarely used for domestic male cats, because a vasectomized male cat would still have territorial issues, still perhaps be prone to fighting other cats to protect that territory, still wander and try to get outside in search of a mate, and still spray urine that has a very strong odor. Vasectomy is still a valid alternative for population control in feral cat colonies, however.

WHAT AGE IS BEST TO SPAY/NEUTER?

The best time to alter your pet is before the animal reaches puberty. Many experts feel that six months of age is an ideal time to spay or neuter. However, there have been numerous studies done that show that healthy kittens spayed or neutered as young as six weeks of age do quite well. The recovery of such young kittens is very quick, and to date, no negative significant concerns have been found. Spaying and neutering kittens and puppies that are healthy at a very young age is becoming a growing trend that has been endorsed by major humane organizations including the Humane Society of the United States, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Humane Association, and the Cat Fanciers' Association.

Some people still feel that a kitten should be larger and stronger before undergoing the general anesthesia required to perform the surgery, and to allow more time for the urinary tract system to develop. Consult with your veterinarian and other veterinary health professionals that you trust to help you determine the right age for your kitten or cat. And, speaking of cats, unless your cat has a health problem, spaying/neutering is considered safe at ANY age!! Most of the time, the owners of mature cats -- as well as the cats themselves -- enjoy all the benefits of the spay/neuter surgeries also!!

MORE REASONS TO SPAY/NEUTER

Many families think they would like their children to experience the miracle of birth by having their beloved female kitty have "just one litter". However, when millions of families do this, we see the number of cats euthanized due to pet overpopulation continue to increase. Your library and public television are great sources for this sort of education, and also, locate reputable breeders in your area, and see if they will allow your children to visit when there are young kittens. Be sure to follow any instructions you are given by the breeders as to washing your hands, taking off your shoes, etc. Great care must be taken to protect the health of small kittens and the valuable animals in a breeding program. Professional breeding of purebred animals is a very expensive science involving a great commitment of time, effort, emotion and money. While many people may think that breeding animals would make a great second income...the reality is that little money, if any, can truly be made when the mother cat is properly cared for pre-pregnancy, during breeding and pregnancy, and post-pregnancy, and the kittens are all kept healthy, well fed, wormed, vaccinated, advertised and sold (this is assuming you are lucky enough to have healthy kittens in the first place, and a mother cat willing and able to care for them). The home must be thoroughly kitten-proofed, and even then, there are always going to be some "accidents" on the rugs and furnishings while the kittens are young and learning.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

There is a spay procedure that is currently widely used in Europe but rarely utilized in the United States. This economically feasible surgical technique is called the "left lateral flank spay", and involves making a small incision through the lateral abdominal wall of the cat. Basically, this technique involves going through the side of the animal as opposed to the animal's stomach area. The animal is shaved on the left flank area, and veterinarians in England and France have found that this procedure is more cost effective, time efficient, and safe for the cats. Originally, this technique was developed for use on feral cats, who were going to be released into the wild within 48 hours of having the surgery.

Source: http://www.hdw-inc.com/spayneuter.htm

Baby Squirrel Clara's 7th day at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue

Baby Squirrel Clara's 7th day at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue

Squirrel Clara's 6th day at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue

Clara's 6th day went as great as the days before. She gains weight, eats exactly the amount she
should, the fur is coming in now and her digestion is picture book perfect. I could not ask for more!!

Kittens and Cats

Litter-box Training your Kitten

Cats don’t need to be trained to use a litter box - they just do it.

By understanding why they prefer to eliminate in a litter box will help their human owners not to make any mistakes in having and maintaining the “cat box”. It is a cat’s basic instinct (even big cats) to eliminate away from their food and sleeping area and to bury the waste in order to hide their position from other animals and protect their nests and young.

Most kittens start using the litter-box at the age of 3-4 weeks on their own. At this young age you can show the kitten where to go and it might happen a bit faster:

Immediately after feeding your kitten, pick her up and gently place her in the litterbox. Scratch the litter a little with your fingers so she can get the idea. If she goes, praise her profusely. If she doesn’t, watch her closely for indications of wanting to go elsewhere. The instant you see her squatting, pick her up and gently place her in the litter-box.

Never throw her in or scold her–it will only associate the box with unpleasant memories in her mind. Every time she uses the box, praise her profusely. You want her to associate her box usage with pleasure.

Keep the box immaculately clean, by scooping it several times a day and changing the litter and washing and disinfecting the box at least twice weekly.

Here are a few things to consider about the litter box:

• Don’t place a litter box close to food or water.
• Some cats do not like covered litter boxes. Not only does the odor tend to stay within the box if it is not kept scrupulously clean but large cats are often not able to achieve a comfortable position for elimination.
• Being meticulous creatures, cats are reluctant to stand on/in half wet or soaking wet litter. If you are unable to clean the box often enough consider getting another box.
• The litter box should only have about a half inch of inch of litter and it should be changed frequently. Cats and especially kittens do not like sinking into a soggy mound of smelly litter. Putting a small amount of litter into the pan saves litter and also means it is easier for you to change.
• Don’t line the bottom of the litter pan with newspaper or use plastic liners. Newspaper smells and those plastic liners form wrinkles for urine and feces to hide. The plastic liners also tear easily.
• If your cat soils a hard surface, it might be a sign that he prefers that type of surface. You might try putting litter on only half the bottom of the litter pan. You should never change brands of litter once you find one that is well liked.
• Clumping litter should be avoided especially with kittens. This type of litter creates more dust, which settles on the kitten, is ingested when the kitten washes itself and then clump inside the kitten’s stomach.
• Longhaired cats and declawed cats are especially sensitive to unclean, deep and smelly litter. A declawed cat’ paws are more sensitive to litter in general. Please read our stand on declawing.
• Do not use harsh or odiferous sprays around the litter box. Cats frequently shy away from chemicals designed to mask odors. Masking bad odors with pleasant ones may be pleasant to you but not to your cat.
• Lack of privacy can also cause problems. Interruption by children and sometimes other pets, such as a dog and loud household noises must be avoided. A quiet location for the litter box is a necessity.
• Urinating outside the litter box is frequently the first sign of a bladder or kidney problem and if the problem persists the cat should be checked out by your veterinarian.

Is the Kitty Dehydrated?

Hydration is basically how much water we have in our system. Since water drives all of our metabolic functions, you can see why adequate hydration is essential.

The easiest way to check how hydrated your kitten is, is to grasp the skin firmly but gently between the kitten’s shoulder blades, and lift it straight up with a twisting motion as you release it. If the kitten’s skin is well hydrated it will pop back within a second or less.

The longer it takes the skin to return to its place, the more fluids your kitten needs.

Treatment: A kitten that is noticeably dehydrated should receive prompt veterinary attention. Treatment is directed at replacing fluids and preventing further losses. In mild cases without vomiting, fluids can be given by mouth. If the kitten won’t drink, give an electrolyte solution by bottle or syringe into the cheek pouch.

Balanced electrolyte solutions for treating dehydration in children are available at drugstores. They are given at the rate of two to four milliliters per pound body weight per hour, depending on the severity of the dehydration.

Feed the solution every hour until the skin snaps back accordingly. Then start with a thin milk replacer mixed with the electrolyte solution. Never give a kitten or any other mammal cow’s milk!

Adopting a Kitten

Whether you adopt a pet from a local animal shelter or a rescue organization, humane society, you’re saving lives.
That’s right: lives, as in more than one. You probably want to adopt just one kitten or cat, right? Adoption saves more than just the life of the pet you adopt.
If you adopt from an animal shelter, you’re making room for another dog or cat, or you’re allowing other dogs or cats at the shelter to be kept for a longer period of time, giving them a better shot at being adopted.