I've rescued 2 kittens.. I have two cats.. I need advice. FAST!

Question

My two cats Oliver and Lacy are the best... a little crazy at times but overall very well behaved. A friend of mine found 2 baby kittens about 2 weeks old. I told him I would help and take them off his hands. I do know quite a bit about cats but never have I gotten them so YOUNG! I need some advice from anyone who has dealt with a newborn kittens and/or bringing them into a home with two 1 year old cats. I don't think my current cats would harm the kittens.. just probably try to play with them.. but the kittens are only 2 1/2 weeks old.. just opened their eyes last saturday......

anything you can tell me would be SOOOO APPRECIATED!! THANKS! and please hurry; I get them tonight and want to have my home prepared for them.. thx

Answer 1

feed them with a bottle or put some milk in a small bowl they will eat and keep them very warm :):)

Answer 2

Kittens this young are dependant entirely on mum for everything.  They cannot eat solid food at all and they will need help to wee and poo as at this age they will not do it on their own, mum normally likes them to stimulate it.  I really would contact your vet to get some advice as at 2 1/2 weeks they will need lots of care.

I wouldn't worry about the older cats.  Males are very accepting of new kittens in the household and he will probably be fine, the female may hiss at them at first, but I am thinking that because they are sooo young and helpless her maternal insticts may kick in and she may take over the mothering of them even if she can't feed them.

However, she may also kill them, but this is very rare, especially if she has had kittens herself.  I would suggest watching them them all very closely until you are sure of how the older cats are going to be.

But please get advice on how to care for them, I can't help with this as I have never done it.

Good luck and I hope everything works out well.

Answer 3

The first thing you have to think about is where the kittens came from. If they were from a wild mom. they need to be tested for lukemia. DO NOT LET YOUR CATS AROUND THEM IF THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED!!!

Answer 4

You should call Animal Control and/or a veterinarian. It would be whomever you can get on the phone first. You could try a local humane shelter. They are going to need special assistance because of how young they are.  

Answer 5

I am the 'owner' of two kittens who were hand raised from 3 1/2 weeks, so if successful, you will wind up with two very special kitties.  But getting them along is also a major challenge if the mother is not around.  I have posted a link, and the section to look at first is on orphan kittens.  Based on the second link, you are probably fairly accurate as to their ages.

Your older cats probably wouldn't hurt the kittens, and I would let them at least see them.  But realize that kittens can carry things that you really don't want your two cats getting, so I would not allow physical contact until after they have been seen by a vet.  Now some of those risks are viruses, and they are airborne so it is impossible to prevent any passing along.  On the other hand,  if they are already in your home...  But things like worms and ear mites are best kept away, and that means no litter box sharing.

Oh, expect Oliver and Lacy to hiss at the kittens.  That would be normal.  Cats don't like changes.

The kittens won't likely get shots are their age, but you will be able to get a wealth of good advice and perhaps even some useful items for raising them.  Nothing like an assessment from a professional.

Test for things like feline leukemia and feline AIDS will not be accurate until about age 4 months and even then could give a false positive.   It is due to their mother's antibodies.

Answer 6

here are some links that will help!

http://www.kittencare.com/askKC_LittleKi...

http://www.kittencare.com/askKC_LittleKi...

Answer 7

MONDAY IS A LITTLE BIT WAYS OFF SEEMS LIKE YOU ALREADY HAD THEM FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEY ARE STILL HERE SO OBVIOUSLY YOUR DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.GET MILK SUBSTITUTE FOR KITTENS THEY CANNOT EAT SOLIDS UNTIL AT LEAST 1 MORE WEEK MAKE SURE WHEN YOU DO GET THEM ON SOLIDS THAT YOU INTRODUCE THE FOOD MOISTENED EVEN WITH THE SAME MILK SUBSTITUTE THAT YOU USED WHEN ON THE BOTTLE.MALE CATS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HARM AND EVEN SOMETIMES KILL NEWBORNS JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE TRY KEEPING THEM IN A SEPARATE ROOM UNTIL THEY ARE AT LEAST 6 WKS OLD,ALSO BECAUSE NEWBORNS SINCE THEIR IS NO ANTIBODIES FROM MAMA CAT THEY CAN PICK UP SOMETHING FROM THE OLDER CATS,NOT THAT THEY ARE SICK BUT IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDES THEY CAN CARRY SOME TYPE OF VIRUS FROM OUTSIDE AND BE CARRIERS WITHOUT ANY ILL EFFECT BUT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO KITTENS

Answer 8

1. Keep your cats and the new bundles of joy seperated until the kits have been tested for FIV, leukemia and other "stray" diseases that wild cats sometimes acquire. Keep the new kits in a loose box with a warm blanket and keep them in another room closed off from the cats.

2. The kittens are going to need a LOT of attention--they need to be fed (not solids. Milk substitute. Ask your vet) frequently, and they probably aren't litter trained so you're going to have to watch them carefully.

3. After you've gotten the kits updated on shots (and know they aren't carrying any harmful viruses :)) slowly introduce them to their home and new roommates. Let them roam the room outside the box (without Oliver and Lacey in the room) and let them smell each other out through the door. Some hissing and batting under the door may ensue--don't worry, they're just establishing who's new and who's boss.

4. When the preliminary intros are finished (this may take a day or so) open the door, but leave it open so that the kits can flee back to their box if they get a scare. More hissing may arise as they all see each other for the first time. have a spray bottle of water handy, and if anyone tries to act aggressively to anyone else, use it. They need to understand that Furmommy does not approve of bickering amongst peers.

Good luck!

Answer 9

How old are Oliver and Lacy?

Answer 10

the best thing you can do is keep them away from your older cats, go and  

get a baby bottel and yound cat/dog formula and keep them in a warm loving enviroment  

Answer 11

Keep these new kittens quarantined from your other cats & be sure to wash thoroughly after handling them between now & when you get them to the vet.  Ask your vet about having them tested for Feline Leukemia and FIV.  Feline Leukemia is contagious & I'm sure you don't want to infect your cats.  FIV isn't quite as contagious.  This is a blood test your vet can do in the office & give you the results in 20 min or so.  You want to have this done for sure since you have your other cats.  

Here are some articles on caring for orphaned kittens:

http://catvet.homestead.com/orphan1.html

http://www.best-cat-art.com/orphan-kitte...

Answer 12

At first your two older cats may hiss at them. Thats normal though, they are just getting use to them. Maybe try getting some new stuff just for the kittens, like a new blanket. That way the new kittens aren't intruding on your older cats. Buy some treats for all of them.

Have a nice warm place set up for the kittens, keep lots of water, food mixed with milk and a litter box. Maybe talk to a vet to see what would be best. Keep them in a room with few wires, this way they don't accidentally get entangled or chew them.