Working With Nervous Kittens

Some kittens arrive bouncing off the walls ready to play with anyone, which others are terrified and shaking in their boots anytime you look at them.

 A while back before fostering I worked at a clinic that raised litters of stray kittens. One litter in particular arrived very nervous and were suspected to be "semi-feral." I remember the first time I saw them I was hissed at and I thought there were only 3 (There were 4-- one hid for the first couple days). There was talk about not keeping them because they were too difficult to raise and adopt out, I couldn't let that happen so I ended up spending a weekend working on socializing them. By the end of the weekend they would come straight to the door whenever I approached and the one that hid even sat in my lap! They ended up being some of my favorite kittens I've worked with. These kittens helped strengthen my desire to work in shelter medicine and was my first glimpse at fostering kittens. 

Most recently my foster kitten Hazel was also pretty shy. When I first got her home she didn't come out of the kennel and hissed every time I walked by her. It was less than a week by the time she curled up in my lap to take a nap!

Hazel snuggling with me before going back to the shelter to find her forever home

These kittens were a much more mild case than many of the kittens seen but it just goes to show that a little love and patience can make big changes. More severe cases and true feral kitties take a lot more work! But I have seen proof that even the most feral of kittens can become a perfect adoptable kitten. There are few things more rewarding than seeing a kitten go from terrified to sweet and trusting. 

So here are some general tips for socializing nervous kittens

Be Patient-- My first reaction when I see a kitten is to pick it up and snuggle it and never want to let go. That's okay for some kittens but not for these nervous kittens. What  you perceive as being friendly they may find terrifying. The best thing you can do is sit still and let them come to you. 
Be Understanding-- Look at things through their eyes. These are tiny kittens and you are a very big, intimidating creature. It's possible they have had very negative experiences with humans in the past. They need time to learn that humans aren't bad, and in fact we are just trying to help them. Cats need to be untrusting to survive, it's their instinct. So just be understanding and see where they are coming from. 
Go Slow-- Imagine a giant hand coming down from the sky to pick you up. That's terrifying. You are a giant to these kittens. Go slow and be gentle, they need proof that you are not going to hurt them. It takes time. Don't rush them. 


So that's the basics of what I've learned from working with shy kittens. Please share any experiences you have, I'd love to hear more tips and recommendations! 

Panleukopenia

One week ago today I had to say goodbye to sweet Arthur due to Panleukopenia. When explaining to friends and family a lot of people asked "what is that?" so I figured I would use today's post to explain. 

Panleukopenia is a virus that is very contagious in kitties. It basically destroys rapidly dividing cells particularly in the bone marrow which is where blood is made (leukopenia means decreased in white blood cells) and in cells in the intestine. So signs typically seen include vomiting, anorexia (not eating), diarrhea, extreme dehydration, depression, and lethargy-- basically the kittens don't act like kittens. 
It generally effects kittens the most simply because they have a weaker immune system, but adults can get it, too.

Arthur just sat like this the whole time Gwaine was running around playing, I knew something was not right

So what can be done? Well, the plus side is that there is a vaccine for it, so it is preventable! This makes it fairly uncommon in most veterinary practices but unfortunately, shelters are a different story. With so many stray and orphaned kitties with unknown vaccine histories, panleukopenia is not uncommon. What especially sucks is that there is no cure for it. The only thing you can do to treat the disease is try supportive care which includes things like giving fluids, blood transfusions, and anti-nausea medications. Unfortunately the disease tends to progress quickly and once it is caught it's hard to reverse. In fact, when a kitten is infected there is a 75% chance they won't make it--which is really high! :( 

Overnight, Arthur started showing signs of anorexia, dehydration, and vomiting. At that point I (with help from my awesome friends who are also vet tech majors) immediately started supportive care. I provided him with subcutaneous fluids (injected under the skin) and I syringe fed him (only do this if you are comfortable and know how, they are at risk for aspiration pneumonia-- inhaling the food into their lungs). Unfortunately he continued to progress rapidly (only over the course of 2 days) so we tested him and he was positive for panleuk. His condition was far too severe and euthanizing was his best option. 

Arthur was incredibly spoiled with cuddles his last day with us 

Luckily Gwaine is doing really well and not showing any signs *knock on wood*. It's likely that his maternal antibodies (as I discussed in the post about vaccines) are kicking butt and keeping him healthy. Also, Merlin is all up to date on vaccines so he is safe. 

Another nasty thing about Panleuk is that it is very hardy. It can live in an environment for up to a year. But it can be killed with bleach. So when I got home I cleaned everything with bleach! 

I know I say it a lot, but please, please, please vaccinate your pets! There are so many horrible diseases that can be prevented with vaccines. And there are plenty of places that offer vaccines for a low cost. 

This post in in honor of Arthur-- RIP little man. 

The following day I got Gwaine and stuffed orange kitty, it is now his favorite toy-- he snuggles it and even tries to carry it around everything with him

Cat Toy Tuesday 5

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday features the Bolt Laser by FoliCat!

It's a cool laser that can be used on a manual mode or a super handy automatic mode. You can just set it on the floor or counter and it'll move randomly for 15 minutes. It's definitely convenient when the kittens need controlled play time but you have a lot to do! 

Hazel and Gus loved the bolt! I just had to turn it on and they were busy playing while I was able to get ready for classes or do some studying!

You can get the bolt at a lot of pet stores or you can find it here on the FroliCat website along with their other cool toys!
http://store.petsafe.net/frolicat-bolt

It's World Rabies Day

Today is world rabies day, so what else would I post about other than rabies!

What is rabies? Rabies is this awful virus that can infect warm-blooded animals, we mostly hear about it in raccoons, skunks, and bats, but any animal can become infected--including humans! Rabies is a deadly disease that is transmitted through bites (or saliva getting into an open wound). It travels to the brain and causing clinical signs associated with 3 stages. the Prodromal stage is first and includes signs such as behavior changes, dementia, restlessness, "fly biting", and random vocalization. The next stage is the Furious stage which includes signs like excitability and seemingly uncontrolled tendency to bite or eat anything. The last stage is the Paralytic stage which shows signs like seizures and paralysis starting at the back legs and making its way up the body-- once the respiratory muscles are paralyzed the animal cannot breath and they die. 

Sooo, rabies sucks and this is why vaccinating for rabies is super important, in fact its the law. So find out what your state law and veterinarian requires for vaccine protocols and get your pets vaccinated!! 

Bottle Babies

One type of animal that is in high demand for foster care are "bottle babies". I have some experience with bottle kittens so that is what I will be talking about-- although some of this will also apply to puppies. As always please leave comments about your experiences and any tips you have. I admit my experience with bottle babies is limited. 

So bottles babies are ridiculously adorable, but they require a lot of care. First, what is a bottle baby? A bottle baby is a kitten or puppy that still requires nursing but is no longer with their mother (typically found orphaned) so they rely on you to bottle feed them and provide other motherly care. Kittens are usually weaned around 3 weeks so until then they are considered bottle babies. 

Bottle babies require extra care including: 
Warmth-- heating pads and lots of blankets. They are unable to regulate their own body temperature at this age. (if you use a heating pad make sure there is room for them to get off of the heating pad in case they get too warm) 

Isolation from other animals-- their immune system isn't fully functioning and they are not vaccinated so they are more susceptible to diseases. 

Feeding-- Feeding needs to be done every 2-4 hours depending on the age of the kitten. Amount depends on size of kitten. Only use products specially made for bottle kittens-- like KMR. The shelter will generally provide this. Follow directions for mixing and make sure it is warm- but not too hot. Be careful heating in the microwave because it can heat unevenly. When feeding allow the kitten to be positioned upright (not on its back like a baby). You'll know it has latched on if you see the ears moving up and down (its the cutest thing ever). Feel their belly after they eat to make sure it full, but not distended (It should be big but not hard).  Weigh the kittens daily with a gram scale to make sure they are gaining weight. 

Me bottle feeding Minnie

Stimulate pottying-- this is the part some people are turned off by, but its really not that bad. At this age the kittens are unable to go potty by themselves. Usually the mom takes care of this but since our bottle babies are orphaned it is now our job. The easiest way I have found to do it is to use a wash cloth and get it wet with warm water. Then rub the kitties bum with it until they potty (do this over the sink or trash can). 

Lots of Love-- give them lots of love and snuggles. They are missing the love from mom so I try to simulate that with snuggly blankets or a stuffed animal for them to cuddle with. 

So that's the basics of bottle kittens. Of course every kitten/litter is different so the care you provide will need to be adjusted to their needs. 

Cat Toy Tuesday 4

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday is the Martha Stewart Fish Puzzle 

This is Gwaine's favorite toy! 

There are two balls inside of it and the only want to get them out is through the round holes on top! My kittens spend a lot of time playing with it trying to get the balls out (Gus was successful!)

Gwaine is still trying to figure it out!

I got this toy from PetSmart for $11.99 (on clearance)! 

Who to Foster?

Deciding whether to foster and what type of animal to foster can seem tricky. When it comes to deciding whether to foster I'd say give it a shot if you're considering it. Worst case you'll have to work with the foster coordinator to return the animal early. But you never know how it'll go-- it could be an amazing experience like it was for me. 

Some basic questions to ask yourself when deciding if to foster and what type of animal to foster are: 
What type of space do I have? 
Does my schedule allow it? 
How would my other pets handle it, would there be room for them to be separated? 
And if you don't own your home-- does my landlord allow it? 

So when it comes to deciding what type of animal to foster you need to know what animals are in need of fostering. Basically any animal in the shelter can benefit from being in a foster home. But there are some that can use it more than others. This includes: 
Mom and nursing babies 
Orphaned babies 
Feral kittens 
Animals recovery from surgery
Sick animals on medications 
Behavior cases-- animals that need more attention working on their behavior 

If you have no idea what type of animal would be best for you talk to your shelter/foster care coordinator. Tell them your lifestyle and what you are looking for in a foster pet and they can help find the right fit. Be honest about what you are comfortable with-- if you prefer dogs over cats or vise versa, let them know. Don't take on something you are not comfortable with! The shelter understands they can't expect everything for everyone. They want to make this a positive experience for both you and the animal. 

Every foster program is a little different. So go visit your shelter and ask about their foster program. Find out what they require and what they offer. 

If you're interested I foster for the Humane Society of Indianapolis and they the bomb. The foster care coordinator is fantastic (and so is the whole staff). I absolutely recommend them to anyone looking to foster, volunteer, or adopt. I will do another blog post in a couple weeks talking more about how awesome they are. In the meantime if you want more information you can check out their website. 
(Foster Program Section) http://indyhumane.org/index.php/get_involved/foster_program

This picture has nothing to do with the post-- but aren't they so cute?!