ok pet rescuers!! Need your help!! :D

[okiemommy]

I went outside today to take the kids out to play on our property, and I hear a loud noise. I\\ listen for it, and it sounds like a kitten howling. It sounds like it's in horrible distress. So I follow the noise, and it leads me to an old riding lawn mower that was left on our property by the previous owners(that they were supposed to get rid of). With the screaming, I'm expecting to see a terrible scene and preparing myself for gore. I pinpoint the sound, and lift the hood to the riding lawn mower up, and there is a fully intact completely terrified kitten looking at me. I don't know where she came from or how she got there, but I have a decent guess as to how she may have gotten there. I am thinking that the neighbors dog across the way, might have chased her and tried to play w/eat her, and chased her up in there. I picked her up and took her into the house and put her in the litter box. She promptly got out(my four kids were all around her terrifying her further at the time as well) ^_^ So then I got her some kitty food and took her in my room away from all the chaos and she ate a little bit. He growled when she ate, but not when I pet her as she was eating. After a while, she started warming up more and more, and started jumping on my shoulders, and nuzzling my hair. It also seems like she is trying to find milk. She sniffs and licks a little bit and then opens her mouth a little bit when I stick my knuckle up to her mouth. I'll put pics up of her, and then post questions at the bottom. Thanks for any help you can give!

I have experience with cats, from when I was younger, but not any at rescuing a baby. So here are my questions:

How old do you think it is?

Is it too early to tell the sex? I looked and I think it's a girl....

What do I need to do with it? Should I go to my neighbors houses and see if they have any missing kittens? I live in the country and realize that this cat may be from a ferrell mother, AND that cats get abandoned all the time out here, but should I at least try?

I don't mind keeping her

Are the actions that I described indicative of her wanting to nurse?


And what does the jumping up on my shoulders and nuzzling my hair mean? We used to have a couple of grown cats when I was younger, that did that, and I never understood why.
Thanks again for any help you can give!

 

[PennyinOK]

Sounds like your doing great with "her" . I rescue stray kittens all the time. Keep it fed and it should do alright don't know how old it is but if it is eating it is probably over six weeks would be my guess... good luck

 

[rooster0209]

Looks to be in the 4-6 weeks range.

Sounds like you are going to have a cute grey kitty.

Telling the sex should be pretty easy at this age. How to word it is going to difficult. If they are closer together it is a female, farther apart..male.

I think she is just adorable and has gorgeous fur. She is lucky to find you.

 

[Chirpy]

It's kinda hard to tell with the pictures so close up (very cute though!) but I'm guessing 7 to 8 weeks old.

Yes, you should ask your neighbor ... if it's their childs or a beloved new pet they will want it back. If it's not theirs - I do believe you have yourself a new family member.

It's actually very easy to sex a kitten by that age. Here's a site that has good pictures:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1761&articleid=923

She/he doesn't sound like a feral kitten but it's possible.

Since she's eating kitten food you shouldn't have any problems with her. Make sure she's drinking water fine... that sometimes is harder for kittens when they have just been weaned.

Let us know if you get to keep her.

 

[glowworm]

Check her mouth and see how many teeth she has in. If she has all her teeth in, then she is at least 6 weeks. If she has some but not at, we can determine her age further.

Its hard to tell the sex in kittens at such a young age, especially when there are no brothers and sisters to compare too because their testicles don't drop until they are older. Go to this http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/kitx.html site to compare to the pictures you see on there.

Most likely its feral, but you never know so it wouldn't hurt to check with your neighbors.

She needs to be de-wormed (some worms can be passed to children), have a FeLV/FIV test, flea treatment if she has fleas and start her vaccines if she's old enough. Make sure you start feeding kitten food and not adult. Eventually when she's about 6 months old you will want to get her spayed (or neutered if shes/hes a boy!)

It sounds like she still has some nursing behavior.

She's very cute! Looks like she will be medium or long hair!

-Elise

 

[okiemommy]

Thanks pennyinok and rooster0209!

Sounds like you are going to have a cute grey kitty. big_smile

Telling the sex should be pretty easy at this age. How to word it is going to difficult. If they are closer together it is a female, farther apart..male.

I think she is just adorable and has gorgeous fur. She is lucky to find you.

oh the pics don't do her coloring justice She is even prettier than the pics show. she has a mask of black that covers her mouth and eyes, then fades to gray on the top of her head. Her legs are black with a gray "shadow" and she has a black and gray striped tail. she is so neat!

lol Good wording. I will double check

Thank you! I'm so glad that the dog didnt get her.​

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Thank goodness she knew enough to yowl for you. Poor thing, scared out of her wits. Blessings on you for rescuing and caring for her!

 

[okiemommy]

thanks chirpy and gloworm! Good point gloworm she may be a childs pet. I will check on it. I will also check those websites out to see if she is a she or he lol .....off to check the teeth, and if there are "giblets" ^_^

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

What a cutie! The nuzzling means she's decided to stay with you.

Definitely get her the leukemia test though. I hope all is well!

 

[summerwindsfarm]

Aww what a cutie! Looks like its got a little siamese mixed in there!

Id guess at about 5-6 weeks and she should do fine eating kitten food. Plenty of easily accessible fresh water and no milk.

The chewing on your hair means shes decided that your her new mommy

Id check with the neighbors just incase they've lost her. Otherwise id figure you had a new kitten. If she should turn out to belong to them and you find yourself with kittenitis and are anywhere near Stroud, Oklahoma ive got a couple that would love to go home with you lol!