Also, I don't remember if I've asked this already, but is it possible that Cherish is a ticked tabby, maybe a tortoiseshell ticked tabby? Or a calico? He is just so differently colored compared to other kitties...
I would still say he's a tabby-tortoiseshell. There are three main tabby types. Classic tabby (swirls), Mackerel Tabby (stripes), spotted tabby (broken stripes) and ticked tabby (agouti). The genes that dictate these patterns are separate from the color gene, so if it is present in a tortoiseshell, you have a "tabby-tortie" or torby. Your kitten does not appear to be a ticked-tabby from the pictures, but rather a Mackerel or spotted pattern. A clear-close up of his back would help identify it better
What can I do to prevent him from ever becoming a scratching cat? I'm sure there are cats that would never even think of raising a paw to anyone, and I want him to be nice to the kids even when unsupervised (of course the kids need to learn how to respect cats as well, it's a growing process for all of us). It would be dangerous if he scratched anyone before his first vet visit due to the fact that he comes from outside, but he shows no interest at all in hurting anyone.
I wanted a bit of help ID-ing his age. He is super tiny, can eat wet food, has blue/grey/green eyes, and I believe his front teeth are baby teeth being that they're tiny and pointy. I'll try to get more info on his weight and teeth when I get home. He's still alive, and we haven't given him formula milk, so my guess is that he doesn't need milk to live ^-^
In order to keep cats from scratching, you must learn to read them. Make sure children around him know not to chase him, and to let him down if he tries to get away from them. Most of the time, when children are injured by pets, they have not been taught to respect that animal's boundaries. That is vital for the safety of both the animal and child! If a cat has it's ears pinned back, tail swinging hard, or fur puffed up, leave it alone.
Second is to avoid playing with him using your hands or hair (and we are all guilty of this). If he tries to play with fingers, you can remove your hand and emulate a hissing sound. This sounds stupid, but that's what mother cats do when their kittens are trying to play too rough with her. It works. Use cat teasers or lasers for playtime, just be careful not to point the laser at anyone's eyes.
Watch some episodes of Jackson Galaxy's "My Cat From Hell." The man is a miracle worker with cats, and his videos will put you in the right direction.
Never assume that just because something isn't dead, that it's getting everything it needs. Kittens sometimes nurse up to 12 weeks old with a mother. Based on the info you've given me about his size and eye color, he is around 6 weeks old. If he can drink out of a bowl on his own, you can probably put some kitten formula (
not cow's milk) in a bowl to make sure he's getting all the nutrition he needs.
Good luck!
