So we now have a cat

You should make an appointment very soon and take him to a vet. The vet will tell you what kind of health he is in because he could have all kinds of problems. He may be an abandoned kitty who has been trying to survive on his own. I'm sure you bought some kitten chow to start him on, if you didn't, that's what he needs to start with. Cats, especially young ones, will attach themselves to the 'female' in the house, as their mother figure because they don't have their mom around. I don't think anyone will claim him so call a vet near your home and make an appointment to have him checked. If he's over 16 weeks old the vet will also make the appointment to have him fixed. He probably needs lots of care since he sounds very underweight. Cats do not over eat like a dog does. So you can put out a bowl of cat chow and he will eat as much or as little as he wants. If he finishes it off, then refill the bowl. It may take him quite a few days to fill up and start feeling good.

Congratulations on getting an animal that is intelligent, warm, loving and loads of fun. A cat will work his/her way into your heart in ways you wouldn't believe. They are so easy to fall in love with. They're also a lot of fun to have. I always thought cats just sat in windows and ate. Boy was I wrong. I think they are as interesting as dogs. In fact cats are the number one animal in America. More people have cats as pets than dogs. I would suggest you pick up some books (to keep) about cats. You will need to refer to them. There are also magazines for animal lovers. Your cat is a kitten and will be for one year. He will be extremely alert and playful. You can purchase a lot of toys for them in pet stores. They love anything that moves. Cats enjoy having their own space that belongs to them. It makes them feel more secure. They love attention also and each one has their own personality. I could go on and on but I will stop because I know you will get lots of advice from other cat lovers.

Hello dorannmwin, It's such a beautiful thing to hear and read about great people like you and your daughter who want to make a difference in the life of a cat. The mylotters who care have given some excellent advice on your subject. Consider it all as a benefit. May I add this : Cats are often times like very shy children. They have to learn that you love them and that you care. Spend quality time with your new family member. Maybe sit on the floor and talk quietly to the kitten. Use a string or a ball and let him play. Let him come to you. If you have already done this, reassure him that he is loved and that he is safe. Not only will this help kitty but I can assure you that you will benefit also. Cats add so much joy to the lives of so many people and I can only hope that you will experience this too. It may take a little time, but it will be very well worth it. Cats learn to adapt very quickly. Hang in there. I wish you all the best!!!!

The first thing that I would suggest is to get the cat into the Vet as soon as possible, especially if you have other animals. That way, the Vet can check and make sure that the cat is in good health or treat any diseases that he or she might have. The sooner the cat is diagnosed and treatment begins the better. If the cat is given a clean bill of health, then that will ease your mind, too. I am not sure whether or not they can spread diseases to other animals, such as dogs if you have them, but they can definitely spread fleas and earmites if nothing else. Also, if the cat has been on the street and appears emaciated, he or she might need a special diet for a while to get them healthy and build up their immune system. When we have rescued animals, sometimes we have had to give them a special diet for a while, because they were lacking in certain nutrients. The Vet did a blood test to check for all these things. Another thing that you might not be aware of, especially if you have not had cats before, is that fish really is not good for all cats. I did not know that, especially since we are often presented with the stereo-type of cats and fish. Not all cats can properly digest the proteins in fish, although some can and will never have problems, and males cats are more prone to have problems than female cats according to our Vet. If the cat can't properly digest the proteins in the fish, then it builds up in the cat's system and often leads to urinary tract infections or kidney problems (and sometimes both).

Hi Dorann, I am happy that your daughter has a heart to adopt the cat. if ever no one will claim it i am pretty sure the cat will be in good hands. just make sure that the cat is safe and has a place to stay in. communicate with him by stroking his back and even talking to him. he will love it.

Hi dorannmwin My family rescued a stray cat a few months ago, when he was about five months old. Firstly, advice about food. Please don't give him cow milk. Cow milk makes him sick. Normal water will do for the mean time, but if you can, they sell kitten milk formula at the vets or petshop. When we saved our stray cat, we went to find food especially for kittens. We prefered to give him wetfood as we felt it was easier for him to digest it. We fed our kitten 4 times a day. It only ate small portions so I guess by feeding it regularly we could monitor its progress. Secondly, about its sleeping place We insulated it's basket with fluffy cloth, just to keep it warm. My cat lives under the porch and we always make sure we bring it in if it rained. I am not so sure if that was necessary but it sure helps with bonding. We also made sure we had all the ticks and fleas off him. The poor kitten was scratching so hard when we found him, and when we placed him in the basket, there was tiny drops on blood. Thats all I can think about for now. Hope you'll have a wonderful experience with keeping a cat. Cat's can drive you nuts but at the same time, they shower you will love that is irreplaceable. I love my cat! Have a nice day!

I agree with the suggestions by other MyLotters, except that I also would provide a good quality dry food for the new family member. It helps keep their teeth healthy. Just make sure that you provide plenty of water and moist food once or twice a day. After he gets older you can get a self feeder so that you're not having to keep refilling his bowl. Cats don't eat meals like dogs, they nibble throughout the day. If he is so skinny, he probably won't be claimed. He more than likely was adopted and the people decided they really didn't want him, or he was dumped. Also, along with the rabies shots, make sure you get him distemper and the other feline shots. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to lose a cat to feline distemper or other illness that could have been prevented. Also, as the other Lotter stated, any questions just post them on the lot and you'll get plenty of help. After all I have four of the furry critters...and they are so loving and so much fun to live with...nothing is nicer to me than to crawl in bed to go to sleep and have one of the cats curl up on my left side and another curl up by my head. They lull me to sleep with their purring.

Just show the cat a lot of love. They are great pets and they help relieve stress. Keep them fed and watered and keep their boxes clean. Get them toys so that you can play with him and help keep him active.

Already you're proving to be a responsible pet owner by having him fixed, that is the first step! Kudos. With cats, aside from feeding and keeping clean litter, there's not much else to worry about. Cats are very self sufficient animals. You might want to get some sort of scratching post for it to sharpen it's claws on. My cats have destroyed my furniture.. I don't really care though. With 5 hyper kids you can't expect to keep anything in good shape anyways, so what's a few cat claw marks? And watch out for fleas! They are dreadful little blood suckers who multiply worse than rabbits! Advantage is about $10 for a 1 month supply, and it seems to work wonders, but you have to get it at the vet, or at a website like 1800PetMeds.com. Good luck. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask. My mom was one of those crazy cat ladies who took in every stray in the neighborhood. We had like 9 while I was growing up. I have 3 now.. but once did have 5.

The first thing to do would be to take him to the vet for a thorough exam, shots and a possible deworming. At that time, you should also make an appointment to have him neutered.

Oh the poor little cat. I really prefer dogs to cats but have neither. I hate to see any animal suffer. My favourite pets are parrots. I really adore parrotsd and rescue any that have fallen from the nest and raise them. They are usually injured in someway when I get them. I do hope that the cat gets well.

This is a big one. No cream, lots of LOVE. Treat him like a child love, and care for him, it will be trying for a time, but shower your kitty with affection and it will be returned two hundred fold. Be careful with your daughter though, they tend to take it a little far sometimes, and kitties can be resentful. Have fun, I appreciate you.

Hehehe and you will love him. The cat is so behave and fetching one. They like to keep themselves clean. It's not bad experience to have a cat dorannmwin. I hope you will really love him..... I remembered the first time that my cat approached me. He just walked up on my chest and sleep on me. I was so impressed because the first time, he did not like to get near anyone. That time he was just only 3months. I can only gave him food and regret for buying him but then time passed, he was like someone important to me. I can't say how much I love, I just love him.

congrats to the newest member of your family. It is important for the cat to have toys to play with. If possible take him to get a bath. Since he is a stray he may have fleas, so bathing him may be a good idea. best of luck.

hi dorannmwin just always remember a cat owns you or so he thinks and he is really rather regal about it. But I love cats and would have one here at Gold crest except it would mean an extra one hundred dollars on my rent which I do not have so will let those who have no money problems here have cats. Theres not a whole lot of upkeep really just feeding and keeping liter box clean and a few vet visits I suppose. Cats are loving and lovable and I don't think you and your daughter will have a bit of trouble taking care of your cat at all.

a cat always be follower human that giving him feeding regularly, and yeah, it seemed pity and cute, you just need to give that cat some food (you can but it from mart, labeling with cat's food). You have to keep feeding him outside your home; it means, you still gives him food but not inside your home. I guess, keeping pets not must be always inside, because cat have own nature life as another animals.