How to care for a found cat?

[cmd2014]

You don’t need to bathe him. You can brush him if both of you enjoy it, but it’s not necessary. Cats kind of train you tbh. You can teach them not to do things with stern vocal disapproval or with treats for doing the stuff you want them to do. They learn their names and will come if you call if they feel like it.

This baby is way too friendly and well fed to be feral. I suspect he was either dumped or has gotten lost. Just in case someone’s looking for him I’d ask the rangers to put up a found notice. Maybe the vet clinics by the park too and the shelters. If no one comes for him then I think he’s yours.

 

[cmd2014]

And yes, mine have always had break away collars with name, address, and phone number. And no outdoor time (most places don’t allow cats to run free and it’s dangerous for them - the collar is just in case of accidental escape from the house).

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Hard for me to imagine how a cat gets lost miles into a state park. There isn’t that much residential area around. Unless people like to take cats camping? You’d imagine that anyone with a cat they let outdoors though would have a chip or collar :/

 

[MakingTheGrade]

But yeah I’ve called all the people I can think to call to let them know I found this cat if case anyone is looking for him. Given the circumstances I’m not giving it good odds that anyone will come forward.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Brush him daily. There’s a nice brush called TangleTeezer (yep you guessed it, amazon) that I bought for my cats and they love it and it really works.

Unless he gets urine soaked or faeces on his bottom (“dingle berries”) he will take care of his own bathing. A warm water wash cloth (no soap and especially no baby wipes! Toxic) can be used to occasionally swipe over him, ears, eyes, paw pads, tush. That would be the most.

Once he knows his name, he will learn to come when called. You can expedite this process with a shaker treat bag (freeze dried chicken breast, ‘live-a-littles’ on amazon) and say his name as you shake the packet. Within days, he will know his name!

Cats can be trained, and I’ve done it with many an cat. I wait to see what they naturally do, and every time they do something I like, I’ll say that command when I see them about to do it. (“Taja, JUMP!”) and your cat will associate that word with the action pretty quickly.

Pill Pockets are treats that help cats get medication down. Start him on them before he ever needs pills, and you will be doing yourself and him a HUGE favor. Many flavors and brands are available. One popular one is called Greenies.

No need to crate train.... he will find a hiding place to sleep while you are at work, and once you sneakily find that spot, put a towel there and change it weekly. Many cats prefer towels to blankets. Not mine! But changing it weekly will reduce dander and cats love a clean bed.

TWO CAT PANS, though. Always have the number of pans equal the number of cats, plus one. (One cat=two pans, two cats=three pans, and so forth) Trust me.

No collar is necessary and many cats hate them. If you prefer to have him collared, get a safety collar which will prevent strangulation. They snap loose if caught. While you’re at it, if you have window blinds with cords, tie them up and out of the way. Bad things happen when cats get tangled.

If you start now with ground rules, he will not get confused. Do you want him in your bed? Do you want him fed in the kitchen? (Don’t put the food or water anywhere near the poopy pan) Do you want to start him on raw foods? (I can’t get my cats to touch people food... they were given only kibble by the breeder and it ruined them for any kind of variety. Seems trivial but dry cat food can cause lots of problems, especially for male cats as the urethra is quite narrow. Don’t google those photos. Please just don’t) A good wet canned food twice daily is the best start, then once his tastes are wide and varied, you can choose what works for you.

An adult cat should eat the equivalent of one mouse or bird for breakfast and one for dinner. Any less and they won’t get enough calories. Different foods have different serving sizes listed on the bag or box. Or can, preferably. Also, some research suggests that Lentils, and much of the grain-free foods, for that matter, are causing cardiac symptoms in cats. Better to talk to your vet and get real data. I know you’re educated so you’ll read all the different advice and make your own decisions.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

He already seems to shun people food but will eat the kibble. I’ll keep experimenting though.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks for all the advice! Already ordered the capstar! Now I just have to figure out how to get him to take it...

 

[minousbijoux]

Looks like he's already found his bed - I hope you don't actually have plans to get up any time soon, as he sure looks like he's claimed you and feels safe on your lap!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

The more varied the diet he gets, the better. Most people find a kibble they like, have it openly available all day, and then add canned food twice a day. Many vets think that’s unfortunate because it undermines the prey drive which should be harnessed to build health.

Jackson Galaxy is an interesting character, with strong opinions on cat behavior. Some people consider him a Cat Whisperer.

He has a YouTube channel with lots of information.

Here is a popular video:

 

[Matata]

Do people crate train cats?

As far as I can see from your pics and posts, Shale is doing a great job of training his human As far as you training him, it's a good idea to get him used to a carrier so vet visits don't become a huge tug of war. I bring my cat carriers into the house occasionally for a few days every few months so the cats can sleep and play in them. I toss their favorite treats and toys in the carriers for positive association rather than just associating the carriers with vet visits.

Crating for any reason other than keeping him safe during recovery from illness or injury isn't usually necessary with cats. Crating while introducing and getting used to your dog may be useful.

I've clicker trained a couple of my cats to do tricks. It was easy and fun for them but I got bored so I gave it up.

 

[Matata]

@MakingTheGrade, an excellent and comprehensive source for information about cat nutrition https://catinfo.org/

 

[PintoBean]

Brush him daily. There’s a nice brush called TangleTeezer (yep you guessed it, amazon) that I bought for my cats and they love it and it really works.

Unless he gets urine soaked or faeces on his bottom (“dingle berries”) he will take care of his own bathing. A warm water wash cloth (no soap and especially no baby wipes! Toxic) can be used to occasionally swipe over him, ears, eyes, paw pads, tush. That would be the most.

Once he knows his name, he will learn to come when called. You can expedite this process with a shaker treat bag (freeze dried chicken breast, ‘live-a-littles’ on amazon) and say his name as you shake the packet. Within days, he will know his name!

Cats can be trained, and I’ve done it with many an cat. I wait to see what they naturally do, and every time they do something I like, I’ll say that command when I see them about to do it. (“Taja, JUMP!”) and your cat will associate that word with the action pretty quickly.

Pill Pockets are treats that help cats get medication down. Start him on them before he ever needs pills, and you will be doing yourself and him a HUGE favor. Many flavors and brands are available. One popular one is called Greenies.

No need to crate train.... he will find a hiding place to sleep while you are at work, and once you sneakily find that spot, put a towel there and change it weekly. Many cats prefer towels to blankets. Not mine! But changing it weekly will reduce dander and cats love a clean bed.

TWO CAT PANS, though. Always have the number of pans equal the number of cats, plus one. (One cat=two pans, two cats=three pans, and so forth) Trust me.

No collar is necessary and many cats hate them. If you prefer to have him collared, get a safety collar which will prevent strangulation. They snap loose if caught. While you’re at it, if you have window blinds with cords, tie them up and out of the way. Bad things happen when cats get tangled.

If you start now with ground rules, he will not get confused. Do you want him in your bed? Do you want him fed in the kitchen? (Don’t put the food or water anywhere near the poopy pan) Do you want to start him on raw foods? (I can’t get my cats to touch people food... they were given only kibble by the breeder and it ruined them for any kind of variety. Seems trivial but dry cat food can cause lots of problems, especially for male cats as the urethra is quite narrow. Don’t google those photos. Please just don’t) A good wet canned food twice daily is the best start, then once his tastes are wide and varied, you can choose what works for you.

An adult cat should eat the equivalent of one mouse or bird for breakfast and one for dinner. Any less and they won’t get enough calories. Different foods have different serving sizes listed on the bag or box. Or can, preferably. Also, some research suggests that Lentils, and much of the grain-free foods, for that matter, are causing cardiac symptoms in cats. Better to talk to your vet and get real data. I know you’re educated so you’ll read all the different advice and make your own decisions.

Marry me.

Cat food, cat medicine, is not as good as dog food, dog medicine. Kinda like women and healthcare. If kitty will eat a variety of flavors and hard and wet food, that's great. I never know what they could he lacking in nutrition so I rotate brands and proteins, and feed both wet and dry.

Now if kitty is finicky and particular, like my first cat, who ONLY ate kibble that was either Iams or science diet, yet lived almost 19 years, that's fine too lol. Shrug.

Associating acts with commands is easy for cats. That's how we got sit and beg real quick. And when one kitty performs a trick AND gets a treat for it, you betcha you're gonna get some copy cat action happening lololol. All my kitties sit, shake hands. 3/4 give other hand too. 3/4 beg. 1 does lie down and roll over. Oh yes, 1 also understands go to your spot when it is feeding time. Kisses is different for 3 of them. One thinks kisses is licking tip of my nose. Another thinks kisses means mash your face against mama's lips and rub your face and head all over them. Another thinks "kiss-a" means tilt your head up and give mama your nose to smooch. 1/4 enjoys dressing up in dresses. The rest play possum or buck or zip or give RBF.

And every time I finish eating, I put my plate down on the ground for the cats to do a prewash cycle. Gotta earn your keep!

See, kitties are fun. And my neighbors hear me screaming all the time, "X, stop being an ******* to your sister!" It's par for the course.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Marry me.

And my neighbors hear me screaming all the time, "X, stop being an ******* to your sister!" It's par for the course.

Aaahhhahahahhahah!
Two of my three are siblings. The brother is always deviling the sister. He’s responsible for so much chaos! Ate a diamond once. Argh. But I can’t stay mad at him. He looks so unimpressed! I’m sure he thinks to himself, “stupid human”

One cat I had years back would jump down from wherever she was when I’d pat my hand on my shoulder.... she’d land squarely on my shoulder and stay there. She was a great cat.


OP, once youve done your due diligence notifying the various support groups that you’ve found your beautiful boy, do yourself a favor and stop looking. He chose you, and now that you’re a family, don’t let anyone break that! <3

 

[distracts]

I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that you just got adopted by a cat! The bad news is also that you just got adopted by a cat.

From what I can tell, this is the sort of way in which many people get their first cat. This is how I got my first cat. Many people get subsequent cats this way as well.

I'm not an expert but he looks like he might be around 1-2 years old? I wouldn't be surprised if he was let loose in the mountains when he stopped being a cute little kitten.

I have no clue why they can't get a vet visit ASAP? I've been able to get my pets into the vet within a day of adoption every time. I wonder if there are some different laws regarding vets in Philly that makes it hard?

I'd get flea medicine (I use Revolution which I get from the vet because it also does heartworm) since he was outside and just poke a bit at his poop to see if anything in it wiggles. Sounds like you did most of the checks I'd do. Did you check his ears?

DO NOT use plastic bowls, as they cause allergic reactions in some cats, which can be extremely painful.

That is really good to know! I have always used ceramic bowls just because I like them better and feel like they get cleaner, but that there's a reason other than my preference is good.

I have so many silly questions:
Should i regularly bath or brush him?
Do people crate train cats? (Lol. Can you tell I’ve only had dogs?)
Can you teach cats to come when called?
Should I get him a collar even if I chip him?

If he enjoys brushing, it will help control the shedding. You can buy several brushes/combs and see which one he likes most. My cats prefer different things: T likes combs but not brushes, and Hugo likes brushes but not combs. Flea combs are great for grooming, as are short-bristled rubber curry brushes (what I use on my short-haired dog).

I bathe mine about twice a year but they are long-haired ragdolls and are used to it. Probably not recommended for a novice cat-owner or cat that has never been bathed before. Unless he has diarrhea or something and then you will unfortunately have to figure it out, even if it's only a butt-bath (somehow way more traumatic to my cats than a full bath).

You do not crate train cats - they just go in the litterbox naturally. Unless you mean like... so you don't leave him out in your house when you're not there? That's not a thing.

YES you can teach them to come when called! If he likes treats, just like with dogs they are a good reward. Both my cats are not food-motivated in a way that would be useful for training so I use petting and play sessions with special toys they aren't otherwise allowed to play with (feather toys, mainly which they love but which I don't leave out because they straight-up eat them). Both of my cats know just as many things as my dog, even if they're a little more choosy about when they obey. They can come when called, jump on or off things, go into different rooms, and definitely know "let's go get you food" and "bedtime!" Oh, they also know "please leave the dog alone." Hugo also does an agility course which is just like a dog agility course only slightly smaller.

I used to have a collar on T even though he is chipped but it got so raggedy I took it off and right now neither cat is wearing one. I mean to get them new ones, I just haven't found ones I like. Usually I buy small dog collars instead of cat collars because they seem better made. Make sure it is a breakaway collar. And if he flips out and starts trying to bite it off, you may want to just go without.

 

[distracts]

OT a bit - sorry -

@PreRaphaelite @Matata @PintoBean

Since you all seem to know a lot about cat nutrition - do you know about how to keep a varied diet when on limited protein diets due to food allergies? T is on Royal Canin prescription limited protein, but they are often backordered or having supply issues with various ones so we will usually have the same one for a couple years then have to switch. He used to refuse to eat wet food but just this week has liked it again, and luckily I got the last flat the vet had. I've tried him on a raw diet as a supplement since it's really easy to get the nonstandard proteins in raw pet food or just, like, people food, but he doesn't seem to recognize any of it as things he can eat. I can't seem to find other limited protein options that seem reliable (ie, not contaminated by chicken or whatever).

Also what foods do you recommend for cats in general? When I switched Hugo from his kitten food I just started feeding him the same thing as T but they have separate microchip-activated feeders so I can change, I just don't really know what is best and with all this dog food news it is making me paralyzed about making a choice. But due to the occasional lack of availability of the RC allergy food I'd prefer to switch him off it so I don't go through it as fast. He prefers chunky wet food to pate. He ate Blue Buffalo Wilderness as a kitten but due to the dog news I'm wary of it now. Both cats are ragdolls so have long fur if that makes a difference. It also makes me extra paranoid about the grain-free cardiomyopathy problems since ragdolls are predisposed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - both mine test negative for the gene they can test for but idk if there are other ways in which they might be more susceptible than other cats.

(For anyone needing a way to keep your pets' food separate or stop a dog from eating the cat food, this thing is a godsend, very little learning curve for your cat: https://www.amazon.com/SureFlap-MPF001-Surefeed-Microchip-Feeder/dp/B00O0UIPTY )

 

[dk168]

Awww! The cat looks like it is in good shape and health. However, it is advisable to have it checked by a vet to make sure.

I believe the OP has been chosen by the kitty as its human, good on you to give this lovely kitty a forever home!

DK

 

[kenny]

Awww, looks like a very sweet kitty you gots there.

I know nothing about cats, so I'll leave it at thats.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yeah....you’d have a hard time convincing me this guy is semi feral...

He fell asleep getting belly rubs in my lap

OMG he's georgouse
how lucky you found him
Cats just find me, but they have been obvious hungry strays
i worm and deflea them and of course feed them
remember cats arnt ment to have dog food because cats are not omnivores like dogs .... but dogs love cat food and it has too much protein for them and they get fat
if cat biscuits ever got spilt in our house we would treat the neighbour's dog and invite him in for a hoover - our cat had that dog under his thumb

oh and cats like the water bowl not too close to their food. we have a couple of bowls around the house and they all get used

get him microchipped and then he's yours

until befriending missy i would never have thought of RW but you will know what it looks like
i wouldn't panic about the vet, just get in as soon as you can

that's amazing how good he was in the car, i wounder what his story is ?
i guess he'd going to be an indoor cat now, i only ever trimmed Tinky's nails when he became old and stopped scratching trees and frence posts
if he still has his manhod be watchful for slraying
he will back up to a vertical surface and wiggle his backside and squirt. it might not smell straight away but it will and its potent
dont panic
spray white viniger, never ammonia based cleaners, viniger will neutralize the smell and it will also work in the washing machine if he sprays on ...just for arguments sake lets say a big pile of clean washing or your shirt for work tomorrow
just chuck say a cup full or two in with the wash ...and it makes the washing machine really clean!

Sometimes i just wet a cloth with a bit of vinegar and wipe the wee off if i can see it

i agree with a variety of different brands of cat food - you don't want a fuse pot but there will be flavours he doesn't like
i don't know how much you would feed an inside cat but i have biscuits (kibbke) avsilable in the kitchen 24 7 and Borris comes and goes as she pleases through the day and then she has wet food breakfast and dinner

we use one of those round plastic human scalp brushs for a brush


have lots of fun and enjoy the love
you are now the best kind of cat person

 

[MakingTheGrade]

@PreRaphaelite Uh oh. I’ve found “flea dirt!”
Should I quarantine him? Or is the damage already done since he’s been in the house do the past day? I feel bad just keeping him in a carrier or bathroom since he cries and hates it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@PreRaphaelite Uh oh. I’ve found “flea dirt!”
Should I quarantine him? Or is the damage already done since he’s been in the house do the past day? I feel bad just keeping him in a carrier or bathroom since he cries and hates it.

let him sleep on a towel, it also keeps cur off the furniture
once you deflea him the stuff also kills any fleas in his bedding just by association

no offence to dog lovers but we only had flea problems when we had the dog move in next door (we were two units joined together)
worst case sinareo you have to bug bomb your house ! but i really doubt its that bad
they say the vet sells the best flea treatments but if worse comes to worse just buy something from the supermarket
it works really fast

 

[missy]

@PreRaphaelite Uh oh. I’ve found “flea dirt!”
Should I quarantine him? Or is the damage already done since he’s been in the house do the past day? I feel bad just keeping him in a carrier or bathroom since he cries and hates it.

You're bringing him to the walk in vet clinic this morning right? If he has fleas they will prescribe oral and topical treatment and it will be pretty effective. Vacuum the house and wash bedding etc in hot soapy water and also get a flea comb and see if you find any evidence. It could just be superficial and he might not have a flea problem but better safe than sorry. And the vet today will tell you exactly what you should do.

I'm relieved you are bringing him in today. Much smarter to do that because there are issues that might need to be immediately addressed. I was also going to suggest prophylactic bathing just in case of fleas/RW etc but since you are bringing him to the vet today no need. Generally cats do not need to be bathed but since he was outside we don't know what he could have picked up and often in animal shelters they will bathe the cats once when they first rescue them just in case so it wouldn't hurt. But for the most part cats clean themselves really well.

Good luck today and please let us know how Shale is and how the visit went.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha any advice on how to bathe a cat? I know the stereotype is they hate it....

 

[elle_71125]

I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that you just got adopted by a cat! The bad news is also that you just got adopted by a cat.

From what I can tell, this is the sort of way in which many people get their first cat. This is how I got my first cat. Many people get subsequent cats this way as well.

So true!

 

[missy]

Haha any advice on how to bathe a cat? I know the stereotype is they hate it....

We have been bathing them for a few months now and we thought it would be impossible but turns out it's doable and Shale looks like he would be pretty straightforward since he is such a love. Do you have an enclosed shower? You have to be able to scruff Shale. Take the skin behind his head on the top of his back and that is how you hold him while wetting him down. It should immobilize him and it will not hurt him.

Wet him down with lukewarm water and then use a cat specific shampoo for fleas etc and lather him up and follow the directions re how long to leave it on and then rinse. Start at head, get ears, gently around face, avoid eyes. Keep shampoo out of eyes.

Then we do the back and the legs one at a time. Front first and then back legs, then tail and then underneath we get the belly.

For Shale a shower stall would be best since he seems bigger than a kitten. Make sure you have a few towels and towel dry him well afterwards.

Brush him first and clip his nails so you don't get hurt just in case. Some cats tolerate it better than others.

For our cats we use the shower head as they are bigger cats but for smaller cats (IDK how big Shale is) you can use a pump sprayer filled with water and that is less stressful generally for the cats. For ours we use the above shower head and they tolerate it OK enough. We tried the pump sprayer but it took too long to fully wet and rinse them since some of our cats are pretty big.

But wait til you see the vet today as he might not need to be shampooed.

 

[Mamabean]

I’m so happy you came here to get advice for Shale. I don’t have cats so I would be clueless..but I knew Missy wouldn’t have great advice..I hope Belle and Shale get along because Shale was meant to be yours! I see another diamond heart in your future! Lol

 

[tyty333]

Thank you for rescuing this sweety @MakingTheGrade ! People like you warm my heart!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

As Missy mentioned, if you have an enclosed shower, you can take him in for a bath, as long as you’re prepared for one yourself. Some people prefer to wear jeans and heavy sweatshirts for this task as they will protect you from claws.... and they’ll be soaked afterward so throw them in the wash. I’ve done this and it works.

Don’t use regular shampoo (not even baby shampoo) on cats as they will groom themselves dry afterward and all those additives are toxic. ONLY use either dawn dishwashing liquid (as they do for animals rescued from oil slicks!) or this:


because it isn’t toxic. Avoid regular pet shampoos. Vets generally just use Dawn, honestly. Rinse better than you think you need to. Then rinse again. He’s going to be unhappy but you will only ever have to do this once.

Alternatively your vet can do it for you, just pay them! Lol.
Don‘t bathe him after they treat him with liquid drops on his fur as you’ll just be washing the medication off. Bathe before.

Mine are also ragdolls and long hair, but the strategy remains the same: brush *after* they are fully dry, not until. A tangleteezer is all I ever use anymore because of knots. My girl rag doll loves being brushed so much that she pushes the brush toward me with her paws and meows asking for it. Once Shale understands what you’re doing (oh, they understand perfectly, trust me) he will relax and get through the bath. Then give him lots of treats! And quiet time. And then when he comes back out from under the bed, brush him and give more treats. He will forgive you instantly and forget it ever happened.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

OT a bit - sorry -

@PreRaphaelite @Matata @PintoBean

Since you all seem to know a lot about cat nutrition - do you know about how to keep a varied diet when on limited protein diets due to food allergies? T is on Royal Canin prescription limited protein, but they are often backordered or having supply issues with various ones so we will usually have the same one for a couple years then have to switch. He used to refuse to eat wet food but just this week has liked it again, and luckily I got the last flat the vet had. I've tried him on a raw diet as a supplement since it's really easy to get the nonstandard proteins in raw pet food or just, like, people food, but he doesn't seem to recognize any of it as things he can eat. I can't seem to find other limited protein options that seem reliable (ie, not contaminated by chicken or whatever).

Also what foods do you recommend for cats in general? When I switched Hugo from his kitten food I just started feeding him the same thing as T but they have separate microchip-activated feeders so I can change, I just don't really know what is best and with all this dog food news it is making me paralyzed about making a choice. But due to the occasional lack of availability of the RC allergy food I'd prefer to switch him off it so I don't go through it as fast. He prefers chunky wet food to pate. He ate Blue Buffalo Wilderness as a kitten but due to the dog news I'm wary of it now. Both cats are ragdolls so have long fur if that makes a difference. It also makes me extra paranoid about the grain-free cardiomyopathy problems since ragdolls are predisposed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - both mine test negative for the gene they can test for but idk if there are other ways in which they might be more susceptible than other cats.

(For anyone needing a way to keep your pets' food separate or stop a dog from eating the cat food, this thing is a godsend, very little learning curve for your cat: https://www.amazon.com/SureFlap-MPF001-Surefeed-Microchip-Feeder/dp/B00O0UIPTY )

Both mine are ragdolls from a breeder in California (they were bought by a nice lady in Texas who kept them for 4 years and then sought a rescue who would promise to keep them together for life...... she couldn’t find one so she reached out for an adopter, so thats how I came to adopt them).

I had high hopes that they were well-bred, but having learned a bit about the breeder, I have some concerns now. They’re 5 years old and only eat dry kibble, so this will probably get bad. In the new year, I’m going to try to get them onto wet food, but I don’t have any brand recommendations. They’d been on a specialty food which was mail order only, and expensive, and turned out to be an MLM.... ugh. I too am looking for a food recommendation. They can’t stay on this junk food much longer, my conscience won’t survive it!

 

[missy]

Both mine are ragdolls from a breeder in California (they were bought by a nice lady in Texas who kept them for 4 years and then sought a rescue who would promise to keep them together for life...... she couldn’t find one so she reached out for an adopter, so thats how I came to adopt them).

I had high hopes that they were well-bred, but having learned a bit about the breeder, I have some concerns now. They’re 5 years old and only eat dry kibble, so this will probably get bad. In the new year, I’m going to try to get them onto wet food, but I don’t have any brand recommendations. They’d been on a specialty food which was mail order only, and expensive, and turned out to be an MLM.... ugh. I too am looking for a food recommendation. They can’t stay on this junk food much longer, my conscience won’t survive it!

So not an expert in this area but what worked for me was combining treats with the wet food I wanted them to eat. And it works. I put in a few treats and they end up eating the wet food -at least in part. And I do this throughout the day with Tommy as he is our picky eater. Cats can be so finicky. I swear I think they would die of starvation at times if we didn’t work to get them to eat.

I’m sorry I have no specific recommendations. I’m just happy to get some nutrition in them.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Updates!!!

So went to the SPCA bright and early this morning. Got shale checked by the vet. I mentioned the flea dirt.
They ran the flea brush through him, no eggs and no adults. They don’t think he is actually infested but they dosed him with Revolution and said I don’t need to bathe him or use the Capstar I ordered. Phew! They also said I didn’t have to bug bomb the house or anything, low suspicion that fleas will be an ongoing issue.

He weight 9lb and 9oz, and estimated 8-10months old based on his teeth. Which they said looks great.

They noted he is quite clean and that they agree he doesn’t seem like a feral cat. Confirmed again there’s no chip.

I scheduled him for neutering and vaccinations and more flea prevention treatment next Wednesday!

They said they don’t need a stool sample and no blood was taken. I’m guessing because he has no symptoms and looks very healthy.

So yay!