I think a kitten selected me....

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
I think a kitten selected me....
9
Thu, 06-09-2005 - 9:46pm

I went to the foster home to pick out a kitten today. I think I got selected by a kitten, but I hope I did the right thing. Let me run through it.

They had told me they had 3 males, 8wks old. Grey tabbies. So I get there, I walk in, and the foster mom's 2 kids pick up the 3 kittens to show me. When they put them down, those kittens wanted nothing to do with me. One of them had just gotten it's vacination that day, and was sleepy. All 3 had runny eyes. Besides those kittens there were 6 other kittens who were 6wks old. All 9 kittens ate and played while I was there, but the 3 grey tabbies went off to sleep. I held 2 of them, but they weren't happy with me. I kept getting drawn to this one cream tabby. He was so poofy with a round face. At first, he hissed a little at me, but I was trying to pet him while he was in the midst of playing. But later he and I played for a good 5 min, and then he curled up next to me and went to sleep. In the meantime, his momma came down from her perch and curled up on the other side of me and went to sleep.

So....did I get selected? He's the one I filled out the application for. I don't have him, yet. The group founder wasn't there. She had emailed me before and commented that if the kitten I choose was too young, they'd keep it until it was old enough to go home. The foster mom wasn't sure if that was ok, but she said she'd check. So I'm waiting.

I'm also feeling badly, because there was another orange and white tabby, who came up to me and played, too, and was a cuddler. I don't know that this one is a cuddler. But I'm trying to tell myself I can't own every cat. :(

** Noelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Thu, 06-09-2005 - 10:19pm

I say go with your heart. If you kept being drawn to the cream tabby, then I'd say go for



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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2000
Thu, 06-09-2005 - 11:26pm

I don't know if you were selected or not but since you have doubts I would err on the side of the caution. The fact that some of the kittens have runny eyes and aren't quarantined from the other animals is a red flag to me. I wouldn't adopt any kitten and bring home with my boys that had any sign of illness. Have these cats/kittens all been vaccinated and tested for the various feline diseases?

As for the little cream kitten you have to let your heart tell you what to do. However, I would not take a kitten of 6 weeks away from it's mother unless it was medically necessary. It is not doing any service to the kitten by separating him too early from his mommy and littermates.

See the link here regarding adopting kittens out too young.
http://www.breedlist.com/faq/young.html

If you feel he's the absolutely right kitten for you and your girls then there's no reason to rush him. It's not like you have to bring him home right now.

Whether or not a kitten is a cuddler at that age is no guarantee that when an adult he will be a cuddler. They change quickly and at that young age you don't even truly know what their personalities are like which is yet another reason to wait to adopt them when they are a little older.

Good luck in your decision.

Lynn

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 1:14am

Well, this rescue org won't adopt the kittens out unless they're at least 8 weeks old and weigh at least 2lbs. Because of that, I don't have him here. I filled out the adoption form, but he's staying there until he's old enough and big enough. And the kitties with runny eyes just started the runny eyes today, and were just started on a treatment for it. They've all been tested for feline leukemia and aids, and are free of that. This group says they test for those diseases, and they vaccinate and worm the kittens. That's why I'm going with this group, rather than taking one of the many kittens I've been offered in the last 2 weeks.

This little guy was playful, with me and the other kittens. He seemed healthy. I didn't see any dirt in his ears, though since I've never seen an ear mite, I could miss it. He could possibly have worms, but he's supposed to be wormed before he's adopted out. And the minute they call me to come pick him up, I'll call and schedule a vet appointment. I'm going to follow the introduction steps that Pam Johnson-Bennet has in her "Cat Vs. Cat" book. (which I've read 5 times in the last 2 weeks.)

I agree, kittens' personalities change as they get older. I couldn't tell that Bad Annie would be a cross between a holy terror and the sweetest cuddler. And I had no idea Chalimar would become a scaredy-cat with an attitude. My mom's one cat growled and hissed and didn't like to be held at ALL as a kitten. 3 years later, she's a bigtime cuddler.

I just wish I could help all the kittens. I'm seriously thinking about volunteering with this group or donating supplies to them or something. Which is totally unlike me. In general, I don't volunteer for anything...ever.

** Noelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2000
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 6:42am

That's great that they've addressed the issue of the runny eyes. It could be Feline Herpes virus which is extremely common amongst kittens and cats in a shelter or muti-cat environment. Zachary didn't have runny eyes when I brought him home from the shelter, but developed them shortly thereafter and was diagnosed with herpes. He's had to use eye drops a couple of times but has pretty much grown out of it now. On occasion if he gets stressed(like if I'm on vacation and a pet sitter is here) he will start showing symptoms again and his eye will flare up. I keep lysine on hand for this and start putting that in his food and it usually clears pretty fast.

I think that volunteering for the organization is a great idea if you have the time as these organizations are always in need of help, supplies or both.

Sorry, if I offended you as that was not my intent. It sounds like from another of your posts your totally ready for this new kitten and whoever you choose to bring home will be coming into a great new home.

Take care, Lynn

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 6:43am

I agree - go with your heart.

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Registered: 12-01-2003
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 8:35am
I would say get the cream one too. It is SO HARD to not take them all and it just breaks my heart


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 9:56am

Lynn,

You didn't offend me. I am a planner and a polster by nature. I take forever to make decisions. Before I make them, I poll everyone I know to get their opinions, and then I make my own decision. That's why I started posting here. You always give me excellent information and advice. You don't ever say "oh just do it", you're more like, "here's the facts I have", which really helps me make my decision.

If I sounded cranky in my reply, I didn't mean to. I got myself all worked up over seeing the kittens, making a decision, and actually going to the house of someone I've never met before. Plus I came home, found Annie was still having some loose-bowel issues and needed her feet washed, and Chalimar had left me a hairball. It was 9:45pm before I even got dinner, and by that time, I'd made myself totally sick. I couldn't calm myself down and go to sleep until almost 2am.

You were totally right in the info you gave me. The runny eyes don't worry me too much. Bad Annie had a rhinovirus when I adopted her. Her runny eyes would manifest themselves when she was stressed. She grew out of it after 2 years. But I know what to watch for and how to care for it, and all that. Plus, if the kitten I selected has runny eyes when I can bring him home, I'm already planning on sequestering him in a seperate room. So I should be able to treat him without hurting my girls.

** Noelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 9:59am

I wish I could save every cat. I'm like you, when I lived with my parents, there was one point we had 1 bird, 2 dogs, and 3 hamsters. Then we got a cat. All this, and my dad is the type that says "animals should be outside, not in the house." He lost that arguement the day he married my mom. :)

Hopefully, I can actually adopt this little guy. We'll see. I'll keep everyone posted.

** Noelle

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Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 06-10-2005 - 11:51am

I does sound like you were picked by the cream tabby kitten.


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