Your a Keeper

Not Disposable: Every Life is Precious

Cutest Kitten Names

• Oreo
• Peaches
• Luna
• Pumpkin
• Milo
• Pepper
• Waffles
• Cupcake
• Mittens
• Tigger
• Sock
• Snickers
• Sadie
• Dexter
• Dusty
• Panda
• Izzy
• Scooter
• Murphy
• Jake

These are just a few adorable names. What is your favorite? 

Introducing your kitten to an Older Cat

Things Your New Kitten Will Need

• Quality kitten food
• Cat treats - you can make quality treats using kitten food to make sure she is still getting quality nutrients.
• Food and water dishes
• Litter box and cat litter
• Cat bed
• Cat carrier
• Collar and ID tags
• Cat brush and/or flea comb
• Toothbrush and pet-safe toothpaste
• Scratching post and kitten-safe toys

Maybe this Will Help People to Understand

This is a sad and unnecessary truth. Most people have no clue why rescuers beg and plead for people to spay and neuter. So this never has to happen again. When humans fail to do their part animals suffer. 

Founder of MMKR, Carey Abbott

Fadding Kitten Syndrome and What to Do

Fading Kitten Protocol
**Adapted from Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents - http://www.maddiesfund.org/assets/documents/Institute/Austin%20Pets%20Alive!%20Resource%20Documents.pdf

Fading Kitten Syndrome is a life-threatening emergency in which a kitten, sometimes one that was previously healthy, “crashes” and begins to fade away. If not dealt with immediately, it can result in death.

Symptoms:
- Low Body Temperature – the kitten feels cool or cold to the touch
- Extreme Lethargy - not getting up, unable to stand, not responding when pet - Gasping for breath
- Meowing/Crying out

It is caused by 2 things: Hypothermia (being too cold) and Hypoglycemia (not enough blood sugar). When this happens, it is vital that you take these immediate steps!

Step 1- Get them warm:
- Create a “burrito” towel. Immediately wrap the kitten up in a towel like a burrito leaving their face exposed
only. Their whole body, tail, ears, and paws should be in the towel, only nose and mouth exposed. Do not take the kitten out of the towel to adjust them, check on them, etc. - this is very important! Every time you take them out you will make them cold again, even if it is only for a second.
- Wrap a HEATING PAD turned onto *low* around the burrito towel (to avoid burns) as an EXTRA source of heat. Secure it around the towel so it stays in place

Step 2- Get their blood sugar up. Once you get the heat on them,
- Get a bowl or Tupperware and a few tablespoons sugar in hot water.
- Stir it up so you get a sugar-water solution - as strong as possible while still pretty runny.
- Using a syringe or your finger give 3 drops every 3 minutes into the mouth.
- If they aren’t swallowing, try not to get it down the throat, try to get it on the tongue or gums.
- Set an egg timer or use the stopwatch on your cell phone to make sure you are doing it at least every 3
minutes. Every 5 minutes or 10 minutes will not work, it must be every 3 minutes.

Step 3 – Bring the kitten to VCAS:
- Keep kitten with you and continue sugar every 3 minutes.
- They won’t have any extra advice for you that isn‘t in this handout, but they will need to be made aware of what
is going on.

Sometimes it can take hours for them to come out of it. Once they do come out of it, make sure you contact VCAS.

Keep in mind, even with all the love and attention and perfect treatment of this condition, some of them still won't make it.

The Survival Rate with our care FAR surpasses their survival rate in Nature.

Kitten Behavior

Too often, pet owners resort to punishment when they believe a pet has stepped out of line. Punishment is a poor tool for shaping behavior in most situations. Physical corrections and harsh scolding are likely to bruise your relationship and can lead to more serious problems, such as aggression.

Never hit, shake or yell at your kitten. If you need to interrupt a behavior, such as scratching furniture, use a spray bottle or make a sharp noise by tapping a tabletop or clapping your hands loudly. Avoid doing anything that makes your kitten act frightened or reluctant to approach you.

Understanding your kitten's body language

Cats are good at letting you know what they want, either vocally or with their bodies. It won't be long before you understand what your kitten is trying to tell you.

Meows

As your kitten grows up, you start to hear distinctive "meows" from her. Low-pitched meows usually mean your cat is uncomfortable or unhappy. High-pitched meows mean she's happier, and if she keeps repeating them, she's wanting your attention. Maybe she feels it’s time for her favorite kitten food? With a little practice, you'll soon get to know what your kitten's trying to say.

Interestingly, meows are hardly ever directed at other cats, nearly always at humans. So listen up, she's talking to you. Learn more about a cat’s meow.

Purring

Purring is usually a sign of contentment, although it doesn't always indicate happiness. A cat that is ill or anxious will sometimes purr as a comfort. However, most of the time if your kitten is rubbing against you and purring loudly, it's a sign of affection or she's asking for something, such as food.

Hisses and growls

If you're hearing these, you've got one frightened little kitten. She's trying to puff herself up to sound scary so she can protect herself. You'll usually hear her hiss and growl during tense encounters with other animals.

Rubbing

When your kitten rubs her face up against you, it means she's really comfortable in your company and is showing she likes you.

Rolling over

If your kitten rolls over onto her back and stretches her legs, she is indicating complete submissiveness and trust in you. She's also asking for attention. And when she hops onto your lap and snuggles down contentedly, there's no doubt how she views her new environment.

Tell-tail

A cat's tail is an excellent indicator of her feelings. A happy kitten will hold her tail straight up; if she's frightened, she'll tuck it between her legs. The broad swishing, of an adult cat's tail, shows annoyance or impatience. If she's really agitated, her tail will move rapidly from side to side — this is clearly threatening behavior. A twitching tail is a sure sign of your kitten's excitement and curiosity. Learn more about the cat’s tail.

Ears

Pricked ears are an indication of interest in what's going on around her as well. Ears held erect and inclined forward, she's relaxed and friendly. But when a cat's ears go down, flat against her head, it's a sign of aggression; this is done to keep them out of the way should a fight erupt.

Info from the following site: Hillspet.com

This Is Hard to Fathom

Just Ponder this a Moment

These stats are just staggering. Please spay and neuter. Spaying and neutering saves lives.