Foster FAQ’s

If you need any supplies for your foster, please contact a Board member.  Reaching out on the AZCARE Chat on Facebook is your best bet, but you can always text one of us.  We generally bring supplies to the adoption events for people to grab, but if you need anything before Saturday, just let us know.  We have TWO storage units filled with stuff.  The only things we tend to run low on is litter and kitten dry food.  If we don’t have any in stock, we will get it for you.  We also have toys, beds, blankets, litter pans, cages, etc.  You need it, it’s yours!

For authorization to bring a kitty into the rescue please contact a member of the AZ CARE Board of Directors for assistance.

A: Answer coming soon!

A general schedule for kitten weaning might be:

• Weeks 4-5: Give wet or moistened dry food, mixed with formula to form a slush. Supplement with formula if the kitten is not taking to the new food, to make sure it gets enough calories.
• Weeks 5-6: The weaning kittens should start to nibble on the kibble, slightly moistened with water.
• Weeks 6-7: By now, the kitten weaning process is complete, and they should be eating all solid food by week seven.

[answers taken from: PetMD]

Helpful article! https://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/kitten/nutrition/evr_ct_weaning_kittens_what_to_feed_a_kitten

A: Can of 100% pumpkin puree mixed with white rice. This at home remedy has been found very helpful to stop kitten diarrhea. Inform a member of the board of directors with health update if your foster is experiencing these issues.

Kittens, especially those under 3 months of age, have not fully developed their ability to regulate their blood glucose (sugar) levels. Hypoglycemia can be brought on when kittens are introduced to other stress factors, such as poor nutrition, cold environments, and intestinal parasites. Fasting combined with rigorous exercise can also bring on hypoglycemia in cats. Cats treated for diabetes mellitus are at risk, as well as those with severe liver disease, severe bacterial infections, tumors of the pancreas (rare in cats), or portosystemic shunts.

Symptoms
If your pet is hypoglycemic, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Extreme lethargy
• Muscle twitches
• Loss of appetite
• Trembling
• Lack of coordination
• Unusual behavior
• Blindness
• Unconsciousness

Read more at link below

[Answers taken from: http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-diseases-conditions-a-z/hypoglycemia-cats]

CONTACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IMMEDIATELY IF YOUR FOSTER IS EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS

Lift the kitten’s tail. The opening just under the tail is the anus. Below the anus is the genital opening which is round in males and is a vertical slit in females. In kittens of similar size, the distance between the anus and the genital opening is greater in the male than the female.

As the male kitten grows the testicles become more apparent.

The color of the kitten may suggest its gender. Almost all (but not ALL) kittens of calico (black, white and orange) or tortishell (black and orange) color are females. More orange kittens are male than female although the association between color and sex is not as strong as in the calico/tortishell colored kitten.

[information from https://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/outreach/Pet-Health-Topics/categories/procedures/cats/determining-gender-(sex)-of-a-kitten]

Contact Kaylene if you suspect your foster is pregnant so an ultrasound can be conducted.

How to tell if a cat is pregnant

1. Darkened Nipples
   At around three weeks, a pregnant cat’s nipples will become darker in color and enlarged. Veterinarians call this sign “pinking up,” which you can see on the cat in the picture below. You may also notice some milky discharge from the nipples, although cats don’t start producing milk until after birth.

   

2. Morning Sickness
   Just like humans, a pregnant cat may also go through a period of being sick occasionally. Not all cats have morning sickness (just like pregnant women!), but if she does, keep an eye on her and contact your veterinarian if the vomiting becomes frequent or if your cat appears unwell.
3. Swollen Belly
   Around the 30-day mark, pregnant cats start to develop a rounded, swollen abdomen — a sign that isn’t always so easy to spot. “If your cat is overweight to begin with, her belly distension may be less noticeable but she will still gain weight due to pregnancy,” says Dr. Barrack. A pregnant cat will gain a total of two to four pounds overall depending on the number of kittens.
4. Nesting
   With around two weeks to go in her pregnancy, a pregnant cat will often start “nesting.” “She may choose a quiet place and start arranging blankets for a birthing area,” says Dr. Barrack. Your cat may also start acting more maternal, being more affectionate towards you and purring more frequently. At the same time, she might become less tolerant of other pets or animals.
5. Positive Ultrasound
   The best way to tell if your cat is pregnant is to visit your veterinarian and get an X-ray or ultrasound. X-rays don’t show the kittens until 40 to 45 days when the skeletons of the kittens are visible. Ultrasounds can be done as early as 21 days, but it is often difficult to count the number of kittens present with an ultrasound, compared with X-rays. Don’t worry about using an X-ray on a pregnant cat. “The amount of radiation is pretty small, so one X-ray is generally considered safe for developing kittens,” says Dr. Bright.

[answers taken from https://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/kitten/nutrition/evr_ct_weaning_kittens_what_to_feed_a_kitten]

A: Most cats become very affectionate, even demanding; they persistently rub against their owners (or objects such as furniture), constantly wanting attention. They roll on the floor. When stroked along the back or spine, they raise their rear quarters into the air and tread with the back legs. They also become very vocal. These behavior changes often become annoying to owners, and sometimes owners think their cat has some unusual illness.

Some female cats will urinate more frequently or may even spray urine on vertical objects (marking) when they are in heat. The urine contains both pheromones and hormones, both of which act as signals of her reproductive status to other cats. This is the reason that queens in heat attract intact (unneutered) male cats. In some cases, this may be the first indication that a young cat has reached puberty.

Tomcats (unneutered male cats) that have never been seen before in your yard or neighborhood will appear. They may spray urine on the house to mark the territory (and female) as theirs or may even attempt to enter the house to mate with the female.
[Answer Taken from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/estrus-cycles-in-cats]

A: Many male cats still have the appearance of having testicles due to the way the surgery is performed. Only the testicles are removed. The multi-layer sheath that surrounds the testicles is left as well as the scrotal skin. Once healed, this can give the appearance of testicles when actually it’s just layers of tissue and skin.
[answer taken from Dr. Neely @ https://www.askthecatdoctor.com/my-male-cat-was-neutered-but-still-appears-to-have-testicles.html]
Other resources: https://m.wikihow.com/Tell-If-a-Cat-Is-Neutered

Helpful article of how to tell if your cat has ringworm and how to treat! If you suspect your foster has ringworm please inform a member of the rescue board of directors immediately. 

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ringworm-in-cats

A: Answer coming soon!

Symptoms of Parvo include:

• Severe or bloody diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Fever or hypothermia
• Lethargy
• Anorexia
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Red eyes and mouth
• Rapid heart beat

If you suspect your foster has Parvo, you should contact the board of directors immedietly.