|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to Bottlekatz!
 |
We are here to provide you with information and assistance with the care of orphan kittens. |
Buy it now in multiple formats.Paypal! (US CUSTOMERS) |
|---|
US PAYPAL USERS, YOU CAN NOW PURCHASE COPIES AT A NEW, FLAT RATE OF ONLY $11.50 EACH! This price includes sales tax for California, as well as shipping (USPS book rate within continental U.S. only). If you would like this purchase rate for delivery outside of the continental U.S., email your information including paypal email address and we will provide your shipping rates and send an invoice directly to your paypal account for easy payment.
RESCUE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINICS are a vital part of any rescue effort, but can be frustrating to organize. I have been part of a monthly spay and neuter clinic in Sacramento for over 18 months which averages about 40 cats and kittens each session. Our team of volunteers (vets, techs, and plain old rescue people) starts at about 8:30 AM, with the first surgery at about 9:15 AM, and we are generally able to leave by 2:00 PM. We not only fix all the cats, they also receive blood tests when needed, get all needed vaccines, all of them get PenG shots to help prevent infections, all of them get Medicam orally for pain, the ferals get their ears notched, all of them are thoroughly checked and treated for anything we see (abcesses, mats, fleas, earmites, cuts, etc.), and to date (thank god) we have not lost a single one. Our clinics have evolved, but you need not go through that process and reinvent the wheel, if we can be of help. If you would be interested in receiving information about how our clinic is organized, please let me know. A book is currently underway detailing all the things we have learned about running a clinic, but if you need help now just email ("contact us" button above).
ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN! You might think that after 20 years working exclusively with bottle-babies that there was nothing left to learn - wrong! I "retired" from actively raising babies 2 years ago, but my wonderful husband brought 3 little girls home about 10 weeks ago. They are beautiful (aren't they all), 2 tabbys and 1 dark torty, and bring our total to 459. They were about 12 days old when they came, so still needed stimulating after feeding. It shortly became apparent that they had no spontaneous bowel movements at all, and very little when stimulated. By the time they were 3 weeks old I was quite concerned and contacted my vet -- but only after going through all the basics:
1. They were eating normally
2. They were gaining weight normally
3. Their activity level was normal
4. Their temperatures were normal
5. The stimulated poop was normal in appearance and texture
6. The rectal openings were normal in size and appearance (there is a rare but awful birth defect that makes it virtually impossible for kittens to poop, so they have to be put down)
7. When a digital thermometer was gently inserted and turned in the rectums, it did not encounter any hard blockages and emerged with normal appearing poop on it
With the above information provided, my vet said it sounded like a simple matter of immature muscles and to just wait a little while. At four weeks of age the little ones FINALLY left a small surprise for me in their sandbox. You might think that a totally clean kitten cage is great, but this was a major worry until it resolved itself. I had never encountered a situation like this in 20 years, but now you will have an idea of what to do if it happens to you.