Advice please? Re: When to let kittens out of first room to another room in house?

[fishwalker]

Hi guys,
The new Kitts Firefly and Pixie have been in the bathroom now for 2 days and have more or less come out of themselves... although Pixie more than Firefly! Pixie will now sit on my lap, let me pick her up and crawls up my jumper and stares loonily into my eyes in a slightly obsessive manor! They are chirping all the time to one another and sound like the dinosaurs off Jurassic Park who hunt in packs and are very intelligent and fast (do you know the ones I mean). Firefly is still reserved and won't sit on our laps except to occasionally walk over-to get a toy and still doesn't particularly like to be stroked but she was the one who was sick on the car journey home. She is eating fine though! So... my key point... when we try to open the door to get in now, if they're awake they clammer to the door and really try hard to get out, sticking their paws out and Pixie scratching me even, which drew blood and is smarting as I write (the scratch post is working well then Pixie)! Wondering if we should try moving them to the front room downstairs tonight where we are, along with their litter tray and food? What do you guys think? One more thing... Firefly has been sneezing a little bit since we picked her up and although there is no snotty nose, i'm just slightly concerned as another cat in the shelter had what looked like a cold and a snotty nose. Could she have caught it? How can I tell if its bad?

[kado]

Hi
Glad your kittys are settling in now. We got our 2 kittys on Wednesday and they have already made themselfs at home. Mine have already started to go in everyroome now. Have you changed there litter or is a dusty litter that has caused sneezies in my older kittys If you are concernd for your kittys i would take them to the vets . Mine are going to the vets tommorow.

[charliebubs]

Hiya, I would start to let them out now (unless you have other cats or dogs or small children that they'll need introducing to slowly?).

If they are using the litter tray and eating well and you make sure they know where the tray is when you move them, I'd go ahead and move them.

They might come out of themselves even more with a bit more freedom.

As for the sneezing, I agree with Kado, a trip to the vets to put your mind at rest would be a good idea. If there is no snottiness or congestion it sounds as though she could have a little allergy - cats can get hayfever too

[fishwalker]

I decided to try them out in the front room and they are now quite happy down there with their litter tray and food and toys! They've both scored a sleeping spot on the arm of the sofa in the corner and Pixie has just found out that if she sits on the top tier of her cat perch, she can see out the window and see the kids playing out in the sun with their bikes! She's so mesmerised that she didn't even look back when i snook out to leave the room for a bit! Firefly is still apprehensive of me and it feels a bit like i've currently got one kitten (Pixie) and a fake one asleep in the corner! She's gonna need a bit more time! Its good to have the bathroom back anyway! As for the sneezing... now Pixie's at it a little too, though only the odd one. Firefly has a speck of browny blackness under her nose like sleep, which i'll clean when i manage to catch her but otherwise seems o.k in her self. They're booked in at the vets next Wednesday for their vac's so i'll keep an eye on the sneezes and see if it clears up I think. Thanks for your advice again guys!

[fishwalker]

Visited the vets yesterday and he took a look at Firefly (re: sneezing) inc. taking temperature, weighing her, breathing, checking teeth and gums and she was fine. He said she could have caught a chest infection from the animal shelter as he said kitts are sometimes a little depleted in these places (although this is all the kitts new really, having come in at 3 weeks oldish with their mother.) He said I could just leave it and see how it progressed but that would involve 2 payments for 2 trips and as the animal shelter said they'd pay for her treatment, I opted for some broad spectrum antibiotics for her by droplets. Now I've been recording the sneezing in both kitts and Firefly seems to have phases of it where she'll sneeze maybe 23 times in 30 mins then not sneeze for a hour. Pixie sneezes maybe once every couple of hours and their breathing is fine + no coughing. I don't know if I should start the antibiotics or wait a bit longer, as I could take them back if it clears up and I haven't opened them. Both kitts are running around all over the place and each other and have great appetites, no litter problems, so I'm perplexed as to what's the right course of action? The vet was very vague with me explaining all the types of infection they can catch but saying it was up to me if I wanted antibiotics! Surely thats strange considering I don't know anything about cat illnesses! How am I supposed to know if they need antibiotics? I just want the best for the kitts! I was only in and out in 5 mins and really felt like he didn't have the time to explain what I should do! hmmm... What do you guys think?

[Jem]

I think you should change vets hun and get a second opinion, I had a cat who was poorly for a long time so we spent nearly every weekend at the vets with him and the only time we were ever asked our opinion on Charlie was what bandage colour to put on or to have him PTS.
If you are not comfy with your vets just change it, I have never heard of a vet just giving out antibiotics and leaving it up to the owner to decide weither or not to use them x

[angieh]

Think I'm with Jem there, Fishwalker - try a different vet if you're not happy. I do understand your concern, but if your lovely kits seem happy, active, eating well and using their litter trays and are not snotty or have any discharge from their noses or eyes, then PROBABLY there is nothing much wrong with them. You did say the vet took their temperatures and presumably that was normal for both kittens?

Keep an eye on them, as you are obviously doing (hard life sometimes ) and ask around your area to see if you can get a recommendation about a different vet.

[Kay]

I would definitely change vets. Yours sounds hopeless after all they are the ones that spent years at university training not you. If what they are sneezing is clear it could just be an allergy due to their change in surroundings. If, however, they are sneezing out a coloured discharge then I would give them the antibiotics as a precaution. You don't want it worsen better to nip it in the bud.