[Buffy the eggs layer]

Well,

  after two weeks of negotiating with a variety of agencies I have finally solved the problem of the dumped cat familly....,

One of them died during the two weeks that it took before someone could come out and get them,

The three that were caught pased their blood tests so did not have to be put to sleep,

 I have just been to collect mum after her opp and she is recovering in the utility room,
 
 The two kittens that the trainee RSPCA inspector managed to catch are going to be rehomed by Caring for Cats,
 and the tiniest kitten which couldnt be caught now has to be taken back to the vets in 3 months for its tuppence tidying!

All this seems like good news you may think, but the bad news is that I have never had cats before and now I own two! So if you guys can tell me what they need interms of quantities of food, parasite treatments, worming programme etc then me and the cats would be greatful.

Buffy

[Rosemary]

We have three cats - all neutered males, one 12 and two brothers at 2 and a half years. The two young ones hunt so are wormed every three months with Drontal. Felix doesn't go out much and certainly doesn't hunt, so I worm him twice a year. I do all of them with Frontline for fleas, ticks and stuff every 6 or seven weeks, ie when they are wormed and in between wormings.

They have access to Burns dried cat food 24/7 and they get a large tin of Whiskas between them every morning about 8am and the same at bedtime. Dried food makes Felix vomit if he eats too much.The young boys enjoy the odd saucer of milk and cream, cooked chicken skin, cooked salmon skins, a sardine occasionally plus all the little birds and furries that they catch. Felix eats cat food.

They all have an annual health check and vaccinations. Felix has chronic cat flu because he wasn't vaccinated properly when he was young.

They are very healthy, look wonderful and are a joy to own. Yours will purr their way into your heart 

[melodrama]

We have 2 cats and 2 kittens and we go through pretty much the same routine re worming etc as Rosemary.  the only thing I would add is to be careful they don't have just dry food as they can get cystitus which whilst treatable is a bit of a pain.  Isis, our oldest is prone to it but thankfully she finds somewhere very obvious to pee to tell me she has it and a quick injection sorts it out.  I feed dry at one feeding and wet food at the other two feedings and always fresh water at every feeding.
Melanie

[Cinderhills]

How exciting for you.  I think there are two schools of thought on feeding dry or wet food.  When I lived in the USA wet food was the way to go, but here my vet favours dry food, better for teeth I think, but as long as they have plenty of water I'm sure that's OK.  I use Royal Canin and buy it from the internet as the vet is so expensive.  In fact, if your cats ever need meds on a regular basis then only buy online.  Even when the vet charges for a prescription it is far far cheaper (try petdrugsonline.co.uk, I get food here too).

I worm my cat Tinker once a month in the summer as he eats loads of voles, so I guess although he is on dry food he also gets "wet food" too.  I feed once in the morning and once in the evening as he would gobble up all the food in one go if I left it out all day.  Whatever food you given them the packet will tell you how much to feed depending on their weight.  In the winter I worm once every 3 months with Drontal too.

If you have a chance to post any photos that would be great. 

[little blue]

welcome to the world of cats - I wouldn't be without one (or 4, as we have at the moment)

just to add to the very good advice given so far...
* biscuits make a good ad-lib food, or supper so they can nibble through the night.

* propriety tins will have a recommended amount to feed printed on - this is usually quite generous (how else would they make their money?!)  Cats that hunt will eat at least some of what they catch so feed accordingly.

* all cats are different! Our tabby is small & eats just a little (unless its cheese) and the stumpy one has hollow legs & won't go out til he's had breakfast & has been known to go next door for seconds!  and boy does he let you know when he's hungry (every time he comes in!)

*if mum was feral, be careful with collars.  our tabby scratched at hers so much she badly damaged her neck & needed antibiotics. and make sure they are quick release.

would love to see photos...


* Be careful with milk! Many cats are lactose intolerant; goats milk is better than cows, "cat milk" is allegedly better and water is all they need....

[jaykay]

And just to add to the water bit, mine will only drink from the tap or a beck, or a bowl that has been refilled within the past 6 hours. So making sure they drink enough is a challenge, though Jinx has now learned to ask for the tap to be switched on

I feed mine Orijen dry food and Bozita wet food (internet order from Seapets), both high protein/low carb which seems to suit them,

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks for the info,

             I had to pay £5.7p for three drops of flea treatment today. Which the vet cheerily told me would treat one cat for one month! I clearly dont earn as much as the average vet, so any on line suppliers who can reduce the cost of feed and treatment is greatly appreciated. Here are the photos.

How about a Blue Peter style - name the cats contest

Buffy

[SallyintNorth]

Buffy, they're BEAUTIFUL!  No wonder you wanted to keep them!

I thought you were meaning you were calling mum 'Blue' and the little fella 'Peter' but then I realised what you meant!

A friend had a cat called Pocket.  When the deed was done he of course became Empty Pockets.  (And then, for reasons which even then were obscure, Robert Pocket and eventually, inevitably, Bob.)

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Ha ha!

  thanks Sally. Mum is looking a bit the worse for wear today after her opp but shes comming round a bit. Im on the anti-hystamine as despite not even being in the same part of the house as she is Im wheezing. What a wuss!

I was thinking of names with an easten european feel but I dont know what sex the kitten is yet.

I hope the two that went to caring for cats will find good`homes.

Buffy

[Rosemary]

They're so beautiful - both of them. They have landed lucky and I'm sure they will know it 

[little blue]

Mum looks just like my Alfie (Alfred on Sundays) , who looks like Claude (who disappeared   )
how about Freda?
or Claudette?!

no, not very East European....

[SallyintNorth]

Polka for mum (she's got a spotty nose)

[Roxy]

Mum cat looks just like my Charlie (who is brother to Little Blue's Alfie ).

A word of advice - don't buy wormers, flea stuff etc. or food from vets.  They are very expensive, and they only stock the very expensive brand of feed, and will advise you that it is definitely better for your cat (well, thats what our vets do)

I tend to buy wormers in from the internet - pet pharmacy places - thats for my cats, dogs and horses.

Most of my farm cats have dried biscuits (they prefer Go Cat)  Leave a big plate full out morning and night.  It is important to leave a dish of water too.  Usually put three tins of food out as well, but between about 20, they do not all get that!!

I would not give them cows milk, but they love goats milk, and wait for the goats to be milked.  When no goats are milking they do on water.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi,

 Polka is I nice name. I was thinkinging of Natasha and Mishca. Though all my pets ( and my OH) end up with nic names. My head hen and name sake Buffy the eggs layer gets called buffalo and buffle coat most of the time.  I think Polka would end up being called polly pops which is fine buy me but I cant see OH yodeling that across the yard!

Glad you all think they are pretty. Though all kittens are adorable and they all have their endearing personalities.

The latest update is that mum spent a peaceful night indoors and was still a little sleepy this morning. Her tummy was a little upset but that might be the effect of the last two days. I had made her some steps from a pile of boxes so she could get up to the window sill without jumping and she was curled up there on a blanket watching the rain when I went to check on her.
I took her for a walk to find her baby and the baby seemed much more enthusiastic about the reunion than mum did. They have got their wet food and water at the moment which is what they have been fed for the last two weeks. Though they were enjoying the remains of some poor unfortunate pheasants carcass which mum had killed before she had her opp. I will add the crunchy things when I get some.

Buffy and the pussy cats

Mum is very clearly a house cat and someones pet. She was perfectly happy being in the utility room, very tidy in her litter tray and made her way straight to the little box lined with carpet that I had made her for a nap. I find it strange that someone would dump her but perhaps they couldnt afford the associated costs.

Buffy

[SallyintNorth]

Tash and Mishca are lovely, lucky cats.