I'm FAT, now what?
Being a foster family (FAT) for kittens or puppies, newborns or babies, means that for approximately 8 weeks you will be surrounded by cuteness. However, it also means that you will need to be very sensitive and attentive to any changes, as these animals are extremely fragile and little care is needed, so it is a commitment that requires a lot of time, responsibility and dedication.
Often these kittens and puppies arrive in conditions of such weakness that, despite all our efforts and care, it is not possible to save them. You must be aware that we cannot save all animals, we only have a duty to do absolutely everything in our power to save them.
This guide serves as a foundation for fundamental questions about being FAT, especially for kittens. However, most of the concepts presented here can be extended to dogs. If you have any doubts or if your animal has a sudden change in its state of health, it is essential to alert the senior volunteers quickly and provide the appropriate veterinary care. It can even save your life and no symptom should be overlooked.
And don't forget, the goal is for your pet to grow up healthy so it can be adopted!
1. How old is my kitten?
Use this schemekitty lady to determine your kitten's age and calculate its approximate date of birth.
2. When will my kitten be ready to be adopted?
Use this schedule to help you through the different stages of the process:
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1 - 4 Weeks
In this period the kittens are very fragile. They should be fed a bottle with Royal Canin kitten milk, at the correct dose and time, and weighed daily on a digital kitchen scale (or bimby), following the information provided below and using this table as an example for your records. They should also be stimulated before and/or after feeding to do their peeing and pooping, as they don't know how to do it themselves. Your kitten cannot maintain temperature, so depending on the outside temperature is importantkeep it heated with a hot water bag or heating pad. If the kittens do not take to the bottle well, at first it may be necessary to feed with a syringe and teat, but you should ask for help if necessary, as it has additional risks. If your kitten has external parasites (fleas, for example) it is very important to know how to evaluate and remove these parasites, as shown in the video below. At this time, kittens cannot be dewormed with productsantiparasitic.
Here are some helpful videos:
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4 - 5 Weeks
Your kittens begin to use the litter box and take an interest in wet food. You must introduce wet food and provide pâté for the kitten, provided by Quintinha, at least once or twice a day, keeping the bottles as per the table above. The litter box must also be introduced: it must be low andaccessible to allow entry easily.
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6 weeks
You can deworm your kitten internally and externally. Talk to one of your senior volunteers to access the products and learn how to administer them safely, according to the product's directions and the kitten's weight.
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6 - 7 Weeks
Your kitten must be photographed so that we can start advertising with a view to adoption. Contact the volunteer Alice Castelhano, responsible for the production of multimedia content and manager of our social networks, and arrange the photo session. It is very important that you help as much as possible with the outreach process and involve family and friends to ensure that your kittens are adopted quickly.
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8 weeks
Now weighing around 800g, your kitty should go to theHidden Cat Veterinary Clinicto start the vaccination protocol and to place a microchip. Make an appointment directly with the clinic according to your availability and inform the senior volunteers, for example, through the Whatsapp group “Mothers of Cats and Dogs”, in which you will now also be integrated. It may also be necessary at this time to repeat the deworming, which should be confirmed with your senior volunteers; if necessary, deworming must be done using products that will be provided by the Association.
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_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ Remember that, regardless of the age of the kitten, if there are signs of a lack of appetite air, weight loss or not, eye discharge or conjunctivitis, inability to maintain temperature, diarrhea or soft stools you should immediately alert your senior volunteers because your kittens may need to go urgently to the vet or even be hospitalized if necessary .
ALERT !
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>8 weeks
If the right family for your kitten hasn't come along yet, don't worry. It is very important to continue to provide due care and to continue to produce content (quality photos and videos) regularly so that we can keep the public interested. It articulates the creation of these contents weekly with the volunteer Alice and contributes to the dissemination. Forward anyone interested in adopting the kitten to the adoption conditions and application form present at www.quintinhaabc.org
2. When will my kitten be ready to be adopted?
Adoption is a long-awaited moment, as it is a sign that everything went well and we reached our final objective. It could be a moment ofmixed feelings, as it is inevitable that we develop feelings for these little creatures.
All our adoptive families go through a selection process; after the adoption we monitor the animals with some regularity. So, don't worry that the little one will be well delivered. Se tens curiosidade sobre como decorre o processo de adoção podes consultar _cc781905-5cde -3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ _cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b- 136bad5cf58d_
If you are considering adopting your kitten/dog, be sure to let the senior volunteers know. From the moment it is published,you cannot go back on your decision.
We also leave the Kitten Lady series of webinars on kitten care that can help you in different stages of the process and that you should watch carefully when you decide to be FAT:
Welcome to Quintinha's FATS family!
This guide is exclusive to Quintinha Abc FATs.
Your contribution and the attentive andstrict these guidelines are very important so that we can continue to do what we know how to do best: continue to save, welcome and promote the adoption of animals that need us! Thanks for your help.