topic Re: First Foster in Community Chat

First Foster

adelle38 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 00:34:05 GMT

This is Jasper. He was found starving, huddled next to a heating vent. I'm fostering him for two weeks until he gains some weight. He is the sweetest , most loving cat.

Re: First Foster

Sheltie Mom — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 01:13:20 GMT

Big hug to you for taking Jasper in to foster, what a sweet boy. Looks like he's loving making himself at home. It's probably the first time in a long time that he's felt safe.

Re: First Foster

57babe — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 02:10:28 GMT

Jasper is a beautifully marked cat. How wonderful of you to foster him!

Nutri-Cal (for cats) might help you -- help him to put weight quickly. You may already know about it, but for the sake of readers -- it's a high calorie vitamin & mineral supplement.

Nutri-Cal can be purchased at most pet supply stores. You can use a tiny rubber spatula and place a pea size ball of Nutri-Cal on the roof of his mouth.

There are some other vitamin & mineral supplements available. Nutri-Cal is widely available & the one of most cost effective supplements for cats.

Nice to know that this sweet cat has a new opportunity for a life worth living. Please keep us posted on his progress.

Re: First Foster

adelle38 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 02:39:56 GMT

The shelter sent some Canyon Creek Ranch dry and canned food but he hasn't eaten much so far. He seems very comfortable walking around my apartment and settles in to rest either on my lap or at my feet. I have to give him a pill and I mashed it up in wet food but he's not eating much. Any suggestions would be welcome. He's at least 7 years old and his front paws are declawed.

Re: First Foster

sue52 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 02:46:21 GMT

He is beautiful! Bless you for fostering!

Re: First Foster

doxie1 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 03:19:17 GMT

He is a good looking fellow! It is awesome that you are fostering him. I agree with 57 that you need to get some Nutra Cal and feed him a little every two hours. He is probably weakened and not used to eating as much so he needs all the extra calories you can get in him. I do not know anything about the food they sent you. Sometimes you have to look for some different choices to jump start them.

Please keep us updated on his progress. I am rooting for both of you.

doxie

Re: First Foster

doxie1 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 03:20:32 GMT

The second spot above his tail looks like a heart!

doxie

Re: First Foster

beastielove — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 03:22:44 GMT

adelle..

God Bless your beautiful heart for fostering this precious boy.

I'd be a ""foster failure"" because I'd be so totally in love and attached to Jasper that I would never be able to give him up.

Is he going to be going to a loving forever home after he leaves you? I pray that this is so.

Sending Jasper lots of hugs...please deliver them for me.

((((((((((((JASPER))))))))))))

------------------------------------------------------

All of my children have paws =^..^=

Re: First Foster

adelle38 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 03:29:58 GMT

Nutri-Cal can be purchased at most pet supply stores. You can use a tiny rubber spatula and place a pea size ball of Nutri-Cal on the roof of his mouth

How do I get him to open his mouth to do that?

Re: First Foster

57babe — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 07:18:39 GMT

On 1/11/2014 adelle38 said:
The shelter sent some Canyon Creek Ranch dry and canned food but he hasn't eaten much so far. He seems very comfortable walking around my apartment and settles in to rest either on my lap or at my feet. I have to give him a pill and I mashed it up in wet food but he's not eating much. Any suggestions would be welcome. He's at least 7 years old and his front paws are declawed.

You can put some tuna juice on his food -- that has always worked to get my cats to eat.(Use the juice from human grade tuna canned in water, diluted 50% with water.)

Some cats also like canned chicken stock on their food. And you can give him a little bowl of chicken stock to drink in addition to his water bowl.

Some of the best brands are bland and some cats won't eat it very well. Right now while he is recuperating, you may want to (temporarily) feed him a canned cat food with artificial (smelly) flavors (fish; salmon, whitefish) so that he eats well. Then after he gains weight his diet can be changed and/or finessed.

I have two little mini rubber spatula's that I use to give my cats Nutri-Cal with. I just push my finger into the corner of the cat's mouth and when their mouth opens -- I put the rubber spatula into the roof of the cats mouth. I use a bead of Nutri-cal about the size of a pea.

You can also put the Nutri-cal on the cats paw so he can lick it off. Make sure you smooth it on and don't leave it in a lump or the cat will shake it off ...(this is why I put it in the cat's mouth with a tiny spatula.) I have read that some cats like the Nutri-Cal and lick it off one's finger.

I think that he will eat more as he gets comfortable in his new surroundings. Are you interested in adopting him?

Hope this helps. Take good care.

Re: First Foster

57babe — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 07:24:32 GMT

There is also a probiotic for cats called Fortiflora. You sprinkle it on their canned cat food. It comes in a box of about 30 little packages.

It is probiotics in a base of powdered entrails (which the same stuff that is sprayed on dry cat food) and cats love the taste of it. Just use a little on the top of his food. I package should go for a few feedings. Helps with digestion and also gets cats to eat their food.

Fortiflora is carried at some pet supply stores. I ordered it on Amazon.

You can also crush up some of his dry cat food and sprinkle that on top of his canned cat food.

Trying to think of everything. Hope this helps.

Re: First Foster

shamalamadingdong4 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 08:25:24 GMT

He's a beauty, and you did a great thing in fostering this cat.

Re: First Foster

adelle38 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 14:43:58 GMT

Thank you all for the suggestions. He does have a forever home waiting for him. I can't adopt right now because my health issues won't allow me to take on the responsibility long term. He's a love.

Re: First Foster

beastielove — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 15:35:47 GMT

On 1/12/2014 adelle38 said:
Thank you all for the suggestions. He does have a forever home waiting for him. I can't adopt right now because my health issues won't allow me to take on the responsibility long term. He's a love.

I'm crying tears of joy for precious Jasper, knowing that he will spend the rest of his life being loved and cared for and cherished.

Sending him more hugs...please deliver.

(((((((((((JASPER))))))))))))

------------------------------------------------------

All of my children have paws =^..^=

Re: First Foster

57babe — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 19:12:06 GMT

Hi,

Great news that he has a forever home waiting for him!

Last night I got to thinking that it might not be good to use a rubber spatula to feed the kitty as he might get frightened if you try to open his mouth & put something into his mouth. (I was thinking of what I do with my cats but my own cats are used to being given supplements with a rubber spatula. )

Since he is new to his surroundings it might be better to put some Nutri-Cal on his paw and let him lick it off himself so he doesn't get scared.

Wouldn't want to scare him after the frightening ordeal he's already been through.

Just thought I should tell you this as a heads up. Have a good day today.

Re: First Foster

casuallady — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 21:17:19 GMT

On 1/12/2014 57babe said:
Hi,

Great news that he has a forever home waiting for him!

Last night I got to thinking that it might not be good to use a rubber spatula to feed the kitty as he might get frightened if you try to open his mouth & put something into his mouth. (I was thinking of what I do with my cats but my own cats are used to being given supplements with a rubber spatula. )

Since he is new to his surroundings it might be better to put some Nutri-Cal on his paw and let him lick it off himself so he doesn't get scared.

Wouldn't want to scare him after the frightening ordeal he's already been through.

Just thought I should tell you this as a heads up. Have a good day today.

I was just thinking how much my puppies have loved no crunch peanut butter.

Re: First Foster

adelle38 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 21:48:42 GMT

On 1/12/2014 casuallady said:
On 1/12/2014 57babe said:
Hi,

Great news that he has a forever home waiting for him!

Last night I got to thinking that it might not be good to use a rubber spatula to feed the kitty as he might get frightened if you try to open his mouth & put something into his mouth. (I was thinking of what I do with <em>my</em> cats but my own cats are used to being given supplements with a rubber spatula. )

Since he is new to his surroundings it might be better to put some Nutri-Cal on his paw and let him lick it off himself so he doesn't get scared.

Wouldn't want to scare him after the frightening ordeal he's already been through.

Just thought I should tell you this as a heads up. Have a good day today.

I was just thinking how much my puppies have loved no crunch peanut butter.

I tried peanut butter on this guy and he turned his head away in disgust. The chicken broth is really working to get him to eat a little bit every couple of hours.

Re: First Foster

mousiegirl — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 21:49:34 GMT

When I had sick cats, I would give them the baby food strained meats, chicken and lamb, which they usually ate.

Re: First Foster

purrmom — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 02:26:08 GMT

I would love to foster but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to give them up. I'd probably become one of those cat hoarders.

Re: First Foster

purrmom — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 02:26:09 GMT

I would love to foster but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to give them up. I'd probably become one of those cat hoarders.