Dear Simba,
How do I stop stray cats from sleeping on my cars at night? Mark

Dear Mark,
One of the better ways to handle this is to install a light activating motion detector near your car. The light will startle the strays, which alone would make them less likely to park on your vehicle. The added benefit is that in being bright, it reduces the sense of stealth that the cats would otherwise have, thus decreasing the allure of your car. You can also try Boundary Indoor/Outdoor Cat Repellent from Lambert Kay, which folks often use to keep cats off certain places in their homes. Keep me posted. Simba

Dear Simba,
I found an abandoned kitten yesterday and decided to take him home with me. I took him to the vet first for a check up. The vet said that my kitten, Ginger has a fever, which has contributed to his eye infection and flu. Ginger is still rather active. He plays with his strings and toys but he doesn't seem to be eating much and he refuses to drink water. He also follows me around everywhere I go. He keeps on crying and wants me to carry him and hold him. He evens wants to sleep on me. The vet said he should be fine after he finishes his course of antibiotics. Ginger was also given a jab yesterday. I'm very worried about him. I'm so afraid he will starve and dehydrate to death. How long does it take for a kitty to recover from the flu, fever and eye infections? Please advise. Jackie

Dear Jackie,
First, thanks for rescuing the little guy. His following you around and his wanting to sleep on you are natural signs of affection. You appear to have bonded with him and he is simply returning your love. Do not worry about his cold, eye problems or fever passing on to you. The Cat Flu is not contagious to humans, it is entirely different.

As for his not eating or drinking, that is a matter of concern. You may want to consider giving him water and/or feeding him with a beaker. Cats that skip meals can suffer dangerous liver problems. Take Ginger to a follow-on visit in the next few days and have him checked for worms and FIV, Leukemia, FIP. Keep me posted. Simba

Dear Simba,
A little kitten just turned up on our doorstep, it is very friendly yet seems ill. It is unable to meow and, attempts to cough (unsuccessfully), has shallow breathing and slightly gunky eyes. We are poor folk and would like some home health advice before going to the vet. We eagerly await your reply, Anxious New Kitten Lovers

Dear Anxious New Kitten Lovers,
You are kind in looking after the little tyke. Check out the Little Kittens section for tips on basic care for young kittens. As you may know from browsing through the Cat Flu section, your little guy may be suffering from either a viral or bacterial infection, or pneumonia / bronchitis. Your best bet is to keep the little guy warm and cozy, well fed (with kitten food or formula depending on age), and well hydrated (plenty of water) until you are able to go to a vet or your local humane center for him to get some medical care. You may have some luck relieving his upper respiratory distress by holding him outside a warm shower and letting the steam clear out his nasal passages. Simba

Dear Simba,
My husband found a kitten at the golf course, she is ~8 weeks old. She has a bad flea problem and most of her hair on a large portion of her body is gone. I am concerned about mange. We also have a two-year old that loves the cat.

Hi,
You are certainly right to be concerned about mange. Mange results from Demodex mites. The mites are naturally occurring and normal in people & animals. However, creatures with with weak immune systems and/or hereditary problems are often unable to control the mites. This may be affecting your kitty. Mites (in large quantities) may release compounds that will further weaken your kitty's immune system. They can also cause local infections. Best thing to do is to go feed and take good care of kitty (so as to strengthen her immune system).

Also, consider going to your vet to have kitty tested for FIV, Parasites and all the other basics. Your vet will probably use a shampoo to help flush the hair follicles and may provide some antibiotics and/or immune stimulants in addition to flea treatment. Also, please check out the Fleas/Parasites for info on fleas and their side effects. Keep me posted. Simba

I was feeding a stray that had two solid black kittens. The mother was brownish black and the father black (he hangs around regularly). I thought the kittens would be just the right size to give away for Christmas. However, one kitten (who is absolutely beautiful) has a continual runny nose and sneezes all the time. The other one's fur has become brittle and silver-colored. I have read your posts about kitty flu but am confused about the fur changing color. Could they have a nutritional problem? I wasn't aware that the kittens were even alive till a neighbor told me and I brought them to my house.(They were ~3-weeks old at the time) Not that it has any effect on the question, but two large dogs killed the mother day before yesterday-I'm sure she was trying to defend them. Thank you - Cat Addict

Dear Cat Addict,
What a tragedy. I think that your best bet is to take both kittens to the vet. While one appears to be displaying signs of the Cat Flu, the other kitten shows symptoms that can occur with a variety of ailments, including inflammatory bowel disease, which can lead to problems in the absorption of proteins/vitamins. Low serum protein can cause a reddish discoloration of the fur. Another possible cause is ringworm (check out the Mites/Skin Problems section).

For now, make sure they are eating a good and nutritious kitten food or formula and that they are warm and comfy. Take them to the vet and have them checked out and treated as soon as you can. Simba

Dear Simba,
I am the lucky owner of 7 cats that came to me when I moved in three years ago. I am concerned about one of them that's been with me for 2 year. He will not let me pet him. Most of them at the beginning were afraid of me but it didn't take them long to become lovable…now I can even carry them. All of them except for the really wild one have been spayed or neutered. And my concern is that he has become sexually active now and he's getting into fights and I still can't catch him to get him operated. Do you have any answers for people like me that feed and love strays?

Hi, Check out the letter from Kathryn for trapping tips. Simba

Hi Simba,
My name is Kathryn and I am volunteering at a pumpkin patch in Portland. There are many kittens running around the barn, all of whom are very shy. We found one kitten that died (we believe due to lack of nourishment). We caught one of the smallest ones and found a home for it. However, there are still many others that we have been unable to catch and we believe that if we do not rescue them they will die. Do you have any tips on catching them and getting them healthy? Thanks a bunch, anything would be greatly appreciated. - Kathryn

Dear Kathryn,
You are a good person for doing what you are doing for these little guys. Best thing for catching and rescuing the kittens is to use a humane trap baited with a tuna. Your local SPCA or animal shelter will likely have some type of trap lending arrangement to help you out.

About the traps, they have a door on one end, which is lifted and set with a small catch. The door is connected to a flat trip-plate at the base of the trap. These trip-plates are set at the back of the trap so that the kittens do not get their tails caught when the door shuts. The humane traps work well and should help you out. So here is how to do it:

Set a small plate of tuna in the trap. Line the trap with newspaper (so that the kittens are not exposed to the cold cage floor). Have a large towel handy (cover the traps after you catch the kittens to calm them down). You are then set. The door will shut as soon as a paw hits the trip plate.

You may need to feed the little guys, so check out Feeding/Weight for feeding tips. Take your new friends to your local shelter to be checked out and put up for adoption. Best of luck. Keep me posted. Simba