2-month old kitten post-shelter + neuter care?

[marisals]

hi,
i rescued a kitten who was thrown from a car on the highway - he had part of the skin of his lip torn and possible brain injury... but he rallied and healed well, and the shelter granted me a foster-to-adoption. i was a bit upset because they said they dewormed him and then told me he was healthy but in actuality he had two lung parasites and also roundworms - i found this out when i took him to my vet. he could've died from that, and he could've infected my older cat, had i not taken precautions.

today i made the adoption official and they neutered him. i was upset because i told them he was on Panacur for the parasites and they medicated him with Drontal despite my telling them specifically a number of times and in writing. I called my vet in a panic but he said it's ok, my kitten will be ok. I have been keeping him isolated from my older cat because of the parasite issue for the past two weeks - tomorrow i finish giving him the last dose of the meds and my vet has said it's really past due time to integrate them. They've seen each other for a couple hours at a time and my older cat no longer hisses at him, but they have not integrated without my sequestering litter boxes and the kitten.

I have a couple of questions -- because the shelter seemed to be negligent and/or just not informed, i don't know if i should trust their instructions post-neutering.

1. my kitten is wanting to play already just a few hours after the surgery and the instructions say no playing, etc. for 14 days. how do i prevent play? is this reasonable?

2. i know my kitten smells like the shelter since he was there today for the neutering. i fear when i let him out of the bathroom a couple days from now my older cat will start hissing at him again because i can't bathe him - or is there a way to get the shelter stench off him before the 14-day 'no bathing' period is up?

3. Right now, I have the kitten in my bathroom with his own litter box and my older cat has her own litter box in the hallway (her litter box traditionally goes in the bathroom and when i integrate them they will be both in the bathroom). right now i have the paper litter for the kitten in a baby box. How long do i need to keep the paper litter? and how do i keep him from going into the older cat's litter box once i integrate them (which is not paper - and i fear if i change the older cat's box she will have a mutiny... she has been fine with me keeping her box away from his, and i thought maybe i'd just put a small book underneath it to raise it a bit higher so he doesn't think to naturally go in there). Or is it that i have to now keep them separated for another two weeks?

I live in a very small apartment and i don't want to be hypervigilant about the litter boxes - would the kitten want to go into the older cat's box or would he just go into his own? i've never had a kitten before (my older cat was adopted when she was 3).

sorry this is so long, I just don't want to make a mistake. i have ptsd and i think i tend to get a little overly-anxious, so i really need a reality check from experienced folks. thanks...

[14+kitties]

Originally Posted by marisals

hi,
i rescued a kitten who was thrown from a car on the highway - he had part of the skin of his lip torn and possible brain injury... but he rallied and healed well, and the shelter granted me a foster-to-adoption. i was a bit upset because they said they dewormed him and then told me he was healthy but in actuality he had two lung parasites and also roundworms - i found this out when i took him to my vet. he could've died from that, and he could've infected my older cat, had i not taken precautions.

Most times one dosage of worm meds will not get rid of all the worms. It is recommended at least two doses, sometimes more. Great that the vet found the other worms.

today i made the adoption official and they neutered him. i was upset because i told them he was on Panacur for the parasites and they medicated him with Drontal despite my telling them specifically a number of times and in writing. I called my vet in a panic but he said it's ok, my kitten will be ok. I have been keeping him isolated from my older cat because of the parasite issue for the past two weeks - tomorrow i finish giving him the last dose of the meds and my vet has said it's really past due time to integrate them. They've seen each other for a couple hours at a time and my older cat no longer hisses at him, but they have not integrated without my sequestering litter boxes and the kitten.

Obviously the shelter is short of staff/busy. Maybe you would consider volunteering there a few hours a week? Every little bit helps.

I have a couple of questions:

1. my kitten is wanting to play already just a few hours after the surgery and the instructions say no playing, etc. for 14 days. how do i prevent play? is this reasonable?

With males I don't worry as much as I do with females. Personally I think he's a little young to be neutered but it's done. If you can manage to keep him quiet for the first 24 hours or so WTG! Try to keep his play to very short bursts. Maybe try to play quietly with a mouse with him. Something that won't exert him too much. With one that tiny a neuter is pretty much a stitch and sometimes not even anesthetic.

2. i know my kitten smells like the shelter since he was there today for the neutering. i fear when i let him out of the bathroom a couple days from now my older cat will start hissing at him again because i can't bathe him - or is there a way to get the shelter stench off him before the 14-day 'no bathing' period is up?

You could try rubbing your palms with baby powder and then rubbing both cats so they smell the same. Or a little dab of vanilla under their chins. Cats really don't need bathed period unless they have fallen into the honey pot or something.

3. Right now, I have the kitten in my bathroom with his own litter box and my older cat has her own litter box in the hallway (her litter box traditionally goes in the bathroom and when i integrate them they will be both in the bathroom). right now i have the paper litter for the kitten in a baby box. How long do i need to keep the paper litter? and how do i keep him from going into the older cat's litter box once i integrate them (which is not paper - and i fear if i change the older cat's box she will have a mutiny... she has been fine with me keeping her box away from his, and i thought maybe i'd just put a small book underneath it to raise it a bit higher so he doesn't think to naturally go in there). Or is it that i have to now keep them separated for another two weeks?

Again, the operation at this young age is pretty negligible. Once past a few days or so, or normal change time for litter, I wouldn't worry too much. The older cat may not like the baby going into her box. They will work it out. The small one will be working his way up to a big box soon.

I live in a very small apartment and i don't want to be hypervigilant about the litter boxes - would the kitten want to go into the older cat's box or would he just go into his own? i've never had a kitten before (my older cat was adopted when she was 3).

sorry this is so long, I just don't want to make a mistake. i have ptsd and i think i tend to get a little overly-anxious, so i really need a reality check from experienced folks. thanks...

I would hope your vet is not the type that pushes putting cats together and letting them "work things out". In a lot of cases that does not work. I would go along as you have been doing. Let them set the pace. If it takes a month, it takes a month. What's it to the vet? You are the one having to live with these cats. Not him.
Good luck and ummm ... pics are nice.