Follow Up Feral Kitten Adoption

Question
Thank you so much for your response to my "Getting Prepared" question of 5/18/05.  I failed to mentioned in my last request that the kittens were receiving human contact.  In fact I was suppose to adopt him in two more weeks making the kitten in age range about 7-8 weeks.  However, as in some of you other web site answers the mother cats tried to hide the kiitens as this has happen over the weekend.  The kittens will be approximately 5 weeks in by week's end.  A neighbor in the area has taken the kiitens into her home and feeding them manually (bottle/medicine dropper) and wants me to take custody of mine by next week.  Therefore this means that hopefully the kitten (male) will not be too wild since they have had human contact.  My question is care.  I know I will take him to the vet within a week after receiving kitten but how do I care for him upon arrival at his new home with me.  You often mention the bathroom or small room.  My three options are bathroom which has no windows but at least I can leave the light on.  A small walk in closet that I was preparing for him to keep litter box but no light or allow my neighbor (relative) to keep duirng the day while I work.  However on the third option I did not want to confuse the kitten by moving him daily from my house to the neighbor (relative) back and forth.  But at the same time I did not want to leave him alone so soon.  Please help.  Thank you so much.  

Answer
Hello again!

I would say at this young age that allowing your neigbor to take him during the day while you work would be best.  He needs lots of human contact during the next few weeks.  It might confuse a cat who has an established routine to be bounced back and forth.  However, if you establish THIS as a routine early on, it will be the only way of life he has known and isn't likely to cause him confusion.

Do you know if the kitten is eating canned kitten food in addition to nursing?  He should be transitioned from kitten formula to kitten food over the course of a couple weeks.  If he's still eating strictly formula, you will still need to bottle feed him (or offer formula to him in a shallow saucer), while introducing him to kitten food.  If you make the switch too quickly, he may suffer diarrhea or constipation, which are both very dangerous in kittens this small.

Best of luck!  If you have any other questions regarding his care, please write back.

Jessica