Folks,

I am crossposting this to health+behavior and rescue.  I posted an
introduction about the feral kitten I'm suddenly responsible for on the
rescue group, but I now have a specific question that I would welcome
help with from either group.  I will repost the introductory post at the
end.

My current issue is that the kitten feral, probably about 6 weeks old,
doesn't know what a litter box is for.  I've put him down in it after
meals, but he doesn't do anything.  Over night he left poop in one
corner of his cage and pee in another.  Neither was in the litter box.

Is he not old enough to have good enough control yet to use the box?  Or
what?

We're guessing he's six weeks old from a telephone conversation with a
vet.  We're taking him in for a checkup and parasite treatment in a day
or three, depending on when there's an appointment available.  His eyes
are open (and a beautiful deep blue), he's teething (and one can feel
the beginnings of his teeth when he closes his mouth on a finger or the
like -- like the end of my nose, heh heh), and he chomps down on canned
kitten food and sardines with vim and vigour when you put him next to
the plate, but he loses interest when the plate's just on the floor of
his cage with him.  He's extremely friendly and seems almost desperate
for holding and attention.  He purrs and cries, but does not suckle
inapropriately (i.e. I think he's fully weaned) and only occasionally
kneads.  He can be held in one hand, but overflows the palm a bit.  He's
still wobbly on his feet, and his head seems too big for his neck, but
he's very interested in exploring his surroundings and likes to play
with the edge of my nightgown or the sheet or my hands (I know -- I have
to train him out of that) or with actual soft toys.  He's got a round
belly but is pretty boney otherwise.  I think vet attention to parasites
will improve that.

He's a darling little guy, but I want to be able to leave for a
conference at the end of the week.  My mother is coming down to sit my
older cats, and I've told her about the surprise kitten in the
guestroom, but I don't know about leaving if the kitten isn't using its
box.  There's only so much one can/should ask from one's 80 year old
mother!  ;-)  (She is a cat person, though.)

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Priscilla

Here's the original post:

This afternoon my stupid neighbors caught a feral kitten whose mother
would probably have come back and gotten it if they'd left it alone.  
After it was caught, who knows if she would?  And then they didn't want
the kitten!  One family said "no" to their daughter who wanted it for a
pet and the other has a daughter who's allergic, so guess who's taking
care of the kitten?

On the upside, this is the most friendly feral kitten imaginable, and,
yes, we're sure he's feral.  It's a small street, and no-one has a cat
with kittens.  We're estimating its age at about 6 weeks.  Its eyes are
open and deep blue, it's got teeth barely coming in, and it laps up wet
food now that it knows it's food.  I had to put some on my finger and
then smush it on his face before he got it and waded into the dish (yes,
two forepaws firmly in the goop) and slurped some up.  He loves to be
held and petted, so all those instructions in how to socialize a feral
can be tossed right out the window.

The first chance my friend Melissa and I will have to get him to a vet
for a check-up -- and probably worming and anti-flea treatment -- is
Wednesday evening.  For the time being he's in the big cat cage in my
guest room with a towel-lined box, a pillow-case covered hot water
bottle, a dish of food and one of water, a kitten-sized litter pan, and
a stuffed animal (fox).  I'll sleep in there with him to keep him
company -- in the room, not in the cage!  There are limits to my
suckerdom.  ;-)  I'm keeping my three cats out of the room.

He's black and white, more a leotard than a tuxedo, as I described him
to someone this afternoon.  White paws, splotches on chest & tummy, and
one funny mark on his mouth.  In the sun you can see the tiger markings
under the black.  Too cute for words.  He fits into one hand and has
tiny claws like needles.  He very occasionally hisses but frequently
cries if he's not getting petted or otherwise having attention paid to
him.  Melissa was petting him and found his "sweet spot" under his left
ear.  She had him totally blissed out.  Wierdest feral I've met, but
then he's very young.

He seems quite healthy -- not emaciated, nice round tummy even before
discovering wet kitty food -- curious, interested, playful.  One eye is
watering just a little bit, and I want to keep an eye on that, but aside
from fleas he seems in very good shape.  And we think he's a he.

So far names being tried on are Sprocket, Freckle, Spock (he has pointy
ears), and Sunshine Junior.

If all goes well, he will become a part of Melissa's family, but even if
it doesn't work out we are both determined he will be going to a good
home.  Heck, he's already socialized!  ;-)