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rescued 2 week old kitten

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    #32
    margo321
    Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭margo321


    Years ago we found new kittens, not sure of age but eyes were still closed I think. We called the animals home who said they'd die but said feed them kitten milk
    Using a dropper till they can lick it up, we did this for weeks and they grew fine and started eating good. Bad ending though as a feral Tom cat came and killed them all. Good luck, lucky kitten :)

    damagegt wrote: »
    It was a bit of a ropey one last night.He didnt sleep much and wasn't eating alot with alot of crying.He seems to fall asleep when feeding and doesn't suckle enough.Iv tried keeping him awake by blowing in his ear.Hes only get 1-3ml in at a time.Im not sure if that's enough


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    #33
    Magenta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,957 ✭✭✭Magenta


    taytobreath wrote: »
    That looks like some ginger running through her coat in the 2nd pic. if it is its a female torti. male tortis are as rare as hens teeth and are nearly always sterile.

    Those are just grey stripes, it's a classic tabby cat not a tortie.


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    #34
    damagegt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,061 ✭✭✭damagegt


    Themadhouse wrote: »
    Put a ticking watch in the blankets with her, it will help like a heart beat. Feed as you are. I would weigh everyday at night and check that kitten is gaining. We weigh kittens for weeks just to keep an eye. If you can get nutridrops they are handy to have if kitten needs a bit of a boost.
    I keep him on me as much as I can and only in the basket at night ,I don't have a ticking watch/clock.Sign of the times.Hes gaining 2-3g a day pretty steadily.Ill pick up the drops tomorrow.


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    #35
    damagegt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,061 ✭✭✭damagegt


    Im really worried now,hes not suckling at all.Ate hardly anything since 2am this morning and he just keeps sleeping.If i wake him to feed,he fights until he can get away to sleep.Would it be ok to force feed him with a dropper ?


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    #36
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    If he's not feeding he's unwell. Seriously unwell.


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    #37
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    How much would you be willing to pay to get the kitten drip fed by a vet?


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    #38
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,388 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    I wouldn't force feed him, he might choke... Let him sleep for a while, see how he's faring this afternoon, hopefully he'll be ok. Maybe try to wet his mouth with a drop of water to keep him hydrated - no dropper, though, unless he's suckling from it... if you had a syringe and injectable saline solution you could inject some of it in the scruff of his neck - again, to keep him hydrated- but there's a special technique someone/the vet should teach you - unless you've done it before.

    Does he feel very hot/cold? How are his other bodily functions? Is he still making that gurgling sound you mentioned at the beginning? A quick trip to the vet - maybe a more compassionate one - might be in order...


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    #39
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    Alternative is to ask a farmer for a small amount of what is called 'beastings'.


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    #40
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    Do you think the kitten has a fever? Is it shivering?


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    #41
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    I want this kitten to live.


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    #42
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,388 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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    #43
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    I would recommend wrapping the kitten in tinfoild actually. Please kitty, please survive!


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    #44
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    NipNip wrote: »
    Alternative is to ask a farmer for a small amount of what is called 'beastings'.

    Beastings, which is colostrum (the first milk produced by the mother after birth) wouldn't be of any use at this stage, the antibodies from it can only be absorbed for the first 18-24 hours, so it would be of little value at this stage, and presumably because this kitten is about 2 weeks old it already got it's supply of colostrum from the mother cat. OP I think the best thing to do would be to bring the poor little mite to the vet just to be certain, they can go down hill so fast so it's better be safe than sorry. One of the ones I was raising with the help of a foster stopped eating one morning and passed away that evening for unknown reasons. The rest of the litter got antibiotics just in case it was infectious, and the other 3 are now big shiny happy cats, but the vet said it was probably some sort of birth defect which caused the death. Hope thinks all work out okay!


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    #45
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,388 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Why??? I can understand is he's suffering from hypothermia, but otherwise... are you planning to roast him? 0_o GETOUTOFHERE!
    I just looked up beastings - that's colostrum, isn't it? But if it's from a cow, wouldn't it contain a lot of lactose, which cats can't process? He'd get diarrhoea...


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    #46
    damagegt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,061 ✭✭✭damagegt


    no fever,other functions are still working.He still have a strong cry and seems strong in his movements but hes defiantly reduced the amount of suckling,not that he was very good at in the first place.Hes sleeping ALOT.

    To be honest I don't have the funds to bring him to a vet.Iv rang the cork cat community network and left a message asking if they could direct me to someone that has more experience than I have so hopefully they will get back to me soon.


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    #47
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    SillyMangoX wrote: »
    Beastings, which is colostrum (the first milk produced by the mother after birth) wouldn't be of any use at this stage, the antibodies from it can only be absorbed for the first 18-24 hours, so it would be of little value at this stage, and presumably because this kitten is about 2 weeks old it already got it's supply of colostrum from the mother cat. OP I think the best thing to do would be to bring the poor little mite to the vet just to be certain, they can go down hill so fast so it's better be safe than sorry. One of the ones I was raising with the help of a foster stopped eating one morning and passed away that evening for unknown reasons. The rest of the litter got antibiotics just in case, and those 3 are now big shiny happy cats, it was infectious but the vet said it was probably some sort of birth defect which caused the death. Hope thinks all work out okay!

    It is NOT only absorbed in the first 18-24 hours! I've seen it given to cows, with a drop of whisky! It is generally given to newborns whose mothers abandon them, as it contains a lot of antibodies! It is only produced by a 'mother' in the first 12 to 36 hours!. Perhaps you're mistaken?


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    #48
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    damagegt wrote: »
    no fever,other functions are still working.He still have a strong cry and seems strong in his movements but hes defiantly reduced the amount of suckling,not that he was very good at in the first place.Hes sleeping ALOT.

    To be honest I don't have the funds to bring him to a vet.Iv rang the cork cat community network and left a message asking if they could direct me to someone that has more experience than I have so hopefully they will get back to me soon.

    If he's sleeping a lot, he is dying. Sorry, I learned the hard way on a farm.


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    #49
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    Btw - don't try feeding the little mite. It will just develop an infection. Keep him close to your body though.


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    #50
    damagegt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,061 ✭✭✭damagegt


    NipNip wrote: »
    If he's sleeping a lot, he is dying. Sorry, I learned the hard way on a farm.
    Would it be ok to wake him every hour or so and get a few a ml or so into him ?


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    #51
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,388 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Try ringing the Blue Cross too - http://bluecross.ie/
    Would it be ok to wake him every hour or so and get a few a ml or so into him

    Maybe, but I wouldn't force feed him as the risk of inhaling the liquid would be quite high... If he takes it, then by all means... but SillyMangoX seems to be the most qualified among us, so I'd listen to her (him?)...


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    #52
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    damagegt wrote: »
    Would it be ok to wake him every hour or so and get a few a ml or so into him ?
    They're so tiny, they will go down hill. Your only bet is a drip, at a large cost, from a vet, or to hope and pray and keep kitty close to your skin.


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    #53
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    NipNip wrote: »
    It is NOT only absorbed in the first 18-24 hours! I've seen it given to cows, with a drop of whisky! It is generally given to newborns whose mothers abandon them, as it contains a lot of antibodies! It is only produced by a 'mother' in the first 12 to 36 hours!. Perhaps you're mistaken?

    No I'm not mistaken, I've studied veterinary nursing for the last 3 years. 48hrs is the max cut off time after the antibodies won't be absorbed anymore.


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    #54
    damagegt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,061 ✭✭✭damagegt


    As I said a vet is out Im afraid.Its not looking good.......


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    #55
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    SillyMangoX wrote: »
    No I'm not mistaken, I've studied veterinary nursing for the last 3 years. 48hrs is the max cut off time after the antibodies won't be absorbed anymore.
    Must tell my Dad!


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    #56
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    damagegt wrote: »
    Would it be ok to wake him every hour or so and get a few a ml or so into him ?

    Yes if they aren't feeding and just sleeping the best thing is to try to wake them and get some into them. I found with my guys the best thing to encourage them to suck was to tickle their lips with a bit of milk from my finger, even if they didn't suck strongly at least they would lick it from around their lips. But don't force it hard, only go one small drop at a time if he isn't sucking because it can be really easy to accidentally drown them!


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    #57
    NipNip
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 656 ✭✭✭NipNip


    damagegt wrote: »
    As I said a vet is out Im afraid.Its not looking good.......

    You need to regulate its temp by keeping it close to your body which is probably different to Mammy Cat temps! Then you need to get it to feed on milk. It's not looking good I'm afraid, and I learned very young, that though a farmer's daughter, I would never make a farmer.........


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    #58
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    damagegt wrote: »
    As I said a vet is out Im afraid.Its not looking good.......

    If he's very lethargic you could try getting a bit of sugar water into him, if he's hypoglycaemic from not eating (which can happen very quick at this age) he would be very sleepy. Boil up about 2 cups of water, add around 5 teaspoons of sugar and stir till it disolves, let it cool and try get a small bit of that into him. Might give him the energy he needs to feed especially if there's nothing else like infection going on.


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    #59
    damagegt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,061 ✭✭✭damagegt


    SillyMangoX wrote: »
    If he's very lethargic you could try getting a bit of sugar water into him, if he's hypoglycaemic from not eating (which can happen very quick at this age) he would be very sleepy. Boil up about 2 cups of water, add around 5 teaspoons of sugar and stir till it disolves, let it cool and try get a small bit of that into him. Might give him the energy he needs to feed especially if there's nothing else like infection going on.
    ill try that at 1 when I wake him.Thanks everyone for all the help.


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    #60
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,388 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Look it, we know from the start that the odds are stacked against him and against any abandoned puppy/bird/baby animal and we don't need to be reminded of it BUT when we rescue them and try and help them we don't do it because WE KNOW that it'll definitely work, we do it because if we don't do anything it DEFINITELY WILL NOT... So, from my personal point of view, I'm cheering you and your kitten on. That's all.


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    #61
    clappyhappy
    Registered Users Posts: 4,781 ✭✭✭clappyhappy


    I really hope she pulls through. I never was a cat lover until a tabby wandered in to my place last jan, found owners in March, returned her and within a week she ran away. 3 months later she came back to ours and practically jumps into my arms every morning.
    They do win you over. I would be devastated if anything happened to her, as I am sure you would be also.
    Fingers crossed for you both!!


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