Oh Boy!

snosrap5

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I need some advise and help. I'm still reading all the links in the Preg Cats and kitten care forum so be easy on me.


DH just brought me a four day old kitten they found at his work. The mother was pregnant on Friday the last day they saw her. So we guesstimated he is about four days old.

They spent all morning trying to get momma to take him back but she won't have anything to to with him. We think she might have been trying to move her kittens and something caused her to drop him. He was in the road behind their building. It's 97 degrees today and they just felt like they couldn't leave him in the heat any longer.

Initially they tried taking him to the local vet but they refused to take him. They gave stupid reasons and that just reiterated why I don't take my crew to this vet.

I have the KMR and the milk. We have done one feeding of 1 tablespoon. Did the bathroom thing. That was so weird. Everyone was leaving the room.
Now for my questions.

Do I do the bathroom thing every time he eats?

When I do the bathroom thing can I use baby wipes or just stick to
wet paper towels?

The first feeding was very hard. He kept jerking his head all over the place
and I felt like I had to manhandle him to get the bottle in. Is that ok? Will it get better?

I don't know his weight yet but I will pick up a kitchen scale on the way home tonight. How do I know just how much he should be eating?

I'm off to do my research now but any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Oh.. I couldn't start a thread without giving you a picture. His name is TAX (named after my husband work place Tax Office) and my brother is going to adopt him but not until he eats real food and poops on his own.




Better pictures tonight. As soon as I took this picture my camera died.
 

StefanZ

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Originally Posted by snosrap5

Initially they tried taking him to the local vet but they refused to take him. They gave stupid reasons and that just reiterated why I don't take my crew to this vet.

Dont be too harsh on him. What should he do with an abandoned little kitten? They are no public general hospital nor hospital run by a monastery admitting everyone who asks...
They could surely give some advices and hopefully sell you some kmr-milk and syringe, but they CANT nurse.


I have the KMR and the milk. We have done one feeding of 1 tablespoon. Did the bathroom thing. That was so weird. Everyone was leaving the room.
Now for my questions.

Do I do the bathroom thing every time he eats?

Yes, preferably yes. On tummy and the behind.


When I do the bathroom thing can I use baby wipes or just stick to
wet paper towels?

Most use a semiwet cloth wetted in warm (not hot) water. But baby wipes or paper towels are surely also OK. Especielly when he has produced and you must take it away.


The first feeding was very hard. He kept jerking his head all over the place
and I felt like I had to manhandle him to get the bottle in. Is that ok? Will it get better?

It will surely get better. He doesnt know yet the bottle=food. It helps to have some kmr on the top.
As he was abandoned, he was probably also some dehydraded - thus weaker then normal. It is good idea to give them extra water in the beginning


I don't know his weight yet but I will pick up a kitchen scale on the way home tonight. How do I know just how much he should be eating?

He eats what he eats. that is usually no big problem unless you suspect he was starving before: if, you should start slowly: often but very little.


Good you are buying this scale. Weighting them is really the only safe way to know if they are thriwing and improving.


I'm off to do my research now but any advise would be greatly appreciated.
It seems you are on good way: he did ate, he did his delivery... You seem to be a real natural talent at this!


Thanks for your helping this little guy!

Good luck!
 

xocats

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Oh my gosh Eva.

You are an angel for looking after Tax.

What a sweetie pie.
I have no advice, but I am sending tons of love to you and tiny Tax.
 
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snosrap5

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Well Tax is now Jax. Easier to say according to my brother.


Jax is doing very well so far. Eating good and doing the bathroom thing on command.
So far today he's taken 24cc of formula.

No one had a small kitchen scale last night so I will be heading to the big stores tonight for a scale. Wish me luck.

Here are a few pictures from last night.



He loves to lay across his rice sock.




No eyes or ears open yet.
 

xocats

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Awww Eva....
Such a tiny little tabby.

Look at those sweet paws.


Jax
 

kittyl0ve4

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Definately a cutie! I'm glad he has a home lined up already too! You're doing a great thing. Research, research, research! That's what I did when Monster popped into my life, and it never hurts, because you never know when you'll find an abandoned kitten. I hope that what I know about things like this will help in the future, if I were to find another kitten.
 
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snosrap5

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I finally picked up a kitchen scale and Jax weighs 7 ounces.

We know the mother cat was seen Friday a week ago and she was still pregnant so I'm figuring she must have had the kittens some time last weekend making Jax a week old today.

He almost has one eye completely open this evening and isn't fighting the bottle as much. I am having issues with a raw bottom and a touch of diarrhea.

I found that a dab of olive oil will help with the rawness. Switching from condensed formula to powdered formula was recommended to help with the diarrhea as well as pumpkin.
 

laureen227

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he's a little darling! when i got Firefox [granted, she was QUITE a bit older than Jax, but she only weighed 9 ounces, poor little thing!] i found than the powdered formula was difficult to mix & get out all of the lumps. i liked the Just Born brand of already mixed formula [you don't have to do anything to it - just pour]. you might try that if you have similar problems w/the powdered stuff.
 

pami

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OH MY GOSH Eva!! How precious! Please keep posting pics of this tiny little peanut


This is so precious
 
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snosrap5

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Originally Posted by laureen227

he's a little darling! when i got Firefox [granted, she was QUITE a bit older than Jax, but she only weighed 9 ounces, poor little thing!] i found than the powdered formula was difficult to mix & get out all of the lumps. i liked the Just Born brand of already mixed formula [you don't have to do anything to it - just pour]. you might try that if you have similar problems w/the powdered stuff.
I am finding that I have to clear the nipple at times. Did you have any issues with diarrhea? If so what did you do?
 

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Originally Posted by snosrap5

Did you have any issues with diarrhea? If so what did you do?
Does Jax have diarrhea??

You know, the small kitten poo IS rare. People do often compare is with mustard.
Although it shouldnt be running...



Or are you only asking out of curiosity, to know what to do IF the emergency should arise??
 
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snosrap5

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Originally Posted by StefanZ

Does Jax have diarrhea??

You know, the small kitten poo IS rare. People do often compare is with mustard.
Although it shouldnt be running...



Or are you only asking out of curiosity, to know what to do IF the emergency should arise??
When I first brought him home is stool was thick like toothpaste and a deep dark yellow with bits of dirt and leaves. Now it's still a deep yellow but it's not as thick as toothpaste. More like a runny mustard.
 
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snosrap5

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Jax is doing great. He is putting on about 10 to 15 grams a day. Eating like a champ and his stool issues have resolved. Switching from ready to feed KMR to powdered KMR seems to have done the trick.


He has one eye completely open and the other is beginning to open as well. We estimate he is 11 days old today give or take a day and weighs
7.5 ounces or

He kneads and purrs as he tries to suckle the blanket or my fingers. Here are a few pics from last night.
 

xocats

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You are doing a wonderful job caring for little Jax.

He could not be cuter.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by snosrap5

I am finding that I have to clear the nipple at times. Did you have any issues with diarrhea? If so what did you do?
no, she didn't have any problems there. she was also old enough [albeit tiny!] to drink on her own from a bowl. she could already eat, too. here's a link to one of the threads about her [this is the one w/pix]: Firefox
 

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I missed this thread entirely...I saw his thread in Fur Pics, and then came looking for this. He's so adorable! It sounds like you are doing all the right things, and he looks fat and happy!
Keep up the great work.

Are you getting any sleep with all the feedings?
 
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