Sick little kitties...need some help

My kids were playing outside a big part of the day and kept telling me about some little crying kittens in my neighbors yard. I told them to leave them alone because they were not ours. My son brought one to me later this afternoon and it was awful. It's little eyes were crusty and matted, it was skin and bones and dehydrated. I was in tears. They told there was another one that was not moving much and crying. I told them to bring it to me. It was 10x worse than the first one. Both of it's eyes were "scabbed" shut with crust! It had been there so long it had turned black.

I have cleaned their eyes and put some antibiotic ointment that I had from when my cat had a eye infection. They also have ate some food and drank water and are curled up sleeping together now. I think they are about 4 weeks old.

Do they still need to be on milk since they are eating kitten food and water? I think their eyes will be okay with a few days of treatment. The one that was not moving much perked up a ton after I cleaned her eyes and fed her. They have not pottied and I have had them for 4 hours. I don't need to stimulate them to potty at this age, do I?

I thought that maybe my neighbors did not know how bad the kittens were until my kids said the seen one fall off of their porch earlier in the day. So they had to know. I don't know what to do. My husband says I need to take them back because they are not mine. I don't feel like they deserve to have them back. Obviously they don't care about them to let them get this bad. What do you think I should do? I want to keep them and get them healthy until they are old enough to be adopted.

Keep them and keep feeding them. If they are eating on their own, they don't need to be stimulated BUT I would certainly take them into the vet and have a check-up done. If they are old enough ask the vet to test one for all known diseases. Also dont feed cow's milk lots of problems for them if you do that.

I agree, keep them. As apparently you are theirs only real chance.

Are you sure they are your neighbours? Them falling down from the neighbours place isnt no proof. A homeless mom can have layed them there, hoping they will be adopted. Or something like that.
So the neighours either dumped them - IF you are sure their cat was preggy, or didnt accepted the homeless mothers try to adopt out, or simply - didnt noticed anything at all and are completely innocent...


When you began to tell, I though they were dying and making it comfortable for them was really the only and last service you could do.

As they ate and drank, there seems to be good hope - if you proceed...
If they really are born from a homeless mom, they are prob somewhat malnourished, and thus - perhaps even somewhat older then you think. Which in such case will make it easier for you.
Anyway.
Proceed as you began.
If they eats kitten food, substitute milk isnt necessary. But if you can get good kitten substitute milk (the KMR-brand is best, Royal Canins is also good), it doesnt hurt to add some. NO cow milk as already said, although goat milk is OK.

Stimulating tummy and behind isnt necessary, although I myself would prob do it, at least in the beginning.


Hissy has an excellent site for orphans. You will surely find some ideas there.
www.kitten-rescue.com

Tx a lot and good luck!

Please, please, please do not give them back. I have taken cats before that were not cared for. Sometimes there is a higher law.....

Bless you for your kind heart and your kids. I hope you get them to a vet and can find good, caring homes for them.

It was fate they were found by caring people. Please don't go against fate.

Definatly keep them with you. They won't live another day without food. 4 weeks is right around where they can start going to the bathroom and eating solid food, but I would recomend getting some milk replacment and stimulating them a little if they aren't going by themselves. Idealy, the vet would be the best option right now, but otherwise keeping them warm and safe is helping them. If you have any pictures of them we could help give you a guess on the age.
for these little guys, and thank you for helping them .

I'd definitely keep them, and take them to the vet. Get some wet kitten food so they can get hydrated in the mean time.

I just wanted to update on the kittens. They are doing so much better. I was worried their eyes would goop up overnight but this morning when I checked on them all eyes were open and the were meowing at me. They are eating like little piggies. They are still a little weak but are wobbling around their box. I'm still worried about them using the bathroom. They have peed but not pooped. I was thinking that maybe their bodies are using up everything? IDK. I am just feeling so much more optimistic about them than I was yesterday. I would post a picture but I'm not sure how and if I need a certain amount of posts? Thank you for the advice.

No, you should not give them, take them, if you are capable them go, keep them.

Sometimes the nr 2 takes a little longer time. We had such cases here.
But keep stimulate them just in case even if it not really necessary.

In the time, prepare IF it dont results.

a) do you have access to a vet? Let say, for telephone advice against lighter constipation?

b) if you dont have access to vet at all,

in sweden we use goat butter, preferably the norvegian type "mess-smör"

in USA a common advice is to use conserved crushed pumpkin.

So try to get some one of these.
If the cats dont need it, you can surely eat it yourself.