TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Cat Health › Halloween Kitten (critical)
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Halloween Kitten (critical)  

post #1 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 
so my dad found this little black kitten on the side of the road halloween morning. she is 6 weeks old and is in terrible condition. it appears that she had been thrown out of a moving vehicle and happen to land on her face. she had tissue hanging from her jaw, the left half of her nose was scraped off, her left eye had been scraped as well, there was puss oozing from her nose and her eyes, she is very skinny, and she has some missing hair on her tail.

my fiance and i decided that we wanted to keep her and nurse her get back to good health. so we took her to the vet, they told us that she had a fever, ear mites, respiratory infection, and possible ring worms. so they gave us a gel to put in her eyes 3 times a day, some powder to sprinkle over her food twice a day and an antibiotic to give her twice a day.

my problem is, she doesnt eat. we have to feed her with a syringe. she doesnt know what anything is.. like food, or water or anything really but i wanted to see if anyone could suggest anything? she cant smell yet because her nose is still pretty clogged and i did actually put some wet food in her mouth but she didnt seem eager to have more.. just any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated

she is such a sweet cat and i know that she will heal just perfect.
post #2 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:16am
I don't have any useful suggestions. Perhaps someone will soon offer good help.

The only thing I can think of is KMR - kitten milk replacer - maybe with a little high quality canned kitten food added to it to make a loose slurry that you can feed by dropper or no-needle syringe. Warm it just to tepid, feed little and often.

Whoever did this is vile and evil. Curse on them, and may their evil deed rebound three-fold so they suffer as did this little innocent.
post #3 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:24am
HORRIBLE PEOPLE should suffer unspeakable hell!

POOR baby!

Did she have a concussion? Is she in pain? Did the vet give her anything for pain? Did she lose any teeth? If she was thrown on her face, it may well hurt her to eat. With skin hanging off of her jaw, I imagine her mouth hurts!!!!

I'd call the vet with some follow-up questions, and if they're not answered to your satisfaction, get her to a different vet for a 2nd opinion.

Thanks to your dad for rescuing her, and to you and fiance for caring for her!
post #4 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:34am
Another thought - kitten would probably benefit from something to help stay warm. Quick, simple, and inexpensive is to take a tube sock and fill it part-way with rice. Heat in a microwave for a few minutes. Best to heat it a bit, check how warm it is, heat a bit more then repeat if necessary. You want it to feel just comfortably warm, not roasty / toasty hot. Put kitten in a towel-lined box with hot-sock to snuggle up to. I'd even drape another towel over the box so kitten feels hidden and safe.

Blessings on you for nurturing and caring for this little cat.

Please do post and let us know how things progress.
post #5 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:49am
Thread Starter 
we have been using the no-needle syringe to feed her, sorry i didnt clarify that :/

my fiance is at home with her right now, so i told him to try to warm up the food just a tad.

she did not have a concussion, my dad said when he drove by she picked her head up and looked at him which is i guess what made her stand out to him. she did not lose any of her teeth, to my knowledge and if she is in pain she does very well at hiding it. she doesnt cry when we give her medicine or wipe the gel in her eye, she just sits there and lets us do it. so maybe she has high tolerance or what shes been through has hurt worse so it seems like nothing? i'm not sure, BUT she does not cry out in pain. the flesh or scab that was hanging from her mouth fell off actually, which i think is good. there is missing flesh at the end of her jaw, but im pretty sure since she is so young it will grow back just fine.

i asked about the feeding because the vet said to not "force feed her" with an eye dropper or anything because she could get an infection if some of it goes in her lungs.. but shes NOT eating on her own and the medicine for her stuffy nose is put in her food.. so she has to ingest this somehow. therefore we have been feeding her a mix of the powder medicine, cat food and water through the non-needle syringe. we are feeding her little and often.
post #6 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:55am
Bless you for taking in this sweet baby and nursing her back to health.
post #7 of 66
11/1/10 at 10:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catapault View Post
Another thought - kitten would probably benefit from something to help stay warm. Quick, simple, and inexpensive is to take a tube sock and fill it part-way with rice. Heat in a microwave for a few minutes. Best to heat it a bit, check how warm it is, heat a bit more then repeat if necessary. You want it to feel just comfortably warm, not roasty / toasty hot. Put kitten in a towel-lined box with hot-sock to snuggle up to. I'd even drape another towel over the box so kitten feels hidden and safe.

Blessings on you for nurturing and caring for this little cat.

Please do post and let us know how things progress.
we actually have her in a large kennel because i have 2 older cats that i dont want to get this infection. the doc said if they didnt have direct contact they would be okay, so we take Binx (thats what we named her) out and love on her but we are sure to stay away from the other 2... and of course we are washing our hands thoroughly.
we put a little bed in there and we draped it with a darker blanket. after we did that she seemed very very content. i will do that sock thing tonight and see how she likes it
post #8 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:07am
People can be awful
But you're an angel for taking the poor little dear in.

At 6 weeks she would still likely be nursing, so you might have better luck with getting her to drink KMR. I know one of our foster kittens didn't have much interest in solid food until a little over 7 weeks. Hopefully she'll like her rice sock.
post #9 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:12am
If she continues not to eat, you may want to ask the vet about a feeding tube. That way you can get food into her stomach without risking getting it in her lungs.
post #10 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:14am
I hate people. I would suggest you try milk replacer in that syringe instead of food, and gradually mix food in with it. Just a drop on the tongue at a time, then stroke her throat until she swallows.

I have a cat like that - Da Lip got that name because he doesnt have a bottom lip and just had a huge scab where his lip used to be when I go him. The difference was he was able to lap, so got food with gravy and cat milk as a supplement and he wasn't ill. He still has to have tinned food with gravy, and while he likes dry food, the kibble has to be farily small.

Do keep her warm, keep up with the vet visits and good luck with her. poor baby
post #11 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:24am
Thank goodness your Dad found this baby, and thank you for taking her in

Poor baby, i hate some humans at times

Lots of healthy healing coming her way. Have you given her a name yet?
post #12 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:27am
I agree that a little K.M.R might be of more interest to this sweetie. In addition, you can add some Chicken baby food. Make sure it has no onions. Gerber #2 stage is usually safe. We have found this combination works well with sick kittens.

Bless you for taking in this little lost soul and giving her a chance at knowing love.
post #13 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:28am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms. Freya View Post
People can be awful
But you're an angel for taking the poor little dear in.

At 6 weeks she would still likely be nursing, so you might have better luck with getting her to drink KMR. I know one of our foster kittens didn't have much interest in solid food until a little over 7 weeks. Hopefully she'll like her rice sock.
can i get this KMR at a local grocery story or do i need to go somewhere particular??? we have been mixing the kitten wet food with water making it liquidity, then adding the powdered medicine.
post #14 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:29am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosiemac View Post
Thank goodness your Dad found this baby, and thank you for taking her in

Poor baby, i hate some humans at times

Lots of healthy healing coming her way. Have you given her a name yet?
thank you!!!! we named her Binx... thats what the black kitty was named in Hocus Pocus
post #15 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:37am
God, this makes me so angry! WHY do people do such things? I am crying right now...

THANK YOU for helping her! It sounds like she has a lot going on, and I am pretty sure she is in pain but hiding it. She may also not eat because she can not smell her food. Can you warm it up for her? I know that that sometimes stinky fishy wetfood works when they have a hard time smelling. You may want to see if she wants it (she may have never had wet food before)
TONS of vibes that she will be fine
post #16 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sk_pacer View Post
I hate people. I would suggest you try milk replacer in that syringe instead of food, and gradually mix food in with it. Just a drop on the tongue at a time, then stroke her throat until she swallows.

I have a cat like that - Da Lip got that name because he doesnt have a bottom lip and just had a huge scab where his lip used to be when I go him. The difference was he was able to lap, so got food with gravy and cat milk as a supplement and he wasn't ill. He still has to have tinned food with gravy, and while he likes dry food, the kibble has to be farily small.

Do keep her warm, keep up with the vet visits and good luck with her. poor baby
i think she is probably afraid to eat or maybe she doesnt know what food is if she would still technically be nursing. im going to stop at the store after work and get some milk to mix with the food. she just needs something and she must take the medicine if we want to ger her better. i think if we did do a drop at a time then that would refrain from anything getting into her lungs. good idea!
post #17 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:38am
I believe you have to buy KMR in a pet store, but someone correct me if I am wrong.
post #18 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:39am
You might also try some of the food without the medicine. That way you'll know if the medicine is putting her off the food (some medicines are bitter or otherwise unpalatable) or whether she really doesn't want the food at all.
post #19 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:44am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveWhiskers View Post
God, this makes me so angry! WHY do people do such things? I am crying right now...

THANK YOU for helping her! It sounds like she has a lot going on, and I am pretty sure she is in pain but hiding it. She may also not eat because she can not smell her food. Can you warm it up for her? I know that that sometimes stinky fishy wetfood works when they have a hard time smelling. You may want to see if she wants it (she may have never had wet food before)
TONS of vibes that she will be fine

ya i dont understand either how someone can just throw a kitten out the window, that just blows my mind that someone can be okay with doing that.

i was also thinking that she may not be eating because she cant smell it, so we are going to try to warm it up. the vet said to use the most stinkiest food we can find.. but im not sure what stinky is, seafood?
post #20 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rang_27 View Post
I believe you have to buy KMR in a pet store, but someone correct me if I am wrong.
I've only ever seen it in a pet store as well, although most of them seem to carry it.
post #21 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms. Freya View Post
I've only ever seen it in a pet store as well, although most of them seem to carry it.
k ill have to make a trip there then. is kitten milk a lot different than "our milk" ?
post #22 of 66
11/1/10 at 11:54am
Yes, stinky salmon. Please keep us posted
post #23 of 66
11/1/10 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by silly_ goose View Post
k ill have to make a trip there then. is kitten milk a lot different than "our milk" ?
Yes, because our milk can give them upset tummies
post #24 of 66
11/1/10 at 1:13pm
No cow's milk. Not good for cats as some get diarrhea. Goat's milk is very safe.

Large supermarkets with good pet section might have KMR (kitten milk replacer.) It is a shelf item until opened, after which it should be refrigerated. Your vet might have some. Otherwise go to pet store. Let your fingers do the walking and phone around before running hither and thither.

Supermarkets with large organic section might have goat milk.

You can check for dehydration by gently pinching up a fold of skin over her side. If it quickly flattens out then the kitten is well hydrated. If it remains tented up and only slowly flattens out she's dehydrated. If so, call the vet as she could need subq (subcutaneous) fluids - lactated Ringers introduced between skin and muscle.

Binx has all of us on her side. She's sheltered and safe, not ill and injured out in a ditch. Day by day things will improve. All good wishes to you, your fiancee and Binx. Looking forward to her picture when she improves enough to pose for you.
post #25 of 66
11/1/10 at 1:28pm
Thread Starter 
thank you everyone who has taken the time to respond. i know when something like this happens its truly disturbing and one reason why i just dont like people. we appreciate all of your prayers, wishes and support

i will be sure to go to a pet store for the milk! and i will post a picture once i see that she is doing better!
post #26 of 66
11/1/10 at 2:40pm
Yes, I would recommend trying the KMR too, that's what I fed Chickster on as I got her at 3 weeks old. She LOVED it to pieces. Hopefully that will work. Keep us updated and bless you and your dad for taking her in! Cheering for Binx!
post #27 of 66
11/1/10 at 2:43pm
Thread Starter 
so question about the KMR milk, do i mix it with the wet food or JUST give her the milk? either way i have to mix her medicine in with it so she can get rid of that nasty infection shes got

also is KMR the brand? or just the type of milk?
post #28 of 66
11/1/10 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by silly_ goose View Post
so question about the KMR milk, do i mix it with the wet food or JUST give her the milk? either way i have to mix her medicine in with it so she can get rid of that nasty infection shes got

also is KMR the brand? or just the type of milk?
KMR is the brand....there are other brands as well. If it were me, I would start with just the replacer mixed with the meds, then gradually incorporate the food. At this point, the milk replacer is quite important to keep her hydrated as well as nourished.

ETA: If you cannot find something specific for kittens, Esbilac (synthetic bitch's milk) will work as well in a pinch
post #29 of 66
11/1/10 at 3:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sk_pacer View Post
KMR is the brand....there are other brands as well. If it were me, I would start with just the replacer mixed with the meds, then gradually incorporate the food. At this point, the milk replacer is quite important to keep her hydrated as well as nourished.

ETA: If you cannot find something specific for kittens, Esbilac (synthetic bitch's milk) will work as well in a pinch
k! thanks im going to leave work now and head to petco! hopefully they have what i need.
post #30 of 66
11/1/10 at 3:48pm
All I can add are my prayers for this little one, Binx. And tell you and your family what wonderful people you are to take her in.

God bless....you are all in my prayers.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cat Health
This thread is locked  
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Cat Health › Halloween Kitten (critical)