Need advice for kittens

I'm fostering a mama and her 6 kittens and my friend is fostering her sister and her 6 kittens. They were no more than kittens when they got pregnant. I was evicted for essentially feeding feral cats and took these with me to get the mamas spayed. However, the 6 kitties of mama #2 all developed eye infections and runny noses and I cannot afford vet care for all of them. I did get 1 tube of antibiotic ointment, but used it all up before they healed. The eyes are so BAD, the kitties run when they see me coming! I have to swaddle them to clean their eyes they fight me so hard!! They are full of pus and get closed shut by morning with dried drainage. I clean them several times a day with gauze pads and warm water very gently, but don't know what else to do. I am having no luck finding homes. Only one kitten from Mama #2 is eating. They are 2 weeks younger that Mama #1 who are all eating. Mama #2 had her babies April 12.


I have to leave here soon and cannot take them with me. This friend who I am staying with has turned adversarial and is no longer willing to work with me about finding my own place to live and since I don't drive I am pretty well stuck as far as doing anything for myself. I'm disabled and living on a very limited fixed income. Any advice?

I'm so afraid the infection won't clear up without antibiotics and I do not have the means to afford them. As you might guess, I'm stretched beyond my means as it is.

I hope someone is able to make sense of this hodge podge and offer some viable advice. I'm overwhelmed at this point!

Hello!! It is wonderful that you took in these stray kittens and moms. It sounds to me that the eye infections are very serious and will require a vet and more eye drops. Gentomicin would be good in a drop form. Easier to put in than ointment and if you accidentally got the tip of the ointment tube in one kittens eye then the tip has been contaminated and needs to be wiped down. With drops you don't have to get the tip so close to the eye. I would start calling a rescue/shelter/animal outreach program in your area and get assistance right away. Those eye infections can get so serious as to cause permanent damage (not to scare you ) but it does sound like they need a vet. Kittens can also go downhill quickly with an URI if not treated. Did you get the first eye ointment from a vet? Could you call and talk with them via phone and just explain the situation and see if they could prescribe over the phone? Much luck to you and I hope the kittens will be alright

I agree with Feralvr´s advices.
Commenting contacting the help-groups in your neighborhood. With any luck, someone of them< CAN help you. they do often have some medicines left over, and they usually have big experience in treating sick cats. They do usually have contact with a cheap vet, etc, etc... Their main problem for them is usually to have place for fosters. It is often easier to be a foster and get their help. But it does happens they can take over some of your protegees.
This about the vet is also correct. With any luck, they will write a new receipt. Or at least, give useful suggestions.

I want to add, as you do use this gauze with warm water.
Saline(=salt) water is even better. Say, one tea spoon of common kitchen salt in one litre water, cook up, let it be cooler to luke warm, use.
Dont spare too long, better to make a new portion.

Same for cleansing minor wounds. Use profusely, it is cheap.

This is no hokus pokus, hospitals use this too, but they do have of course some fancy latine name on it.

This of course, not instead of vet treatment, but a a complement and a fill up.

Good luck!


ps Welcome to the Forums!