Stray sick kitten

maewkaew

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So good to hear she seems better,   thanks to your care.  

When I inject sub-q fluids,  I usually try to  scratch the kitten / cat at the same time to distract them from the weird feeling of the fluid going in.    I can't remember if it has been mentioned on this thread,  but it also helps to warm up the fluids a bit in a bowl of warm water , before injecting. 

Sometimes they do keep purring  while they are getting the sub-q fluids.  , probably as a self-comforting thing.  

Hey , we have all  made some crazy typos ,  and it's understandable you were very upset.    I figured the subdural vs subdermal mix-up  was either a typo or an auto-translator gone wild.    I can ask a mod to change it and delete the part of my post that referred to it,   but I doubt someone would really think you meant injecting into the kitten's BRAIN  (or spinal chord)!!!  

 I was more concerned people might think it is risk-free to inject  Pedialyte  under the skin .      I have seen  people on sites like Yahoo Answers asking if they can give inject Pedialyte into  their dehydrated dog or cat.   They either totally don't understand the difference between  Pedialyte which is meant for oral use,  and something in a sterile solution for injection,  like Lactated Ringer's Solution  or else they just hope it  might be OK so they can save money by not going to a vet.    

But being non-sterile,  it could cause an infection especially in a pet already sick and with lowered immunity.

  Someone  might even give the flavored Pedialyte or Gatorade  ( a product marketed as a sports drink to replenish fluids lost due to perspiration)  which might increase the risk and might really sting when injected. 

Also I've seen people using the word " Pedialyte" when they almost certainly DID mean sub-q fluids from a sterile pouch -- or at least I hope they meant that,  because I have seen comments like "the vet injected Pedialyte in my puppy's back."  and I doubt vets would do that!    
 
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mordenna

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We learn new things every day :)

Update: ravenous appetite. Much more stable walking, she's grooming herself and purring like a Corvette. The sub-q injection was surprisingly easy to handle and she's taking it without too much fussing so at least I know I'm not hurting her too much. Funny thing is, I did the scratching almost instinctively because I remembered reading that the brain can't process two signals at the same time so if she focused on the scratching it would distract her from the injection. Her poop is now of a good consistency and she feels warmer to the touch, definitely warmer than yesterday.

I am grateful for this forum and so happy I found you guys. She'd never have made it this far without your advice. I had people telling me "Oh what a shame, she won't make it" and giving me weird looks when I was telling them that we were headed to the vet, mumbling about "unnecessary expenses", so reading your success stories and your experiences are part of what made me not give up! xxx
 
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mordenna

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No name yet :) got a couple in mind!

Back from vet, who's very pleased with her recovery and confessed that when she last saw her two days ago she really didn't think she'd pull through. More sub-q and i'll leave her some water in case she has an epiphany and decides to drink on her own :p

Meanwhile, she seems to have adopted my cat Jasper as a mom, though he's still not too pleased about the whole arrangement...
 
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maewkaew

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I am so glad she is doing better!    Yay!  

and your Jasper is STUNNING!  Wow!   what a handsome Red Mackerel Tabby boy!   and that is a cute picture of the kitten sitting by him as if saying "I am adopting you whether you like it or not! " 

Both Jasper and the kitten seem to have a similar head shape.  Is that  common  for cats in Cyprus?   and they look to be what we in the cat fancy would call "foreign" or "semi-foreign" type.   a bit longer in body and legs,  a little bit lighter in bone structure,  than most cats from farther North.   

@ Stefan     I  guess the "generic" description would be  "oral rehydration solution".   or "oral rehydration fluid" .  But I don't think it's so bad to co-opt the name "Pedialyte"  for the homemade kind as long as we only are talking about  fluid given by mouth.     I don't think we will be sued by Abbot Pharmaceuticals  ( the makers of Pedialyte) .   They're probably used to it. 

And you are right:   there are many examples of proprietary names that become used as common nouns.   I know some from U.S. usage.  

   "Kleenex" for  facial tissue.  

 or "Band Aid" is used for any small bandage. 

and in the Southern States ( really southeastern states) of the U.S.,  a  "Coke" is used for any kind of soft drink.  

 Or   KMR.   That's actually the brand name of the kitten formula made by Purina.   but it's often used as a generic term for any kind of kitten fomula.    That makes sense because it just stands for Kitten Milk Replacement  which is just a description of what it IS. 

I also agree that one could in many cases prevent the need for fluids given  intravenously or subcutaneously by earlier use of oral rehydration solution /  homemade "Pedialyte"  .  Of course sometimes that just is not enough,  when there is vomiting or diarrhea.  you need to give fluids outside the gastro-intestinal tract  ,   And/ or if it gets past a certain point of dehydration,  the animal ( or human) cannot absorb it well enough from the GI tract.    so the next step is sub-q ( subcutaneous) fluids , which can easily be done at home too,  if one has the supplies.  

    ... or if dehydration is really bad,  then they cannot even absorb it via sub-q fluids,  and they need  IV fluids and may need to be put on an "IV drip" for a day or 2 in the vet hospital. 
 

StefanZ

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He is perhaps not overjoyed, but he seems to accept his fate. Otherwise he would just go from there, or even slapped her first, AND go away.    :)

So Mom is perhaps not his wish, but Uncle, yes, this he can surely stand up with.    :)
 
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mordenna

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I'm not too knowledgeable on cat breeds but one thing I noticed about Cyprus cats is that the males in particular have very long, slender bodies, like Jasper, whereas the females are a bit more roundly built, though they're also quite light. I found something on wikipedia: Cyprus cat

The Cyprus cat  is a landrace  of domestic cat  believed to be descended from cats of Egypt or Palestine brought to Cyprus by St. Helen  to rid the island of snakes and vermin. It is not recognized as a formal breed  by any major cat fancier and breeder organization.

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History[color= rgb(85, 85, 85)][[/color]edit source  | editbeta[color= rgb(85, 85, 85)]][/color]


According to research conducted by J.-D. Vigne, et al. the oldest example of a domesticated cat may be found in Cyprus. In 2004, archaeologists working at the Neolithic site of Shillourokambos, uncovered carefully interred remains of a cat alongside human remains and decorative artifacts. "Examination showed that a small pit or grave had been deliberately dug out, and the body of the cat was placed in it, then rapidly covered." The cat skeleton predates Egyptian depictions of cats by 4,000 years or more.[1]

The Cyprus cat is linked with the Byzantine monastery peculiarly named "St. Nicholas of the Cats" (Greek  Άγιος Νικόλαος των Γατών), which was founded in the fourth century AD. According to Byzantine legend, St. Helen  imported hundreds of cats from Egypt or Palestine in the fourth century to control venomous snakes that had infested the monastery. The monastery had two bells, one to call the cats for meals and the other to send to the fields to hunt snakes. Today, the monastery's population of cats has dwindled.[2]

The Nobel Laureate, Giorgos Seferis, wrote of the Cyprus cat in his poem, "The Cats of St. Nicholas"  translated by Edmund Keely and Philip Sherrard in 1995.[3]

Characteristics[color= rgb(85, 85, 85)][[/color]edit source  | editbeta[color= rgb(85, 85, 85)]][/color]


The Cyprus cat, a close relative of the Cyprus Longhair, is an athletic and energetic variety found throughout the island of Cyprus; from mountainous and cooler regions to the lower, hotter areas near the coasts. As such, this cat has adapted to different climates.
 
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mordenna

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Final update: 100% healthy! A personal miracle! Figured out a way to make her drink water - added water on top of her canned food and she figured out how to lap it up. Final check up visit to vet tomorrow and home free to live a long and happy life with Jasper.

I can't express my gratitude to the wonderfully helpful messages from members of this board. We did it. Thank you, each and every one of you! xxxxxxxxx
 

maewkaew

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 That's wonderful  Mordenna!     
 .  We gave a little advice but it is nearly all due to YOU ... and to this young kitten's determination!  

 &  thanks for the info on Cyprus Cats.  That's very interesting.  I'm always interested in landraces / "natural breeds".    If these two cats are typical examples of type  I do think they're very attractive cats!  

   Mature whole females may be rounder in body shape due to having had kittens?   but it's also often true that females are a bit softer bodied.
 

roxie

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That's great news! I'm so happy for you and kitty both. It takes a lot of work to save a kitten that small and sick. Hope the vet gives it a clean bill of health.
 
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mordenna

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I have democratically decided, all by myself, that her name is going to be Kit :) today I got her a teddy bear, which she immediately took a liking to... All together now... "Awwwww" :)
 
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uncommonsensesc

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I'm absolutely thrilled about your new baby and the wonderful care you're giving her! We got one of our kitties (the one in my picture) when she was 3 weeks old - she got bottle fed, carried, her little hind-end washed and spoiled rotten because she was the only kittie at the time! She is a beautiful, sleek little girl now that still looks at things with question marks in her eyes! When she was starting to get more active, my husband had her at the computer with him - she ran across the keyboard twice and absolutely nothing happened! She was so tiny she didn't even push the keys down! That's changed and she's 2 now!
 
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