new kitten

My granddaughter brought home a very small siamese kitten Sunday, the kitten seems unwell, it only walks backwards crying or sleeps with its head buried in its blankets. First thought is maybe it's blind? Eyes arent milky but one is kind of crusty and they dont look  right to me but IDK squat about what Im looking for. I plan to try and get an appointment with our vet asap but it will be a few days I'm sure.

Thanks for any suggestions

Do you know how old it is? Can you post a photo?

What are you feeding the kitten? Is it eating wet food? If not you'll need to buy kitten formula from a vet or pet store, and get a very small, needleless syringe, and feed the baby several times a day.

You'll want to provide the kitten with warmth, either with a heating pad set on low or a warmed rice sock, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel.

The kitten probably needs antibiotics, and also needs an antibiotc ointment for an eye infection. In the meantime you can use warm water or saline on a clean cloth to keep the eye clear and open.

I recommend that you see a vet ASAP or the kitten may not make it. Kittens go downhill fast. If you explain to the vet perhaps they can squeeze you in right away.

Good luck!

From what you describe, I would say too, call the vet and beg to be seen, the sooner the better.

Thanks, I'll try to post a pic, no idea how old, one of her teachers gave itto her as she was leaving that school to come here. Its maybe 8" long + or- excluding its tail.

yes shes eating wet food and seems to be able to get it eaten ok. Not 100% sure its using the litter box but it does have plenty of food and water and its warm but I'll heat the blankets for it this morning and see if the vet can get us in.

Just checked on it and cleaned its eyes up, they were crusted shut this morning but once I got that, warmed the blankets and some food it seems better, ate well anyway but still uncertain on its legs and walks backwards when it walks...

Thanks again

I'm glad the kitten is eating, is warm, and its eyes cleaned. I do hope the vet can see you quickly.

You can put a kitten-sized litter pan nearby and show it to the kitten. Hopefully it will begin using it.

Are you able to tell if the kitten can see objects in front of it, such as a toy, food bowl, or your fingers?

The walking backwards is curious. But if the kitten can walk backwards, it seems it would surely be able to walk forward. I am guessing the backwards walking is the kitten backing away from fear and insecurity. Hopefully this will change as it becomes less afraid and more trusting of you.

I find it curious also that a teacher would give a child a kitten without parental permission. Regardless, thank you for caring for this kitten and providing for its needs.

Please keep us updated.

got into the vet today, the kitten is female, was dehydrated slightly, very young and MAY have an in vitro infection that causes the cerebelum to not develop properly, obviously the prognosis isnt good if thats the case but at this point it isnt clear if thats the case or not. I have some sterile saline and antibiotics to inject subcutaneously several times today, some recovery food to feed her and some kitten replacement milk to also feed her..... She  goes back tomorrow morning. After the first saline, with Kayro syrup and antibiotic injection she was walking forward at the vet and she eats the recovery food well but hasnt shown any interest in the faux milk (of course, that was costly) but maybe if I feed her that before the food she'll take it. Need to teach her to use the litter box too. 

undoubtedly more to come, thanks for the help

Sounds like the kitten was to young to leave mommy. Why don't you call the school and ask to speak to the teacher to find out were they got the kitten? if need be you can talk to head person at the school and explain the teacher gave your grandchild a kitten and a sick one to top it off and it seem without consent of the parents/gardian. Teachers should NEVER give animals to students I find this a little odd that the teacher gave the animal to your child.

You can pour the faux milk over their food to make it more interesting to the kitten.

This is actually good news that she walked forward! I'm feeling very hopeful. I certainly would not put the kitten down anytime soon.

Is the vet visit tomorrow just a follow-up? How old did the vet say she is? Has she continued to walk forward today?

And yes, for now you can mix the kitten milk into her wet food. In time she will begin lapping it from a dish.

Sad news, I just got back from a followup visit to the vet, the prognosis wasnt good, in fact between the local vet (three  of them in the practice) and a neurologist she consulted with, the consensus was that she just had to many issues to thrive. So, we made the decision was to put her down now rather than let her continue to whither.

Thanks for your help and suggestions, good luck to yall

What were the issues, if you don't mind explaining? I think you did the right thing and I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry.  How is your granddaughter taking it?

FWIW, she quit eating last night except for what I was able to force feed her with a syringe, wouldnt take water orally even. and while she did walk forward, she prefers backward. The vet tried to interest her in a pen light and some soft treats, she wasnt interested in any of them, preferring to simply sleep. She was also struggling to maintain her body temp, she was down about 2* again today despite being swaddled in the car with the seat heater on and the sun shining in the window.

So her rally yesterday was a false positive and may have sapped what reserves she had left as it turns out.

you really should get a hold of the teacher (and school) that gave the child the sick animal as this type of thing can really impact a child in a neg way and the teacher should be getting a ear full as they should have never given the child a animal!

My daughter in law will be contacting the principal of the school, he found the kitten in the street and gave it to my granddaughter

I am so sorry about the kitten. It does sound like you made the right decision. Poor baby. I hope your granddaughter is handling it okay. If you are of a mind to allow her a kitten, the shelters and pet stores are full of kittens in need of homes. Thank you for all that you did for this kitten.

On behalf of The Cat Site Moderating Team, we are truly sorry for the loss of your kitten. Threads like this are closed to show our respect and sympathy for the loss. You may wish to post a memorial tribute to this kitten at our Crossing the Bridge Forum.

http://www.thecatsite.com/f/19/crossing-the-bridge

I will not lock the thread.