- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #81
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Pregnant Cat Advice Please
- Thread starter lovelife
- Start Date
Sounds like he'll be okay until morning, but definitely take him in first thing. You can sit with him in a steamy bathroom for a few minutes to clear his nose/relieve coughing. He needs antibiotics for his URI (upper respiratory infection). Put mom and baby in the pet taxi with hot water bottle and take them together, or mom will have a fit. Please keep us informed!
Last edited:
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #83
I sure am and yes have been doing the steamy bathroom. I agree with you that he needs antibiotics. I really wish they had worked him in today, but the relief vet said that as he was not breathing through his mouth that he would be ok until tomorrow, then they told me they had anytime after 5 pm open. (They are open till 8 on Wed.) I did tell her about the wheezing and coughing, but she didn't seem overly concerned. I will take him in as soon as they open!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #84
We just got home from the vet. As suspected baby has an URI, but they think he also has a touch of pneumonia because he was breathing hard and has a little bit of crackling in his chest. They put him on Amoxicillin 0.2 ml twice a day. The vet wants me to feed him every 2 to 3 hours as much as I can get into him until we can get him nursing again. If he isn't showing improvement by Friday I have to take him back on Friday. I am so relieved! Baby started breathing hard around 3 am. I stayed up with him and did steam with him a few times - which helped. He had his first dose of medication at the vet. I am going to feed baby and then take a nap until the next feeding and I am hoping that by tomorrow he will be back to nursing on Mama.
Thank goodness! It's never good to take a chance with tiny kittens. He'll turn the corner in a couple of days and be so much better. Make sure when feeding him that no fluid gets in his lungs. You caught this just in time. You're a good cat parent! Keep us updated on how he's doing! [emoji]128077[/emoji]
Even a touch of pneumonia is very dangerous, be sure to dose him exactly every 12 hours, as the med is out of his system then, it stays for only 12 and does not have any extended time, so you don't want to give bacteria even a minute to try and take over.
At this point I would use a scale daily too, you want to monitor his weight gain daily to know he is getting plenty of food.
They are very fragile......
So glad you got him on meds.
At this point I would use a scale daily too, you want to monitor his weight gain daily to know he is getting plenty of food.
They are very fragile......
So glad you got him on meds.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #87
@sarthur2 & @catwoman707 Thank you! My concern at this point is getting enough food into him, in addition to the medication,etc. The most I have been able to get into him at one time is 5 ml of kmr. Usually after 2 or 3 ml he flatly refuses to take more. I am feeding him every two hours. Mama is frustrated with him because he won't nurse. She bathes him and tries to get him to nurse and he is more interested in looking around or climbing on top of Mama. After a few minutes she gets annoyed and gets up. I am hoping he will start to nurse again within the next 24 hours, but meantime what do I? How can I get more kmr into him?
On the plus side, he does seem to be feeling a bit better. He has been more alert this evening and was exploring for a few minutes, but got tired quickly. He had his second dose of medication earlier, so that is good as well. Yes definitely will make sure the dosing doesn't go longer than 12 hours. The vet told me to give it to him every 10 to 12 hours, but like you said not to go over 12 hours.
On the plus side, he does seem to be feeling a bit better. He has been more alert this evening and was exploring for a few minutes, but got tired quickly. He had his second dose of medication earlier, so that is good as well. Yes definitely will make sure the dosing doesn't go longer than 12 hours. The vet told me to give it to him every 10 to 12 hours, but like you said not to go over 12 hours.
He will return to nursing as soon as he feels well enough. His appetite will return when he turns the corner, which is usually around Day 3 on meds. I know mama kitty is frustrated because she does not understand why he's not nursing.
You and she need to hang in there, and just keep doing what you're doing. When he stops taking the formula, I would give pedialyte. It has electrolytes, and he needs to stay hydrated.
It's good to hear that he is alert and moving around. How is the coughing and wheezing?
You and she need to hang in there, and just keep doing what you're doing. When he stops taking the formula, I would give pedialyte. It has electrolytes, and he needs to stay hydrated.
It's good to hear that he is alert and moving around. How is the coughing and wheezing?
Last edited:
It's only been 12 hours so I don't imagine he's had more than 2 doses, after the 4th dose you will def. see a difference, which will hopefully be when he wants to nurse again, he really must continue to gain daily or it will be a good sized set back for him.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #90
@sarthur2 @catwoman707 Question, would goat milk offer more fat/calories than the KMR?
And plus note Mama washed him and he was rooting around. Although he didn't nurse it is the first time he has rooted around since yesterday afternoon. The fourth dose will be tomorrow night, I am just going to keep getting as much into him as I can until he has his appetite back.
And plus note Mama washed him and he was rooting around. Although he didn't nurse it is the first time he has rooted around since yesterday afternoon. The fourth dose will be tomorrow night, I am just going to keep getting as much into him as I can until he has his appetite back.
No, not more calories, you're fine with KMR, as much as possible will be okay.
Full fat goat milk is fine to use, but why switch at this point? Just stay with the KMR and pedialyte, and he'll hopefully be nursing again within 24 hours.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #93
Great news! Baby is back to nursing! I went to feed him and he wanted to get down and play. Mama came in and he started meowing and went right to her and started nursing. She wanted back up on my bed with him so I put him up there for her. He nursed a bit, played a bit while she washed him, nursed a bit more and went to sleep. His Mama is so happy I could see the relief on her sweet face! I am grateful as well! I put baby back into the nest to sleep more as I don't want him falling off my bed.
Do I just make sure at this point that he continues to nurse as she chooses to nurse him?
I was asking about goat's milk because of caloric and fat intake. If the goat's milk had more fat and calories I would have considered using it until he got back to eating on his own, just to get more calories and fat into him.
Do I just make sure at this point that he continues to nurse as she chooses to nurse him?
I was asking about goat's milk because of caloric and fat intake. If the goat's milk had more fat and calories I would have considered using it until he got back to eating on his own, just to get more calories and fat into him.
If he's happily nursing mom frequently, then he should be fine! Weigh him tonight and again tomorrow to make sure he's not losing. As long as he's nursing mom, that tells me he is feeling much better! This is such good news! I was worried about him. [emoji]128522[/emoji]
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #95
I was worried too! When he wanted to explore earlier I figured he had to be feeling better, but as he wasn't nursing I was very worried. Him nursing and laying there playing away you could just see in his little face that he is feeling better. His breathing seems much better than earlier as well. They weighed him at the vet this morning, and yes I will weigh him again tonight to make sure he hasn't lost any weight.
Their tiny virginal systems really respond well to antibiotics, a good thing!
Glad to hear he is doing better already
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #98
@sarthur2 He is doing much better today! His chest has loosened up and he sounds congested. But he has been very alert and active. You can tell he is feeling better. Still breathing hard at times, but nothing like the non-stop heavy breathing he had yesterday. I am going to weigh him later and make sure he hasn't lost any weight. He is nursing good on Mom, but he sometimes only nurses a few minutes because he wants to go explore and play.
Lol I had to put the water bowl's up when he was out exploring because twice he managed to get into them. As in climbed into the water. He also got into the litter box and explored it, but didn't potty. I know he will be ready for that in the next week or so. I do see signs of potty training readiness in that when he has to go potty, he meows a certain way and Mama potties him. So he does know when he has to go. He is also showing interest in the cat food. He was out when I fed Mama soft food earlier. He was very interested but didn't taste. I am thinking in the next few days he will want to taste.
Lol I had to put the water bowl's up when he was out exploring because twice he managed to get into them. As in climbed into the water. He also got into the litter box and explored it, but didn't potty. I know he will be ready for that in the next week or so. I do see signs of potty training readiness in that when he has to go potty, he meows a certain way and Mama potties him. So he does know when he has to go. He is also showing interest in the cat food. He was out when I fed Mama soft food earlier. He was very interested but didn't taste. I am thinking in the next few days he will want to taste.
I was just having lunch while reading your update, and thought to myself, baby must be right about 3 weeks and maybe 2 days, possibly 3 wks and 3 days old.
Let's see how good I am, how old is kitten?
Noisy chest is definitely a good thing now, and I wouldn't worry about any weight loss he may have had at this point as long as he is doing great and eating plenty now.
Ah, such good news! He's getting ready for so many new things soon. Glad he is even better today. Bless his heart! [emoji]128522[/emoji][emoji]128149[/emoji]
