Howdy, I join this site because there appears to be a whole bunch of knowledge here.
I have a 5 week old kitten, Angel (because she's solid black, not because she's sick
) that was just definitively diagnosed with congenital megaesophogus and aspiration pneumonia, yes the mom (a dumped queen who adopted us) appears to have some Siamese in her somewhere. I need some help and information about feeding and being in an upright position while feeding. I tried to feed her while holding her earlier today and it was a colossal failure, she took three bites, then did everything in her tiny body to get away and eat with paws on the ground. I've read conflicting information on how best to deal with this rare and life threatening condition.
Some people, including our vet, say that cats afflicted with this need to be fed in an elevated position then held upright for 15 minutes; others say they only need to be upright for 15 minutes right after feeding. Does anyone know if she needs to be fed upright, and if so, how on this blue marble, do I teach her to eat while we are holding her??
She currently eats while IN the food service dish used. I've tried plates - big, small, bowl like, flat; bowls - big, small, flat pasta bowls, small low sided cat/dog dishes; plastic containers....pretty much anything other than on the floor itself, yet she still insists on climbing on in. The problem here is she is difficult to bathe because she panics at just the thought of a bath (which causes her to breathe very hard and very fast just approaching the sink), so she's all crusty. I've tried little water in the sink and warm cloths to no avail, I can't get the crusties off. She can't groom properly and mom is weaning them off her grooming of them, and I make a very bad cat. Even though the crusties are small and flat they are now starting to pull and cause sores, which she doesn't need. I'm going to try the waterless soap, but does anyone have a better idea?? I've even contemplated shaving her tummy and paws.
Any opinions on whether or not I should try to "burp" her?? How?? She does have a moderately distended abdomen from swallowing air.
From what I've read, she is still doing very well. She still eats, drinks, plays and does other cat things, other than the aspiration pneumonia, she does not show any of the other usual symptoms. The vet has agreed to give her regular antibiotic shots to keep the pneumonia in check, but obviously that is not a long term solution. I know someone here can help me!!
I know this condition is usually fatal when it’s congenital, but I'd like to keep her alive, and with a good quality of life, for as long as we can.
I have a 5 week old kitten, Angel (because she's solid black, not because she's sick
) that was just definitively diagnosed with congenital megaesophogus and aspiration pneumonia, yes the mom (a dumped queen who adopted us) appears to have some Siamese in her somewhere. I need some help and information about feeding and being in an upright position while feeding. I tried to feed her while holding her earlier today and it was a colossal failure, she took three bites, then did everything in her tiny body to get away and eat with paws on the ground. I've read conflicting information on how best to deal with this rare and life threatening condition. Some people, including our vet, say that cats afflicted with this need to be fed in an elevated position then held upright for 15 minutes; others say they only need to be upright for 15 minutes right after feeding. Does anyone know if she needs to be fed upright, and if so, how on this blue marble, do I teach her to eat while we are holding her??
She currently eats while IN the food service dish used. I've tried plates - big, small, bowl like, flat; bowls - big, small, flat pasta bowls, small low sided cat/dog dishes; plastic containers....pretty much anything other than on the floor itself, yet she still insists on climbing on in. The problem here is she is difficult to bathe because she panics at just the thought of a bath (which causes her to breathe very hard and very fast just approaching the sink), so she's all crusty. I've tried little water in the sink and warm cloths to no avail, I can't get the crusties off. She can't groom properly and mom is weaning them off her grooming of them, and I make a very bad cat. Even though the crusties are small and flat they are now starting to pull and cause sores, which she doesn't need. I'm going to try the waterless soap, but does anyone have a better idea?? I've even contemplated shaving her tummy and paws.
Any opinions on whether or not I should try to "burp" her?? How?? She does have a moderately distended abdomen from swallowing air.
From what I've read, she is still doing very well. She still eats, drinks, plays and does other cat things, other than the aspiration pneumonia, she does not show any of the other usual symptoms. The vet has agreed to give her regular antibiotic shots to keep the pneumonia in check, but obviously that is not a long term solution. I know someone here can help me!!
I know this condition is usually fatal when it’s congenital, but I'd like to keep her alive, and with a good quality of life, for as long as we can.
