Not sure if I did the right thing.....

kellyinla

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I wrote here a few days ago about some kittens I found outside my house. There was a 'runt' of the group who I picked up and took to the vet. He was barely able to walk or move. I kept him for a week and he ate great and went to the bathroom normally. After a few days, he was sitting up, rolling around, playing with string, and sort of walking (while stumbling). When I took him to the vet when I first picked him up, she told me to just feed him canned food since he had teeth and was 'old enough' to eat on his own.
I felt the cat was a bit weak and needed kitten milk. Anyway, I took care of the kitten and stayed home 24/7 because I have a dog and did not feel safe leaving them alone. I called many animal places and couldn't really find a place that would take a kitten let alone one that young.
I got in touch with a lady at a pet store who did cat adoptions and she has many kittens that she had bottle fed. When I brought the kitten to her, she felt he wasn't getting enough nutrients and said he should be drinking the kmr milk. That was completely different from what the vet said. When I first brought the kitten in to the vet, she named off an illness he may have.

Two days ago, I did a return visit to the vet after having the kitten for a week. When I first brought the kitten in, he weighed 12 onces, and now a week later he was 1 pound, 2 ounces. He ate a lot


Still, the vet told me he had Cerebellar Hypoplasia. She said this because his head was bobbing around. It was odd because when I first got him, his head was bobbing, but when I brought him in a week later, it was hardly as bad as it was the first time. The vet offered to take the kitten and give him his shots and try and find someone to adopt him. I was told they will keep him for three months.

I agreed and signed the papers, but I feel really bad because what if the kitten needs some of the milk that the vet felt he was too old for. I am still trying to do everything possible to find the kitten a home. I would have loved to keep him, but I have a dog. I have heard that there are sanctuaries that care for cats with Cerebellar Hypoplasia. Does anyone know of any in the Southern California area? The vet never actually tested him for this, but felt that the bobbing of the head and the fact he was stumbling a bit showed signs.

I am not sure if I did the right thing by handing him over. But I felt it will allow me to go out and try and find him a home. When I called the lady at the pet store, I told her what happened and she said she didn't feel the kitten had that disease and just felt he needed more nutrients. I guess I should believe the vet. I feel so bad.
 

charcoal

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Try not to feel bad. You did the best you could under those circumstances. I would believe the vet, even though they can make mistakes. The kitten will be taken care of and cared for. And at the vets, they have all the medecines available for it in case it catches anything else or gets sicker.
 

beckiboo

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It is very hard not knowing. And to have to make such life altering decisions for a cat who is so vulnerable.

I think you did the right thing. You have a very special vet who will take over the care of a baby who may have a disease. The cost of care might be too much for someone else, but he can provide the care himself. And he knows which of his clients are suited to offer the baby for adoption.

How hard to let it go, after saving its life!
 

elizwithcat

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What kind of dog do you have? I used to have a cat and a dog together. Is it possible that the cat and the dog might get along? Then you could keep the kitten yourself.
 
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