Malnourished kitten

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362denise

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Hi every one - I'm hoping someone will be able to give me insight into the prospects for a kitten that I took in as a foster yesterday.

I'm working with a local rescue organization. Yesterday I took home a mom with one natural kitten and one kitten that she adopted. (The mother also adopted three other kittens that, unfortunately, didn't make it.) These kittens were rescued from an animal shelter, so we really don't know anything about them. I was told they were around 4 weeks old.

Here is the thing - the abandoned/adopted kitten looks like she is around 3 weeks old based on her size, and the natural kitten looks to be more like 6 weeks old. I expected the small kitten to be still nursing, and for her to be urinating only with stimulation from mom; again based on size, she should be just venturing out to explore, not really playing too much yet.

Instead, she digs right into the solid/dry cat food, she uses the litter box, and is as active and rambunctous as the larger kitten.

I think she is just really malnourished.

Can she really recover from such sever malnutrition? How can I help improve her chances? How will the recovery progress?

Thanks for any advice!!

Denise
 
tnr1

tnr1

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Originally Posted by 362Denise

Hi every one - I'm hoping someone will be able to give me insight into the prospects for a kitten that I took in as a foster yesterday.

I'm working with a local rescue organization. Yesterday I took home a mom with one natural kitten and one kitten that she adopted. (The mother also adopted three other kittens that, unfortunately, didn't make it.) These kittens were rescued from an animal shelter, so we really don't know anything about them. I was told they were around 4 weeks old.

Here is the thing - the abandoned/adopted kitten looks like she is around 3 weeks old based on her size, and the natural kitten looks to be more like 6 weeks old. I expected the small kitten to be still nursing, and for her to be urinating only with stimulation from mom; again based on size, she should be just venturing out to explore, not really playing too much yet.

Instead, she digs right into the solid/dry cat food, she uses the litter box, and is as active and rambunctous as the larger kitten.

I think she is just really malnourished.

Can she really recover from such sever malnutrition? How can I help improve her chances? How will the recovery progress?

Thanks for any advice!!

Denise
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Welcome to TCS. Denise...given that you do not know the other kitten's exact age...if it is eating well and is using the litterbox she is probably older than 4 weeks. I would make sure that she is eating well and I would also make an appt. for both kittens since they probably are due for their first distemper shot.

Katie
 
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362denise

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I'll definitely make an appointment for them both. Have you have encountered a kitten that was severely malnourished?
 
jennyr

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As long as she is getting nourishment it doesn't matter too much. When my two boys were dumped on my step they were so skeletal and small I thought they were only a few weeks old, but the vet told me they were 5 months! ANd with care and good food and meds they soon grew to their proper size. Good luck.
 
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Also, remember some cats are just smaller than others. The little one may have been a smaller kitten from a smaller Mom to start, and the bigger one may be a larger kitten from a larger Mom. Is the tiny kitten scrawny, where you can feel the hip bones? If not, she is probably just a smaller size animal. With her scrappiness, she should do well!
 
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362denise

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Thanks, everyone - I'm sorry I was delayed. I brought Lilly to the vet's, and he found no indication that she is small because of an illness. So, it's good news. She is definitely boney (down-right skeletal, definitely malnourished), but, I think her fur is growing in a bit and she is still running around and active. This, and knowing that other itty bitty kittens have made it, makes me a little less worried.

Other bad news, though - the mom died this morning. She looked a little lethargic last night, and I arranged to bring her to the vet's office first thing this morning, but unfortunately she died on the way
. I also learned the little ones have coccadia. Poor things.

Thank you for the insight and kind words ~

Denise
 
jennyr

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That is sad news. I hope the little ones make it. Do you have any idea what she died of? Could she have had something she passed to the kittens? I do hope they flourish.
 
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I'm so sorry to hear about Momma. Do you know a cause of death yet? Coccadia is very curable...it will need to be monitored closely, however, and treated diligently.
 
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