Hi,
I just joined tonight, after searching everywhere for answers to my problem. I hope someone can help.
I have to give some background first.
We take care of some feral cats, only about 3 or 4 now. There was one that was pregnant. We called her Face. She had her babies and we knew where they were, but we left her alone with them. She had them on May 25.
Three weeks ago she died. I saw her in the morning for breakfast, 45 minutes later my husband found her dead. She had not been in a fight, or hit by anything. We know because there weren't any broken bones, blood, or hair missing. She just died.
SO, we went and got the kittens. There were 3 of them. Two boys and a girl. I called the vet and got a home made recipe replacement for mother's milk and instructions of when to give it to them.
Ok, I am almost to my problem.
Sorry for the length of this.
One boy and the girl were of a normal 6 or 7 week age. They played and did all the normal kitten things. The kitten with the problems, who we have named Lentil, did none of those things.
Lentil took the milk like he was starved. I also gave them a little bit of water after the first week. Eventually he started doing some kitten things. But he was so small that we jokingly said he was not finished when the other two decided to be born.
I did the milk thing for 2 1/2 weeks then put them on Kitten Chow. Wow! They went for that like crazy. Even Lentil.
He is still like 1/4 the size of his brother. (we found a home for the girl).
On Sunday he started bobbing his head and falling down. But he still ate and drank water. Still no playing. He slept most of the day in my lap , it is his favorite place to be. Monday and Tuesday he was great. He walked normal, ate, and even played a little bit. He even got up on the back of the couch to be by the window. Today (Wednesday) he was the worst he has been. He couldn't hold up his head unless it was supported on both sides. He wobbled when he walked and fell down often. Sometimes he walked backwards. I went back to giving him the milk because I wondered if he wasn't eating enough. But, he also ate the kitten food and drank water if I was there to support him. And through all of this he purrs.
We named his brother Butter Bean. His coloring is of that type bean. Butter does all kitten things. Good and bad. He climbs, he chews, he purrs, etc.
Now for the question (s).,,,Am i doing the right thing by giving him the milk? What do you guess is wrong with him? I would take him to the vet, but he is so very tiny that he couldn't get any shots. Any suggestions on what I should do?
Also when I say milk through this I am referring to the milk substitute I made.
Thanks in advance. T
I just joined tonight, after searching everywhere for answers to my problem. I hope someone can help.
I have to give some background first.
We take care of some feral cats, only about 3 or 4 now. There was one that was pregnant. We called her Face. She had her babies and we knew where they were, but we left her alone with them. She had them on May 25.
Three weeks ago she died. I saw her in the morning for breakfast, 45 minutes later my husband found her dead. She had not been in a fight, or hit by anything. We know because there weren't any broken bones, blood, or hair missing. She just died.
SO, we went and got the kittens. There were 3 of them. Two boys and a girl. I called the vet and got a home made recipe replacement for mother's milk and instructions of when to give it to them.
Ok, I am almost to my problem.
One boy and the girl were of a normal 6 or 7 week age. They played and did all the normal kitten things. The kitten with the problems, who we have named Lentil, did none of those things.
Lentil took the milk like he was starved. I also gave them a little bit of water after the first week. Eventually he started doing some kitten things. But he was so small that we jokingly said he was not finished when the other two decided to be born.
I did the milk thing for 2 1/2 weeks then put them on Kitten Chow. Wow! They went for that like crazy. Even Lentil.
He is still like 1/4 the size of his brother. (we found a home for the girl).
On Sunday he started bobbing his head and falling down. But he still ate and drank water. Still no playing. He slept most of the day in my lap , it is his favorite place to be. Monday and Tuesday he was great. He walked normal, ate, and even played a little bit. He even got up on the back of the couch to be by the window. Today (Wednesday) he was the worst he has been. He couldn't hold up his head unless it was supported on both sides. He wobbled when he walked and fell down often. Sometimes he walked backwards. I went back to giving him the milk because I wondered if he wasn't eating enough. But, he also ate the kitten food and drank water if I was there to support him. And through all of this he purrs.
We named his brother Butter Bean. His coloring is of that type bean. Butter does all kitten things. Good and bad. He climbs, he chews, he purrs, etc.
Now for the question (s).,,,Am i doing the right thing by giving him the milk? What do you guess is wrong with him? I would take him to the vet, but he is so very tiny that he couldn't get any shots. Any suggestions on what I should do?
Also when I say milk through this I am referring to the milk substitute I made.
Thanks in advance. T