How to Keep my kitten healthy

[Catmam2OceanBlue]

I've got a 12 week old kitten. From a home that was in disarray full of alcohol mess and from heavy cannabis smokers. I want to add when buying him I was unaware where he was coming from until I walled into the home. I can't get an appointment at a vets as they are not taking none emergency cases in my area due to covid so looking for some advice. A friend has a kitten from the same litter and the vet said she was malnourished, underweight and still carrying the cat parasite that most kitties have but goes on its own when they are well looked after. I'm just curious how I can help my kitten be healthy as he's from the same litter and probably malnourished from his bad conditions he was kept in until I baught him. They are underweight weighing just over 1lb when they should be double now and we were told they are 9 weeks old so the owner had no idea really as they are infact 12 weeks now. I'm so glad the kittens are in safe loving homes now. Does anyone have any knowledge if the exposure to the cannabis smoke could have affected the kitties in anyway. They are all in none smoking homes now thankfully but I feel awful they were around such awful fumes when growing into this world for their first weeks of life. My kitten is seemingly very healthy and bouncing about loving his life, loves his food and has settled in amazing I just want to make sure u can give him the best start in life

 

[di and bob]

Cats have an amazing ability to bounce back after horrible beginnings like this, just make sure your kitten has as much kitten food as he can eat, preferably wet, several times a day. Kittens CANNOT be overfed at a young age, especially malnourished ones. if you are out of the house during the day, leave down a bowl of high-grade kitten dry too. Cows milk is bad for them at that age, cats become lactose intolerant at weaning age. Goats' milk is fine, as is kitten replacement milk. heavy cream in small amounts and a tiny bit of butter are OK, they are very low on lactose. Is he coughing at all? One pound is most likely too small to worm, but I would call the vet and see if they would sell you some, make sure you tell them the approx. age and the weight of the kitten, they may want to wait. cut/break up the pills, or ask for liquid, and put it in a tiny amount of low sodium tuna juice or a lickable treat. I use delectable Lickables in the stew flavors for giving all my meds. Make sure any worming meds are for tapeworm too, those are very common, and almost all over-the-counter meds do not kill those. i use Profender, a topical placed high on the neck of the cat on the skin, (make sure you get it on high up, cats can really turn and try to lick if they get some, they foam at the mouth, it tastes horrible.) it is a one-time med and takes care of all worms. You need a prescription for it. I call the vet and tell them I want that in the cat's file, and then order it from a pet med site online, MUCH cheaper. The exposure to the smoke was unfortunate, but many kittens and children have lived through it and come out well when removed from the exposure. Make sure you have a warm place for the kitten to curl up on, a K&H ct heat pad under a fleece blanket, or a warming bed would be great. My cats absolutely love them. They last for years and use only a tiny amount of electricity, about the equivalent of a 60-watt bulb. You'll see, he'll come back fine, and love you for MANY years, thank you from the bottom of my heart for not running away, and taking him from that horrible situation!

 

[Catmam2OceanBlue]

Cats have an amazing ability to bounce back after horrible beginnings like this, just make sure your kitten has as much kitten food as he can eat, preferably wet, several times a day. Kittens CANNOT be overfed at a young age, especially malnourished ones. if you are out of the house during the day, leave down a bowl of high-grade kitten dry too. Cows milk is bad for them at that age, cats become lactose intolerant at weaning age. Goats' milk is fine, as is kitten replacement milk. heavy cream in small amounts and a tiny bit of butter are OK, they are very low on lactose. Is he coughing at all? One pound is most likely too small to worm, but I would call the vet and see if they would sell you some, make sure you tell them the approx. age and the weight of the kitten, they may want to wait. cut/break up the pills, or ask for liquid, and put it in a tiny amount of low sodium tuna juice or a lickable treat. I use delectable Lickables in the stew flavors for giving all my meds. Make sure any worming meds are for tapeworm too, those are very common, and almost all over-the-counter meds do not kill those. i use Profender, a topical placed high on the neck of the cat on the skin, (make sure you get it on high up, cats can really turn and try to lick if they get some, they foam at the mouth, it tastes horrible.) it is a one-time med and takes care of all worms. You need a prescription for it. I call the vet and tell them I want that in the cat's file, and then order it from a pet med site online, MUCH cheaper. The exposure to the smoke was unfortunate, but many kittens and children have lived through it and come out well when removed from the exposure. Make sure you have a warm place for the kitten to curl up on, a K&H ct heat pad under a fleece blanket, or a warming bed would be great. My cats absolutely love them. They last for years and use only a tiny amount of electricity, about the equivalent of a 60-watt bulb. You'll see, he'll come back fine, and love you for MANY years, thank you from the bottom of my heart for not running away, and taking him from that horrible situation!

Thankyou very much for your response this gives me hope. I am desperately trying to get a vet to take him on but none are taking new clients due to national shortage of vaccines currently so I can't even get him checked over I can just go off what his sister kitty got told when she got looked over at the vets. I couldn't leave him after seeing the state of the home I would have taken them all if I could afford it but I was lucky my neighbour got them all on the same day so they all have loving warm homes now. I am just leaving lots of kitty pouches out to eat and feeding him ham and chicken shredded and the odd bowl of milk but have just purchased kitten milk instead of cows milk

 

[di and bob]

Sounds like you have everything covered! All the luck and keep us updated! (pictures are appreciated too!)

 

[vince]

If you do get him to a vet, they might give him respiratory therapy via a nebulizer. I don't know what else they might do. He sounds like he's doing pretty well without it, but I'd take him in for a checkup when you can, and get him treated for the parasites when he's big enough.

 

[Catmam2OceanBlue]

If you do get him to a vet, they might give him respiratory therapy via a nebulizer. I don't know what else they might do. He sounds like he's doing pretty well without it, but I'd take him in for a checkup when you can, and get him treated for the parasites when he's big enough.

Thankyou I would love the peace of mind to get him seen ASAP just to know I'm giving him ther best start but I must say the kitty that was checked over from the same litter that was underweight and not great was always lethargic when she was first purchased so I believe she could of struggled from birth to get milk and stuff whereas my boy is very energetic and always has been

 

[Catmam2OceanBlue]

Sounds like you have everything covered! All the luck and keep us updated! (pictures are appreciated too!)