Kitten Care at local Shelter

[tjn66]

Good morning! I sure hope I am not doing something wrong with the runt. She is so much smaller than the others. I will weigh her today and see where we are at. She eats well for her size and I feed her around the clock. I pray that she gets stronger. She is still a little snotty but she is on amoxicillin. Her eyes are clear and she tracks with her eyes. Talk to you soon!
Tammy

 

[Sarthur2]

She sounds like she's greatly improving under your care . She just needs to grow some, but I'm sure she will now that she's getting well [emoji]128149[/emoji].

 

[tjn66]

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• tjn66
• Sep 15, 2015

This is her. She was sleeping in her best when I left for work. I left out very thin gruel and fed her the kitten bottle this morning. There is no one that can take care of her while I am at work and that scares me. Hubby said that she is getting better care here than the shelter ever gave her whee she was left alone for over 20 hours some days. Just want her to get better and thrive.

 

[handsome kitty]

So precious!  Does she miss being with her littermates?

 

[Sarthur2]

She is much better off with you. That's why you've brought them home! She'll be fine while you're at work. It's comforting knowing she won't be left for 20 hours without food or care anymore. You're saving her life .

 

[handsome kitty]

You're not using the same bottle/syringe to feed the sick one and the healthy ones, are you?  We did have someone doing that and she was infecting the healthy kittens,

 

[tjn66]

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• tjn66
• Sep 15, 2015

 

[tjn66]

Nope I have two different bottles that I keep separate as well as cloths and sleeping material. I wash their bedding in the sanitizing cycle and change them daily and more often as needed. I hope I am doing this right!

 

[Sarthur2]

You're doing great!

 

[StefanZ]

I went to the shelter after work. One of the kittens had died. The others were wet from having a bath because someone else left them soft food and they made a mess trying to eat. I medicated the other cats and gave them all soft food. Then I went to work on the kittens. Fixed dishes of soft gruel with kitten milk, got them all awake and started feeding them off a spoon as I couldn't find the bottles. They were sucking on the spoon like a bottle. So sad!!!

They all got some food, but I am sure it was not enough. By this time it's 4:15 and they close at 4. I then got some kitten food and mixed that with water to soften up and leave in the cage overnight. Then the worker came in and handed me a dish of kitten milk to put in the cage.

Of course they made a mess and some were lapping up the kitten milk and the gruel. I had to leave at that point. I don't have any way to foster them as they would be alone all day while I am at work. There is another shelter worker that was not there today. I am going to ask her if there are any foster families that could foster them until they are a bit stronger. I know that they have some. I just don't know if anyone has contacted them about this litter.

I asked the worker today "How do handle kittens so young that are so hungry?" She said to me "you just get used to it."
WHAT???? You just get used to kittens screaming in hunger because they are starving to death?

I wanted to say that so bad but I didn't dare because they could stop me from helping. I also wanted to say " why are you giving them baths when they are hungry? Feed them, then worry about getting them clean."

I am looking around for rescue groups in my area. I'm not sure if that is even a possibility or if the will survive to get them there.

Those kittens heard my voice and immediately started screaming. Do you think they remember me from bottle feeding them from yesterday?
I feel so bad and I am in disbelief that people can be so cold.

Thank you for listening and giving suggestions. I know that I can't save them all but it is still horrible to see.
Tammy

 I had read several of the early posts on this shelter, and your descriptions of the situation there..

And pardon me for saying this, but this shelter seems quite terrible...  The young kittens are de facto leaved as in a medieval  Obliviette...   Nobody dares to  kill them off, but nobody of the personnel bothers either to help them survive...  So they are abandoned in there, in that Obliviette, to a slow painful death.   If not you volunteer come, they would die terribly...

I can understand if they dont have time, so they dont. It is no  coincidence many shelters do pts small kittens as soon they come.  But if they choose to try and save them, then they must help the volunteers to help.  Make feel the volunteers as important and warmthly welcomed, their front workers, who are doing the most difficult work.

Not making them beating the bush hoping they wont disturb the personnel, hoping they wont be uncomfortable to the personnel..

THAT is their great fault, their sin.

 

[tjn66]

Good Evening Everyone,

I have the weights on the kittens. 

This litter is 4 weeks old.

The grey tabby is 16.5 ounces.  She is a bully!  She is so cute though =)

The black tabby is 13 5/8 ounces.  She is from the same litter as the grey tabby.  Boy they both like to eat..no struggles with the bottle at all.

This litter is 3 weeks old.

The Bear litter:

Dark Bear #1 is 13 3/4 ounces.  She struggles for a bit with the bottle but latches on after a few tries the eats as much as her bell will hold.

Grey/black bear #2 is 13 3/8 ounces.  She also struggles for a bit with the bottle but eventually latches after I coax her numerous times.  I think that she is catching on though.  It is much better than when I first brought them home.

The Runt.  Yesterday she was 5 7/8 ounces.  Today she is 6 1/8 ounces.  She is latching on but chokes at times because her nose is stuffy still.  When I came home she had the gruel all over her face and her feet.  I know that she is trying to eat so that is good.  She was full of it tonight.  After I got her belly full she wanted no part of getting back in her nest.  She kept trying to climb out so I put her on a towel on the pc table and she was all over it exploring. 

When she finally got tired I warmed up her rice back and put it under the end of the nest.  She started trying to suckle it.  I thought she might have been still hungry but she would not eat no matter what I tried.  Do you think its just a comfort thing?  She is sleeping now all tucked up next to the warm rice pack. 

Any ideas or suggestions you have would be great!  The other 4 kittens are doing really well.  The runt I worry about..a lot!

Thanks for listening and chatting with me,

Tammy

 

[Sarthur2]

Everybody sounds great .

You can use saline drops in the runt's nose. Hopefully it will clear soon. It sounds like the attempt at suckling was strictly for comfort. You can give her a piece of cloth soaked in kitten formula to suck on. Some kittens like that for comfort.

I like that she gained 1/4 ounce. Hopefully she'll keep gaining more and more. And I'm glad she's trying to eat the gruel while you're gone. That's very good!

It certainly sounds like all is well on the home front and that you're providing great love and care for them.

How are things at the shelter with the sick cats? Are you still making the rounds?

 

[tjn66]

Good Evening,

Well all the kittens gained weight except for the runt.   She is back down to 5 7/8 ounces.  I came home from work today and she had pooped in her nest.  She was hungry!!!  Ate really well tonight and played with my hair.  Her little tail and legs were crusty so she got a bath and a blow dry.  She ate again and is now snoozing her clean nest.  She sneezed up a couple of huge snot bubbles and I am hoping that the warm bath helped her breathing.  She is snuggled up to her rice bag all cozy.  I am really worried about her.  She isnt losing weight but she didnt gain like I had hoped she would.  Minor set back I am hoping.

I have been stimulating her and she pees/poops on her own as well.  I am hoping that this is a one time deal and she was getting used to the changes in her food.

The other kittens all gained at least an ounce each.  The grey tabby actually ate some of the gruel today.  They all still want bottles and cry when they see me.  I imagine they think I am a milk cow!  lol.

I will keep you up to date on the runt. 

Sarthur2 I havent been to the shelter since sunday.  They didnt have any sick kittens and with getting home asap to feed the runt they are closed by the time I get done.  I am off thursday and friday so I plan to make a trip there on those days.

Thanks for all the wonderful help!  I really appreciate it.

Tammy

 

[tjn66]

Oh my word!  The runt was yelling and not for food! She wanted out of her nest.  I put her on the living room floor and she just ran around and sniffed everything.  After that she had a small coughing spell and some more snot came out of her nose.  I figure it is the same as with people.  Bedrest gets you sicker and moving around gets the lungs working. 

After that (about 10 minutes) I fed her and put her in her nest with her warm rice bag.  She snoozed for 15 minutes and was hungry again.  Then wanted to run around for a few more minutes. 

I am so happy right now!

Tammy

 

[Sarthur2]

I'm so glad she is getting mucus out and eating and running around. I wish she could snuggle with the others but she's just too little right now. Hopefully as her infection begins to clear she will begin to gain more weight. Is she still on amoxicillin?

 

[kittyluv387]

Sounds hopeful for the runt.

 

[tjn66]

Good Afternoon,

The little runt is doing well today.  She is eating a half ounce at each feeding now.  I got a bottle with more exact measurments on it.  I also found a nipple that she likes better.  I weighed her this morning and she is up to 6 ounces.  I did it three times to make sure!

All the others are running around like crazy and wanting out of the enclosure.  I let them out two at a time to run around for a bit to tire them out.  They are so stinking cute!

I have to scoot...guess who is crying to eat.  Yep...little runty kitty.  Makes me happy.  She is still on amoxicillin and the snot has slowed down considerably.  She also started to purr again today.  Its such a pretty song!

Tammy

 

[tjn66]

Good Evening Everyone,

What a day!  All the kittens except the runt are turning their noses up to the bottle almost all the time.  They prefer to eat the gruel that I make.  Today I put in hard kitten food mixed with kitten milk to soften it up.  They are curious and have had a few bites but nothing more. I am going to start switching them over to that slowly.  After that is hard food and hopefully getting a great home?  All are gaining weight daily and are just full of it!

The runt was finicky today but..she weighs in at 6 3/8 ounces so she is gaining also.  I place her in the pen with the other kittens when they are all sleeping and just tuckered out.  She cuddles right up to them and goes to sleep also.  She lets me know when she wants out by climbing the cage and yelling at me!  Silly girl!

I rocked her to sleep today and she is in her own nest all content and happy.  She is still a bit snotty but that to is better. 

Talk to you soon!

Tammy

 

[Sarthur2]

I am very pleased to hear that the runt has gained weight. I'm also happy to hear that the others are preferring more solid food over the bottle.

Are you using kitten chow as your hard food, as this is what kittens need the first year. They also need wet cat food, preferably one such as Fancy Feast, where meat is the first ingredient.

Wondering if you added a bit of Gerber plain rice cereal to the runt's bottle if she would like that? She sounds like a little sweetie who really knows how to let you know what she wants!

The kittens should be 8 weeks old to be re-homed, and re-homing in pairs is ideal so they have a playmate their age who is a littermate. It's often easier on the adoptive family to take 2 who can entertain each other than just one.

Are they litter training well yet?

 

[tjn66]

Good Evening Everyone,

The runt is up to 6 and 2/4 ounces.  She eats, plays and is generally just way too cute!  she is almost litter trained but has accidents when she is outside her nest.  I think it is because she can find her litter box.  she is still very little.  Boy oh boy...she likes to eat!  Today I got home from work...fixed up the gruel while the bottles were warming up.  I looked and the runt is sneezing so hard.  This huge snot bubble come out of her nose and covers it along with her mouth.  I wiped it off and she just started purring.  BUT the good news is that instead of being green it was a light yellow in color.  Her infection is breaking up! 

All the others are gaining at an amazing pace.  They are all litter boxed trained.  They prefer the gruel that I make with soft food and kitten milk.  They nibble on the softened hard food but dont really eat it.  It is kitten food. 

I had to put her in a large cat carrier.  The little snot climbed out of her nest this morning around 2am.  I went into the bathroom to take her down stairs for her feeding and almost stepped on her!  Well that was it.  I need to get a bigger one soon but for now she is safe.  I have her facing her littermates in the rabbit cage and she sleeps facing them and watches them when I can't be holding her.

I let all the kittens out to run around each night to burn off some energy.  I let the runt out to play also.  She ran right after them and generally showed a lot of spunk lol.  When she got tired she crawled in my lap and went to sleep! 

Talk to you soon,

Tammy