Pregnant adopted stray

[keri]

Hi guys, one of the kitten's ears don't look right to me. The sides are very red and raw. I noticed LK trying to lick them last night. His ears did not pop up fully like the others. I tried to upload a picture but it's not working. Do you think he's ok?

 

[Sarthur2]

Can you try to put the picture up again? It's hard to say without the visual.

 

[keri]

Can you try to put the picture up again? It's hard to say without the visual.

View media item 38635
LK actually won't stop biting it to the point where it's bleeding now...

 

[Sarthur2]

A picture of the ears please?

You need to see a vet. Something must be done!

 

[AbbysMom]

Here's the picture -

IMG_3656.JPG

• AbbysMom
• Nov 7, 2016

Yes, you must see the vet. :nod:

 

[Sarthur2]

Ouch! That is RAW! Must be painful too. Kitten needs medical treatment asap!

 

[keri]

So my vet wanted to see all 6 kittens plus LK. The kittens were healthy with no ear mites, healthy weights and healthy hearts. The vet was very upset by LK's behavior as we found that all of the kittens' ears were red, swollen and raw. He advised me to separate them and only allow her to nurse when I am present to monitor the biting. He told me to separate her again once she starts to bite during nursing. He also said not to wait 8 weeks before adopting the kittens out and to aim more for 6 because of LK. I am supposed to put Neosporin on their ears to help them heal and they should scab up within a few days. As you know, I am running out of separate rooms here...

When we got home, I put LK with the kittens to nurse. She prowled the room for their food and became uninterested when she didn't find anything. Then she laid down and a kitten came over to nurse but she walked away when she tasted the cream on the kitten's ear. She didn't nurse any of them...

I fed them so much kitten food mixed with kmr and added the vitamins that the vet gave to me.

LK is in a big cage in the kitchen with her litter box, food and water for the night. She howls out when she hears me in another room. Martin stays in the living room. And the kittens are in the bed room.

Any input? I'm kind of at a loss. And so tired from the anxiety of her hurting them.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Oh, dear.  It doesn't sound right to me at all to separate mom from the kittens or to give them away so early.  Just an opinion.  Think about how awful this must be for LK to hear them right in the next room.  Do you think she will leave their ears alone if they have the neosporin on them?

LK sounds stressed.  I think she is overgrooming the kittens as a result, but not intentionally hurting them.  Can you do anything to address her stress?  What about putting Martin in the bedroom and giving LK and the kittens a new space?

I don't see why your vet would be upset with her.

 

[Sarthur2]

I agree that she is over-grooming from stress. This is sad. Try to give her as much time as possible with her kittens. Maybe with the neosporin on their ears she will stop chewing/licking them.

 

[keri]

She has always had a lot of time with the kittens....I don't understand why she is so stressed which makes it difficult to help the situation. She has been in the bedroom with the door shut for weeks now. She is let out when she goes by the door and will wander and drink from the faucet then go back in. What else can I do here? This is really sad and doesn't seem to be working out despite our best efforts in making her comfortable. Our entire household has been turned upside down to accommodate her. She won't even go near the babies with the Neosporin on their ears. She licked them once then walks away.