Question about feral cats abandoning their kittens..

[commanderscott]

I'll ask my vet about that then. If they have no insight about it I'll call the shelter. Would switching medicine for Hercules cause problems? He's currently on day three (of ten) for Albon.

I'll switch him to the syringe. I'll also see about getting him some baby food and baby cereal to mix with his formula to see if he likes that more. He really likes wet food, but he suckles on it instead of biting it.

 

[Sarthur2]

Switching meds is not a problem. Do try the baby food.

Did the worming medicine arrive yet?

 

[commanderscott]

Yep! I've been giving it to them. Tonight's their last dose. Come to think of it, that might have a hand in why Lucy's getting so sick. The bottle did say that vomiting was a side effect, and she's only ever thrown up these past two nights -- after taking the medicine.

 

[Sarthur2]

There's your answer. Don't give her this last dose. She needs a break.

How much were you giving them?

 

[commanderscott]

The vet told me to give them .3 mL for three days, wait two weeks, do it again, and repeat in another two weeks. Should I give them both a break? Herc seems to be taking it fine.

 

[Sarthur2]

The dosage is fine, and the vet's instructions are good.

Finish Hercules' dose since he's taking it well. Back off with Lucy. I wouldn't give her anymore for now since it makes her sick.

Did you get any further information on the other meds?

 

[commanderscott]

The vet hasn't called me back yet about the other medicine. If I don't hear back from them by tomorrow morning I'll give them a call.

 

[commanderscott]

Litter box training has officially begun and Hercules knew right away what to do with it. He's getting so big too! They're also sleeping on my bed with me now. Training them to be little cuddle bugs. And Shepard LOVES Herc. I got a little kitty family right here.

 

[commanderscott]

No throwing up last night! Guess the wormer was the issue. Poor thing. I'll ask for a different one for her soon.

 

[Sarthur2]

Good! I'm glad that is resolved. There are other wormers she can have, like Drontal, when she gets bigger. I would not be too concerned right now.

How is their weight?

 

[commanderscott]

Well no worms came up in their stool the other night, so I'm assuming that they don't have pinworms, at the very least.

Their weight is great! Lucille is at 13.1 ounces, and Hercules is at 13.9 -- but it's hard to get a weight on him because he's so squirmy. They're both "officially" four weeks in two days, and they're gaining like crazy these past two days, so I anticipate them being up to a full pound by the end of the week.

On Lucille, though, how long does it usually take kittens to recover from mild dehydration? Lucille is still eating and playing. She has no trouble walking around whenever she's out of her crate, but she's lethargic and spends most of her time sleeping. I know that kittens this age sleep a LOT, but how much is too much? The "tent test" suggests that she's got mild dehydration, so I fed her 2 mL of homemade Pedialyte to start with, then put some in her formula -- half of the liquids being water, the other half being Pedialyte. Her eyes look less "tired" if that makes any sense, and she perked up for a bit after. Her skin is also getting more elastic, but I'm still worried. I can't take her to the vet right now because of lack of money. She's still on her antibiotics so I don't think she's sick with anything. Herc himself isn't on antibiotics and he's not showing any signs of illness, either. It's been over a full 24 hours since she last threw up. No rapid breathing. No rapid heartbeat. (Aside from her being a kitten and having a fast heart anyway.) She feels a little bit warm, but she also spends most of her time cuddled up next to Hercules or wrapped up in the covers in her crate. I'm worried is all. Thanks!

EDIT :: Never mind. Hercules is a full pound. Lucille is still gaining, though, and she's always lagged behind her brother, but I'll keep an eye on her just in case.

 

[Sarthur2]

C commanderscott

Just continue giving her extra fluids. You can put a drop or two of honey in her formula. Give her some plain water or honey water between feedings. Hopefully she's just resting up from two days of vomiting. That's hard on tiny kittens!

 

[commanderscott]

Thanks! I just picked her up and she's not as lethargic as I thought. She really really wants to play. I think her eyes were tired simply because she was, LOL. But I'll keep up with the rehydration, and I'll put some local honey in her formula. She might REALLY like the added flavor. But I think I was overly worried. She's playing with my hands as I type. And she's SUPER quick. Practically pouncing currently. Thanks so much!

On a cuter update, these two are sleeping with me in my bed. During the day, while I'm doing homework, I have them in their crate. If I'm in my room they're with me on the bed. In a couple of weeks they'll be exploring my room and bits of the house. Also, I asked my brother if he'd help me care for them while I go to school and he said he was totally fine with it, especially since I bribed him with food.

 

[Sarthur2]

This all sounds great!

How old is your brother that he can be bribed with food?

 

[commanderscott]

LOL He's like, 26 in September. Sweet guy, though, and doesn't mind helping out as long as we ask him well in advance.

 

[Sarthur2]

Nice brother! He'll fall in love with these guys!

 

[commanderscott]

Funny story about my brother: When he moved out, he swore he'd never get another animal because growing up, he was SURROUNDED by them. So when he moved to a different city, what's one of the things he did? Adopt a cat, because she drooled when she was happy and as a result every time he visited her (his friends were fostering her) he got soaked in drool. His friend said that he was the only person she drooled on that much so my brother decided to take her home. When it came time for him to move home, instead of leaving the cat, he brought her with him and now she's a part of our household and spends her days in the cat room with Stormy Gray, and her nights roaming the house but mostly snuggling with my brother. She's diabetic and a munchkin kitty. Her name is Snow Cat because she's pure white, and she's adorable. She's got such tiny legs. I don't think he'll fall in love with Hercules and Lucille but he's definitely got a soft heart and if he can help me take care of them, he'll be more than happy to do it.

But my brother is more of a people person and I'm more of an April Ludgate. "Animals should be rewarded for not being people."

 

[commanderscott]

Herc no longer has hard stools and Lucille no longer has diarrhea. In fact, Herc had two healthy BMs today and Lucille had a good one just now with form. She has some gas though. But they've both improved! And Herc is officially stands by the litter box to wait for me to help him in when he has to go. Smart babies.

 

[Sarthur2]

Hurray! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[commanderscott]

All right. So I've tried everything to get these guys to begin the weaning process. The verdict remains: They still won't do it. I've tried the following:

1. Chicken baby food mixed with their formula in a saucer. They won't even look at it and seem disgusted by the smell/taste.

2. Chicken baby food alone in a saucer. Still that disgust.

3. Formula in a saucer. They have no clue that it's there, and when I show them, they have no interest in lapping it up.

4. Formula in a spoon. They won't lap it up. Hercules tried once, sneezed, and his head shook pretty violently. He's pretty against it now.

5. Wet kitten food and formula mixed together in a saucer. Again, no interest at all, even when I smear it on their mouths. They turn their head up at it and fight against it.

6. Wet kitten food alone. Hercules shows SOME interest in this, but not enough to actually eat it. He just sniffs it and walks off. When I smear it on his mouth he fights it and walks away.

They're both biting pretty adamantly at the bottle now and get frustrated when no formula comes out. It takes a full minute for them to figure out that they're still supposed to suck on it. I've got no clue how to make the weaning process appealing to them. Scottie was already in the process of being weaned when we got her, and Shepard was fully weaned -- to the point where formula didn't agree with her tummy. Also, Lucille still has no clue what the litter box is for and she just walks right out of it. Hercules, meanwhile, figured it out right away and now lets me know when he has to go potty so I can put him in the box.

How can I get these two weaned? And is there any way I can get Lucille to get used to the litter box? I've put her in there after every meal, took her paw, and gently ran it along the litter so that she knew what it was. Still no success. Any advice based off the information I gave? I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!