I found a sick kitten in the car park of my local super market this afternoon. At first I thought she'd been hit as she way lying just in front of the front tyre of a parked car. I went over to say hi and she lifted her head up and mewed at me. Her eyes were completely crusted shut. I talked to her for a bit and she let me pet her, actually stood up and walked a few paces. I managed to find a cardboard box, used my sweatshirt to bundle her up in and took her to my vets, which is just round the corner.
The vet cleaned her eyes and ears, put her on a drip, gave her an injection to help with her breathing (She's very congested) and kept her for a few hours while I arranged a ride home for her. He thinks she's "almost certainly" FIV+, but I didn't have enough money on me to pay for the blood test right there and then.
Now she's at my place. As I don't know exactly what's wrong with her I've put her in my cat cage out on the deck, covered that cage with waterproof sheets and blocked the cage off so that the other cats can't go near. (Changed my clothes and scrubbed my hands too.) I'm hoping she'll eat on her own, if not I guess I'll try syringe feeding her tomorrow.
I think she's around 6 months old, possible a bit older and just very small and malnourished.
Does anyone who has experience of FIV+ cats know what her chances might be? I've had an FIV+ cat before, but he was a much older feral tom who'd got infected by fighting.
Does the fact that she's so young and so sick already mean she'll stand less chance of recovering?
Thanks for any input.
The vet cleaned her eyes and ears, put her on a drip, gave her an injection to help with her breathing (She's very congested) and kept her for a few hours while I arranged a ride home for her. He thinks she's "almost certainly" FIV+, but I didn't have enough money on me to pay for the blood test right there and then.
Now she's at my place. As I don't know exactly what's wrong with her I've put her in my cat cage out on the deck, covered that cage with waterproof sheets and blocked the cage off so that the other cats can't go near. (Changed my clothes and scrubbed my hands too.) I'm hoping she'll eat on her own, if not I guess I'll try syringe feeding her tomorrow.
I think she's around 6 months old, possible a bit older and just very small and malnourished.
Does anyone who has experience of FIV+ cats know what her chances might be? I've had an FIV+ cat before, but he was a much older feral tom who'd got infected by fighting.
Does the fact that she's so young and so sick already mean she'll stand less chance of recovering?
Thanks for any input.