Stray kitten-please help !!!

[Ellie5010ml]

Hi! My name is Ellie and I'm new to this forum. I'm a college student and dog person by trade but have taken care of a cat before as a result of a lost family member. That cat was a senior with a terminal senior when I acquired him and died in August only a few months after moving in with me. I've been cat free since but still have the fancy litter box, toys, carrier, et cetera.

The other day I was on a walk and found a small, stray kitten shivering and crying against a little ledge. My roommate and I managed to catch her to bring her inside. We live in Ohio by the lakes where it is freezing and raining/snowing constantly around this time of year. She is old enough to eat real food. We cleaned out the old cats carrier, put in a clean blanket, small amounts of food and water, and then let her rest in there in the dark for a few hours. I also gave her a gentle bath in the sink last night to get the mud and crusts out of her fur that she definitely couldn't get herself. No fleas, ticks, or signs of rabies. She's let me cuddle and hold her and even purred through it but I'm worried she could be lethargic. She's spent most of her time hiding but has been willing to eat out of my hand. There's no posts about her on any lost pet boards, no collar and her nails obviously haven't been trimmed, but she does seem well fed and comfortable being handled. She's sneezing and has running nose/eyes. How concerned should I be? I've scheduled a vet visit tomorrow at 4:00 PM to make sure she is ok but I could go in sooner as an emergency patient. I think it's some upper respiratory infection but I have no idea how serious those are with such small cats.

Anyone know what to do? After contacting local shelters (which are all full) it looks like she'll be staying with us for a while and I want to make sure she is comfortable, safe, and healthy. We will be sure to do right by her. Thanks!

P.S. we're calling her Pinta, like the bean

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi, and welcome to TCS! It is wonderful what you are doing for this kitten.

It doesn't hurt to ask the vet if there is any chance of getting Pinta in earlier - emergency or otherwise - especially because you are worried about the lethargy. The sooner she is seen, the quicker any needed meds can be started. The younger she is, the more prone she is to having her issues escalate more rapidly.

You might also ask them if there are any other precautions you can take until you do get her in to see them.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

If the Vet can't get you in any sooner, as long as she's eating she should be okay until tomorrow. Typically with these type of things, if they get too congested they can't smell their food and that becomes problematic. You can try warming up some stinky wet food if that happens, and also try putting her in a hot steamy bathroom to help clear up stuffy sinuses.

Of course, if you see any real problems breathing or she becomes listless, etc., then you may need to escalate things. For now, just make sure she is nice and warm and continues eating and drinking and peeing and pooping.

She's a cutie

 

[catsknowme]

Welcome to TCS, Team Pinta! When you aren't holding her, try keeping Pinta in a warm nest such as a open kennel or cardboard box covered with a towel (to keep the ambient temperature to around 85°F). You can put an extra heat source such as a heated pet pad or if using a human heated pad, keep on low (be sure it is only on part of the nest so she can move away if too hot). You can ask the vet about L-lysine for immune support. I would give her unflavored pedialyte to get her electrolytes back in balance because she probably has malnutrition & dehydration. Until the vet check, you can reach out to local TNR rescues to see if they can give you advice - be sure to emphasize that you arent asking them for placement because you are willing to foster - they might have localized information on what illnesses are im your area plus other tidbits from the "voices of experience". The steamy bathroom or a nearby vaporizer already suggested is an excellent suggestion!
Top Honors to your roommate and you for saving such a fragile, precious life!
I am looking forward to updates!

 

[fionasmom]

Kitten Lady
This is a very helpful website for information about kitten care.

Kitten Care - Home — Kitten Lady
Directory here. Under Physical Health there is an article about assessing the kitten and also one about respiratory infections. However, given the circumstances under which you found her, I would definitely try for a vet appointment.

 

[Ellie5010ml]

Welcome to TCS, Team Pinta! When you aren't holding her, try keeping Pinta in a warm nest such as a open kennel or cardboard box covered with a towel (to keep the ambient temperature to around 85°F). You can put an extra heat source such as a heated pet pad or if using a human heated pad, keep on low (be sure it is only on part of the nest so she can move away if too hot). You can ask the vet about L-lysine for immune support. I would give her unflavored pedialyte to get her electrolytes back in balance because she probably has malnutrition & dehydration. Until the vet check, you can reach out to local TNR rescues to see if they can give you advice - be sure to emphasize that you arent asking them for placement because you are willing to foster - they might have localized information on what illnesses are im your area plus other tidbits from the "voices of experience". The steamy bathroom or a nearby vaporizer already suggested is an excellent suggestion!
Top Honors to your roommate and you for saving such a fragile, precious life!
I am looking forward to updates!

This is fantastic advice! Thank you. I've placed her in a corner of my room that stays at a consistently warmer temperature in a boxed off area covered in cozy blankets. Her cold already has seen some improvement. She's eating ferociously and I'm having to clean her eyes/nose much less frequently.

If the Vet can't get you in any sooner, as long as she's eating she should be okay until tomorrow. Typically with these type of things, if they get too congested they can't smell their food and that becomes problematic. You can try warming up some stinky wet food if that happens, and also try putting her in a hot steamy bathroom to help clear up stuffy sinuses.

Of course, if you see any real problems breathing or she becomes listless, etc., then you may need to escalate things. For now, just make sure she is nice and warm and continues eating and drinking and peeing and pooping.

She's a cutie

Thank you. This makes me feel a little better. She is definitely eating--and eating dry food with no hesitation. She's breathing just fine but occasionally has a sneeze (it would be really cute if it weren't terrifying). Like I said, she has seen some improvement so I'm feeling dangerously optimistic about her prospects.


Also, I just realized I spelled Pinto wrong in the OG post haha

Hi, and welcome to TCS! It is wonderful what you are doing for this kitten.

It doesn't hurt to ask the vet if there is any chance of getting Pinta in earlier - emergency or otherwise - especially because you are worried about the lethargy. The sooner she is seen, the quicker any needed meds can be started. The younger she is, the more prone she is to having her issues escalate more rapidly.

You might also ask them if there are any other precautions you can take until you do get her in to see them.

I did call but unfortunately 4:00 PM is as soon as they have available, but if her condition takes a rough swing for the worst we're driving over to the animal ER.

 

[catsknowme]

Wonderful update! It sounds luke her body is fighting off any illness and as she continues to eat she will keep growing stronger - the spirit of a warrioer! I love it! You are doing a fantastic job of keeping her thriving and encouraged.
Thank you for clarifying her name - i thought maybe it was a regional thing , sorta like the way Nevada is pronounced ( out West, especially in NV, ir is always "Neh-Va-duh, the "a" as in "as" instead of the back East version that is Neh-VAH-duh). Anyway, kudos to you all, Team Pinto!

 

[Ellie5010ml]

UPDATE:
We went to the vet and boy is she lucky. She doesn't have HIV or Leukemia. No fleas or ticks or rabies. They confirmed female and estimate three months old.

She had a fever, three different ear infections and an ear mite infestation, worms and a respiratory infection. She's emaciated with a pot belly from the worms and has some other stool irregularities. Now she's on about five different medications and man have her energy levels exploded. I got her a small scratching post from Walmart and some wet kitten food that she is scarfing down. Her confidence is much higher and she's chasing around toys she was previously scared of. She'll get shots in two weeks when her immune system is up.

She's still pretty tired and conks out after every play session but it's just nice to see her being a kitten every now and again.

Thank you guys so much for all of your advice and more is definitely welcome because I've never had a kitten!! Or any cat that wasn't super sick. So I'm still not sure how to keep her entertained. I've been doing a lot of reading about litter training and play but any tips from some seasoned kitty parents would be great.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Maybe something in here will be helpful:

First Time Cat Owner's Guide - TheCatSite

Essential guide for first-time cat owners. Tips, insights, and advice to navigate your new feline friendship. Share and learn!

thecatsite.com

How To Train Kittens To Use The Litter Box [A Guide] - TheCatSite

Learn effective techniques for training kittens to use the litter box with our comprehensive guide for a successful litter box training.

thecatsite.com

13 Practical Ways to Kitten-Proof Your Home - TheCatSite

Kitten-proof your home with our comprehensive guide, designed to turn your space into a safe haven for your new pet. Discover priceless community insights and practical tips to help welcome your feline friend, while creating an exploration-friendly and hazard-free environment.

thecatsite.com

 

[Furballsmom]

See? If you didn't believe in it before, The Universal Cat Distribution System is real, and alive and well.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Ah, I am enthralled with this thread! And I personally think that for a little girl, "Pinta" as the feminine of "Pinto" would be perfectly acceptable! Thank you for taking in this little "orphan of the storm" and giving her a life she could not even dream of. I have noticed something over a long, long life. Sometimes those we rescue also rescue us, and in ways we'd never have thought possible!

 

[Ellie5010ml]

I certainly have had moments where I can't quite figure out who saved who. Thanks for the resources! Always a joy to benefit from the universal cat distribution system.

 

[cmshap]

Always a joy to benefit from the universal cat distribution system.

I came to be a cat owner myself completely by random like this. And my cat, Willy, has been my best friend for almost 10 years now.

I just wanted to add that there is a chance that the respiratory symptoms will persist chronically for the rest of a cat's life if they have an infection at an early age. This happened with my cat. My vet explained that it has to do with permanent damage done to the respiratory mucosa when they get sick while young.

My mom and I found him outside of my mom's house when I was staying with her for a while, and he was a little under one year old at the time. He was very sick and emaciated, with a nasty respiratory infection. After getting it cleared up with antibiotics, he still continued to have sneezing and runny nose throughout his entire life. It has come and gone, so it's not constant, but it keeps coming back every year.

My vet prescribes zeniquin about once a year, which works to suppress the symptoms for a while. That was an antibiotic that worked for him in those early days, so we've continued to use it over the years. I wouldn't expect that drug, specifically, to work in all cases like this, but I'm just saying that a regular application of an antibiotic does work in my cat's case.

Otherwise, he's been healthy for the last decade, until he recently developed lymphoma, and is currently in chemotherapy. But he's been doing well in treatment, and healthy in every other regard. The cancer has not seemed to make his respiratory symptoms any worse.

Also, I noted that you said she was scarfing down wet food. I think it's somewhat common for a cat who experienced starvation at some point in life to become a food-scarfer. Same thing with Willy. I actually have had to pace him at feeding time, because he can eat so fast he throws up (until cancer treatment, which his appetite was strongly affected by).

I have noticed something over a long, long life. Sometimes those we rescue also rescue us, and in ways we'd never have thought possible!

I certainly have had moments where I can't quite figure out who saved who.

I've been open about this on TCS in other threads before, but my cat seriously helped me get sober from an alcohol problem. I don't know if I could have done it without having him.

 

[Kwik]

Hi E Ellie5010ml
Any updates on the adorable little Pinta ( bean,lol)