Very Young Kitten Gone Quiet! Please Help And Advise!

[Aimee4]

Please help
I recently became a cat mom to 3 abandoned kittens who were approx 3/4 days old. Found mom and 5 kittens originally in a very dangerous compost/rubbish heap. Mom was very feral and after 3 hours worth of attempts to rescue here we had no luck and she ran off. Leaving her babies behind.
On closer inspection of the kittens 2 had been mutilated by rats and sadly put to sleep by vets.

The remaining 3 I have taken in and been hand rearing for the past 7 days. So far they have been eating/toileting well and putting on lots of weight which is great.

However for the past 6 hours one of them has began wetting herself a lot in bed. At this point i am obviously helping them toilet so seems strange that she's suddenly doing it herself, literally every 2 hours when I go to feed her she has already peed everywhere- even peed on me when she was sleeping on my lap. Is this normal??
The same kitten has now became difficult to feed just not suckling properly and more slightly chewing the end of the bottle instead - she had always been the easiest to feed latching on straight away and having a good guzzle of milk.
Additionally she has been the curious cat of the 3 always trying to crawl and poking her head around and looking wide eyed but shes just not seeming herself. Doesn't move around much just lies and barley moves when I'm picking her up, her eyes aren't as open and seems generally weak..

I've not ever had kittens this young, is there a simple explanation, should I be worried, am I doing something wrong.
Please please help with any knowledge or experience you have.

I'm going to monitor her throughout the day and fear a trip to the vets may be needed if she doesn't perk up.

Thank you in advance!!

 

[StefanZ]

Reading, writing soon. Stand by.

 

[StefanZ]

Re possible visit to your vet - which is the obvious - are they experienced with small, weak kittens? Many arent. And if they arent, its not much help to expect from them.
While a good, experienced, compassionate vet is of course worth hers weigh in gold.

 

[StefanZ]

OK, I see. Its definitely a turn to the worse, and may even end badly.
Why difficult to know. If your vet is a knowleable one, do visit her.

The peeing - not common, but it happens. sometimes no real problem. Sometimes it may be beginning of the end, when the sphincters no longer functioning. For the moment the advice is you stimulate her more often, so the bladder is empty and doesnt need to soil the bedding nor your knees.

Pooing works as it shall??

Re lethargic and weak: you can smear a water + honey solution on her lips and gum. The glucose sugar in honey goes directly into blood from the mouth, doesnt needs to be digested. White caro syrup is an alternative, same idea. OR if you find dextrose / glucose sugar proper. Just make the water tasting sweet. Two-three teaspoons in a cup.

If she is weak with bottle, you may try with a needleless syringe, in the corner of the mouth, be sure she swallows.

Possibly using a sponge - type of make up sponge. For some it works nicely, and may be easier to suckle than from a bottle.

A good vet may try with tub-feeding directly to the stomach with such a one becoming weak. But many vets dont know how to do this. And its difficult and dangerous to learn by yourself unless someone shows you - and gives the right gears.

Last not least: exact what kmr do you use? Hartz is know to give backlash now and then - uneven quality controll??

If you can get RAW goats milk - it MAY give a positive differance. Canned or powdered goats milk are OK to use, even a good alternative, but not the same potential edge...

Hope you got some ideas.

Please come back with reports and further questions.

 

[StefanZ]

A Aimee4 some answers above.

 

[Aimee4]

StefanZ Thanks so much for a fast reply. I've noticed one of the other kittens is nibbling at the sickly ones rear so possibly may be encouraging some of the bed wetting. She is pooing as normal and no diarrhoea. I will gove the honey and water a try and she is due a feed soon so will see if they syringe works better however she was fussy with the syringe which is why we got the bottle but willing to try it all to help her! I will keep you updated. Thanks again

 

[Aimee4]

StefanZ also I'm using cimicat kmr which was given by the vets, I'm not sure how great the vets are with tiny kittens but will take her if all the above doesn't work at all

 

[StefanZ]

Cimicat should be OK.

A couple things more: Be sure she is warm and in comfort. Ie a heating pad and or or IR-warming lamp (perhaps some rheutmatic neighbour has one to lend out?). If its very hot at your place, than some chilling may be necessary.

You can try to massage the kitten - perhaps using a toothbrush. It feels as moms licking too.

 

[Aimee4]

StefanZ the honey water seemed to raise her appetite a little and she had some milk from the syringe. But she looks like she's just getting so weak. She's eating but other than that she's just floppy. I've massaged her and kept her warm but looks like she's going downhill. Think I'll be going to the vets. Thanks for your suggestions and please feel free to let me know if you have any further advice. Will be heartbreaking if she can't pull through

 

[Draco]

Please do keep us posted at what the vet says. I don't know much about tiny kittens, but wanted to offer support.

 

[StefanZ]

If you are any religious, feel free to pray. It does helps sometimes.

 

[Aimee4]

Just thought I'd let you know that unfortunately the kitten passed away in the car on the journey to the vets. Very upset. However while there we got the remaining two checked over and they seem healthy. The vet said sometimes unfortunately these things happen when hand rearing young kittens. Fingers crossed no more heartbreak.

 

[Sarthur2]

I'm so sorry! Yes, let's hope the others remain healthy.

 

[mazie]

So sorry about her passing. Please keep us posted on the other two little ones' progress and please let us see what they like.

 

[Draco]

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of this little one. You did everything you could

Out of respect, we lock threads when one passes away. Feel free to start a tribute in the Crossing the Bridge forums.