Motherless Kittens Found - Stores Closed For Hurricane - Help

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ermentrude

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I've made my way out to my parent's house, so now I've seen the little ones in person. They are SOOOOO tiny and sweet. I think the healthy one is a female and the sickly one is male. The female may end up being named Florence.

Healthy baby is eating KMR mixed with canned kitten food. She's playing a bit but still trying to get her sea legs.

The sickly one is still sickly and was far worse than I expected when I got here. The bad news is that both kittens have some type of eye infection, although little one is far worse - his eyes routinely were sealing shut when he slept. Possibly related, the little one has an upper respiratory infection (lots of tiny baby snots). The good news is that my mom found a lady in the neighborhood who has fostered kittens for years. This lady was able to look at the bitty one, had some eye ointment and clavamox, which her vet gave her to deal with sick litters when they come up. After I very carefully loosened his eyes and cleaned off the crispy thing that sealed his eyes shut, my dad put the eye ointment in. Since that first dose, there has been some crusties but not fully sealed shut so that's progress. The clavamox seems to be helping too, with each feeding, he's taking a few steps and is a little more active.

Because I know I'd normally think this was insane, there is no way I would normally give a cat or kitten medication on the recommendation of anyone but a vet. But the vet offices closed on Tuesday, the kitten was massively lethargic and just plain sick.

So that's all for now, hurricane will likely now be here Saturday, so I'll try to get pics and have more updates tomorrow. Time to go feed again.
 

1 bruce 1

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I've made my way out to my parent's house, so now I've seen the little ones in person. They are SOOOOO tiny and sweet. I think the healthy one is a female and the sickly one is male. The female may end up being named Florence.

Healthy baby is eating KMR mixed with canned kitten food. She's playing a bit but still trying to get her sea legs.

The sickly one is still sickly and was far worse than I expected when I got here. The bad news is that both kittens have some type of eye infection, although little one is far worse - his eyes routinely were sealing shut when he slept. Possibly related, the little one has an upper respiratory infection (lots of tiny baby snots). The good news is that my mom found a lady in the neighborhood who has fostered kittens for years. This lady was able to look at the bitty one, had some eye ointment and clavamox, which her vet gave her to deal with sick litters when they come up. After I very carefully loosened his eyes and cleaned off the crispy thing that sealed his eyes shut, my dad put the eye ointment in. Since that first dose, there has been some crusties but not fully sealed shut so that's progress. The clavamox seems to be helping too, with each feeding, he's taking a few steps and is a little more active.

Because I know I'd normally think this was insane, there is no way I would normally give a cat or kitten medication on the recommendation of anyone but a vet. But the vet offices closed on Tuesday, the kitten was massively lethargic and just plain sick.

So that's all for now, hurricane will likely now be here Saturday, so I'll try to get pics and have more updates tomorrow. Time to go feed again.
The hurricane makes drastic measure worthwhile!
You're a great kitty foster mom. As are your parents.
Many here have done similar things when dealing with ferals, half ferals, and random cats that show up. No judgment from me!
Stay safe and best wishes to you, your parents, and the littles.
If Florence is a name that sticks, I consider it worthy. Tough kittens they are!
 

mazie

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You are doing a great job! Don't second guess yourself on those medications that foster lady gave you to use. I have been on this site for several years now, and I am quite certain the experienced kitten/cat caregivers have stated that clavamox is a good medicine to use in these situations.
 
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ermentrude

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Here are pictures of the sickly one. As you can tell from the action shots he's not nearly as limp as he was before - so much wiggle. Today he actually vocalized, meowing and then hissing when he was just over everything. He took a few wobbly steps on the counter. The pictures below, in addition to the KMR, he had his eye medicine (not popular) and some pedialyte because the antibiotic is giving him loose stool.

IMG_7473.jpg IMG_7475.jpg

The well kitten continues to be a wild woman. I'll try to get pics of her when she's out. She seems so far more advanced than her little brother.

The foster kitten lady said we need to separate the sick from the healthy kitten so the healthy one doesn't get sick(er) too. Hoping in a few days we can put them back together as I think they're good for each other. But then again with how rowdy the well kitten is, she might just annoy him.

Wind picking up, but we're probably still about 24 hours from impact where I am.
 

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He's not doing much because he doesn't feel good. Separating them for now is good advice, you don't want to be having to care for 2 sick kittens. Keep him on his meds and encouraging him to eat. He's trying to walk, hissing, etc, all good signs, Keep up the good work. Hopefully you can get him to a vet as soon as the weather will allow you to get out. ;) Actually, take both to the vet when you get the opportunity. Can't wait for your post on telling us how much "mischief" they BOTH are getting themselves into.
 

kashmir64

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Now that you've got better pictures, I'm changing my mind. They are only about 3 weeks old.
Keep up the good work and stay safe. I've been watching the live stream for this monster and I don't think they know where it's going.
 
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ermentrude

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Morning update - healthy kitten continues to thrive. The resident kitten - ~6 months old now - interacted with her just a bit. Really impressed that the resident was patient and let the kitten check her undercarriage for milk (sadly for little one, big kitten is fixed). Little one is wickedly fast in small spurts, and she plays hard for about 5 minutes before she needs a nice hours long nap. Happy healthy kitten.

Sickly kitten seems to be improving by bits. He opens his eyes wider now, not as wide as his sister but wider. I was cleaning out the eye crusties and he started licking his paws and trying to clean his nose at the same time - that is the first time we've seen him even try to groom. He got poo on his tail and my dad gently cleaned it off, near the end the little one was over it and gave out a nice big growl, so his attitude is coming in nicely. He took a few steps around the counter in between eating and his eye meds. And his wheezing seems markedly better this morning.

Looks like we'll dodge the worst of the storm, but still risk of high winds and lots of rain today. Hopefully places start opening up over the next day or two and we can get the little ones into the vet.
 
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ermentrude

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Sad news today. The sickly kitten slowed down considerably last night. One emergency vet was open today, we went down. While we were waiting, my dad and the kitten had a good snuggle, but he was clearly fading. The vet said his heart and his lungs sounded rough - it could be an infection or failure to thrive. She recommended sub q fluids and then to take him home, continue the antibiotics and some new meds for tummy bugs, and hopefully he'll bounce back again. During the ride home, he passed away, though.

The little girl continues to thrive. She didn't go to the vet but will go somewhere local tomorrow. Emergency vet said she may have just taken all of the resources from mom from the beginning.

My parents will probably end up keeping the girl. And the little one will be laid to rest in their back butterfly garden.
 
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ermentrude

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Another two were just found, has to be the same litter, but they were not there yesterday when my dad looked. One is 12 oz like the surviving kitten and the other is 10 oz. My parents will foster the 2 and keep the original

The existing kitten is unimpressed on her throne.

IMG_1926.jpg
 

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The first two kittens were found 4 days ago. Have the two new ones survived for 4 days on their own or is mom somewhere around? Unless somebody who had left the two first ones has now done the same thing with the two new ones knowing that they would be picked up and taken care of?
 
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