abandoned kitten

[ms688]

I am back once again. We found an abandoned kitten ( est. 2 weeks max) out in a storage room. Just the one and it was very cold. We have seen no signs of the mother but have gotten it up to temp and have been feeding KMR + encouraging poops. It's been working! However I am looking for advice from people who are experienced on what you do when you have to sleep or go to work when it comes to the care of these. All our cats are fixed so we don't have any viable surrogate/wet nurse cat, though one of our cats is very nuturing and would probably take care of it. She's still trying to mother her adult babies. Would that be a bad idea? Good to help with thermoregulation? No vets open here til Monday and I've yet to find any local person with a nursing mama or the means to take it.

it's eaten well and pooped 3-4 times, and has burped also. But i've never had to bottle feed. Then there's the worry over WHY mama abandoned only this one kitten....

 

[Margot Lane]

Whilst waiting for the experts to chime in, I don’t spose you have the kind of job where they’d let you sneak in a kitty, just to keep track of the puir wee one?

 

[StefanZ]

I am back once again. We found an abandoned kitten ( est. 2 weeks max) out in a storage room. Just the one and it was very cold. We have seen no signs of the mother but have gotten it up to temp and have been feeding KMR + encouraging poops. It's been working! However I am looking for advice from people who are experienced on what you do when you have to sleep or go to work when it comes to the care of these. All our cats are fixed so we don't have any viable surrogate/wet nurse cat, though one of our cats is very nuturing and would probably take care of it. She's still trying to mother her adult babies. Would that be a bad idea? Good to help with thermoregulation? No vets open here til Monday and I've yet to find any local person with a nursing mama or the means to take it.

it's eaten well and pooped 3-4 times, and has burped also. But i've never had to bottle feed. Then there's the worry over WHY mama abandoned only this one kitten....

Letting a friendly adult help with fostering is always a good idea.
The problem is, a risk for contagious disease.
Did momma died from something terrible?
Or momma abandoned kitten because she thought it was a goner? Such a kitten can sometimes by saved by a dedicated human, but its usually quite a lot work. An healty orphan is much easier.

So, if your residents are healthy, fully vaccinated? Or even - themselves rescued ex homeless??

Rescuers, if unsure, will typically handraise such a found unsure kitten, even if they have a perfectly able foster momma / dad. they dont take unnecessary risks.

Think it over, and take your decision.....

...................................................

In nature, a cat momma is seldom able to be with kittens 24/7. Perhaps just the first two-three days. She will typically leave them now and then, and go out to find food.
Of course, the weak ones kittens tend to perish... But the healthy ones survive, no problem.

If you had stabilized this found kitten, it seems to add weigh, you COULD leave it without feeding during your work day. Alone with a stuffed toy, or this foster parent; female or male.

But as suggested above: you could perhaps take the kitten with you in a cozy carrier, with a heat pad. And give it bottle during your pauses.?

 

[ms688]

we are keeping it separated from the rest for now, just to be certain. not all of ours have had their vaccines yet (that's next month). But kitten is doing well. sleeping hard, eating decently, pee/poop pretty often when fed. I have a video though i am not sure how to share it. It has one eye open and the other not quite there yet, though.

 

[Sarthur2]

Can you bring it to work? It cannot go 8-plus hours without eating at this age. Or take it before work to your vet so the techs can feed it for the day.

 

[fionasmom]

How to upload a video

 

[ms688]

Thank you everyone, sorry for the delay. I've been so busy taking care of baby. We're facing a new issue of pooping woes. It was giving very large mostly solid poops every 24 hours, but now it's not pooped at all for about 36hrs. Vet has reccomended a very very dilute gruel of formula and kitten food to help it get a poop passed, but I am a little worried about that since I think baby is 2 weeks at most. Obviously vet knows best, but before I do that, is there any other gentler method that is known to this community?

I've heard oil in the formula can help, and pedialyte but is that for diarrhea instead of constipation? submerging in warm water, possibly?

UPDATE:
I saw another thread rec glycering suppositories. Applied a bit of one, and 10 mins + some stim later, a poop plopped right out all on its own !!! yay!

 

[fionasmom]

So glad that the suppository worked!

 

[ms688]

I am too! I've been doing some research and wondering if I have a very much runt on my hands.

At last weight kitty was about 4.9oz but it has one (and half) eyes open. The second eye has just begun opening. It gets around wobbly but okay. It does not seem underfed because its got a big ol'belly but all the information I have looked up correlating age and development to weight does not align at all.

Does anyone have any experience in orphaned runts or how big of a gap there can be on weight for a kitten that is approaching or at 2 weeks? ears are fully unfolded too

 

[StefanZ]

Thank you everyone, sorry for the delay. I've been so busy taking care of baby. We're facing a new issue of pooping woes. It was giving very large mostly solid poops every 24 hours, but now it's not pooped at all for about 36hrs. Vet has reccomended a very very dilute gruel of formula and kitten food to help it get a poop passed, but I am a little worried about that since I think baby is 2 weeks at most. Obviously vet knows best, but before I do that, is there any other gentler method that is known to this community?

I've heard oil in the formula can help, and pedialyte but is that for diarrhea instead of constipation? submerging in warm water, possibly?

UPDATE:
I saw another thread rec glycering suppositories. Applied a bit of one, and 10 mins + some stim later, a poop plopped right out all on its own !!! yay!

Yes, oil in formula is one of our advices. Best is coldpressed olive oil "virgin oil" a few drops each time. This oil is also a good nourshment.
In difficult cases may be tried with fluid paraffine oil - its even more potent; preferably for veterinarian use to be on the safe side.

A thin bite of glycerine suppositiorium is quite efficient, as you noticed.

Submering in warm water may help sometimes yes. There are several different variations. Fairly efficient.

Pedialyte is mostly good in diarrhea, as it have salts and fluids - diarrhea means big losses of salts and electrolytes.
It doesnt help against constipation in itself, but can of course be used to extra dilution of kmr / = giving extra fluids.

Ps. The ideal consistency of kitten poo is tooth paste. If kittens poo is solid-ish it hints kitten needs somewhat more fluids...

 

[ms688]

appreciate you. today's poop was much more the consistency i expected compard to the very firm two days prior. hoping that means we're on the right track and getting used to the formula. still worried about its weight (though it is gaining weight) it is just so very tiny for all the other age-markers.

 

[StefanZ]

appreciate you. today's poop was much more the consistency i expected compard to the very firm two days prior. hoping that means we're on the right track and getting used to the formula. still worried about its weight (though it is gaining weight) it is just so very tiny for all the other age-markers.

What kmr do you use? For example, the royal canine, although decent, its known shall be diluted more than on the label. With extra dilutation there are no problems with constipating.

How much does the kitten raise per day? Please give the number preferably in grammes. 10 grammes, or 1/3+ OZ is a good raise, shouldnt be much less, its ok if its more.

 

[HeyKat]

I am too! I've been doing some research and wondering if I have a very much runt on my hands.

At last weight kitty was about 4.9oz but it has one (and half) eyes open. The second eye has just begun opening. It gets around wobbly but okay. It does not seem underfed because its got a big ol'belly but all the information I have looked up correlating age and development to weight does not align at all.

Does anyone have any experience in orphaned runts or how big of a gap there can be on weight for a kitten that is approaching or at 2 weeks? ears are fully unfolded too

Most of the kittens I've fostered have been underweight. The most important thing is to weigh them daily to make sure they're gaining.

Also, ideally feed according to weight, not age. At 140g it should be fed every 2 hours, 2ml to 6ml (google Kitten Lady feeding chart).

A kitten could be undersized for various reasons. It could be a runt, or born prematurely. Very possibly mom suffered from malnutrition so kittens didn't get enough in utero, and she didn't produce much milk.

Regardless, as long as the kitten is gaining weight, it should be fine. It's very important to feed regularly and keep the kitten warm. Because it's so tiny, it's much more susceptible to cold and low blood sugar.

My smallest surviving kitten was 120g at 3 weeks old. It was tough going for a while, but she's now a gorgeous, healthy adult. (One of her brothers was 115g at the same age. Sadly, he never gained weight and eventually passed.)

 

[ms688]

Most of the kittens I've fostered have been underweight. The most important thing is to weigh them daily to make sure they're gaining.

Also, ideally feed according to weight, not age. At 140g it should be fed every 2 hours, 2ml to 6ml (google Kitten Lady feeding chart).

A kitten could be undersized for various reasons. It could be a runt, or born prematurely. Very possibly mom suffered from malnutrition so kittens didn't get enough in utero, and she didn't produce much milk.

Regardless, as long as the kitten is gaining weight, it should be fine. It's very important to feed regularly and keep the kitten warm. Because it's so tiny, it's much more susceptible to cold and low blood sugar.

My smallest surviving kitten was 120g at 3 weeks old. It was tough going for a while, but she's now a gorgeous, healthy adult. (One of her brothers was 115g at the same age. Sadly, he never gained weight and eventually passed.)

That is so helpful thank you so much! at last weigh we were 5oz (i cant get my scale to go to gram it's stuck lol) but it's eating lots, pooping and peeing lots, trying to walk a bit now. we've got it with a pet-safe heating pad and a stuffed animal for comfort. Attaching some pictures, finally!

We've named him Risotto (Rizzo for short) to go with his big brother Rigatoni (Riggs)

 

[ms688]

I do not have confirmation of this, but my mother watches the cat in the mornings while I am getting some sleep, and today she says there was a tiny bit of blood in the urine the first pee and none after. She might've been mistaken, she refuses to get glasses lol, but a) is this common in kittens roughly 14-15 days old, b) should I be concerned if i see no more? (if it was ever there) b) i have powdered cranberry for an older cat who gets utis since his urethestomy occasionally, can kittens that young have cranberry or do we need a vet?

 

[ms688]

update: i just cheked him and he had mucousy and (ladies you know, clot type) blood bits stick to him and definitely is peeing blood

 

[Sarthur2]

You need to see a vet for a kitten this tiny — no cranberry! It’s probably either parasites or intestinal bacterial infection. The kitten will likely need a prescription for liquid Albon or metronidazole.

 

[ms688]

You need to see a vet for a kitten this tiny — no cranberry! It’s probably either parasites or intestinal bacterial infection. The kitten will likely need a prescription for liquid Albon or metronidazole.

I live out in the country and our vets don't open til monday, and emergency ones are a 3hour drive. Do you think he will be okay until monday since he has been eating and pooping fine and is gaining weight?

 

[Sarthur2]

He should be as long as he continues eating well.

 

[ms688]

He should be as long as he continues eating well.

thank you so much for the quick response and encouragement