Dwarf Kitten

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
I haven't been on here for a while because of illness, but now I really need some advice. I feed the feral cats in my neighborhood and usually wind up handraising several litters of kittens every year. A while back one of the feral mothers brought her baby up on my back porch and left it. It was three weeks old. I know the age for certain because I checked in on her while they were being born. This kitten turned 10 weeks old day before yesterday. She is very, very tiny. More the size of a two week old. She seems pretty healthy, other than a problem with constipation. She eats like a little pig, runs, and plays. Her favorite activity is beating up my other cat's tail. She's a tough little guy. I call her Freddy (Krueger) because she's got claws and she knows how to use 'em. The thing is, while I have considerable experience in caring for kittens, I don't know how to take proper care of such a tiny baby. Any advice?
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,896
Purraise
28,304
Location
South Dakota
Yeah, sounds like you're doing everything right. What are you feeding her? Has she been de-wormed? Is she skinny and frail, or thick and muscular, even if tiny? It makes a difference! Some kitties are just small.
 

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,333
Purraise
68,315
Location
North Carolina
You appear to be doing just fine with her. She should, just to set you at ease, have a vet check. Cat mamas are very good at discerning abnormalities in their kittens, and frequently abandon them. In this case, she brought her kitten to someone who has been kind, hoping to save its life, and so far, so good! If she's rambunctious, I don't think there is anything seriously amiss, but I'd have her checked sooner rather than later. Tell the vet the circumstances, so he knows what your concern is.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
26,079
Purraise
10,782
Location
Sweden
Agree. In the meantime, supplementing with goats milk (preferably raw goats milk, but almost any goats milk will do) may help. Even if she technically doesnt need extra milk now.
And some nice vitamine paste shouldnt hurt either.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
Yeah, sounds like you're doing everything right. What are you feeding her? Has she been de-wormed? Is she skinny and frail, or thick and muscular, even if tiny? It makes a difference! Some kitties are just small.
She's been wormed. I mix wet food (13 ounces) with a half teaspoon of nutrical, a teaspoon of oil, and extra water because of the constipation. I have to put the dry food my other cat likes where she can't reach it. She lets me know when she wants food and I feed her whenever she starts squalling for it.

I'd like for her to at least gain a little weight, even if she's not growing very much. She's skinny, very frail. I think she's gained a little. I plan to buy a scale when I get another payday so I'll know for sure. She looks a lot fatter than she actually is because she has very thick plushy fur but underneath you can feel every bone in her little body. No, she's not just small. I have a just small kitten from another litter I am caring for. That's PeeWee, jr. They are cousins. Just small kittens are small but they grow. Maybe slowly, but they wind up not looking like a kitten that's still in the nest.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,896
Purraise
28,304
Location
South Dakota
I'd add KMR or goat's milk to her food too. She needs the extra nutrition. How is her poop---is it solid or runny?

And a bit more Nutrical wouldn't be bad either.
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
You appear to be doing just fine with her. She should, just to set you at ease, have a vet check. Cat mamas are very good at discerning abnormalities in their kittens, and frequently abandon them. In this case, she brought her kitten to someone who has been kind, hoping to save its life, and so far, so good! If she's rambunctious, I don't think there is anything seriously amiss, but I'd have her checked sooner rather than later. Tell the vet the circumstances, so he knows what your concern is.
I'm an old lady on a limited income. I have to save up for several months for the vet. That's what I'm doing now. I hope to have enough by the first of December to take her. I have to get my six-month-old spayed, also. Do NOT need any more kittens! Oh, and she's very rambunctious, very opinionated, very bossy. She thinks I'm her personal servant.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
I'd add KMR or goat's milk to her food too. She needs the extra nutrition. How is her poop---is it solid or runny?
Solid. She's had constipation, her anus hard and swollen, but the oil and extra water have just about cleared that up. I think I'll try the goat milk. I had digestive issues myself as a child and goat milk cleared that right up. Thanks for reminding me.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
Agree. In the meantime, supplementing with goats milk (preferably raw goats milk, but almost any goats milk will do) may help. Even if she technically doesnt need extra milk now.
And some nice vitamine paste shouldnt hurt either.
I'm giving her Nutrical and I'm going to try the goat milk. Thanks.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
I'd add KMR or goat's milk to her food too. She needs the extra nutrition. How is her poop---is it solid or runny?

And a bit more Nutrical wouldn't be bad either.
I'm not sure exactly how much Nutrical to give her. She's so tiny. Too much can cause the runs.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
I'm not sure exactly how much Nutrical to give her. She's so tiny. Too much can cause the runs.
Here are some pics of my baby.

20201103_000100.jpg


20201103_000451.jpg


20201103_000005.jpg

She has slightly shorter legs than usual, and a shorter, rather stumpy tail which are earmarks of drawfism. That and her small size makes me believe she is suffering from that. When I get her to the vet, I'll know more. She's so tiny and frail, I'm afraid I'll break her when I pick her up. Boy, is she spoiled!
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

Cmmack

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
37
Purraise
35
I forgot to tell you I have her on probiotics. I increased the amount of Nutrical I'm giving her, but I'm doing it slowly. I've had that give kittens the runs before, and I don't want to make her worse. I will add goat milk to her diet when I can, but my mobility problem has been made worse due to the fact that I fell and busted up my knee. I can't depend on my daughter to get it. She might pick it up for me, but more likely she won't.

The good news is, she's starting to gain a little weight. If she's grown any, I can't tell it. I'll be glad when I can get a scale to weigh her. Anyway, one benefit from this has been to improve PeeWee Jr's health.

Jr. looks just like his mother and will be small like her. I thought PeeWee's mother had only had four kittens, then after about a week, I saw a tiny foot sticking out that didn't belong, It was cold weather, and all that time, she had stayed underneath the other babies to keep warm. I was shocked. She was so tiny, newborn sized, that next to the others she looked like a kiddie car parked next to double-decker buses. I left her with her mom but brought her in to feed her. She didn't grow at all for about three weeks, then she came out of it. She's around three pounds now. I had hoped that would happen with Freddy but in two days she'll be eleven weeks old and she hasn't grown any that I can tell.

Thanks everyone, for your help. I appreciate it very much. I'll post some better pics of Freddy when I can.
 
Top