Foster Kitten Adventure (1 Sweet + 1 Feral)

[kittyluv387]

Ouch! Glad you're feeling better.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Hope it's ok I'm sorta using this thread as a journal of sorts. I just wanna be able to document things that happen, and progress, etc. And it'll be fun for their future parent(s) to read one day!

So not to start this "entry" out on a bummy note, but the bites Cribbage gave me the other day were pretty bad. Two of my bosses (pharmacists) disagreed on what to do... One said watch & wait, one wanted me to go to urgent care and get an Rx for antibiotics ASAP. I reminded him I don't have insurance and he acted surprised... Hello guy, you're my boss and you know I'm part time lol
I took ibuprofen to reduce swelling, washed with Hibiclens twice a day, applied Neosporin and kept bandaged while at work.
I decided last nite if the redness and swelling didn't go down by this morning, I'd go get treatment.
But thankfully this morning, the swelling and redness had gone down quite a bit. Still keeping an eye, but I'm really thinking I got verrrry lucky.
Still taking the ibuprofen (tho haven't needed nearly as much today as I did before), and keeping with the Hibiclens washes and Neosporin/bandages whilst at work. Keeping them in the air at night.

Last night I had to clean the cage and I stupidly left the room for a minute with the cage door open. Cribbage bolted and hid in the room. My first thought was, "If she's out, how can I medicate her in the morning!?" so I kept trying different strategies of how to get her back into the little hidey house thing to get her contained again, but nope.
I decided I'd sleep in there last night and if I heard her go into the cage to eat or use the box, I could close the cage door.
I forgot what it was like to try sleeping around a kitten... Fiddle kept waking me up with purring and head bonks and sneezing fits and attempts to play. She'd settle down and sleep for just a little bit next to me.... But then back to the purring/headbonks/sneezing/playing ... Eventually around 3am I got mad and came out to sleep in my recliner in the living room.

This morning I gave Fiddle her Clav (so easy, that gal) and again attempted different strategies of getting Cribbage contained. Nope, wasn't happening. Eventually had to give up and go to work, feeling bad she didn't get her meds.

When I got home, I ALMOST got Cribbage contained but she bolted across the room into a different hiding spot. I finally thought, "screw it" and just went at her mouth with the syringe. She took it. Only lost one little drop.
Petted her a little bit. I do this a few times a day, just keep trying to show her that touch is ok. I'm not gonna pick her up .. Just touch. She doesn't love it, but she tolerates it.

They're eating well. Favorite wet food so far seems to be Wholehearted Flaked Tuna Kitten--Those bowls were licked clean in a FLASH. A fellow shelter volunteer friend who works at Whole Foods got us some Rescue Remedy that I'm adding to their water. And another friend thru our shelter who actually works as a cat behaviorist and directs the program in our "feral" (we prefer to call it "undersocialized") room at the shelter actually mixes up certain different flower essences that have helped the cats in that room A. LOT. And I found out tonight she's going to make a very special customized mix for Cribbage. Very happy to hear that!

So that's the latest news from here.

Posts are useless without pics, so here's a pic of Fiddle with a bag of nommy kibbles a friend sent from our Amazon wish list.
View attachment 269363

It takes a village, even for a coupla little foster kittens.

This is your thread, using it as a journal is a great idea. A fantastic tutorial. I was going to suggest wrapping her in a towel like a burrito to medicate but if she will freely take them, all the better. You are doing great. Love the updates and photos. Wear long sleeves (and gloves?) when you need to grab her and stay safe.

 

[m3rma1d]

This is your thread, using it as a journal is a great idea. A fantastic tutorial. I was going to suggest wrapping her in a towel like a burrito to medicate but if she will freely take them, all the better. You are doing great. Love the updates and photos. Wear long sleeves (and gloves?) when you need to grab her and stay safe.

Yeah, that was with a towel.

 

[m3rma1d]

Fiddle is back to her fun little lovey self. Dunno why she was being a little weirdo this morning. Musta been having a quick emo phase.

Cribbage still needs meds. Have I mentioned I still haven't gotten them back in the cage? Ugh. She's getting better and better at hiding. She really needs her Clav dose tho.

A friend (and fellow kitten foster out in Illinois--Kittenville on facebook check 'em out) got us the Feliway classic diffuser from our Amazon list. Hoping really hard that will help Cribbage a bit. Can't hurt, anyway! I know the Multicat one helps with my Geneva and Alasdair who notoriously don't like each other.

Wish I could share a pic of Cribbage but idk where she is and I gotta get some meds in her before anything else--More important than a pic.

Gotta quit this little love sesh with Fiddle and get that done now.

 

[m3rma1d]

Found Cribbage.

She mashed her face away, I hope some of the medicine went in her mouth hahaha


The first 3 doses were easy (after I stopped trying to pick her up, obvies) she let me just dose her. Tonite was a bit more challenging..

The Clavamox is definitely doing the job tho, her breathing sounds great, and Fiddle's is a lot better too.

 

[m3rma1d]

 

[dustydiamond1]

Yeah, that was with a towel.

YIKES! That's quite a little buzz saw you have there!

 

[m3rma1d]

YIKES! That's quite a little buzz saw you have there!

I know right!? I get sooooo nervous touching her and giving meds, but 5 days later and she hasn't even attempted to attack again. She simply doesn't wanna be picked up. So I won't pick her up!

 

[m3rma1d]

 

[dustydiamond1]

I know right!? I get sooooo nervous touching her and giving meds, but 5 days later and she hasn't even attempted to attack again. She simply doesn't wanna be picked up. So I won't pick her up!

You are a great cat mom How did the meet and greet wth BF go?

 

[m3rma1d]

You are a great cat mom How did the meet and greet wth BF go?

Fiddle absolutely adores Boyfie...


Cribbage isn't impressed by having a visitor in the least, I haven't been able to touch her. Did get her meds in her tonite, and called that good enough. He'll be leaving tomorrow, and then we'll be getting back to our more rigid play attempts, touching, etc routine.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Fiddle absolutely adores Boyfie...
View attachment 269858

Cribbage isn't impressed by having a visitor in the least, I haven't been able to touch her. Did get her meds in her tonite, and called that good enough. He'll be leaving tomorrow, and then we'll be getting back to our more rigid play attempts, touching, etc routine.

 

[m3rma1d]

There's a little vomiting happening, not sure which kitten or could be both... Keeping an eye to make sure there's still poops and they're eating. But it's also hard to tell who's eating what, and whose poops are whose lol
I did notice not as much food was eaten. Hopefully just a little blip.
Trying not to freak out, but freaking out a little inside..
Of course if they have to be seen, it's covered by the shelter .. But how will I get Cribbage in a carrier? Also we're having a blizzard today and my car isn't super reliable at the moment.
Cross fingers !!

 

[m3rma1d]

 

[m3rma1d]

PS we've been vomit-free since late Tues night/early Wed morning (idk, I was half asleep). New food regime, mixing in Wholehearted Kitten with their wet, and a little Wholehearted Kitten dry kibble mixed with the last of their Blue Buffalo kibble .. Thinking from kitten coordinater was that maybe their solid Blue wet AND dry was just a bit too "rich", especially since Cribbage is still stressed. I am sssllloooowwwwllly transitioning them to mostly Wellness because I don't dig BB as a company, but it was what we had on hand at the shelter. I don't overly dig Petco as a company either but they're convenient and the Wholehearted line is something all the cats around me really seem to like...
ANYWAY, since the change (Wellness + Wholehearted wet, and BB + Wholehearted dry) I've got clean bowls, no vomz, and big strong pewpz to clean outta the box in the mornings! Yes, that's exciting to me because for a couple-few days it was a lot of vom, a lot of food leftover, and hardly a pewp.

Antibiotics are DONE as of yesterday. Cribbage's breathing is fine, but Fiddle's is still a little stuffy so she'll probably see the vet soon. But I don't think Cribbage will have to, which is a relief.

 

[m3rma1d]

They've been here 2 weeks today! Look at Cribbage this morning!

 

[m3rma1d]

 

[m3rma1d]

WHOA. LIKE REALLY WHOA WHOA WHOOOOOOA WATCH CRIBBAGE!!!!
(warning: I say the "f" word while we play because I'm an adult and I enjoy swearing)

I AM SOOOOOOO FREAKIN' PROUD OF CRIBBAGE RIGHT MEOW!!!

 

[m3rma1d]

Does anyone even care about this thread anymore

Oh well, I do.

My friend Sara got me a cat pouch hoodie thinking maybe someday Cribbage will go in it. (ha!)

I did test it out with Fiddle, with adorable results.


Hahahaha!

Also my Tallulah kinda likes it.

 

[m3rma1d]

Cribbage played some more tonight, with me right down on the floor, and she came closer to the foot of the bed instead of by the back wall.


I am very proud of all the progress she's making!