Found kitten, advice needed!

pens

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Hello all! I found a kitten about two hours ago on the street, and with it being dark out, I decided to take her home for the night. I set her up in a little pen with some water and wet food (mixed with water), and fed her a bit via syringe. I weighed her using my kitchen scale, and it said she was about 57 grams - which I read is underweight for a kitten that otherwise appears 3-4 weeks old. I’m planning on taking her into the vet tomorrow, and was wondering if anyone has any advice?
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Norachan

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Hi pens pens Thank you so much for picking her up. If she is about 3 weeks old she should be a bit easier to care for than really tiny kittens, but she would probably appreciate a heating pad to snuggle up to. You can make one by filling a cotton sock (Not synthetic material) with uncooked rice and warming it in a microwave oven, then wrapping that in a towel or blanket.

Did she eat the food you offered her? Does she have a litter box or can you leave down a puppy pad for her to use as a toilet? If you have any other pets make sure you keep them separate and wash your hands well after handling her. She looks healthy, but just to be safe.

I'm going to include a few of our kitten care articles here too.

How Old Is My Kitten? [An Illustrated Guide] – TheCatSite Articles
I Found Abandoned Kittens – What Should I Do? – TheCatSite Articles
Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn’s Life – TheCatSite Articles
 

Sarthur2

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I think your scale needs resetting. There’s no way she’s 57 grams. She’s probably closer to 12-16 ounces (350 - 450 grams). Does the kitten have baby teeth yet?

Norachan offered good advice!

Thanks for taking her in! Let us know what the vet says tomorrow!
 

Heart For Cats

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Welcome to the forum.

First things first, thank you for rescuing an orphan kitten. She would die if you had not taken her in.

She is very cute and fluffy. Kittens are supposed to gain one pound each month from birth to when they have all of their adult teeth. So a three-month old kitten weighs only three pounds. A pound definitely does not equal 57 grams!
 

StefanZ

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she seems to be about 5 weeks. it was perhaps 570 grames, the scale calibrated in 10 grammes apiece?

Anyway, if she ate by themselves, it makes the rest easier. if not, you must handfeed...

goats milk is always useful as a supplement.
 

kommunity kats

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she seems to be about 5 weeks. it was perhaps 570 grames, the scale calibrated in 10 grammes apiece?
I agree, as 57 grams = 0.126 of 1 pound; 570 grams = 1.257 pounds
Long fur can hide how thin an animal is.
 

kommunity kats

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I regularly give our cats a little Coconut oil -which is super easy to digest- for extra energy, as I've seen it help them in *many* ways 0ver the past 5 years (more if you count the 10 years we had dogs instead). I've seen them go from sleeping constantly -except when eating- to watching the others play the day following a dose of C.O., and playing up a storm the day after their second dose of C.O. It's helped me wonderfully with anti-inflammatory action (externally on tennis elbow), and it clears up the light tearing or nasal drip of our Popeye cat, taken internally. It's also the best hair-ball preventive & remedy I've ever used on our cats! Holistic & Naturopathic vets recommend it, because it's safe, & has many more beneficial properties than I've alluded to or mentioned.
 

StefanZ

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I regularly give our cats a little Coconut oil -which is super easy to digest- for extra energy, as I've seen it help them in *many* ways 0ver the past 5 years (more if you count the 10 years we had dogs instead). I've seen them go from sleeping constantly -except when eating- to watching the others play the day following a dose of C.O., and playing up a storm the day after their second dose of C.O. It's helped me wonderfully with anti-inflammatory action (externally on tennis elbow), and it clears up the light tearing or nasal drip of our Popeye cat, taken internally. It's also the best hair-ball preventive & remedy I've ever used on our cats! Holistic & Naturopathic vets recommend it, because it's safe, & has many more beneficial properties than I've alluded to or mentioned.
Yes, a good and useful tip. Tx! Take coldpressed organic style if you have any possibility to choose.

Coconut oil has a flavor, which not everybody loves. But there is also an variation with neutral flavor. I hope this is alike healthy.
 

kommunity kats

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Yes, a good and useful tip. Tx! Take coldpressed organic style if you have any possibility to choose.

Coconut oil has a flavor, which not everybody loves. But there is also an variation with neutral flavor. I hope this is alike healthy.
I regularly feed 5 cats. 4 of them (when I open the C.O. jar) behave as though I'd just opened a can of Sardines! 3 of them wolf it down ASAP! 1of them takes individual licks or bites, then works each of those around in her mouth for the longest time, then takes another lick or bite ... until it's finally gone. (Which requires a bit of guarding from the other cat's desires to help eat it!) The 5th 1 isn't in their group, so isn't around when I open it up. Sometimes he eats it from the side of his bowl, with his meal. Sometimes not so much. However, If I feel he needs it when he's left it behind, I rub it on a front foot/lower leg. He's compelled to lick it off, then.
 

StefanZ

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I regularly feed 5 cats. 4 of them (when I open the C.O. jar) behave as though I'd just opened a can of Sardines! 3 of them wolf it down ASAP! 1of them takes individual licks or bites, then works each of those around in her mouth for the longest time, then takes another lick or bite ... until it's finally gone. (Which requires a bit of guarding from the other cat's desires to help eat it!) The 5th 1 isn't in their group, so isn't around when I open it up. Sometimes he eats it from the side of his bowl, with his meal. Sometimes not so much. However, If I feel he needs it when he's left it behind, I rub it on a front foot/lower leg. He's compelled to lick it off, then.
Tell me. Cocoa oil working fine with weak cats and such, I can easily believe. yes, Im buying it for now as my working hypothesis. Tx!

Im living on keto, and cats are essentially ketosians. Much protein and fat, and very little carbo. They are normally low carbo eaters. Even if they prob arent living in ketosis,

But. Glucose sugar (in USA it will be in practice white caro syrup or honey, because glucose sugar proper is difficult to find for the average citizen. In some other countries you find it aplenty in every food and sports shop). glucose sugar / dextrose has the great advantage of not needing to be digested, goes into blood already in the mouth.
So its superbt with very weak cats, or where the digestion is down. For example, with cold cats or even, dying cats.

If they are dying for real so they are dying. But if not, just extremely weak, glucose may buy them time to antibiotics to begin to work, etc.

I know coco oil is easy to digest, easier than most other fats. And gives easy energhy; exactly as you have observed.

My question is, if you have any experience of giving coco oil in such case mentioned; kitten downhill because of low blood sugar, or kitten with digestive system shut off; either by cold or by the dying processes had begun??


CAN coco oil be used as a remedy even in such desperate cases, or the best is to use a combo of coco oil and glucose in desperate cases??
 

kommunity kats

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My understanding is that Coconut Oil balances the pancreas, and that cats produce glucose from protein..
I know nothing about using glucose for anything.

I highly recommend a kitten such as you describe be seen ASAP by a HOLISTIC or NATUROPATHIC Vet!


I prefer giving Coconut oil, as cats are natural fat eaters, & mine all do so well on it.
Certain types of the fats in Coconut Oil are also found in mother's milk, so it's safe for babies & kittens, etc.

The cats I care for are eating food that is :
- High Protien, High Fat, Zero digestible carbs, 5% non-digestible carbs (fiber).
 

mani

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I cannot agree with the use of coconut oil for such a tiny kitten with unknown health issues. Here in Australia the RSPCA says:
The flesh and milk of fresh coconuts contain oils, which can cause diarrhoea, loose stools and stomach upsets.*
And it is certainly contraindicated for any issues with the pancreas and inflammation.

pens pens is dealing with a tiny kitten with unknown health issues and the benefits of coconut oil are at present anecdotal.

Thank you so much for taking this little one in, Pens. Please let us know how you go at the vet. :)

*
 

Joelle and the kittens

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I agree with mani mani . I have not been able to find any studies documenting treatment with coconut oil in cats, or really anything suggesting strong clinical benefits in veterinary medicine. It probably isn't harmful, but of course I would recommend clearing any supplement use with a DVM/MVD (and ONLY someone with one of those degrees) first.
 
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