Orphaned, sick stray kitten help, please!

jstie

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Found a tiny (less than a pound) kitten at a local campground. Unable to stand or walk, eyes fully open, has deciduous canines, cold to the touch, gums extremely pale, eyes very gunky. Local vet guessed him at about 4 weeks, temp at 99. We took half a dozen ticks off him. When I offered him a blob of canned kitten food, he nearly took my finger tip off when he grabbed it, and ate like crazy. Went home with meds, kitten food, and a can of KMR powder. He ate some kibble, then about four hours later I gave him about 2 oz of KMR milk, which he sucked up From a saucer. But he then vomited the KMR about an hour later. He’s now gotten a little feisty about having his eyes and face cleaned, but he’s incredibly weak. Did we overdo the food? We were so amazed that he wanted to eat so badly. I was going to give him some more KMR later this evening, but should I? I’m in a rural small town, and it is (of course) a long holiday weekend. Should I give him a little more KMR or canned kitten food, and how often? I’m not sure this little guy is going to make it, but I want to give him a chance. I frankly was NOT impressed with this vet, so may have to see if the only other vet in town can fit us in tomorrow (they were booked solid today, so I had no choice :-( ) Thank you for any advice - I’ve not dealt with one this little and debilitated.
 

stephanietx

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Feed him small meals and add the KMR to his wet food to make a slurry type consistency. Keep him warm with a rice sock or pet warmer. I would keep him confined, if possible. Also, watch for diarrhea which could come from change in food or meds. Did he get treated for fleas? Have you tried bathing him with Dawn dish soap to help get rid of the fleas? He could have worms, too. Was he dewormed?

PS-We love pictures so please feel free to share and bless you for rescuing the poor little waif.
 
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jstie

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Did not see any fleas; not wormed yet - he’s so weak and sick he can’t stand or walk without support. Got antibiotic and eye ointment. He REALLY wants to eat, but I’m afraid of over feeding him and he’s vomited a couple of times now. No Karo syrup on hand; would a bit of honey work? He has a hot water bottle in a sock and he seems to like that, and I rewarm it every couple hours. He did pee on me about an hour ago, so that’s good, yes?
 

stephanietx

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I wouldn't try the honey. Is he using the box on his own? If not, you might need to stimulate him to potty and that might help keep food down.
 

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the honey.
Maybe raw honey, or something else for a fast energy boost in addition to kitten glop, full fat yogurt or unflavored Pedialyte?

I've seen other members and staff suggest honey, raw or otherwise but now I'm a bit confused 🤔.
 
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StefanZ

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Found a tiny (less than a pound) kitten at a local campground. Unable to stand or walk, eyes fully open, has deciduous canines, cold to the touch, gums extremely pale, eyes very gunky. Local vet guessed him at about 4 weeks, temp at 99. We took half a dozen ticks off him. When I offered him a blob of canned kitten food, he nearly took my finger tip off when he grabbed it, and ate like crazy. Went home with meds, kitten food, and a can of KMR powder. He ate some kibble, then about four hours later I gave him about 2 oz of KMR milk, which he sucked up From a saucer. But he then vomited the KMR about an hour later. He’s now gotten a little feisty about having his eyes and face cleaned, but he’s incredibly weak. Did we overdo the food? We were so amazed that he wanted to eat so badly. I was going to give him some more KMR later this evening, but should I? I’m in a rural small town, and it is (of course) a long holiday weekend. Should I give him a little more KMR or canned kitten food, and how often? I’m not sure this little guy is going to make it, but I want to give him a chance. I frankly was NOT impressed with this vet, so may have to see if the only other vet in town can fit us in tomorrow (they were booked solid today, so I had no choice :-( ) Thank you for any advice - I’ve not dealt with one this little and debilitated.
With emaciated ones the rule is, little but often, and as easy to digest as possible.

Can you get goats milk, preferably raw goats milk? Its usually easy to digest.

What country are you in?

Outside USA glucose sugar is possible to find, so no need of substitutes...
 

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Yes, deworming must wait till he is stronger.

As he is that hungry, I hope his weakness is because he is starved and emaciated not because its some serious physical fault on him. So if you manage the crisis, he should be all right later on.

As said, if you can get raw goats milk (may be frozen) it could do much. But commercial goats milk is usually OK, esp if its not a diet version with strongly reduced fat.

If you cant get glucose sugar nor white caro syrup, honey should work. (preferably raw honey). All these contain glucose sugar; and thus, you smear a droplet on the gum inside of the lip. The glucose sugar goes directly into blood already from the mouth...
And so, can be used also on cold or weak kittens.

but of course, table sugar solved in water works too, although slower. So if you by any reason dont dare to use honey, and dont have the other gluxose sources, do use sugar solved in water

jstie jstie
 
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jstie

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Thanks to everyone and their suggestions! The breeders of my princess Abyssinian also emailed me some tips. Last night I went full-bore “little but often,” and set my alarm to get up every 3 hours. At midnight, he ate readily, but was SO weak and lethargic I thought we would lose him for sure. I’m now giving him wet kitten food with two spoonfuls of KMR mixed in and warmed for a slurry. He had a big healthy poop between 9 PM and midnight, then again between 3 AM and 6 AM. At 6 AM, he WALKED out of the crate onto his “tablecloth” and dove into his food on his own. He got feisty with me when I cleaned his eyes and gave him his eye ointment. By 9 AM, he was reaching his paws through the bars of the crate, meowing…and walked right into my lap, PURRING!!! His bum was pretty gross from poop, but he was so weak he hadn’t been able to get into his tiny litter box if he’d wanted to. I cleaned him up and put a couple dabs of poop IN the box, to give him the idea. As of now 3:30 PM, his eyes are totally clear of gunk or redness, he is walking across the room to rub on our ankles, giving head butts, purring like mad, and now seems to think he should have the run of the place! He is SOOO tiny, and so loving, and is almost unrecognizable as the ice-cold, moribund little handful we picked up off the road yesterday morning. We’re calling him Little Fox, as he has a tiny, narrow triangular face with huge ears and a white tip on his tail…I guess he’s a gray fox! I have to transfer over a couple photos, stay tuned! Thanks so much to everyone on this wonderful site…Little Fox and I thank you. He has a ways to go, for sure, but his ability to turn around from death’s door to a feisty little fellow who seems to want to jump into life makes us hopeful of a happy life added to our family!!
 
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jstie

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Ooh, Fox learned two new things. My very gentle, curious Italian Greyhound poked his nose in the room while I was cuddling Fox. Little Fox marched straight over to him, did the Halloween cat arched back, and bristled out his tiny whip of a tail to full bottlebrush (it looked more like Charlie Brown’s Xmas tree, but he did his best), the uttered the tiniest hiss ever heard. I closed the door, and Fox marched straight back up into my lap, very pleased with himself.He’s a trooper,this one!!
 

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his ability to turn around from death’s door to a feisty little fellow who seems to want to jump into life
You are the difference here, it's your efforts, thoughtfulness and perseverance that is making this possible. How he ended up where he was is an incredible thing, because there you were.

And I love love love the mental image of this eensie little force of nature ready to take on everything including a greyhound 💕 thank you for that!
 
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jstie

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Can't believe we're on Day 10 of the Fox Saga. He is nothing short of AMAZING. From 15 oz., he is now at 24 oz. He eats like a horse - still doing canned kitten food mixed with KMR, warmed up, every 5-6 hours. He now stands at my ankles and YELLS at me (he sounds like a tiny cicada) while I mix it up. He plays with toys and growls when he catches the feathered one. He purrs. He bops all over the house (supervised!!). He saw my regular vet, is FeLeuk negative (hallejujah!!), has been wormed and got his first vaccine. Vet thinks he may be closer to 6 weeks now, just so small from his rough beginning. His eyes are crystal clear. His fur is soft and even getting a little gleam to it. He figured out the litter box all by himself about Day 4, and we have to keep a lid on the "compound" (a crate inside an ex-pen) because he scales the bars of the ex-pen in a heartbeat. He likes to sleep on TOP of the crate, rather than inside it. He likes to recline in the fancy cat bed and expertly clean himself after meals. And he is, without question, the cutest kitten in the universe. And as someone who loves baby kitties more than anything in the world, I am totally in his thrall. Just thought you nice people would like to hear his astonishing progress and equally astonishing charm... Fox says THANK YOU to everyone who sent suggestions and tips and support. He is a very lucky fellow, and we are lucky too!
 

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jstie

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Day 20 of the Fox Saga. He is thriving, charming, busy, and SMART! He is up to 37 oz. and eats like there's no tomorrow. His fur is thick and shiny. He plays like a wild thing with crumpled paper, foil balls, little catnip mice, and sparklies or feathers on a wand - anything he can chase, swat, pounce on, kick, and bite. What's funny and interesting to me is that in the last few days, he's gotten VERY bitey and grabby with teeth and claws on his people. So I Google "6-week-old-kitten bites" and get (literally) 6.9 million hits. So 6-12 weeks is when they start honing their innate hunting skills... he's right on schedule, I guess! I will keep up with the toys and redirecting his energies there instead of my fingers, arms, ankles, toes, and nose! I've just been watching him scrupulously clean his face and whiskers after a meal. I've had cats for over 60 years, but it's been a VERY long time since I've had a kitten this young who was so sick and near death. It still amazes me how he just figured out the litter box (including thorough covering up!), hunting instincts, cleaning himself, etc., with no mama or siblings to learn from or practice with. My other cats - all older - have been quite gentle with him. It's as though they can see he's just a baby, and no particular threat, and they've been very tolerant. I have tried to get him to promise to stay like he is forever, but he insists he is Big Man on Campus, so too bad. What a charmer... <3 <3
 

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jstie

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Would anyone like to weigh in on what Fox's color would be called, based on the photos I've posted above? Definitely a mackerel tabby, but I'm think he would be a blue mackerel tabby, with a cream-colored undercoat (especially visible on his face).
 

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Would anyone like to weigh in on what Fox's color would be called, based on the photos I've posted above? Definitely a mackerel tabby, but I'm think he would be a blue mackerel tabby, with a cream-colored undercoat (especially visible on his face).
I say fluffy grey tabby!!? He’s just adorable!🥰
 
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