Starving Kitten!

[Kittens and chickens]

Yesterday I heard meowing underneath my house. I crawled underneath and pulled out a malnourished orange male kitten about 2 weeks old. I brought him inside and gave him some kitten formula that I just happened to have. He's doing good and took a few steps but I wanted to know if there is a way to help him gain weight. You can see his ribs. Also he is covered in flea dirt. Is there a way I can clean him up? He just sleeps all day and eats pretty well but he's still very fragile.

 

[Mummycat]

Bring him to a vet asap for deworming, vaccinations and flea baths. Always keep him warm as kittens are unable to regulate their body temperatures on their own yet (hence the cuddling with litter mates and mummy cat). You can place a hot water bottle under blankets and let the kitten sleep on it. I'm not sure how young the kitten really is (could be small due to malnourishment) but rule of thumb is the younger they are, you have to feed them more frequently, every two hours. This means that you will have to set alarms every two hours at night to wake up and feed him. Other advice would be best given by a vet.

 

[Mummycat]

Also remember to burp him after every feed and stimulate him to pee. Use a warm, damp towel in gentle stroking motion on his rear, the way a mummy cat would lick her kittens to get them to pee.

 

[Kittens and chickens]

okay thanks I will do that! thank you!

 

[Margret]

You can also make a rice sock. Get some uncooked rice and put a cup or two inside a man's sock, then tie the open end of the sock closed. You can heat this in the microwave and use it in place of a hot water bottle. Won't leak, and when it cools down it won't turn into a heat sink the way a hot water bottle will. Do be sure to pad with towels or blankets so it won't burn the kitten, of course.

Margret

 

[StefanZ]

Contact with a good vet is always wise, especielly if the vet is experienced with kittens. Not all are!!!
Observe, he is way to young for vaccinations, even if he may be somewhat older than he appears yes.

And possibly too young for deworming, evenif there are mild dewormers you can use at 2+ weeks. The allround dewormer Milbomax is supposed to be so.

Anyway, you must fight against the flea infestion. Probably by givning a bath with some mild soap. Blue Dawn(?) is often mentioned.
Be sure he doesnt get chilled out at the bathing! No draugh, and warm afterward...

A little later on deworming. its not enough with dewormer for the usual round worms. Fleas are inbetween hosts for tape worms, so he must have an all round dewormer. This mentioned Milbomax or Drontal. Or what the vet suggests.

Not yet, but in two more weeks perhaps.

 

[StefanZ]

Can you get raw goats milk? This is even better than kitten formula.

 

[StefanZ]

He sleeps much because he is exhausted, both by starvation and these fleas draining him of blood. (how is his gum? nice redrosy or sooner pale?)

Massage him with your forefinger or a toothbrush. Sing softly and or make a lot of friendly noises "crooning"
Give him a stuffed animal for company.
Fleece is good, it feels as mommas fur.

If you happen to have an IR-warming lamp, its really useful!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Also, make sure that he is able to crawl away from his heat source if he gets too warm! Feeding should be small meals, every two hours.

If you are unsure of techniques for feeding, burping and helping him potty, check Youtube for The Kitten Lady.

 

[love67742]

Since there is no mother, you should continue to bottle feed him. if there are fleas, i'd get a flea comb. You should bring him too the vet too

 

[Sarthur2]

He is too young for vaccinations and not strong enough yet anyway!

Can you post a picture of him?

You can wipe him down with a warm, damp wash cloth for now. When he is stronger he can have a bath using Dawn dish soap.

Feed him every 2-3 hours around the clock for now.

Can you weigh him daily? He needs to gain 6-10 grams a day minimum.

 

[Kittens and chickens]

Okay, he went to the vet but they said they couldn't give him anything because he was so young and weak plus they didn't have anyone that specialized in kittens because it is a very small vet and the only one within about 100 miles from my house. his gums are rosy red, I gave him a warm bath, got rid of all the fleas with a flea comb, blow dried him, gave him a warm water bottle (but I will try the sock), and I've had abandoned kittens before so I know how to feed, burp, and wipe them. I've just never had one so hungry. I don't have any raw goat milk but maybe I can find some at the store next time I go. I have a lot of stuffed animals so I'll give him a fluffy one I have. My brother has a scale that weighs in ounces maybe I could use that to weigh him? I use an old tooth brush to comb him and I make noises at him like y'all said. And one other thing I should have mentioned earlier, I found his brother and sister in a wood pile I brought them in too but they were not starving like him although they were hungry.

 

[Kittens and chickens]

The day I found him.

Today.

 

[Kittens and chickens]

I hope I'm doing everything right I want him to live a good long life. he's purring right now, I found a very soft fluffy pillow case I gave to him. I put a sock with warm rice in it and he loves it.

 

[Kittens and chickens]

Okay, he went to the vet but they said they couldn't give him anything because he was so young and weak plus they didn't have anyone that specialized in kittens since it is a very small vet. It's the only one within about 100 miles from my house. his gums are rosy red, I gave him a warm bath, got rid of all the fleas with a flea comb, blow dried him, gave him a warm water bottle (but I will try the sock), and I've had abandoned kittens before so I know how to feed, burp, and wipe them. I've just never had one so hungry. I don't have any raw goat milk but maybe I can find some at the store next time I go. I have a lot of stuffed animals so I'll give him a fluffy one I have. My brother has a scale that weighs in ounces maybe I could use that to weigh him? I use an old tooth brush to comb him and I make noises at him like y'all said. And one other thing I should have mentioned earlier, I found his brother and sister in a wood pile a day after I found him, I brought them in too but they were not starving like him although they were hungry.
This is a picture of him the day that I found him under my house.
.

This is from today

 

[Sarthur2]

I wondered if there were more! Is he snuggling with his siblings now?

 

[Kittens and chickens]

I'm going to hike back to the wood pile today and make sure there are no more. It's hard since its on the other side of our property and there's a lot of venomous snakes and spiders back there in the wood. It was literally a one in a million chance that I just happened to be back there yesterday. Right before sun set I noticed one of my chickens was missing and immediately checked back there when I got back there I luckly found my chicken and picked her up to take her back but then I heard meowing coming from the pile of wood. I looked inside and there was a little speckled kitten! I reached in and grabbed her and she started hissing at me (feisty little baby) then I heared another one deeper in. As weird as it sounds I started meowing back and here comes a tiny orange kitten running out of the pile. I took all three of them back to safety put the chicken in the coop and put the kittens with their brother. I went back but didn't hear anything and the sun was setting quick so I had to get back home. He seems happy and comfortable and he ate twice as much as he usually does!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I'm crying just a little, from happiness and relief that these babies are warm, fed, and have some chance to grow into happy, healthy cats! I know you will do your very best for them. I'm sure that the first little guy found is happy to have his siblings with him! They will do a world of good for each other! BLESS YOU!

 

[Kittens and chickens]

I'm crying just a little, from happiness and relief that these babies are warm, fed, and have some chance to grow into happy, healthy cats! I know you will do your very best for them. I'm sure that the first little guy found is happy to have his siblings with him! They will do a world of good for each other! BLESS YOU!

Thank you! Sorry I didn't respond sooner I've been very busy! Like I said I hiked back to the wood pile two days ago and I found two more kittens! A black and white girl and an all black male. I brought them inside and put them with their siblings. They are healthy and happy to be safe. Their brother who I found under the house is doing very well! He is able to walk around and got his meow back. They're all together again and purr a lot! I will post I picture soon! Thank y'all for all the help!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Good grief, you HAVE been very busy, indeed! We'll look forward to pics as soon as you have time to do something besides take care of kittens, grab a bit to eat, and go potty. Note that I did NOT say "sleep." I'm betting that there is precious little of that going on right now!