Two abandoned Kittens

Talien

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I was contacted earlier today on nextdoor by someone who had a pair of young Kittens that some kids had found in a patch of weeds. She couldn't take care of them and knew I took in animals, so I went and picked them up. One looks to be in pretty bad shape and I wouldn't be too surprised if it didn't survive the night, it's mostly unresponsive and is a bit cold. I have them in my bathroom with the heater on to keep them warm, and I have a vet appointment tomorrow morning for another stray I picked up a few days ago so I'm going to be bringing them along, but yeah, it doesn't look good for the one. The other one ate some canned kitten food mixed with KMR but the other wouldn't eat, and I couldn't get it to take any KMR from a nipple. It had messed itself and I cleaned it as best I could, but it's still pretty well unresponsive.

I know caro syrup is good for an emergency energy boost, but I don't have any and everywhere around here was closed by the time I picked them up. I do have honey though, will that work for tonight?
 

PuffandPercy

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From what I've seen around here, Sarthur2 Sarthur2 StefanZ StefanZ and W Willowy all seem to know urgent kitten care pretty well

It's not something I've ever had to deal with, but from what I've read, honey on the gums might be enough to help perk them enough to eat. You mention they're in bad condition; how so? Are they injured? I would think warming the one that is poorly would be urgent, and trying to get some fluids/food into it would be important too....
 

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Honey is fine, or sugar water (if you have plain sugar). Skin contact/kangaroo care is good for warming. Pedialyte (or homemade oral rehydration salts) by dropper every 10 minutes. Don't feed them anything until they're warm and hydrated, or it'll rot in their stomach (since the one ate on his own that's probably fine, but don't force any food on the unresponsive one). At least they're old enough to eat, poor little guys.
 
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Talien

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Oh right, sugar water. That's easy enough.
 
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Talien

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It looks like the unresponsive one may be having trouble breathing, it's a few seconds between breaths and it opens it's mouth when it does. I know how to do CPR on Cats, but I don't know how to check to see if a Kitten's airway is clear without hurting it. I pried it's mouth open to look and didn't see anything, but it's not like I could see very far into it's throat.
 
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Talien

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And just like that, the one is gone. Died during the time I came upstairs to post and was gone by the time I went back to check on them. Tried CPR but no luck. RIP, little one.
 

StefanZ

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And just like that, the one is gone. Died during the time I came upstairs to post and was gone by the time I went back to check on them. Tried CPR but no luck. RIP, little one.
Yes, he was apparently very ill - dying, it was not he got something in the throat... GOOD you looked, you could be lucky...

You did everything right, and the little ones immortal soul is grateful and thus, does rests in peace.


You have still the fight on the other one, but it seems more optimistic....
 

StefanZ

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Oh right, sugar water. That's easy enough.
Yes, glucose in sugar or honey goes easily into the blood, already in the mouth. It really doesnt need any digesting. So this works also on very weak kittens or cold kittens; when the digestion isnt working.
This is no remedy for everything; if they are dying so they are dying. As you yourself saw.
But if its "just" a crisis this will buy you time, so they may become better.
 
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Talien

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And now there's another problem. The surviving Kitten has been inconsolable since the other one died, when he's not sleeping he's usually wandering around crying and doesn't seem interested in much. I tried introducing him to my Cats but none of them wanted anything to do with him, they either hissed at him, or hissed and ran away. I'm honestly surprised since 2 of them were mothers themselves and had always been friendly to other Kittens, but for whatever reason none of them want to take this one under their wing.
 
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Talien

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Poor little boo. Do you have a small stuffed animal he could have? Maybe you could foster another kitten, or find a foster home with a litter to take him in.
I've been looking for someone with a litter of similar age Kittens that could take him but all the shelters, rescues, and fosters I know of are overloaded. Our governor mandated that veterinarians could only provide "essential services" during the covid lockdown here in michigan, which did not include spay/neuter, so there is an explosion of Kittens this year worse than anything we've seen.

I've tried putting stuffed toys with him but he doesn't seem too interested, there is one soft fabric ball that I've seen him trying to play with a couple times but that doesn't last long. Another Kitten isn't a bad idea though, I'll keep looking at the local animal forums and nextdoor. The only problem is the Kittens that people around here post about needing someone to take them off their hands are often either sick or injured and I can't afford to spend hundreds on every Cat in the area, as much as I might wish I could. Making sure I have enough so my own Cats are taken care of has to come first.
 
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