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Barnyard Buddies:  Homeless kitten  |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 23 2009 : 10:15:56 PM
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Well, I did it again--rescued another animal that I found along a country road. This time it was an emaciated kitten with her eyes nearly covered with goop. Poor thing. I took her to the vet and now she is on antibiotics and a med. for ear mites. I tried cleaning up her eyes but the left one seems to be swollen shut. She only weighs a pound but she ate the tuna I gave her and now she's resting. I don't know much about kittens and I can't keep her since my dog doesn't like cats. I have some co-workers who are animal people so hopefully they can help me find a home for her. she did test negative for feline leukemia. I've named her "Hope" after the title of a book that a now deceased friend of mine wrote. He was a missionary priest in Guatemala and the title of his autobiography was "To Wisdom Through Failure: A Journey of Compassion, Resistance, and Hope". He was an advocate for the poor and homeless, so it seemed appropriate to name a poor, homeless creature after his book. I don't know what I should be feeding her--does she need formula? She eats the tuna but I know she needs more than that. I have some powdered goat's milk--is it OK to give kittens goat's milk? I have some nutri-cal--maybe that would be helpful? She's too weak to receive any vaccinations yet, so i want to build up her immune system. she's very friendly and not at all feral. I don't understand how people can allow their animals to be that neglected. Even my dog seems to realize how helpless she is (but I'm still keeping them separated). Hmm, maybe I've just become a cat person and don't realize it.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 02:31:22 AM
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Hi :) You can buy kitten formula at most pet stores and probably WalMart but not sure. Soft kitten food for now is probably best along with formula. Any idea if she would be of an age to still be nursing? A warm damp cloth on her sore eyes would probably feel nice to her. Hope seems like the perfect name for her. Maybe your dog can be coaxed into liking her? You sound like a cat person to me...smile. Good luck with her!
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles 
http://fantasm01.imagekind.com/
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 09:03:36 AM
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Nutrical, would be the best right now, tuna for humans doesn't have all the nutritional stuff she needs. Get a small can of powdered kitten replacement milk, and offer it to her in a bowl, NO cows milk period, goats milk for orphan pups, but not kittens. Why didn't the vet clean-up her eyes, warm wet washclothes to help un -seal the eyelids, if there is infection in there and it isn't cleaned out, she could loose her sight.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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twzlrwho
True Blue Farmgirl
199 Posts
christina
dewitt
va
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 09:31:31 AM
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Yes you can get kitten formula from Wal-Mart. You can flush her eye with a saline solution and if it is infected you can put neosporin on it,or terramycin eye ointment from any feed store. I am going to assume she has an upper respitory infection and that is causing the goopy eye, which the antibiotics will clear that up. But if it doesn't look any better within a day or 2 I would definately take her back to the vet.
I am curious too as to why the vet didn't check her eye better.
Good Luck!
 Christina
Work like you don't have to, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like nobody is watching :) |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 09:44:29 AM
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Very good advice from the ladies above.
While I don't mean to be contradictary to the advice that Teresa gave, I have to say that I have raised many kittens on a bottle over the years and I have had the best luck with goats milk. It's the most natural milk you can feed them aside from their mothers. They do very well on it, but I start them with a diluted mixture for the first several days, then gradually add less water until it is at full strength. Some kittens MAY NOT be able to tolerate it, so it's best to keep an eye on her if you DO feed the goat milk. If she has very runny stools, it might be too strong (too much milk vs. water) or it just might not agree with her --though I've never had a problems with it. You be the judge there.
I don't use kitten formula myself because it's all synthetic and LOADED with SUGAR!!!!!!! I've raised kittens both ways, and have found that the kittens raised on goats milk tend to be much healthier with shinier, silkier coats. They also grew better than the ones raised on the synthetic formula. I haven't used formula since. THIS time around I am raising two 2wk olds on FRESH goats milk instead of canned. I'll have to let you all know how THAT goes! The milk is WHITE WHITE WHITE and LOADED with CREAM!!!! The kittens LOVE it! (again, I'm adding a little water at first just to be safe)
Another thing you could add to her milk, or her canned food (which is a VERY good start) is a kitty vitamin supplement, vitamin C and an Acidophilous (sp?) tablet (or even a tsp of plain Yogurt). The Acidophilous (or yogurt) has live cultures and it helps keep the flora in the gut alive and working properly. I read that it is the death of that flora in the stomach and intestines that causes "Fading Kitten Syndrome," a very sad, very SWIFT disorder that cannnot be reversed once the symptoms are diagnosed.
I had to feed my crippled kitten a special diet and that trio of supplements seemed to help tremendously with the stomach problems he had. I just cut each tablet in half --- a pill cutter works better than knife. You can get one at the drug store for less than $5.00 if you need one. I crushed half of each pill into a powder -- the Vitamin, Vitamin C and the Acidophilous tablets -- and sprinkled it over his food. You can add the Nutrical as well to help add the calories she probably needs. Again, watch closely for signs that things just aren't working for her. You'll know what they are when you see them!
Saving the life of an animal is a commitment and a challenge. If I've learned nothing else over the years, it's that it's better to TRY SOMETHING to save a creatures life then to do nothing, and MOST of the time I didn't have the money for a vet, so I've had to do what I could on my own. Trial and Error. I've been pretty blessed so far and have saved more lives than I've lost-- every BARNYARD creature known to man-- as well as Cats and dogs. WANTING to help is the first step. That kitten is VERY fortunate to have been found by you Cindy! I wish you both the best-- and hang in there! Sometimes the road may be long and bumpy, but you'll make it to the smooth road ahead if you just don't give up. Good luck to you and HOPE! Farmgirl Sister hugs ~~ Tracy
PS: Sorry to be such a windbag!!!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 10:24:28 AM
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Great for you to help the kitten. May all the kittens and cats in heaven bow down to you!!!!!
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 3:54:30 PM
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Thanks so much for all the advice--it is very much appreciated. She does seem to be doing better today. She ate the tuna and had a bowel movement but I can't tell if she's drinking any water. I got some little cans of kitten food and some formula, but she doesn't seem to like it. so I'll try the goat's milk. I know it's bette for people than cow's milk (which I can't drink) so hopefully she'll do well on it. Her eyes seem a little better after i cleaned some yellowish goop out of her left eye. She seems to jsut have a bad upper respiratory infection. She ate the nutrical as well.
What is fading kitten syndrome? I've never heard of it. She certainly doesn't seem to be fading--she follows me around (I'm keeping her in a spare bedroom so my dog can't get to her) and she likes to curl up in my lap. The vet listed her as a domestic longhair. She's a tawny brown and charcoal gray calico. I need to get some saline solution for her eyes--I thought I had some here, but I checked and no, I must have thrown it out. So it's off to the drugstore. Oh , I have a litterbox that used to belong to a rabbit I had, and she uses it, but I don't have any kitty litter, so I'm using what's left of the aspen shavings I used for my rabbit. When I run out of shavings, I'll get some real kitty litter. She's already turning out to be an expensive little bugger--but I get paid tomorrow and i just got a reimbursement from my dentist for a bill I overpaid, and I have some more coming to me from my dog's insurance policy. I know animal care can be expensive, but in my opinion, most vets are underpaid. maybe the ones with lucrative city practices get paid too much, but it costs a fortune to attend vet school, so they deserve every penny they make. And like people doctors, they have to cough up a fortune to afford malpractice insurance.
I know i can't save the life of every sick or injured animal I come across (I've lost a few) but I've at least got to try. God gives all of us a mission in life, and part of my mission is to help animals. As a recent book title puts it "Animals Make Us Human" Some people don't believe that animals have souls but I truly know better. Well, i 've rattled on enough. Time to go cuddle my kitty.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 10:17:36 PM
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I like that title Cindy-- "Animals Make Us Human." Human indeed. And each critter is such a blessing from above isn't it? I have LOTS of blessings! A whole FARM full! Some with special needs.
As for Vets, I agree that they are the "Unsung heros" of the medical world. I LOVE my vet, and he's great about giving me advice. I DO take animals to him for broken bones, certain types of illness, and other issues, but if I KNOW there is no hope, or I know I CAN help them myself, I'm willing to do whatever it takes. It also helps that I have a medical background (Medical Assisting-- on/off for the past 15yrs), so that knowledge and skill has come in VERY handy in caring for my critters! I figure-- If it'll work on HUMANS, it will most likely work on animals too, but I ALWAYS do my homework first, just to be safe. And, more often than not the results are successful. The losses are never easy, but I'm never sorry I tried everything I could.
Oh, and "Fading Kitten Syndrome" is a when you have a healthy kitten (or Kittens) that suddenly begin to "Fade." Despite a healthy appetite, (which begins to dwindle) they lose weight very quickly, their coats become dull, they grow lethargic and they cry a lot. In just a matter of days a perfectly "Healthy" kitten has wasted away and dies. Veterinarians STILL don't really understand it, or know why it happens, but there IS hope in the "treatment" of it-- though it has a very low success rate. If it's caught VERY early (which is hard to diagnose), there is a strong possibility that kitten(s) can be saved, but once the weight loss begins and the other symptoms begin to show up, it's almost always too late. **sigh** it's just one of those baffling mysteries of the animal kindom. I have seen the dread syndrome firsthand three times so far. I hope NEVER to see it again. That's why I try to get all my female cats spayed as soon as I can, but, sometimes it's not soon ENOUGH!
Sounds like things are going well for little Hope. I pray that she continues to improve each and every day. Hugs! ~~Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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janiee
True Blue Farmgirl
820 Posts
Janie
Shawnee
Oklahoma
USA
820 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2009 : 06:46:49 AM
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Cindy,
God bless you for saving "hope"! I was never a "dog" person until my dh and I went to the pound to save a cat and he fell in love with a small dog. That small dog had a lot of problems and ended up costing a lot of money for vet bills (which we are still paying) but I would not trade her for the healthiest dog on the planet. The love she gives to us is overwhelming at times and she is a member of my family (with 2 cats). I pray that your Hope will continue to grown and do well in the coming days!
janiee
farmgirl #390 |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2009 : 5:23:51 PM
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Hope is eating very well and drinking her water. she decided her "litterbox" with the aspen shavings was a good bed, so I had to get another one and some real kitty litter. I put her in it and she immediately did her thing. Her left eye still concerns me. If it doesn't clear up by Saturday, it's back to the vet. I can't tell if she's gained any weight, but she sure likes to eat. A woman at work recently lost her fifteen year old kitty and she's thinking about adopting Hope--so say some prayers, cause my dog would never get along with a cat. Plus I have two birds, and the idea of a cat around my birds makes me nervous. Cats carry bacteria on their claws that can be fatal to birds. she is a super sweet kitty and would make a great companion for the right person. She just needs to gain some weight and get over her kitty cold. I'll keep her for as long as it takes, but she really needs a home where she's safe from large dogs that hate cats. Incidentally, I feel like I'm coming down with a cold--can people get colds from animals? Or maybe I'm just emphasizing with her illness. I've heard of animals developing the same illness as their person--or maybe I'm just weird. That's probably it--a weird, animal loving, tree-hugging misfit in a world of fast food eating, over-scheduled technophiles.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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twzlrwho
True Blue Farmgirl
199 Posts
christina
dewitt
va
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 08:36:13 AM
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HAHAHA Cindy you make me laugh.
Speaking of bacteria in their claws. I had a kitten when I was like 7 or 8. One of those loving kittens that is always climbing on you. Well, my mom was taking a nap and the kitten climbed up onto her. Startled the heck out of my mom and in a sleeping stuper she grabbed the kitten and pushed it off of her. Well, the kitten locked her claws into my moms neck and scratched her pretty bad. Not long after her neck started to swell and after 4 different doctors and months of pain she finally was diagnosed with *cat scratch fever*. The doctor was then able to give her proper meds and it went away. And I thought it was just a song...LOL.
That's great you think you have a potential home for her.
I hope you feel better soon!
Christina
Work like you don't have to, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like nobody is watching :) |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 10:05:29 AM
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Cat Scratch fever is a VERY real thing-- as you found out Christina! I have a cousin who had a cat when she was young, same thing happened to her, only it was the glands in her armpits that were affected. They were so swollen and painful she had to have surgery to remove them. As a result, she can never be around cats again because of the possibility that she could become infected again. Must get even WORSE as you get older...??
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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twzlrwho
True Blue Farmgirl
199 Posts
christina
dewitt
va
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 11:21:30 AM
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OMG that is awful Tracy. I couldn't imagine. I am not sure about any after affects being that my mom could care less for cats anyway so she is never cuddling up to any. The funny thing is that cats LOVE her. They flock to her.
I wonder if they would have to be scratched in the same place to get it again?
Christina
Work like you don't have to, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like nobody is watching :) |
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LisaTwo
True Blue Farmgirl
127 Posts
Lisa
Hampden
Maine
USA
127 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 11:30:11 AM
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Oh cat scratch fever is nasty. I had it in my armpit gland too. The glands weren't removed but I had to have a biopsy as my doctor wanted to rule out breast cancer. Very scary couple of days. It hurt like heck. I'm sure glad they didn't tell me I couldn't be around cats after the whole ordeal though, I am a cat magnet. (I also attract stray dogs and snotty nosed kids!)
Thanks for saving the wee kitty, you are a dear.
Smiles,
Lisa
http://pinkporches.blogspot.com/
*And you know when the truth is told-- you can get what you want--or you can just get old.* (Billy Joel) |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 6:32:53 PM
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It's hard to believe, but my dog has actually taken to the kitten. I guess he realizes how helpless and defenseless she is. He's always hated cats but he seems to like this one--hmm, maybe she already has a permanent home. And my birds are usually in or on top of their cages and she can't bother them--yet. I've heard of cat scratch fever but I've never had it (thank God from what it sounds like). She is doing much better--she's gained some weight and her eyes are a lot clearer. The funny thing is, at the summer solstice celebration, I commented on how the warm weather meant to me a time of rescuing animals--and two days later, I found her. I found an owl back in May (he's still recovering last I heard). I wonder what July will bring--a lost pot-bellied pig? A lame llama? A run-away ram? I think Hope is going to stay with me--but that's it. I can't afford another animal. Unless I get some chickens--but I'd have to clear it with my neighbors and the city. But I have a feeling there are others like me in this town--in a few years, I suspect there will be a lot more vegetable gardens and backyard chickens. In fact, I had a salad tonight from my salad table and I also had fried sage leaves--if you've never tried them, you should. i love eating from my yard.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 06:58:17 AM
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For that goopy eye you can try chamomile. I use it on my cats, dogs and horses. If you have some chamomile tea bags just put some hot water over it until the leaves are wet, let it cool so it is just warm to the touch and hold it over her eye. It is gentle enough that it won't hurt the eye but it will kill germs and bacteria. I have used it on my kids too.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 7:30:28 PM
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I have birds and indoor cats, and the cats will sleep ontop of the bird cages, I've never had a problem with anyone of the birds being injured or killed, but my bluefront amagon did pierce and dogs ear once, lol. Of course I would never have the birds out with the cats in the room.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 8:40:09 PM
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Good news! My brother and his family have agreed to adopt the kitty! I'll be keeping her tll she's a little bigger--she still weighs under two pounds.
Cindy |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
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Barnyard Buddies: Homeless kitten |
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Homeless kitten
