URGENT help needed for kitten...

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Long story short, someone GAVE me a kitten while I was at work tonight because they didn't want him and they were just going to toss him. He's quite sick, looks to be about 8 weeks old and is an orange DSH. He's wheezing pretty bad and has some snot or something coming from his nose. The earliest I can get him into the vet would be at noon or so tomorrow.

Any quick advice? He's asleep in my lap now and was purring before, but you can tell he's trying pretty hard to breathe :(

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that he's so sick.:( He probably has an URI.:( I would put him in the bathroom while the shower is running with hot water. Hopefully the steamy bathroom will help him breathe a little better. I hope that the vet will be able to treat him easily and that he'll feel better soon. Please continue to keep us updated.

[critter crazy]

I'm sorry to hear that he's so sick.:( He probably has an URI.:( I would put him in the bathroom while the shower is running with hot water. Hopefully the steamy bathroom will help him breathe a little better. I hope that the vet will be able to treat him easily and that he'll feel better soon. Please continue to keep us updated.
I agree, and the Steam does help. my girl Mocha gets URI's all the time,a nd now goes in the bathroom on her own, when she wants to get steamed. It helps her out tons!! Good luck with the new baby!

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

He's still sleeping. He hasn't eaten anything yet. How long should I leave him in the bathroom with the shower? He's pretty lethargic and won't really get up and move around, just sleep.

[Grace]

Do you have a small syringe that you could use to squirt some water into his mouth? Any canned cat food - smear it on his lips and he should lick it off.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

He ate!! I had to stick the dropper in his mouth the first time, but after that, he was licking from it!! Thank god, lol. He keeps sneezing and a lot of mucus came out the first few times and now he looks like his nose is reaching the empty mark. Happy happy happy, lol.

[Catty1]

Great first aid and food! Yay!

I'm glad you can get him to see the vet tomorrow.

That person that was going to toss him - ugh! A cute kitten gets sick and it's not worth anything?

Please keep us posted on this little guy! Do you have a name for him?

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

The name bounced back and forth for a while. It started out as Edward. He just looks like an Edward (and anyone who has read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, they'll understand!) and it seemed to suit him. Then it changed to Finnigan, but it's back to Edward. I think he shall remain an Edward forever now, lol.

Yes, he's going to the vet tomorrow. I want an age estimate and something for his sickness. Any estimates on how much a check up and antibiotics will be?

[Catty1]

I don't know what the cost will be...I doubt the vet will want to give him any vaccinations until he is well again.

You might want to call ahead and find out...and see if they can do a short payment plan if necessary.

My guess - the antibiotics will be cheaper than the checkup, but it'll be good to have him all checked over! :)

If he's ginger tabby, he could be "Ed the Red"! ;)

[crow_noir]

Weeee! That is awesome that he's eating!!! You said the symptoms in your first post and my heart sank. I had tried to rescue a kitty with similar symptoms, but she was a goner. Even the vet said so. And she was. :( But there's a HUGE difference. She couldn't even get anything down. Your is! That means he can take medicine. With love and patience he'll be better in no time.

A check up and antibiotics should be fairly inexpensive.


He ate!! I had to stick the dropper in his mouth the first time, but after that, he was licking from it!! Thank god, lol. He keeps sneezing and a lot of mucus came out the first few times and now he looks like his nose is reaching the empty mark. Happy happy happy, lol.

[Donnaj4962]

My Tabitha was just at the vet this weekend. She got a general visit (no bloodwork) and antibiotics. It was close to $60.00.

Good luck with Edward! He sounds like a cutie.... and a fighter!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Keep us posted on how this little sweetheart is doing

[Freedom]

Comeon, Edward, we are all cheering for you! You got yourself to a PT home, now you are sure to be OK little one.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

He's doing well so far. His vet appointment is at 1:30 my time. He's still eating on his own but still wheezing pretty bad and is still pretty icky by his nose. I promise to get pictures up soon, but i can't find my usb cord.

Another thing, his litter box is still empty. Should I be worried?

[moosmom]

Don't worry about the litterbox being empty. Since not much has gone in, it's probably being absorbed into his body, poor baby.

Good idea putting him in the bathroom with the shower going. That'll break up a lot of the congestion.

Please keep us posted.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Okay...

The results are in...

No FIV, no feline leukemia, but he's got worms, ear mites and a uri. He's on amoxicillin for the uri, otomite (or something) for the ear mites, and one pill that I had to force feed to get rid of the worms.

The first time I gave him the liquid amox, he threw it up. I had to force feed him again, and I gave him the amox again and he has yet to throw up.

Pooped in his blanket on the way home from the vet, peed on a throw pillow once we got home.

*sigh* Pray it gets better from here?

[Ginger's Mom]

Although it doesn't feel like it right now, it sounds like things are getting better. :) You are doing a great job of helping the little guy.

[Catty1]

Taking his meds with a bit of food is a good idea.

At least you know there'll be something in the litter box now! :p

It'll get better - and that little guy will be so attached to you because you feed and love him, and even give him his medication.

Was it not too expensive, I hope?

Looking forward to pics when you and Edward are up to it! :)

[Freedom]

Pooped in his blanket on the way home from the vet, peed on a throw pillow once we got home.

*sigh* Pray it gets better from here?

:p Okay, okay, so it wasn't quite what you WANTED. But there IS a lot of good news in this vet report, right? Keep up the great work with Edward! He's worth it, just you wait and see!

[phesina]

That's wonderful. I'm so glad to learn he is starting to do better.

God bless you for taking this little orphan in and working so hard to keep him going.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

I came home from work to a cat soaked in pee.

Now, I don't know if he peed and then sat in it (what I'm thinking) or just plain peed himself, but while I was gone, I left him locked in the bathroom with food, water and his litterbox. Still no potty in the litterbox, but he was covered in pee. :( What do I do? It worries me a little more that he hasn't touched his food in the six hours I've been gone more so than the fact that he pottied on the bathroom floor...

Suggestions to make him eat?

[Catty1]

oh dear....he could be feeling wonky from the new meds...I think he needs a lot of comforting.

Are you at work during the day? Is there anyone who could give him some cuddles and attention?

Just a guess on my part - he has been through a lot and everything is NEW.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

I'm home on and off all day... tonight it just so happened that neither my mom nor I were home. Do I keep force feeding him? The doc said he was a little malnourished and dehydrated.

PS-- can I bathe him in dishsoap? The pee smell is still there and I have no animal shampoo, lol.

[Catty1]

Did the doc say anything about continuing to feed him? My guess is keep doing that til he feels better (all those meds) and starts eating more on his own. He might be just too tired sometimes to do that!

Do you have any shampoo that is gentle and not too heavily perfumed or anything? You could try that.

What kind of dish soap do you have? Someone on PT said there is a brand where the pH is the same as a cat's skin.

Maybe post this in Cat Health as well - you'll get way more feedback! :)

[critters]

I'd keep handfeeding, although I wouldn't force him unless I had to. Maybe he just wants some extra attention--scoop up a little food and make a meatball of it on your fingers and see if he'll take it.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Hi ebberbuddies! Edzward here.

So I beenz livin here for kupple dayz an I'm startin to reely like itz! One thingz I don't lyke so much iz that AWFULL pink medsin she makez me take... but udder den dat, I'm likin zee attenshun!

My noze iz still a lil onna drippy side, but I'm much bedderz den I wuz wen mumma brought me here!

I gotz da icky eer mytes too... but doze is gettin bedder too. Mumma's gotta put som droppies in my eer dat makez me chake my hed reel bad... but itz helpin!

Mumma promizez pickshurs soon! She jus gotta find dat dang kord.

(An yoo know what elses? I don't WEEZ so much no more! :D )

More uppiedates later!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Hey little guy - glad to see you are on the mend :D

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Guess who just peed...







IN THE LITTERBOX?!?!?

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for the updates.:) I'm glad to hear that baby Edward is starting to feel better and also that he's learning how to use his litterbox. He sounds like a little sweetheart.:)

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

And he's EATING! Straight from the bowl, on his own. No force. Scarffing it down on his own. :D

[Catty1]

GREAT NEWS! Way to go, Edward! (He talks pretty well, too, for such a young fella! :D )

Does he purr? Is he a cuddle bug? He'll probably get more frisky as he feels better! :)

You gotta find that cord, girl! (Or borrow one!) :)

[mina'smomma]

Hey hunt up that cord so we can have pics. I bet he wasn't eating because he was all stuffed up. Poor little dear. Anyway I'm so glad to hear he is doing better.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

*looks desperately for cord*

YESSS he is a MAJOR snuggle bug and LOOOOOVES to purr and cuddle!

Found the cord, pics is next post!

[Catty1]

Yaay!

[Lady's Human]

(tapping fingers on table....)

We're waiting............. :p

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/mackinblack/022.jpg
Notice his dirty dirty mouth? Some of it is snot, most of it was food, lol. He's not snotty-ish like that anymore, lol.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/mackinblack/026.jpg
Showing off his litter box.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/mackinblack/029.jpg



Enjoy~!

[Catty1]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

So cute!

I hope you and Edward have a long and happy life together! :)

Is he gaining weight?

[Grace]

He is adorable!!

[ramanth]

What a sweetheart! Hope he continues to do better.

[krazyaboutkatz]

AWWWWW!!! He's such a cutie pie.:) I hope that he continues to do well. Please continue posting pictures too.:)

[crow_noir]

OMG, what wonderful news that he's not all snotty, and he's eating, AND going potty... in the LITTERBOX!

*scritchies* to Edward. (and nummy treats)

Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell... and don't like to eat if they can't smell it.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

That's what I was thinking too. If he can't even breathe well enough to breathe out of his nose, he probably can't smell the food and won't want to eat it. =]

He's doing good. Took his medicine without too much of a fight and continues to eat like a champ! Doc said he was dehydrated so I've been trying to get him to drink water, but sometimes I have to use the dropper just so I know he's getting SOMETHING into his system.

He's such a cuddler. He wants nothing more than to be snuggled into the crook of your arm, wherever you might be.

And he has started to play! He's not so lethargic anymore, so he plays with some of the toys we got him. It made me SO happy to see that kitty jump and do a little backflip in the air after the cat teaser toy. :D

So far, so good! He's back to the vet in two weeks (not next Monday, but the Monday after) to possibly get vaccinated and so they can make sure he's doing better. :)

Thanks for all the support! I must say, a person has quite the sense of accomplishment when you are able to nurse something back to health, lol.

[crow_noir]

Try adding a bit more water to his food. make it a bit soupier. ...that way you don't have to be making him drink from the dropper.

In the wild most of a cat's water will come from the muscle tissue of its prey, rather than through drinking.

It is such an amazing feeling nursing something back to health!!! Not just the sense of accomplishment, but how grateful the being is to be alive. Congrats!