Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Purrs

1. 

   Ok, I'm new here and I'm asking this because I can not get to my normal vet till monday so I wanna see if I can get any help before then to help this kitten. I'm telling the whole story in hopes to give EVERY LITTLE DETAIL in hopes someone will know what to do.

   So I work at an animal hospital as a Kennel Cleaner, though somedays I do more. On friday I walked into work to do my usual stuff and I saw a box on a table and when I looked in there was this tiny blood and flea covered kitten, barely moving with the saddest mews you might have ever heard. I fell in love instantly and asked the story about him. Apparently he was abandoned at our work's doorstep and the doctor found him like that. She didn't run any tests because of how small he wasand was going to put him down because they thought he was sick and couldn't afford to treat him for free.

   I asked if I could try to take care of it, I wanted to let it have a chance at life because it wasn't his fault that the previous owner left him. She said it was fine and that I could feed and bathe him when I got home. She gave me kitten formula to last the day and I left with him in a box an hour later after making sure the cat I already had was up to date on his vaccinations.

   Well my Mom and me bathe him in dawn (as recommended by the doctor)and off plopped all these ticks! tons of blood and tons of ticks going down the drain. we got off a huge majority of them and he already looked alot better. So I gave him some formula (boy was he ever hungry!)about... 3-4 syringes full and let him walk around. I looked up info on the internet that you must stimulate the genitals to make him use the restroom before and after feeding, so I did that (first mistake was not having a towel under him and he pees on me)

   I continue this pattern till the next morning (barely any sleep because he keeps mewing since my other cat won't stop messing with him) then I go to Petco and get a flea comb, a bottle, formula and a small can of kitten formula wet food since he had teeth, a bit of a nibbler. Well he eats the wet food just fine, if not very messy like, and i've bathe him again and I think i got all the fleas off, but I realized he has yet to poop.

   I try stimulating the bottom to make him go but I don't think he is. it's just pee. His stomach is a little plump and I heard this could be a bad thing but my work isn't open on Sundays and I don't know the house number to my boss. The i'm trying to make it wet food during the day and formula during the night. He's also not drinking water and I don't know if thats a problem either.

   I also heard that formula could cause constipation and I want to know if i'm doing the right thing or what would be the proper thing to try to help him. I don't go back to work till Monday morning and i'm hoping someone here will know what to do before then. Please don't scold me if I did anything wrong. My other cat was 16 weeks old when I got him and this one can't be any other then 4-5 weeks and I don't do diagnosing at my job, just weighing, and temperatures and cleaning up so i'm at lost.

   I just want to help this little guy you know?

   Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

2. 

   Hi, Sy, I am sure experienced kitty foster mamas will jump in to help you!

   In the meantime, if you click on the pink tags I added, poop and constipation, on the top left hand corner, you will see many previous threads on this topic (you wouldn't believe how much we think about poop on this site), with good advice, and even a video on how to stimulate kitty to poop.

   But at this point I would say, as long as his stomach is not hard, I would not worry too much. Kittens don't have to poop every day and yours has not had much in his little tummy for a long time, and with formula, probably has not much to produce yet! (Plus formula can be a little constipating.) When it does come, it will probably be stinky! He almost certainly has worms and that could be what is distending his tummy. You could add a few drops of vegetable oil to his food -- eg olive oil -- and that might help. Good luck! You rock for helping this little one!

   PS, probably best to try and keep him away from your other cat for now. This little one might be carrying disease or ringworm or other problems.

   Posted 2 months ago by jcat #

3. 

   Am I suppose to give him some lukewarm water too? I mean he's so tiny I fear of the fecal test that's to come for him. I've cleaned them, they are huge compared to him. So I really wanna get him to poop before monday so I can just bring that in for the exam.

   Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

4. 

   Have you tried feeding him water with a dropper? I think getting water into him is essential. The water helps him to digest properly and move his bowels. at this stage, he's too young to worm.

   Posted 2 months ago by IronMaiden #

5. 

   I just got done giving him him some water and putting him back in the carrier, with a heating pad, a ticking clock and a stuffed animal I might add, and I just heard some noises and then something smelly (like the wet food I gave him) so I need to check on him again. What's it suppose to look like at this stage? The poop I mean.

   Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

6. 

   Useful sites. The first one has 'the scoop on poop'...:
   http://www.kittenrescue.org/pages.php?pageid=15
   http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/orphans.shtml
   http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

   Guide to the Rainbow of Poop
   and Urine Colors (The Scoop on Poop):

   Let’s summarize and say: Poop should be brown and formed. Urine should be yellow.

   Color:
   •Bloody - Actual red blood seen in stool. Could indicate panleukepenia. Grossly abnormal, must be seen ASAP.
   •Mucous - yellowish/white/clear slimy substance. Indicates severe bowel irritation. Grossly abnormal and needs immediate care.
   •Black - True dark black color to stool. Usually indicates bleeding high in the bowel. Severe sign, needs immediate attention.
   •Brown - Normal color. Be happy!
   •Orange - Usually indicates way too much bile in stool, can occur with reflux.Seek medical advice.
   •Yellow - Almost always indicates bacterial imbalance in the bowel. If has diarrhea also, usually related to coccidia. Seek medical advice.
   •White - Grossly abnormal color, usually indicates, severe bacterial imbalance and severe infection in the bowel. Kitten at risk of dying, needs medical attention, ASAP.

   Consistency:
   •Dry/hard - Abnormal, usually indicates dehydration. Seek care, promptly.
   •Firm - Normal, be happy.
   •Formed but soft - Low range of ‘normal’. If stools change from firm to soft you should seek medical advice.
   •Toothpaste - Still has somewhat tubular form but falls apart once touched. Abnormal, needs medication.
   •Cow-patty - Never formed but thick enough it falls into a ‘cow-patty’ shape. Abnormal, animal is at significant risk and needs immediate attention.
   •Liquidy - Just fluid that falls out of rectum, thin and may have mucous. Abnormal, animal is at severe risk and must be seen immediately.
   •The ‘Squirts’ - Animal has no control over bowel and watery fluid squirts out of rectum. Grossly abnormal, animal in danger of dying, must be seen immediately!

   Posted 2 months ago by jcat #

7. 

   Bumping this so we can have an update on the little guy, and bless you for taking him home.

   Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

8. 

   Ok. well my mom witness him pooping while I took a nap (haven't had any sleep) and she said the stool was brownish black... so i'm worried. as for consistency I am unsure. is there anything I can do now to help? he's so playful and cute I don't want him to be hurting.

   Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

9. 

   That poop sounds ok. As long as it was firm in consistency. He's absolutely adorable.

   Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

10. 

    And it is ok that he doesn't poop everyday? And I think my mom named him Lil Grim, (short for Little Gremlin) because when she bathe him again she think he looks ike a gremlin from the movie, even though I told her that he'll grow into his ears (and the rest of his head)

    She wants to soak hard food in formula/water mix with a bit of olive oil (to help pooping) and I told her not too because it seems like it would be harsh on his stomach at such a young age. Am I wrong?

    I only ask because there is a slim sliver of hope that it will work because a small bag of hard cat food with that mix will save us some money so I can get him the proper checkups and stuff. (she doesn't have a job and I'm only getting 9-15 hours a week and still have phone and car insurance payment)

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

11. 

    BUmping for FF50. Sy, she is a TDKer who has done a lot of research on kitty nutrition. I think, from previous posts, she would say that soaking hard food in water is not a good idea because it encourages bacteria to grow in the food and then Lil Grim could get a very upset tummy. I hope she can help you with some inexpensive food advice. His poop sounds fine, yay for poop!

    Posted 2 months ago by jcat #

12. 

    I'm just glad I have something to back up what I said to my mom. I mean it seems common knowledge but somethings you think one will know, they just don't. Not that i'm saying my mom is uneducated, far from it, she's just... well... a mom. haha.

    A dollar and nine a can at petco isn't that much for allnatural stuff. I can get a week's supply for another an hour of work. I'm sure there are cheaper kinds but... well i'm worried about his well being. I already buy Urinary Tract food for my other cat. Soon he'll grow up to eating hard food so the wait will be worth it. Besides, he's so cute right now, I feel like trying to make him eat hard food will make him grow up faster. Hahaha.

    Also i'm going to get Lil Grim a appointment for all his shots and stuff, but when he IS safe and healthy, is there a fast way to make my older cat get along with him? I try to give him oodles of love when the other one is napping, but he'll bite or grab on (he's declawed) the little one or push him around or ready to pounce on him... Sometimes though he behaves, or licks him when Lil Grim approaches, but I try to keep them separated as much as possible in fear he's wormy or sick.

    I feel like an idiot asking all these questions and I apologize if some of this seems like "well duh, don't you know that" ish. I've only had one cat all my life. ...Well I haven't even had him for a year (a year this Christmas. Yay!)

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

13. 

    Congrats to Lil Grim! He went to the bathroom and found a spot to poop in as soon as I took him out of the carrier I put him in. I rubbed his tummy a little cause I thought it was straining, but actually he was trying not to fall over. He's already almost little box trained. I'm so proud! So proud im even gushing about his perfect brown bowel movement. hahaha That Olive oil trick really seems to work. Thank you so much!!

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

14. 

    Hurray for poop!!!! We celebrate it regularly on TDK. :D

    Please keep posting. We love to hear about each other's kitties. You can click on my avatar to see photos of my three cats--Digit, Furl and Boots. :)

    Oh, and please don't apologize for asking questions here. Although none of us are vets, many here can share what their experiences have been with feline health and behavior issues. You will always find a willing ear here.

    Posted 2 months ago by Kitten Whisperer #

15. 

    Oh! how did you do that? I would love to post pictures of the little guy and my jealous black male cat and videos of him batting the little one.

    Also Lil Grim won't lap up the water. he just nosedives into it.

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

16. 

    You go to the Catster website, SWM, and set up your family page. Then, on your TDK profile page here, you copy and paste in the url for your family page as your website, and that links from your avatar immediately! I hope you've found NJKatwoman's threads on tiny Brutus, and pooping. And her videos, on Youtube. The links are supplied in the threads.
    Let me know if you don't find them from the tags above, and I'll root them out for you.

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

17. 

    I found them and I think I did it. Now there are pictures of both Zeus and Lil Grim. I'm so happy! Everyone has been so helpful. And I think I figured out a method for them to interact without Zeus biting her (yup, I think I discovered he's actually a she! but i'm not sure. she/he is still young) Anyways I use a round laundry basket. I will totally make a video later!

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

18. 

    Haha I have a video of them on the site too. This is so much fun. Haha

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

19. 

    SWM - Lil Grim is just too cute ! Sounds like you are doing a good job with him/her. Welcome to TDK!

    Posted 2 months ago by 2 Popoki #

20. 

    Far too cute! And it looks like Zeus has taken to her just fine (I agree, looking at her 'booty' in the video, Lil Grim's a girl!)

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

21. 

    That is just the cutest video. I loved how Lil Grim just squeezes under the basket and wanders off in the end.

    Is Zeus neutered? For some reason neutered males are often very good with kittens. They seem much more likely to 'adopt' a kitten than a older female cat will. If Zeus is being gentle (and it looks like he is) maybe he will start grooming Lil Grim. No matter how good a human is at stimulating, a cat does it better.

    Will the vet you work for be willing to give you a discount on the shots she needs? Or maybe you can work some extra non-paid hours each week in exchange for free vet care.

    Posted 2 months ago by CheetahBoysmommy #

22. 

    Yeah Zeus is neutered and declawed (and after working at the vet and assisting with it I have SOOOO much sympathy for the animals) and I already get a discount on everything, but it's small, but i'm having to wait till she's at least 6 weeks old. Doing a fecal on her so soon might scar her for life.

    I'm trying to make her drink more water but she's not... really taking too it so I try to give her some through a dropper for now, but I can't seem to make her like it. Is there a trick?

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

23. 

    Just feed her wet food, and mix a little water in, and she'll get enough moisture.

    Posted 2 months ago by eleniki #

24. 

    Thanks i'll do that!

    On a side note, I makes waaaaaaaay too many videos of my cats

    Posted 2 months ago by SyWestmoreland #

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