Kitten S.O.S.

[andreamae]

Hi all, I hope you can help me out here.
In my possesion I have a almost three week old kitten with a pretty good URI. The back ground here is that Two outdoor moms who were under a year old each had four of five kittens 3-4 days apart... One one the mommas had a URI... and they ended up raising them togther so every one got the URI. Two young inexpirienced mommas + 10 sick kittens= well, bad things. The older batch of 5 is doing well, getting through being sick and growing well. These guys are outdoor non- pampered barn cats living in a barn out at my mother's. I went out there day before yesterday and 4 of the five younger litter had died they just couldnt make it, too many kittens, not enough milk i suppose.
Anyway, one of the younger litter was still alive (barely) when I got there. He is pitiful. I just got done raising three babies and they just went to knew homes, so I offered to take this boy since I already had all the stuff. This baby is as small as a newborn... light as a feather (he has put some weight on now) eyes gunked shut etc etc... took him home cleaned him up, and am doing my best to help this baby out.
I am not financially in a position to take this guy to a vet, he is only a barn cat (I know I know, it sucks) but i want to do as much as I can for him here. I really thought he would be dead by yesterday morning, as bad as shape as he was in... but he is still holding on! He is definetly a fighter. He is taking about a syringe and a half of kitten milk every 3-5 hours, but has no desire to drink it, his nose is so stuffed up and runny I can imagine! but he has put a little weight on, only a little though. He often shakes his head, and can hold his head up and sit up sometimes. His cries remind me of a dying baby (I have raised several litters in the past) He is urinating consistently, but has only pooped 3-4 times. Seems like his body is just eating the nutrients up at this point. I noticed tonight that part of his tummy is darker, and I know that this is really bad. Any suggestions though would really help... If there is anything i can do fro this guy.
I know it is probably a lost cause, but he is such a fighter, I am trying to do all that I can!!!

[slvrwhispr]

If you have no inclination to take the cat to a vet, then there's really nothing else that we can suggest. The kitten probably won't survive the infection without veterinary treatment. Have you tried calling rescue organizations? Perhaps there's one in the area that would be willing to take the kitten and get him proper care. Aside from that, there's no miracle cure other than vet-prescribed antibiotics. That's really you're only answer. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Please reconsider a vet visit. Most of us here can empathize with tight finances. He may only be a barn cat now, but he could easily be someone's beloved pet.

[Traci]

Slvrwhispr is absolutely right, it is antibiotics you need from a vet. These infections do NOT disappear on their own, despite your thinking you can nurse him back to health. The younger the kitten, the more likely the infection will spread into the bloodstream and be lethal. Tiny young kittens do not have the immunity necessary to fight off these infections.

You also have to take extreme care when bottle feeding. A kitten nurser bottle is more appropriate than a syringe. There is ALWAYS a danger when using eyedroppers or syringes to feed formula, in a kitten with a URI, they can aspirate in seconds!! Get a kitten nurser bottle, a canister of dry KMR formula, mix the formula according to the canister directions, and be sure to feed as recommended on the directions (schedule). Make sure the nipple on the nurser bottle is pierced correctly, the bottles do not come with pierced nipples.

The conjunctivitis and discharge from the eyes and nose is a red flag this kitten is so congested that it is difficult to feed and nurse. Being so congested also runs the risk of aspiration when you feed him! Your kitten is miserable and severely stressed, he needs to see a vet so the vet can give him antibiotics immediately!!! The antibiotics will be prescribed by weight and health status of the kitten, the sooner they are given, the better the chance the kitten will survive!

Antibiotics are cost-effective, they are relatively cheap, and when they save lives, it is worth more than money. Please, get this kitten to a vet RIGHT NOW and let the vet get him on antibiotics NOW! Any other kittens around the barn should also be treated. You need to remember that URI's aren't the only thing you have to be concerned with, you also need to be concerned with FELV, FIV, and distemper, which in a multicat environment, spread like wildfire and without proper care and treatment, are deadly. The two mother cats, being only a year old or less themselves, are also at risk, as I assume neither were ever vaccinated. Your mom should be spaying the females, and vaccinating. There are rural vets who sometimes will come out to the property to vaccinate at a reasonable cost. Spaying/neutering prevents unwanted litters, and both spaying and vaccinating reduces the likelihood of fatal diseases. Farm and barn situations like this are a breeding ground for distemper and other fatal diseases that can wipe out an entire colony of cats and kittens within 12-24 hours after the disease has surfaced.

[andreamae]

Hi everyone, thankyou for the advice, this morning when i got up I intended to call the vet and see about my options with this boy, but sadly, the little guy had passed away. It is sad, only had him for two days and I had already gotten attached to him. I had also gotten onto a chat where they recommended the same thing, that most vets will work with you on it, so i intended to call first thing this AM.
I knew when i brought him home the risks and the fact that he was already in really really bad shape, but it is still really sad to have him die.
We were very very careful with washing our hands etc. and making sure no one crossed paths and stayed separated... and I have raised several litters before this guy.. .I should of known when he didnt have a suck reflex that he wasnt going to make it... he never had the reflex. Thanks again everyone for your advice... I dont know that even the vet could have done anything by the time we brought him home, he was bad....

But he was a fighter!!!


**Rest in peace, little Fighter!!!**

[Traci]

If he didn't have a suckling reflex, this might have been a cleft palate, in which the vet could have helped with a feeding tube, and possibly corrected later when the kitten was old enough.

In the future, please don't waste time, get the kittens to a vet immediately. They have NO immunity from any bacterial infection nor viral infection and in tiny young kittens, they can and will fail immediately if not properly treated at once.

Again, you need to be concerned with the other kittens and cats, this may or may not be a URI, it could also be a viral or distemper, don't take that chance, get those cats and kittens seen by a vet please. The mothers and other older females spayed please.

Safe and gentle journey, sweet kitten, and all of your sweet siblings...(((((HUGS))))))