Hello, I am new to this forum. I work at animal control and I have a problem. A lady dropped off a litter of about 4-5 week old kittens that had been abandoned and she had been bottle feeding. They were all showing signs of toxicities. They had diarhea, weekness, couldn't walk straight, appeared blind, standing in corner, difficult breathing, and not wanting to eat. She couldn't afford veterinary care so she has been trying to keep them alive at home with a heating pad and force feeding. When questioned she said that she didn't know what they could have gotten into because she kept them in a large box for their safety. She said that she has taken care of abandoned kittens before (knows to help them potty, feed them 2-4 hours, etc) the only thing she did different that she can think of is that she gave them a bath in Johnson & Johnson head-to-toe baby body wash thinking it must be safe. She bathed them 4 days ago. She was really upset about leaving them here to be put to sleep. Because we are a municipal run shelter here we don't have funds to send these kittens to a vet. These five babies are soooo cute and I really want to help instead of killing them, unless I have no choice.
I have been searching for any evidence on the internet that this baby wash is toxic to kittens and if so is there anything I can do to help the kittens. I have not found anything. I am desperate. Any help or ideas as soon as possible would be appreciated!
but you can keep them warm, feed them warm kitten milk formula with a bottle and wipe them clean. I think you are going to need a vet for sure though. Can you take them home and foster them yourself? Don't you have a vet that would do this for a discount given the fact they were abandoned and not pets? You could foster them and get them spayed and neutered and place them in adopted homes. If the babies are nursing you need to stimulate them with a warm cotton ball to pee and poop. There is a link here on fostering infant kittens. Perhaps she was not stimulating them to pee and poop and they are toxic from that. They have to be warm, eat, pee, poop and then you have to clean them from eating and eliminating before putting them back to bed. Just touch the areas where the pee and poop come from with warm cotton and gently rub until they eliminate. This is very important. There has to be some cat rescue group or vet that will help you with these guys. It really sounds like they need a vet right away. At least until they are stable.
Sara and her 6 kitties. Clover , Saharan, Mona, Negrito, Nando and Silvestre (Vest/The Vest).
I'd get them to a vet ASAP!! I don't know about toxicity of baby shampoo but I seem to remember Traci or someone on here advising against the use of any human shampoo on cats...I would guess that goes for baby shampoo too. It could also be totally unrelated to this, they could have any number of diseases..FIP, FeLV, FIV, parasites...who knows with abandoned kittens. I'd recommend taking them to a vet ASAP...please!
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
not the regular shampoo. But regardless, they need to be seen. I was using the regular baby shampoo on my cats and Traci said to use hypoallergenic cat shampoo. Human shampoo's and soaps are too strong for cats she said, even if your babies. I found some clear, cat/dog, hypoallergenic, gentle shampoo at my vets that I am going to use. I never had a problem with the baby shampoo but will not take any chances. I don't know how different the head to toe wash is from the regular baby shampoo but the babies sound so sick. I hope a vet can see them asap.
Sara and her 6 kitties. Clover , Saharan, Mona, Negrito, Nando and Silvestre (Vest/The Vest).
Jenneve, I'm sorry, but the only way to save these babies' lives is to get them properly examined by a vet. I'm sure you know one or two in your area who is willing to give them a quick look-over and perform a fecal from one to rule out strong possibilities: distemper, salmonella, ecoli, infectious disease (FELV/FIV), flea-induced anemia, coccidia, giardia, other serious parasites. Left untreated, they surely will not make it, don't take that risk, these babies are depending on your help!
J&J is not safe for use in tiny kittens and I do not recommend it for cats at all. Ingredients in all human shampoos/products are harsh on a cat's sensitive skin, not to mention mucous membrane reactions.
I think something else is going on here the previous owner isn't telling you. Other toxicities are a potential, but only your vet can tell you based upon full exam and get those fecals done!! Otherwise, you may be setting yourself up for an epidemic in your shelter, you need to take that into serious consideration.
Thank you all for your response. The kittens are not stable and we have already had one die in quarantine. Supervisor said they are too far gone for veterinary help and stamped approval for euthansia. I have been working here for 7 years and I still never get used to this.
Jenneve, does your shelter not contract a vet to handle these exams????
I again strongly urge you to get them seen by a vet. Chances are, there is one in your area who will look at them at NO cost, start making phone calls. Again, you don't know what they might be harboring, the shelter is willing to take that risk to other cats without getting an exam?
These kittens are suffering from all the stress of handling, transferring from one place to another; whatever is ailing them is going to be compounded by all the stress. I'm sorry, I realize you have no control over your superiors, but please try.....call a vet.
It is too late. Getting sick and injured animals is an everyday occurance here, of course. Where as a disease to a certain extent is not anyone's "fault" (except failure to vaccinate.) I feel bad that this was preventable. If the owner hadn't waited 4 days to seek a solution maybe they could have been saved. Just like I get so mad at people not being responsible about keeping their pets confined to the yard and then they get hit by a car. Accidents happen, but there are people that just don't know better and ignorance is not an excuse. Thanks for letting me vent. I really hope to be out of this job in the next three years to start a petsitting business. I want to be helping animals more. Sometimes you just feel like your hands are tied behind your back!
Jenneve, it's not that I don't understand, because I truly do. I hate working with shelters period. Just take a look around the board here and you'll find several friends who share the same opinion on your plights (and irresponsible owners)
I hope it is some comfort in knowing that if you've saved the life of just one precious creature, you have done an outstanding deed of human compassion. I know we can't save them all, but every tiny act you do is worth every effort.
Venting is welcome here, we're good at it. You're not alone.
My heart goes out to you. You sound like you truly care for your charges and I couldn't agree with you more about the irresponsibility of pet "guardians". It's frustrating, and working at the shelter as you do I'm sure I can't imagine what you must deal with. You took the kittens in and you loved them, if only for a short time. Sometimes the best you can hope for is to feel cared for as you transition to the Great Spirit. They know you tried, I couldn't do what you do. Thanks for your compassion and good luck in the future. Respectfully Maxx.
I hope a vet can see them asap.
