Last night, in someway, the littlest kitten Slider got out of the bedroom overnight and out into the back porch. The porch is screened but the wood we used to frame it isn’t solid- it’s trellis so it gets cold. I heard a small kitten cry about 1:00 a.m. and thinking someone left yet another kitten on the porch, I found her lying on a bed of her own making. She had found a crack in the wood by the back bedroom door and dug out all the fiberglass and fashioned a nest! And some people think cats are stupid. She was lying in the nest and trembling. Her ears were like ice. I bundled her up in to my robe and cycled some towels in the dryer and we sat up all night while she warmed up. I didn’t even waste time taking her temp, I knew she was subnormal. This morning, she is better, she is hugging the small heater in there and only eating a bit. Seems like today none of the kittens are eating much of anything. I am trying so hard to keep these babies alive- but I know it hurts them to eat. Even the baby food has been discarded, so I don’t know how this is going to end. If anyone has any ideas of what I can try- please post them. This is what has been attempted so far
AD pureed down with chicken broth
mashed and cooked chicken livers
crushed dry food softened with broth
tuna juice
pureed adult food
baby food all flavors- ham chicken turkey gets some interest but not enough
fancy feast kitten
max kitten
science diet kitten (they hated this!)
goats milk always a winner but not enough protein to sustain them long
Here is Hooty- as you can see her chin is clearing up quite a bit, the huge burns and blisters have taken off the outer layer of skin. She is with a good friend of mine being fostered, but after this morning’s phone call, it is clear she has stolen a few hearts in the house and may be in her forever home! That’s the hope!
Thank you again to those who donated- please send prayers that these fearless five make it through this process- the vet bill will just have to wait.
I’m trying to think of what attracts my cats; what about dabbing some bacon grease on some good for them, just to get them interested. If any has a sweet tooth, how about a bit of jam? I know these aren’t good for them, but it may get them eating…
Would Catmilk be more sustaining than goats’ milk? If that would help, I can send some, but have no money till next week (sorry).
What about bone broth? I have used it to help many sick kitties. I prefer to make it myself, but I think you can purchase it as well.
Healing energy for those precious little kittens.
You might try soft boiled eggs with the goat milk. Mashed eggs with
milk should be pretty easy to eat and has lots of protein. Cottage
cheese as well. If you could use them, I have lots of extra eggs
from my own semi free range flock. May also be able to provide
some fresh goat milk as well.
Can they be tube fed? I had to tube feed three kittens who had high fevers and could not eat on their own. Never did it before, but my vet showed me how.
Scrambled eggs? Cheap tuna cat food (so it’s fortified) pureed into a pudding consistency?
yogurt (obviously not as food food but wouldn’t be bad re all the antibiotics they are on wacking out their intestinal system possibly) – my cats have surprised me by liking plain active culture greek yogurt.
I would have thought the a/d would do the trick.
Their are a couple of versions of powdered kitty kaviar out there, and frankly you could just buy a bag of the for humans shaved bonito and then crumble it into powder, apply to the food they were eating best for that pumped up fishy aroma.
make a beef or chicken broth add gelatin so you get a thick jello consistency they can lick or softly chew?
Casey we discussed this, but the concern is that the toxins went down into the throat and may have caused irritation so it was decided to just make a soft gruel load it into a 1 ml syringe and shoot it straight down the throat until their appetite kicks in again.