HeatherB
07-19-2010, 05:19 AM
Well, this is a long story...so here it goes.
About 5 years ago my mom, sister and I fostered a litter of seven kittens that my mom's friend found in a barn. They did great, and we kept two of the kittens. One died of pancreatisis when he was about 3 months old, but the other one, Ebony, is alive and well. He is Mom's pride and joy.
So, anyways. It was the most fun work I have ever done. About a week ago, my brother's friends parents were at a restaurant here and found a baby kitten. He was seriously about 3 days old because he still had his umbilical cord attached. They brought him to us because they knew nothing about kittens. So, we kept him warm, were feeding him with KMR, and he was peeing and pooping after being stimulated to do so. We thought he wasn't going to live thru the first night, but he did. He ended up dieing 5 days later, and we have no idea why. After he died, My mom was so attached to him, she was very upset. Something told me I just had to get more kittens. He died Monday evening.
Tuesday: So I went on CL and just several hours before someone had posted an ad that they had found a litter of kittens and felt sorry for them so they brought them in from the rain. So I emailed and called her and she brought the kittens to us. There were four in the litter. A buff colored one (female), a white and orangy spotted one (male) and another white/orange spotted one (female) and one with mostly orange, just a little white (male).
The woman told us they were found under an air conditioning unit and she did not know how to take care of them. So she brought them to us and a brand new bottle set and can of kitten formula. We thought it was a little strange that she had stopped on the way to our house to buy some, but oh well. When we got them they were so hungry! They ate and thier bellies were very hard. So my mom, who had bred cats, gave them each a few drops of mineral oil to help them poop. They were all doing well, until that night, the little buff colored one seemed so much more tired than than the other three. She was the smallest and we think the runt of the litter. She didn't really seem interested in eating, and we were forcing her to eat. Her belly was so very hard even though she was eating, and peeing/pooping. Sometime early Friday morning she died in her sleep.We found out the lady we go them from was giving them regular milk, and they were 'lapping if off the plate' she said. So I am sure they were very dehydrated and cows milk from the fridge can really mess up little kittens stomachs.
So the other three were doing well. Eating and seeming to be thriving. They would wake to the sound of our voices and mew and cry and try to climb up the carrier bars! All until Sunday morning. The little male orange and white spotted kitten was acting funny. Not as active as he had been and just not himself. Later in the afternoon he stopped eating as much, and I really had to force him to get food in him. We didn't think it looked good. I separated him from the others,with a rice sock heated to keep him warm. His breathing was shallow and I held him and petted him until he finally died in my arms at 12:10 Monday morning.
We have went from 5 kittens to 2 kittens in a matter of a week. In know these kittens didn't have very good odds, and it could have been something so simple as the first one just forgetting to breathe, or the mother getting into something or perhaps they got into something in the air conditioning where they were found. Never know I guess. It is just so depressing because I have fallen in love with these little kittens in just such a short time and I am feeling like a failure. I know I am doing everything I can, and it's not my fault. Just hard.
I hope these last two kittens pull thru. They seem to be healthy, pooping and peeing, eating several tablespoons per feeding, and feeding 5 to 6 times per day. I don't know if I can deal with another kitten dieing. They are certianly larger and more active than the others.
Thanks. I think I just needed to get this off my chest.
About 5 years ago my mom, sister and I fostered a litter of seven kittens that my mom's friend found in a barn. They did great, and we kept two of the kittens. One died of pancreatisis when he was about 3 months old, but the other one, Ebony, is alive and well. He is Mom's pride and joy.
So, anyways. It was the most fun work I have ever done. About a week ago, my brother's friends parents were at a restaurant here and found a baby kitten. He was seriously about 3 days old because he still had his umbilical cord attached. They brought him to us because they knew nothing about kittens. So, we kept him warm, were feeding him with KMR, and he was peeing and pooping after being stimulated to do so. We thought he wasn't going to live thru the first night, but he did. He ended up dieing 5 days later, and we have no idea why. After he died, My mom was so attached to him, she was very upset. Something told me I just had to get more kittens. He died Monday evening.
Tuesday: So I went on CL and just several hours before someone had posted an ad that they had found a litter of kittens and felt sorry for them so they brought them in from the rain. So I emailed and called her and she brought the kittens to us. There were four in the litter. A buff colored one (female), a white and orangy spotted one (male) and another white/orange spotted one (female) and one with mostly orange, just a little white (male).
The woman told us they were found under an air conditioning unit and she did not know how to take care of them. So she brought them to us and a brand new bottle set and can of kitten formula. We thought it was a little strange that she had stopped on the way to our house to buy some, but oh well. When we got them they were so hungry! They ate and thier bellies were very hard. So my mom, who had bred cats, gave them each a few drops of mineral oil to help them poop. They were all doing well, until that night, the little buff colored one seemed so much more tired than than the other three. She was the smallest and we think the runt of the litter. She didn't really seem interested in eating, and we were forcing her to eat. Her belly was so very hard even though she was eating, and peeing/pooping. Sometime early Friday morning she died in her sleep.We found out the lady we go them from was giving them regular milk, and they were 'lapping if off the plate' she said. So I am sure they were very dehydrated and cows milk from the fridge can really mess up little kittens stomachs.
So the other three were doing well. Eating and seeming to be thriving. They would wake to the sound of our voices and mew and cry and try to climb up the carrier bars! All until Sunday morning. The little male orange and white spotted kitten was acting funny. Not as active as he had been and just not himself. Later in the afternoon he stopped eating as much, and I really had to force him to get food in him. We didn't think it looked good. I separated him from the others,with a rice sock heated to keep him warm. His breathing was shallow and I held him and petted him until he finally died in my arms at 12:10 Monday morning.
We have went from 5 kittens to 2 kittens in a matter of a week. In know these kittens didn't have very good odds, and it could have been something so simple as the first one just forgetting to breathe, or the mother getting into something or perhaps they got into something in the air conditioning where they were found. Never know I guess. It is just so depressing because I have fallen in love with these little kittens in just such a short time and I am feeling like a failure. I know I am doing everything I can, and it's not my fault. Just hard.
I hope these last two kittens pull thru. They seem to be healthy, pooping and peeing, eating several tablespoons per feeding, and feeding 5 to 6 times per day. I don't know if I can deal with another kitten dieing. They are certianly larger and more active than the others.
Thanks. I think I just needed to get this off my chest.