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So...basically the title sums this up. My friend found and orphaned kitten...maybe 2 weeks old and I took it because she is gone all day. Its' eyes are not opened yet but it seems to be doing well.
My friend found a "recipe" online that she made and I've been using that to feed it and it seems to enjoy it. However, I'm planning on going to the local pet store and finding some kitty formula. I've been using a dropper to feed it. I've done the feeding several times a day and I set an alarm to feed it in the middle of the night. I also help it...relieve itself so it doesn't get constipated or anything.
I have some old, soft towels in the laundry basket for it as well as an older small stuffed animal for it to snuggle up to. Under the towels I have a heating pad...it's one that you stick in the microwave and stays warm for a little while...but it's not too hot at all. Just comfy. It's been warm where we live, so the a.c. is going...but our bathroom stays warm b/c of where it is located in our house, so it stays in there with one light on.
After feedings I let it snuggle up to me in the smaller towel until it falls asleep, then I put it back into the laundry basket. That seems to comfort it.
I hope I'm doing everything right. If anyone else has any suggestions or things that have helped them in a similar situation please let me know. I'm doing the best I can.
It sounds as though you are. We fostered orphaned kittens once and it was a joy. I used cotton balls in warm water to wipe them to make them pee and poo.
The kitten we kept that we fostered was the most loving and friendly cat we ever had. I should warn you that these cats have NO street smarts, so are very susceptible to getting hit by cars and other accidents because they have no fear. Ours loved to wander, but unfortunately he got hit by a car. I wish I had kept him in the house.
If his/her eyes are not open yet, it is probably not even 2 weeks old. That usually happens around 10 days.
It sounds as tho you are doing all you can. Know keeping the little one warm is very important at this stage. It does not have the ability to shiver at this young age, and therefore can not do it for itself. Warm towels, heating pad (but not too hot) are great ways to keep it warm. A stuffed animal or something for it to snuggle up against too! I'm guessing the recipe your talking about is the well known kitten glob....frankly, at this point, the kitten supplement they sell at any petstore would be more beneficial. Hydration is extremely important...as you have probably seen in a current thread that is running. Feedings every 2 hrs or so will benefit the kitten greatly. It will probably refuse a baby bottle, but you can try...You will most likely have to use a eye dropper. Also ...get a scale to keep track of weight. The non-gaining or loss will be your first clue if something is not going right.
Good luck...and bless you for taking this little one on! ((HUGS))
I'm not much help here but I offer support letting you know that anything you need to do for the kitten you should try. Can you call a vet or shelter to assist? I'd worry about it being so young & unable to eat well w/out a mom. Please keep us posted & call a vet if you can.
mrspink: You are doing a great job. gentleart's suggestion concerning cotton balls is a good one, since mother cats usually take care of that bit. Thank you for saving the baby.
We took in a kitten, less than 10 days old, less than 10 oz, about 12 years ago. My friend was a sahm, so she kept the kitten during the day and drove her to vet appts (there were so many in those first few months, she was very ill when she was found).
She is now a 12 year old, very annoying cat. We got her a companion, born on the day we found her, when she was about 8 weeks old. The other cat has taught her some cat-like things, but she never picked up on others. For instance, she used to hiss when she wanted to play - but hasn't hissed in 10 years - the other cat knows what hissing is and would take offense to it. I also litter trained her improperly - I taught her to dig, then bury with her front paws, rather than bury with the back ones. Most of the time, she doesn't bury and the other does it for her.
She wouldn't take the bottle, so we put her formula in a small lid from a 2 oz tupperware container and she really lapped it up. Gradually, we added in soft foods. At about 4 weeks old, we started setting out hard kibble, to let her try it. The vet will advise you as to when you should do what. The vet we used then was a real kitten lover and rescued them all the time, so she gave us major discounts. I still spent over $1000 on the vet in that first year.
Don't get her a companion until all her physical issues have cleared up. She still had the eye infections when we got her a friend - just doubled our vet bill.
Despite the way our cats have complicated our lives, they were our "first babies" and we love them. Even when they deliberately pee on the floor or decide I should pet them from 2-5am. The rescued cat is still small (8 lbs) but is healthy. And despite the vet's prediction that she wouldn't live more than 7 years old, she's 12 1/2 now.
Good luck. Remember she is a baby and can't be left alone long. We used an upside down laundry basket to contain her when we had to leave the house or when I took a shower or couldn't be watching her directly. By the time she can fight her way out from under it, she'll be big enough not to need it. Part of the reason we did it was because she was so small, it would've been easy for her to get stuck somewhere or climb into something and die. Plus, even opening the door onto her might've killed her.
It sounds as though you are. We fostered orphaned kittens once and it was a joy. I used cotton balls in warm water to wipe them to make them pee and poo.
The kitten we kept that we fostered was the most loving and friendly cat we ever had. I should warn you that these cats have NO street smarts, so are very susceptible to getting hit by cars and other accidents because they have no fear. Ours loved to wander, but unfortunately he got hit by a car. I wish I had kept him in the house.
The idea of the use of the cotton balls soaked in warm water is a good one. Depending on the age of the kitten...it need only be done for the first 3 weeks of life.
I might add....since this kitten is not nursing, then it is not getting the colostrum it would normally get from it's mother. This is a natural immunity passed on from mom through her milk. I would highly suggest you don't allow visitors for this little one. It will be susceptible to a variety of feline diseases until Vacs start. Check with your vet...but I think they would start early in this case. Given a healthy kitten, somewhere around 3 weeks.
Weight...can't stress enough how important weight gain is. A healthy kitten usually weighs around 3-4 ozs. at birth...and usually doubles it's weight by 10 days. A steady weight gain is a good indicator the kitten is doing well.
You're doing everything right!! Aww it really makes me want to foster more to read your post! We mixed a little kms (kitten formula from petsmart) with natural balance wet food. Our first fosters were 2 weeks old and didn't know how to chew, they would actually suck the food - they made the CUTEST noises when they did that! We used a tupperware lid too, it was shallow enough so they didn't have to put their heads in a bowl. You can get bottles at petsmart too, one of our kittens wasn't eating and we bottle fed him for the first few days. Make sure you hold and cuddle with him a lot and he'll get warmth from you. It's so sad that he's alone! Poor little guy!
Mrspink, you are doing angel work. Bless you for caring for this little one. All suggestions here are great, and in combination with what you are doing already, this little one will have a fighting chance.
Keep up the fantastic job! (((HUGS))) for saving a life!!!
So far sounds like you got in it under control. And the advice given is well stated.
I've never had to baby one as young as yours. My little Ami cat I had to baby at about 7 weeks. She was considerably bigger and was doing a lot on her own. But I still had to wrap her up and snuggle her and make sure she was warm and safe. I used a cage to contain Ami at the time which was dubbed the Happy Home. When she finally got old enough and it was time for the cage to come down- boy I got chewed up by her.
So best of luck with the baby!
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