Poorly kitten advice

[Kitty81]

Hi. I just want a bit of friendly advice, really. I'm pg and hormonal and all upset about my kitten and I wondered if any experienced cat owners could help me feel a bit more rational.

My 9 week old British shorthair, jones, got into a bit of a pickle today. My mum bought some wicker lampshades for me a few weeks ago and they were in a box at the foot of the bed. As jones is new and we have an existing cat, at the moment we are keeping them separate at nights, with the kitten in the bedroom with us. Anyway, I'm ill so was in bed all day today, with the kitten who likes to sleep on the pillow during the day. He made me jump all of a sudden with this godawful scream; he'd managed to get into the box and get stuck inside one of the lampshades, but to make matters worse had got one of the metal attachment bits stuck in his mouth and was panicking and screaming. I jumped over the bed and stuck my hand in the shade and pulled him out, but I had to turn his head to get him out, I was very careful and he was only in there about 15 seconds at the most, and apart from the obvious stress seemed ok, no bleeding as far as I could see. He was running around for a while after, playing with the other cat and seemed fine, but his bottom jaw does look a bit swollen, and he won't eat. Ingave him some tiny bits of mashed ham, and he has drunk some water. Now he is sleeping next to me on the bed, this is about 5 hours later, I didn't think he needed the vet and dh was able to look in his mouth and we couldn't see any obvious trauma. But he is very very miserable, not at all like himself, and just seems to want to sleep.

I'm very, very hormonal at the moment and ill to boot so I know I might be overreacting. He is breathing, and when I stroke him he purrs, really I was wondering the following things

1. If his throat was going to swell up and stop him breathing, it would have done it by now right? Dh says if he was going to swell from an injury it would happen quickly, soon after, and then start to go down. Sil has animal qualifications so we called her and she said to try and clean his mouth with warm salt water in the morning to stop infection, but I am worried he won't be able to breathe.

1. He is just so unhappy and can't seem to eat much. Am I ok to purée his food and just let him lick it off my fingers? I am concerned that he should eat as he is tiny and kittens can degenerate fast, I know. Again, he seems ok and he did eat the ham, I'm pretty sure if I'd hurt my mouth I wouldn't want to eat cat biscuits either...

1. What can I do to make him feel better? Dh thinks leaven him alone, I am sitting with him to keep an eye in here where it is dark and quiet, and I am just stroking him gently now again, he purrs when I do this so i assume it is ok?

Am I mad? I'm soft when it comes to my kittens as it is and I think the poorly/pregnant thing is not helping me be rational. Reassurance please?

Oh, and if he is still under the weather tomorrow I have every intention of taking him to the vet, or if he worsens tonight, so please don't berate me and call the RSPCA on me for not rushing him off to kitty hospital. The emergency clinic is an hour away, I don't have a car, I'm pg and sick. If he needs to go he will, but he hates to travel so I wont put him through the stress if all he needs is sleep and mashed food and cuddles. Which I am administering. Ahh what am I going to be like if my actual child gets sick?! Thanks mners :)

My worry would be just as you say, at that age (9 weeks is really tiny, he should still be with his mum) he can go downhill really quickly if he isn't eating.

I assume you called the vet for advice when it became apparent he was poorly, what did they say? Most emergency vets will advise over the phone whether or not an animal needs to be taken in.

I couldn't get through. He's eaten the mashed ham, and I pureed his usual kitten meat into paste and he's licked quite a bit off my finger. Yes he is tiny, but weaned and so on, my dh got him for my birthday last week. I might have waited a couple more weeks had I known, 8 weeks is very small to be away from mum I agree, but he is here now and I am home all day so I can mind him. I figure as long as he's purring and eating, even little bits, I will keep a very close eye and see the vet in the morning. I am really unwell with hyperemesis ATM so going out is a massive deal, if I thought it was an emergency, we would already be there, even if I was puking and fainting on the floor of the vet ha ha. Probably he's just sore, tired from the fright, and a bit grumpy. Thanks for replying though. I think my pg hormones are making me worry more than usual; poor tiny baby :(

OK

I am no expert as none of mine have been ill and in fact my kitten I got at 14 weeks (all others were adult rescues) so not massively experienced in tiny ones.

But watch out for dehydration, pull the loose skin on the back of his neck upwards gently, then let go, if it doesn't fall back into place quickly then it is likely he is dehydrated. Try every few hours if you can spare the sleep.

Have a look at his gums, pull his eyelids down to look at the tissue there. Is the tissue pink? If it is pale it may be a sign he has lost a bit too much blood so check it every now and then if you can.

Boil the kettle, add some to his kitten food, mash it all up and let it cool a little. He may eat it as it is more appetising warm and it will help with fluids. Plus he will be able to lap which he may find easier if his throat is sore.

I really do appreciate that you are feeling rough, but do you feel well enough to call the emergency vet again for advice?

Has he roused himself at all? My kitten would fall asleep at the drop of a hat but tehn wake up and play, was like a crazy 3-4 hour cycle. Has he been drowsy for 5 hours because if so I would be a little worried.

What is his name?

sorry type - none of mine have been ill as kittens. Blime I wish they hadn't been ill ever!

Hi clairedeloon; you are a genius. Gave him some especially stinky, fishy food mashed to a pulp and warmed a little from the kettle. Got him to lick a little from my finger about half an hour ago, and he gobbled it all up! He's sprung into life since then, running around. He is currently destroying the innard of a toilet roll and seems his usual, slightly bonkers self. Just after eating, he climbed up onto my shoulder and gave my ear a thorough licking. From this I have deduced he must be ok :o

Thank you so much. I cried some when he perked up and ate, and dh said "oh, you looked after him, aren't you going to be the best mum" which, I have to say, did nothing for my ability to stop crying. The cat did a very wide but fishy yawn on my shoulder and I got a good look in his mouth; no missing teeth or blood, or indeed wounds of any kind. Phew. I blame the hormones; you are right, he probably just wanted a sleep, was extra tired from the fright earlier, and I overreacted with pregnancy madness was worried. Thanks for the tip; I have been feeding the meat from the fridge and wondering why they take ages to eat it!

Thanks to you both for replying :o

You both? Sorry. Past my bedtime I think :)