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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Need urgent advice for a tiny kitten!

484 replies

3littlebadgers · 03/05/2012 19:00

I've rescued a kitten who has been rejected by it's mum. It was one of two, Mum took the bigger one and never returned. Poor little thing was calling for her all yesterday and it broke my heart keeping my distance but today it started to go very quiet and shakey so I've taken it in. I know nothing about kittens no idea how old it is (fits easily into my hand, massive eyes and ears, very skinny wobbly legs that look a bit too long for its little body). I've given it tiny drops of milk from a syringe (sp?) prob takes 1ml at a time before it starts to refuse. What do I do (mostly regarding feeding but other advice would be much appreciated)? Live abroad so no shelters or rescue homes so I'm on my own with this one.

OP posts:
IsLovingAndGiving · 03/05/2012 19:06

Poor little thing. I don't know much about this, but just hoping you can save the little thing I think it should possibly have special kitten milk and not cows milk? Not sure if that's possible for you. Also assume it should be fed regularly. Good luck badger.

NatashaBee · 03/05/2012 19:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThisWeekonFancyPuffin · 03/05/2012 19:08

If you look in classics pinot has a thread (sorry can't link as on my phone) which has loads of excellent advice Smile

Sparklingbrook · 03/05/2012 19:09

Yes you need Pinot.

ThisWeekonFancyPuffin · 03/05/2012 19:14

Someone needs to alert the Pinot siren Grin

She's totally lovely and a kitten rescuing hero

unashamed arsekisser

Original poster
3littlebadgers · 03/05/2012 19:17

Thanks ladies I will check out Pinot

OP posts:
Pinot · 03/05/2012 19:22

Hello! A very lovely MNer linked me into this thread.

Rightyho, cows milk is no good unless its an emergency. You need a pet shop and you need kitten replacement milk and a kitten feeder bottle. Depending on age, just a few millilitres every hour will do.

To establish age... if it has open eyes and ears that are up, it sounds like it's at least 2 weeks old. Can you put up a picture? It's really important to know as up to about 4 weeks you will need to stimulate the bladder and bowels yourself, just like a Mum cat would. They can't do it themselves and theres a real risk of serious damage if they're left too long without peeing.

Simple to do: get some kitchen roll (better than loo roll as it's rougher like a car tongue) and dip it in warm water, rub the genitals in a rolling motion until they pee. Keep going until they atop and hopefully he'll poo as well. Clean with more moist kitchen roll. Do that before and after each feed.

Kittens need feeding every 90mins or so, depending on age and that includes through the night. Up to 4 weeks they can't generate their own heat so they need a heat pad (from a pet shop) or a hot water bottle WELL covered to prevent burning. Allow them to wriggle away from it if they want to as overheating is just as dangerous as underheating.

Pinot · 03/05/2012 19:23

car tongue should read cat tongue :)
atop = stop

sorry for typos :)

Sparklingbrook · 03/05/2012 19:28

Good luck badgers and thanks Pinot.

dilbertina · 03/05/2012 19:30

Pending Pinot's arrival....

I had a job once looking after pedigree kittens that couldn't be allowed to feed from their mother because of some blood type issue or something. From what I remember (was 20 years ago...!) you need to feed little and often with syringe, get kitten milk, every 2 hours maybe? Through night as well. Depending on age it may not be able to poo unaided..... the mother would lick stomach to "encourage" - fortunately you can use a damp cotton wool ball to achieve same effect - stroke stomach in direction of rear end....

Wipe eyes with cotton wool soaked in boiled water to stop them getting gunky.

Don't get too attached, the mother may have rejected kitten because she senses a problem.

Good luck - i can't say it was the highlight of my career, but the kittens survived until it was safe to return to their mother!

dilbertina · 03/05/2012 19:31

Arse, spent ages typing that and then Pinot rocks up in the meantime! Listen to her, my advice is amateur and rather old!
Good luck kitty!

Pinot · 03/05/2012 19:36

You are spot on! I did a sad afce at the not getting too attached - we lost one of the three abandoned in our garden, poor little thing. But the other two are fully grown (turned a year old last month) so fingers crossed for you OP :)

I'll open my profile up so you can see the pics of my little purrers :o

Pinot · 03/05/2012 19:58

OP I'm going offline now but if you need help just PM me - they come straight to my phone so I can reply without needing the computer, OK?

Original poster
3littlebadgers · 03/05/2012 20:08

Thanks ladies, Pinot I feel like I am being addressed by royalty (just been reading your thread) [curtsey]. My kitty has sticky up ears and open eyes so I am guessing about 2-3 wks not been to the toilet all day so I've given it a little rub but as yet nothing. I'll keep trying. Giving it cows milk at the moment. I did go to a pet shop but the only thing they had kitten related was meaty food for up to 1 year. I'm guessing it is too little for that. Will try and locate a vet in the morning. Slighty worried I wont be able to get kitten formula as people don't really do pets here and cats generally just hang around in gangs by the bins! I'm smitten S/he is pure black and loves to snuggle into my boob!

OP posts:
crazynanna · 03/05/2012 20:42

Aaaaarwwwww! Smile Well done 3little. The Right Honourable Pinot will defo get you through this one way or another. Good luck and please can we have some pics? Smile

trinni · 04/05/2012 00:03

I just wanted to add something here to help you hopefully.

I too found a poor tiny kitten in similar circs and the lady from the CPL estimated he was roughly 2-3 weeks (ears still down).

She recommended I feed him very lightly scrambled egg (mixed with a little milk) and fed regularly. I'd had no previous experience with such a tiny creature so took her at her word and served it up day and night, in a really shallow dish, which I held for him. I also had to do the bum thing!

Louis is now a strapping lardy 3 year old in rude health.

I do hope your kitty will survive Smile

Original poster
3littlebadgers · 04/05/2012 06:39

Flipping nora the little thing is covered in fleas! Guessing as it's is black I couldn't see them untill we got the bright sunlight in the morning. Also It will wee but not poo. Starting to really feel like I'm in it above my head. I don't want to let it down it is so sweet. I'll try to post pictures tonight when things aren't so crazy. Feel like I have a newborn all over again!

OP posts:
Pinot · 04/05/2012 08:28

You're not in above your head but it can feel overwhelming. It's shock I think. Seeing this little mite and being responsible is a bit wooo innit! But you can do this, you really can! The no-poo is OK - it's probably still got an empty tummy. As long as he wee's, thats the main thing. Fleas are common but he's too little for treatment at the mo I think.

The kitten milk wont be near the pet food - it's normally near the medical bits on the pet shops. On the link up there, I think it says what a good home-made substitute is?

If he's 2/3 weeks that's good - a bit of strength in him. Keep going every hour with the milk - and every feed, stimulate his wee/poo before and after a feed. Keep him warm - snuggle him between your boobs, my kitten spent hours effectively in my bra. Odd? Maybe.... but it works! :)

Original poster
3littlebadgers · 04/05/2012 08:52

Thanks again Pinot glad to know I'm not on my own with this one. Went to the vet and basically he told me there was little I could do at the moment apart from keep her fed warm and comfortable as she is so little. They don't have kitten formula but he did said that goats milk might be better for her than cows, which I've read somewhere else also. Also read that she may have social problems later on Sad I have so much mummy guilt at the moment. Even my animal loathing husband gave her a little stroke between the ears she is so cute. Will my children be harmed of bitten from the fleas? is ther anything I should be doing to protect them?

OP posts:
Pinot · 04/05/2012 11:46

Sorry for delay I was out.

This link talks about using a flea comb etc and what to do.

YY to goats milk, that's gentler on her tummy.

As for social problem - pish and bibble! My two are scrumptious and perfect so I think as long as you mimic a mummy cat as much as possible (i.e. cuddles, warmth, toileting) then she'll be fine. You should have the kitten in your room at night - that ic v v important. You need to feed every hour anyway, but you need to able to respond to its mews and cries just like a mummy cat. Forget sleep for a while - this little one needs you and this bit doesn't last long.

I wish I could take over from you, truly! I loved it - one of the best experiences of my life. Have a look at my pics to see my kittens and how they grew soooooo fast!

ripsishere · 04/05/2012 11:57

AWwwwwww how lovely. I agree with the goats milk. That's what the cat protection woman told me for our two boys.
Not as a subsitute for big cat milk but as a treat. It is the closest the cat milk you can buy apparently.
Good luck and well done.

Original poster
3littlebadgers · 04/05/2012 18:06

Righto I've posted three pictures of the little mite, took loads (me thinks there must be a skill to taking kitty photos, which I have yet to master). Can anyone have a stab in the dark at guessing her age for me from the pictures? She is 170g. The good news is that compared to yesterday she is gobbling up her milk. Thanks to you all for all your lovely kitty advice I would have got it so wrong without you lot. I'm a very proud mummy! Still no poo Hmm

OP posts:
Pinot · 04/05/2012 18:08

Your profile isn't open to be able to view photos. You can change it in My Mumsnet.

170g is v small, so I would guess at the most she's 2 weeks. I'll have a look at your pics to have another guess :)

ripsishere · 04/05/2012 18:12

two weeks? you really are an expert on pussies aren't you Pinot?
Op please do as she asks, I'd love to see your firm young pussy little kitty.

Pinot · 04/05/2012 18:14

:o Heh - I was obsessive about weighing my kittens to make sure they thrived, that's all. I'm not a cat weirdo much :o

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