Orphaned Kitten

[Em8725]

Hi, does anyone have any experience with an orphaned kitten? They were found abandoned by their mum, in a friend of a friends garden. This one seems a little behind the others, and I have the time so am happy to help him. I’ve done a lot of reading and a vet has aged him at 5/6 weeks.

Does anyone have any tips? He’s so affectionate, and is bottle feeding at the moment, preparing to be weaned properly. Does anyone recommend a good wet food to make a slurry?

And how can I help him with grooming? He accidentally smooshed a bit of poo on his back legs and stinks but I don’t want to hurt him 😩

Thankyou!

OK @Bargebill19 - Explain the bananas .

And OP - I'm very impressed with your vet too.

Yes @Bargebill19 are the bananas in there to ripen up the kitty-cats? 😂

Your vet and your dh both sound soft as candy-floss OP. You are surrounded by good'ns. (And you are a good'n yourself).

Ah the bananas were stuffed cat nip toys from amazon - until the kittens either hid or ate one, and the other one become to tatty to salvage. It’s been replaced by 40+ rattly mice, a cat nip spaceman and a cat nip fish. We also have a flipping fish which ensures you are bolt awake on a midnight trip to the loo....

I know you’re all here for the photos so I’ve attached another of my favourites.

@Bargebill19 I love those bananas 😂😂. We definitely need a few more cat toys.

That face!

OMG gorgeous Frank! 🥰

Happy frank!

we fostered 2 tiny kittens and their mum a few years ago. one of the babies was smaller and a bit behind the other with eating solids, until one day she grabbed and ran off with a whole cooked chicken fillet

@Em8725

Ok. We are taking little Frank (the kids named him) to the vet today for a check up and to see if he’s due any vaccinations and to see if he can have the worm and flea treatments.

He’s eaten quite a bit this morning, mainly off my fingers so I think he needs teaching to eat from a bowl.

He’s still curled up in my dressing gown, and follows me around if I dare to put him on the floor. If I stand still he sits on my slipper until I pick him up. I’ve been putting him down every 15/30 minutes because he has to get used to being a cat and not a baby 😂

Frankie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Fingers is good, it socialises them ! Really great video here ....

He had a good feed tonight, I put him in the crate but he’s too tiny so he’s coming up to bed with me in his box again.

He’s still having a night feed so I’ll keep him close for a little longer. I think I’m being a softie and putting off the inevitable crying when he’s eventually left alone 😭.

Huge cat tree is coming tomorrow so we’ll put that up and see what he makes of it. He’s testing his limits and jumped off me on the sofa, landed perfectly. It really surprises me how far they can jump when they’re so little.

I’ve agreed that if his siblings need a home, I’ll take them in too. Although what I’ll do with 4 of them I’ll never know!

Awww. How was he through the night.

He was ok through the night but this morning is only having tiny sips of his bottle. He keeps sneezing and doesn’t want solid food. Not sure what to do!

I’d ring the vet, are his eyes weeping at all or looking wetter?.

His eyes look absolutely fine, I’ll call them again today I think and see if they can see him.

He’s currently in my dressing gown again having a snooze so I was going to try the toothbrush and then straight onto a bottle. I’ve watched the kitten lady video for tricky feeders and have some new things to try. I’ll call the vet and see what they say

If you take on the siblings as well this is going to go from cute but tiring to full-on bedlam for you OP. Is your DH on board with having all of them? I know it's very very hard to say no if pressure is being put on you but to go from no cats to four abandoned baby cats with little warning is quite the commitment. Hope Frank perks up today.

You’re doing really well OP, hope all the feeding goes okay for you today 😄

We are going back to the vet today, just for another check as I’m not entirely convinced by his aversion. I’m wondering if it could be pneumonia.

Scary but he needs to be seen.

My house is generally bedlam, DP is ok with it, but the others are all on solids so I wouldn’t have to feed all of them by bottle. Just this little one

Oh no. Praying he's okay.

So I am a massive over worrier which has been confirmed. She’s told me how much he should be feeding, how often etc and all is fine.

They’ve given me their own formula and a bottle because he’s not latching on the one I have.

Cat tree is here and put together, he absolutely adores it. I’ve constructed the cage and used it to contain him in the dining room, the cage contains his litter and a bed, and then he has access to that room only. He loves the freedom

Massive over worrier ? No -
You are a loving slave to Frank. 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Sounds like you’re doing a great job!

I’ve raised lots of bottle fed abandoned kittens. I’d try smearing some soft soupy food around his mouth and on his paws for him to lick off, then hopefully he’ll get a taste for it. We use microwaveable heat pads for babies as they can’t regulate their temperature. And I’d just be careful with a dog crate. Check the gaps aren’t too big, especially around the bottom, I always stuff them with towels if I think they could get out or get themselves stuck

Good luck!

@Mabelene ive gone for a cardboard lining around the bottom, just so he can’t get stuck anywhere. He’s particularly enjoying climbing the bars inside and dangling from the top 😂

I’m going to try and source some microwave heat pads for him. For now we've just cuddled lots and lots.

I got a heat reflecting pad off Amazon my cat adores, and put it in an igloo bed. Seems to stay v warm. Sometimes I put a (warm!) hot water bottle in too

How is frankie tonight ...more pics available we all hope ❤️

Yes! We demand more photos!