i pinched my kittens skin and it goes down very slowly!?

Question

does this mean she is dehydrated? she wont drink any water or anything! what should i do? we cant afford a vet!

she is 6 weeks old. and yes, i know i sound stupid saying that we cant afford it but im only 11 and my mom was the one who said i could have it so its not my fault and i didnt know when i got her that we were finacially poor.

Answer 1

I was not going to answer this, but I am going to. Your kitten could die because you cannot afford a Vet. WHY would you have a kitten if you cannot afford it? It needs cat food. It needs to be spayed or neutered. How did you think you were going to do all this?

Just allow the poor thing to have kittens every time she comes into heat?? What are you planning on for the kittens? They are usually difficult to give away so you end placing them in the humane society.

It is because of people like you that animals end up in the street half dead or abused. PLEASE do not get any more animals. Take this one to the Vet and ask for help. Then find the poor animal a good home with people that are able to financially care for it. You can give it all the love you want but that isn't going to keep it healthy.

Answer 2

How old is your kitten? Is it otherwise active? This can be very serious so you need to get water into her right away. Using a dropper to give her water is a good idea. Just don't force it too much at a time because you don't want this water to get into her lungs. If the kitten is eating regular food, make sure she has some canned food (not the sliced kind) because this will give her some liquid.

Kittens can fade very quickly, so do the best you can as soon as you can. Your kitten really needs to go to a vet, so call any animal rescue or humane society in your area. They might be able to tell you where you could get lower cost vet care.

If you can't afford a vet, you should really think twice about whether you should have a pet at all.

Answer 3

i don't mean to sound rude but if you can't afford a vet, should you really have a kitten in the first place? Do you not have pet insurance? We put aside about 200 quid for out kitten just incase of emergencies, and thats on top of pet insurance. What would you do if it was something really serious?

Obviously i don't know your circumstances (maybe you own a cat that unexpectedly had kittens or something) but please try and prepare for emergencies.

Edit: sorry, i didn't realise you are so young, obviously it's not your fault that you can't afford a vet. It's good that you are concerned for your cat though and are trying to get help. Maybe you could use this to show your mum that you need to be in a position where you can afford to help your cat if something bad happens to it. If worst comes to the worst and you/your mum decides you can't keep the cat because you can't afford it, please take it to a no kill animal shelter. I hope it doesn't come to that and you cat gets better and you have a long and happy life together :)

Answer 4

Ask around our Humane Society has a low cost clinic that will work with someone. The animal is dehydrated and needs help. Forcing water/fluids may actually make it worse. It may be kidney failure and it's body may not be able to deal with the fluid. Has the animal been using the litter box? is it strong smelling or dark in color?? these are just a few signs of renal failure. there are other problems that the kitten may have that would cause it to stop drinking too.

Answer 5

There is no way aroud a vet... some vets will work with you.

Also known as hypohydration is a serious & potentially life threatening condition which is defined as excessive loss of water & electrolytes (minerals such as sodium, chloride & potassium).

Most animals are made up of around 60% water. When the water ratio falls 5% below normal, cats will start to show signs of dehydration.

Dehydration requires veterinary attention immediately. Failure to do so may result in death.

What are the causes of dehydration in cats?

Vomiting & or diarrhoea

Sickness - A sick cat may go off it's food & water & therefore not receive enough fluids & become dehydrated.

Increased urination - Medical conditions such as diabetes & renal failure in which the cat urinates more often may cause dehydration.

Heatstroke

Lack of available, fresh drinking water.

Shock

Blood loss

Fever

What are the signs of dehydration in cats?

Dehydration has three classes;

Mild dehydration: up to 5%
Moderate dehydration: 5 - 10%
Severe dehydration: 10% or more

Signs of dehydration include;

Sunken eyes

Dry mouth

Poor skin elasticity (see below for instructions on how to check this)

Lethargy

Increased heart rate

Poor capillary refill time (see below for instructions on how to check this)

Skin turgor test: To check for dehydration grasp some skin at the base of their neck (the scruff) and gently pull it up. In the hydrated cat, the skin will spring back immediately. In a dehydrated cat, the skin will be slower to retract. The more severe the dehydration the slower the skin will take to retract.

Capillary refill time: This helps you to test your cat's blood circulation & can indicate dehydration, heart failure or shock. To test capillary refill time life your cat's upper lip & press the flat of your finger against the gum tissue. Remove the pressure & you will see a white mark on the gum where your finger was placed. Using a watch with a second hand, time how long it takes for the pink colour to return to the white spot. In the healthy cat it should take around 1 - 2 seconds to return to pink.

How is dehydration in cats treated?

Dehydration is reversed by giving fluids either subcutaneously or via IV. This will need to be done at your veterinarian's surgery.

Addressing & treating the underlying cause of dehydration is also essential.

How to avoid dehydration in cats:

Ensure there is a constant supply of fresh, clean drinking water available at all times.

Provide your cat with a cool, sheltered area if it has access to the outdoors.

If your cat is sick, monitor it closely for signs of dehydration.

Seek veterinary attention if your cat has vomiting or diarrhoea.

Answer 6

Dehydration is quick and fatal in kittens so young, you MUST get her to the vet, she needs a drip urgently, there is nothing else you can do. If you can't afford to care for a pet, you shouldn't have one. Don't let the kitten suffer!

Surrender it at the shelter if you have to, so it can get vet care or be put to sleep if needed to end it's suffering. Dehydration is a horrible way for it to die.

If it were you would you be taken to a doctor?

Answer 7

Yes... she may be dehydrated. I you have an oral medicine syringe or even a dropper, squirt water directly into her mouth. Give about 2 tablespoons immediately and then another two tbsp 15 minutes later; then periodically thorughout the day. Alternatively, feed her wet canned food and mix 2 tbsp of water.
If your kitty is a lazy drinker, you may have to switch her to canned cat food as her primary diet with just a bit of dry kibble as a treat. Canned cat food is usually 75% water and takes care of a cat's hydration needs.
Before you buy canned cat food, be sure to CHECK against the list of recalled canned cat food - you would not want to buy the wrong item!

Answer 8

She is dehydrated and you should call a vet. They may be able to help you out without you having to come in, but I doubt it. In the meantime, try bottle feeding her some water. She may take it that way. If not, try a small syringe and slowy put it in her mouth and rub her throat so she'll swallow. Do you have any cat clinics there that are cheaper?

Answer 9

Your kitten is definitely dehydrated. Since you cannot afford a vet, I would try boiling up some chicken and see if the chicken broth might entice her to drink some fluids. Best of luck!

Answer 10

You mean the skin on the back of her neck, pulled it up slightly and let it go?
Encourage her to drink water, if she won't, then give her foods with high water content. Will she drink a little milk?