Okay. I'm not sure of the exact age of the kitten, but it's gotta be AT LEAST two weeks old. It has already opened its eyes and it is able to move around a little. But it seems really weak, it is breathing really hard, it isn't really moving around(it can, but all it seems to want to do is just lay there), it looks like it has something grown over its eye(part of the eye seems to be to far over), it is really listless(it's not meowing or making any kind of noise), it isn't really responding to sound of any sort, and it just SEEMS all together to be sad. Add to that, its mother WAS grooming it a LITTLE, but she is not feeding it(that I have seen) and she is(for the time being) no where to be seen , she just left her kitten out in the open. I'm not sure what all of this means, and I'm not sure what to do about it. Could anyone PLEASE give me advice on what to do, or, at the least, refer me to a website or somewhere I can get information about this. Please and thank you for any help.
2007-05-23 12:30:44 · 8 answers · asked by Your Every Nothing 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
There are a few reasons mom would reject the kitten, it's the weakest, she's got too many to feed, the list is long.
You can jump in and take over, and get this kitten a good start in life.
Here are some sites for you to look at:
http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/22/Hand-Rearing-kittens.html
http://www.cat77.org.uk/articles/rearing.htm
http://www.pandecats.com/subject_index.php?s=birthing
http://www.mypetspages.com/petinfo/feline/hand%20rearing%20kittens.php
Good luck with it!
2007-05-23 15:39:14 · answer #1 · answered by Unicornrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get the kitten to a vet!!! It's weak because the mama's not feeding it properly and as often as it needs. Kittens are like human babies, when they're that young, they need feeding every 2-4 hrs. It also sounds like the kitten has an infection on top of inadequate nutrition, and is probably why the mama has abandoned it. Also very important: Are you stimulating it to go to the bathroom??? You have to gently rub its bottom (and it wee-wee if its a boy, other if it's a girl, you know what I'm talking about) to stimulate them just like the mama would - that may be a big reason the baby is listless and unresponsive. It'll kill the baby if you don't do that.
If you can't afford a vet, or can't find one, at least start by dampening a papertowel with plain, warm water and gently stroking the baby all over to clean it's fur. Do the same with another clean papertowel to it's eye; try to get all the gunk out of it; this is another thing the mama would do. Then finally, you can go to your local Wal-Mart or Target, or grocery store for that matter, and get some powdered milk formula for kittens (just like powedered milk formula for human babies). Read and follow the instructions carefully on the back of the can about how to mix it, and feed it to the kitten in a bottle (they sell those in the same aisle, too)! This is where the 2-4 hour feedings come in.
All of this sounds daunting, I know, but it's a start if you want to save this baby's life. But get the baby to a vet immediately if possible and start with the things I just explained (immediately if not sooner)! Great luck to you and email me if you need more advise (I used to be a vet tech!). impavidsoul@yahoo.com
2007-05-23 13:08:39 · answer #2 · answered by Impavidsoul 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello...well you just took on the mother role, now you have to get some kitten baby formula from a vet or pet store, bottle &.or spoon or dropper to feed the kitten every hour or two, 24/7 for the next 2 or 4 weeks ..till the little kitty can eat on his own ..you must also wipe gently wipe him with a warm cloth, epsecially his bottom which stimulates him or her to poo & urninate...which is what mama would do ...Take Care & Good Luck :)
2007-05-23 12:37:31 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds to me like mother is rejecting this kitten for some reason. Usually when they do this it means that the kitten is ill, however, in some cases it is because the mother is immature and unsure about how to care for her kittens. Is she caring for the litter mates? I would supplement this kitten with kitten formula (found at any pet food store) until you can take the little one to the vet to be sure that she isn't sick. Good luck!
2007-05-23 12:40:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get the kitten to the vets as soon as possible.
mom leaving it is usually a sign the kitten isn't well they will leave it out away form her as not to attract preditors to her/ the kitten was left to die .
It sounds like it may possibly have upper respitory infection also teh kitten need to be kept warm and fed every 2 hours day and night.
You also have to stimulate it to go potty.
A 2 week + kitten has to be if eyes open should be moving trying to find the mother for food. breathing heavy isn't normal
Please get it to a vet as soon as possible form the sounds it may not live the night.
Good luck and if you have the mom get her spayed as soon as possible.
2007-05-23 12:40:34 · answer #5 · answered by Kit_kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need to get that kitten to a vet. the mama cat has rejected it. that is what they do when they sense it will die. if u can't afford a vet. contact the humane society in your area. the one in my town treated a kitten for me. course i got it there, but is worth a try. he is now four years old and hale and hardy. good luck
babe
2007-05-23 12:41:37 · answer #6 · answered by babetoo@sbcglobal.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try:
http://cats.about.com/cs/kittencare/a/kitcareone.htm
About.com is very helpful!
2007-05-23 12:40:08 · answer #7 · answered by Answer Guru 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.homeatlastrescue.org/html/aboutcats/kittencare.html
try this site. Hope it's helpful.
2007-05-23 12:36:08 · answer #8 · answered by iamsosmart 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋