Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Sunday Squee

gray and white kitten
“Champ”

This lucky kitten is watched all day long, even carried around to work and back, just to make sure he eats, he maintains his body temperature and he can breathe. He is one of the kittens rescued last week from a house with several mother cats and kittens, nearly all sick with upper respiratory infections. Not lucky for the attention, but lucky to be alive! And he looks really good here compared to a few other photos.

This little guy’s mom was too sick to give care to anyone so her babies were split up between two other rescuers who had the other moms with litters rescued from the same house. Most of the mothers and kittens progressed even just a little but this little guy’s temperature didn’t even register a few days later so he was taken to Lindsay Joyce, the veterinary technician who lives at Frankie’s Friends Cat Sanctuary and is accustomed to and equipped for difficult cases.

He looks like a newborn, but he’s not. Lindsay notes several features that show he’s a few weeks old. “His ears aren’t flattened, he responds to sound & unfortunately, I don’t think his eyes are shut due to age. He can walk and has deciduous incisors and canines and is probably 3-4 weeks old. He’s extremely small.”

Lindsay had described his condition that first night as “trying to die”, really struggling just to breathe with congestion and infection blocking his sight and sense of smell. I think many people involved believed he wouldn’t make it. Lindsay says, “He eats well despite never asking to eat, and pees. What I thought was agonal stretching night 1 seems to be more positioning his head so he can breathe better. I haven’t tried to retake his temp because he feels warm now (temp wasn’t registering originally), he’s in a box inside a box with heat and gonna come to work with me again today. Still giving fluids for the what the heck factor. He mostly just rests inside his towelcave, but he’s getting a bit wigglier.”

A few days later, “Eating quite well tonight but still has to be woken up to eat or I think he’d just starve in his sleep because that’s all he does! Peeing up a storm but still seems to be benefiting from fluids. Still very congested, might open up his eyes soon. Had his first nail trim this evening.”

His diagnosis is an upper respiratory infection and perhaps a herpes virus, and his condition is still guarded. Lindsay had shared photos where his eyes were covered in goo and his face was so drawn it was hard to believe this little guy was even alive!

Below is one of the momcats with three of her kittens, all of them feeling better but still with a long way ahead of them until they are free of congestion.

Black momcat with three of her kittens.
Black momcat with three of her kittens.

To update a prior rescue, here is and update on Henry who has apparently gone to kitten heaven! His people adore him and his kitty sisters apparently decided to put up with his kitten misbehavior.

three cats
Henry with his kitty sisters.

I’m so glad this network of people is able to rescue cats and kittens like these, make them well and help them find new homes. There are still, unfortunately, far too many, and while people think it’s fine for their cats to have kittens this past week also saw more sick kittens and mother cats and a prolapsed uterus, and the season is early. More female cats in each clinic are already pregnant.

A happy rescue is always a good story, but spay and neuter is a better answer! Seek out people who have cats and make sure they are all spayed and neutered!

. . . . . . .

All photos courtesy the rescuers. Thanks to all of you who rescue cats and those who foster cats and give them all a new chance at life!

You can help these people and the organizations they work with—any donation is used for food, medicine, KMR or for the larger costs of free and low-cost spay and neuter and veterinary clinics. Visit www.homelesscat.org or www.FrankiesFriendsCatRescue.org to learn more and donate. And I have a special gift for you when you do!


Browse some rescued cats and kittens!

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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

6 thoughts on “Sunday Squee

  • bluemoonalone

    So so tiny…be strong little one..good people are helping you now..

    Reply
  • Paulette Smith

    Sure hope the little sweetheart makes it!

    Reply
  • Good luck little fella, hope all is well with you after such a difficult start. You’re in the best hands now.

    Reply
    • You bet, Animalcouriers! From the people who wheedled him out of the idiots who had the huge cat family to the people who transported and the person taking care of him now, he’s got the best chances now.

      Reply
  • da tabbies o trout towne

    champ….MEGA blessing frum R rockin pal St Francis two ewe dood…heerz hopin yur eatin, gainin weight N de nastee azz
    infectshunz taked a hike N loozez itz way bak…~~~
    ♥

    Reply
    • Thanks, Tabbies–I think St. Francis might need a twin to take care of this one!

      Reply

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