Baby kitten help

24

Replies

  • 1546mel
    1546mel Posts: 191
    I just found a newborn kitten while walking to the gym. It was meowing very loudly, but eventually I was able to trace it to a discarded couch next to the community dumpster. It was stuck inside a spring, so I had to tear the couch open and do some disassembly to get it out.

    I don't know how old it is, but it seems very unsteady on its legs. It won't stop shaking even though it's not all that cold. Is this normal for a newborn cat?

    More importantly, I can't keep it. I don't know anyone who would want it. Should I put it back out next to the dumpster (but not inside the couch!) in case its mother comes back?

    Not really sure what to do here.

    Take it to a vet or if you are in Michigan, bring it to me and ill take it to a vet. Do not put it back, it will die :(
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
    Just tried calling all the vets I could find around here, but none are open. The rescue site doesn't even list a phone number.

    http://www.harpsinc.org/

    Guess I'll go try to find some food for it. It wouldn't eat my other cat's food, but that's to be expected since it's so small.
  • NICOLED73
    NICOLED73 Posts: 183
    Wal Mart sells kitty milk. Get some of that.
    Good for you trying all you can. Don't give up on the little thing!
    Put it near a lamp if you can while you go out. A bathroom floor to separate him from your other cat.
    A blanket and a lamp for warmth.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Walmart carries kitten milk. Depending on how young it is, you might have to feed it with a syringe or something similar. Don't give it cow's milk. If you're trying to feed dry food you should wet it thoroughly so it's soft and helps hydrate the little guy.
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 866 Member
    Do you know anyone that has a cat that just gave birth? You could put that kitten with that litter and then promise the owner that you will help find it a home when the kitten is weaned. Our two kittens just had kittens and they nurse each others' babies.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Oh and put it in a tall box/basket with plenty of warm blankets. Might want to place it near a source of heat.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Just tried calling all the vets I could find around here, but none are open. The rescue site doesn't even list a phone number.

    http://www.harpsinc.org/

    Guess I'll go try to find some food for it. It wouldn't eat my other cat's food, but that's to be expected since it's so small.

    What about your local Humane Society? I just went onto the petfinder site and you can search for shelters there. You might be able to find something close to you.

    On a different note, I HATE it when companies don't post their phone numbers on their websites.
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    Just tried calling all the vets I could find around here, but none are open. The rescue site doesn't even list a phone number.

    http://www.harpsinc.org/

    Guess I'll go try to find some food for it. It wouldn't eat my other cat's food, but that's to be expected since it's so small.

    I believe I found their phone number: (478) 929-1820

    Had to muck on Google, but I believe that's the right one.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Wal mart sells bottles and kitten formula in the pet food section. My current cat was a bottle baby. I fed her every 3 hrs around the clock for a while. Keep the kitten wrapped in a warm place, or better yet snuggled next to you in your shirt, as much as possible. It might be too late but I'm a total sucker who would do my best to save it! I understand the inability to keep it, though. Sometimes circumstances dictate. Best of luck :smile:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Wal Mart sells kitty milk. Get some of that.
    Good for you trying all you can. Don't give up on the little thing!
    Put it near a lamp if you can while you go out. A bathroom floor to separate him from your other cat.
    A blanket and a lamp for warmth.

    Haha, jinx! :)
  • NICOLED73
    NICOLED73 Posts: 183
    Wal Mart sells kitty milk. Get some of that.
    Good for you trying all you can. Don't give up on the little thing!
    Put it near a lamp if you can while you go out. A bathroom floor to separate him from your other cat.
    A blanket and a lamp for warmth.

    Haha, jinx! :)

    Was thinking the same thing! Great minds.....
  • FlyByJuly
    FlyByJuly Posts: 564 Member
    You'll want to be very careful what you feed the kitten. If it gets diahrrea (sp? dang, I can't spell that word!), that will lead to dehydration, which could bring about death. I wish I could help you out! Please be sure to keep the baby warm. If you fill a sock with rice or beans, then heat it in the microwave. Make a little bed, cover the sock with a blankie, let baby snuggle up to it. I even covered my kitten with a soft, light blankie to make sure she didn't lose any body heat. Please let us know how things go. I will def be checking back!
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,749 Member
    do u have a small baby bottle or medicine dropper? give it a bit of milk. put in a box with lots a blankets and make a nest for it. Then 1st thing business hrs tomorrow call the vets again and ask. Do you have a vet er close to you or in the next down they maybe able to give you ideas
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
    Humane society here appears to only be open 10:00-2:00 Wednesday and Saturday. I'll call vets tomorrow. Now, off to get cat milk.

    Here's a horrible picture: http://i.imgur.com/379a1.jpg

    It's surprisingly fast considering it can barely walk.
  • playcharm
    playcharm Posts: 32 Member
    Try contacting Laura with Meows without Mom's, she is located in Atlanta but might be able to point you in a the direction of a rescue that can help you in your area .

    http://www.meowswithoutmoms.org/

    There is also Rescue Cats
  • All_Mimsy
    All_Mimsy Posts: 49 Member
    Keep it warm and take it to a vet ASAP! Young kittens can die from cold very easily (as in, even from a cold tile floor). Bless you for rescuing him/her!
  • FlyByJuly
    FlyByJuly Posts: 564 Member
    Awww, sweet. Even tho it's a blurry pic, the baby doesn't look to be in terrible shape! I think you are a true sweetheart for all that you are doing! I hope this story has a happy ending. :flowerforyou:
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    Well, it looks like we only have one shelter even remotely close by. At the top of their website it says "** HARPS does NOT operate an adoption program **
    We CANNOT take your pet"


    yes, a lot of shelters will have restrictions on what animals they will take, some will not take pets only strays and some vice versa. It says they will not take pets but that does not mean they will not take stray kittens.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    Well, it looks like we only have one shelter even remotely close by. At the top of their website it says "** HARPS does NOT operate an adoption program **
    We CANNOT take your pet"

    This means if you are moving. If you found it they will take it. They will not turn it away. If it does not get proper nutrition it will die very soon. Kittens need to eat often and high protein. You need to get to them or to a Vet ASAP.
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
    Please don't put it back where you found it... IT WILL DIE. Pretty much everywhere should have some sort of animal rescue, humane society, vet, shelter. Take it to one of these places and explain it was abandoned. They will take care of it.
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    Wal mart sells bottles and kitten formula in the pet food section. My current cat was a bottle baby. I fed her every 3 hrs around the clock for a while. Keep the kitten wrapped in a warm place, or better yet snuggled next to you in your shirt, as much as possible. It might be too late but I'm a total sucker who would do my best to save it! I understand the inability to keep it, though. Sometimes circumstances dictate. Best of luck :smile:

    ^ do this

    my sister and i use to foster kittens
    do not give it cow milk - get kitten formula

    some vet places are open 24 hrs so check if there are any in your area
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    Definitely don't give it cow's milk. You can get kitten milk from a pet store or even Walmart. Goat milk will work in a pinch. Keep the little baby warm (inside your shirt is a good place). Check for dehydration. Pinch the skin between the shoulders and let it go. If it doesn't immediately go back into place, baby is dehydrated. Pedialyte is good for hydration. Just use an eyedropper to give a little at a time. After she's hydrated, then feed. Are her eyes open? Once the eyes are open they can start on solid food. Well, kind of solid. The ones I've raised still want the bottle but they like to eat a mush of canned food and milk off my finger. And when something goes in, something has to come out. After every meal, rub the kitten's nether regions with a warm (not hot) wet washcloth. Mama cats lick their kittens to stimulate them to potty. A warm damp washcloth gets the same reaction. Just rub for a minute or so and the baby will pee and maybe poop. I've been very lucky with this. My boy dog had decided he wants to be a mama cat when he grows up (I haven't had the heart to explain how that works). He cleans and poops the kittens after I feed them. With my last litter of four he taught my girl what to do with kittens. Feed every 3-4 hours (the baby will let you know when she's hungry), potty after feeding, and keep warm.
    That will keep her (most of the little ones I've raised have been girls) going until you can find an experienced kitten raiser.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    DO NOT take it to a kill shelter. Take him/her to a vet instead. Explain the situation and see if they will take it. Often vets will take abandoned kittens or puppies, but you need to call ahead first.
  • KharismaticKayteh
    KharismaticKayteh Posts: 322 Member
    I don't know about anywhere else, but here, if you try taking an animal to shelter saying you found it and you just want it safe, they will charge you a fee to take it because for all they know, you're just trying to give up your own pet for free. The only way they'll take an animal free of charge is if you call animal control to pick up the animal.
  • tabulator32
    tabulator32 Posts: 701 Member
    Any decent pet store or farm supply store will have little kits with tiny "baby" bottles and infant formula for puppies, kitties and possibly other animals.

    Get one of these inexpensive kits and some additional formula (right next to the kits on the shelf, usually) and spend feed it as per the directions.

    "Bathe" the kitten with a few moist towelettes and give it a box with a towel to sleep in. Keep a radio on softly to pacify its attention.

    Formula, water, keep it clean and warm. If it survives and thrives, take it to a vet, clinic or shelter and have it checked out.

    By then, you will have a much better idea of what you want to do with it.

    Just my two cents.
  • All_Mimsy
    All_Mimsy Posts: 49 Member
    Even better than the "cat milk" is something called Kitten Milk Replacement. It's formula for kittens. Pet stores in my area sell it; try Petsmart or Petco. Best of luck!
  • rachleb
    rachleb Posts: 59 Member
    I found a litter of kittens in my old boat once, and they couldn't have been more than 5 weeks old. I nursed them back to help and found them homes, but I was at a total loss what to do when I found them! Since they were young, I bought some kitten milk (a formula they sell at pet stores or wal-mart) but they seemed reluctant to eat. I contacted a lady that fosters cats and she told me to use baby food mixed with the milk. That helped a lot! They LOVED it, and then I graduated them to kitten food. The people I adopted them to (two families took two each!) send me pictures of them from time to time!
  • birdieintx
    birdieintx Posts: 298
    awwww cute kitty! You are sweet for trying to help him!
  • andrea198721
    andrea198721 Posts: 173 Member
    I would take it to a vet. But in the meantime you should keep it warm and baby kittens need to be fed often. They have the little tiny bottles and kitten formula at walmart in the pet section. Maybe you can get it well and in the meantime find someone that wants a kitten? Good luck to you!
  • Marillian
    Marillian Posts: 3,892 Member
    Until you can contact a vet, call the ASPCA or your State's SPCA for guidance. Go to Petfinder.com and look in your State for shelters. Does your area have PetSmart? Many rescue agencies leave their info there.

    Do NOT feed it human baby formula. I echo what others said; get kitten forumla and a kitten bottle or eye dropper. Keep it away from other animals in your house!

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