Help with caring for an abandoned kitten

Question

I rescued a very small, very skinny, dirty, matted kitten from a ditch outside my parent's house. I assumed she was homeless so I have brought her home and have begun trying to nurse her back to health.

She seems to be doing quite well, eating solid food.

But I still have some concerns:

1. She doesn't seem to be able to sleep in any regular pattern, she's up all night then takes small naps during the day. She never really "sleeps"

2. She mewls at me all the time, and I don't know why. Is it a cry for her mother/caregiver or is she just chatty?

3. She's so small, so very thin and bony, I have been feeding her solid cat food but should I be adding something with a higher fat content in there like milk?

Any vets in the house, I could really use your opinion!

Answer 1

Poor baby! Blessings on you for rescuing the little thing!

>>1. She doesn't seem to be able to sleep in any regular pattern, she's up all night then takes small naps during the day. She never really "sleeps"

I wouldn't worry about this: She's probably still getting used to being safe, and cats tend to nap whenever they want to nap anyway.

>>2. She mewls at me all the time, and I don't know why. Is it a cry for her mother/caregiver or is she just chatty?

It could be either. Again, don't worry about it unless she seems to be in pain.

>>3. She's so small, so very thin and bony, I have been feeding her solid cat food but should I be adding something with a higher fat content in there like milk?

You might want to offer her kitten replacement milk. But since she is eating, don't let her get too dependent on it. Another thing you can do is offer her kitten chow or some special high-calorie food: Those would be made with extra nutrition for growing kittens.

Since you found her in the ditch, you'll want to take her for a check-up. Parasites tend to be a common problem in abandoned critters.

Good luck!

Answer 2

She loves to be by her owner that is why she meows-she needs companionship

get her kitten chow,not cat chow  

Answer 3

i'm no vet, but i've been in this situation before and here's what i learned from it:

1. She doesn't seem to be able to sleep in any regular pattern, she's up all night then takes small naps during the day. She never really "sleeps". they usually like to take naps in the day and they don't have a regular sleeping pattern

2. She mewls at me all the time, and I don't know why. Is it a cry for her mother/caregiver or is she just chatty? sometimes they meow when they're lonely

3. She's so small, so very thin and bony, I have been feeding her solid cat food but should I be adding something with a higher fat content in there like milk? give her milk and if you ever heard of it, science diet cat food for kittens. it has nutricion in it, so it'll help her, expecially since you don't know how long she was without food before

Answer 4

She might need veterinary care. You could try giving her beef broth. I was in a similar situation and a vet recommended this.

She might need fluids. Call Animal Control and see what assistance they can give you. It's really hard when they are kittens. They are so susceptible. I had a kitten for a day and a half. It did not survive. Too much damage had been done. She was rused to an emergency vet where they put her down. It was the humane thing to do.

The kitten I had was very thin and severely dehydrated. She cried a lot and it turns out it was because she was suffering. She appeared to be crying because she was suffering.

Kittens are normally pretty active. It doesn't sound good. Seek help from a vet. Explain that it was a stray.

Answer 5

1. That's how most cats sleep! Cats are nocturnal, and tend to be up all night. If you want to break this pattern, try to keep her up more during the day with play time. She'll surely be tired enough to sleep through the night.

2. If the mewing is constant, the kitten may not feel well.  Have you taken it to the vet yet? If you're planning on keeping it, you'll have to take it to the vet eventually anyway. I recommend doing this as soon as possible. Early discovery makes health issues a lot cheaper and quicker to solve.

3. Depending on her age you could serve her some Kitten Replacement Milk. My little guy like the Hartz brand, but there are several at walmart.  Don't get her regular milk. If she doesn't gain weight, then it's likely that she has worms or some other parasite. In which case, I must again suggest a visit to a vet.

Good luck!

Answer 6

First of all, how great that you are doing this!  

I assume you are unsure how old she is but if she’s working on soft food then she’s a least a few weeks.  So that’s good.  Don’t give her cow’s milk, most animals can’t tolerate it, especially baby ones.  There is an actual kitten formula available (KMR is a brand name but I think Hartz makes one now as well.)  It used to be only found in pet stores but I’ve seen it at major grocery chains lately.  Get some of that and if she’ll lap it from a shallow dish, great, or you could put a little in her mouth with a feeding syringe.  You could also mix it with the soft food, it will make sort of a paste.  It is very rich and will put some weight on her.  You’ll also want to give her a warm bath (watch for fleas, if she has any they will try to jump ship when you get her wet.  If she’s got them, quarantine her from the rest of the house (I had mine in the bathroom) until you are able to bathe and comb them all out.  As a precaution, get some carpet powder for fleas and give everything a good vacuum!)

The crying is because she is probably freaked out, and she’s a baby, and like any baby they cry.  Make sure you are feeding her often enough.  Small meals several times a day are better than letting her stuff herself at this point, or she’ll get sick.  Cuddle her a lot, make sure she has a warm safe place to sleep, and she’ll do just fine.  If you can, have her checked out by a vet.  If money is an issue, let them know she is a rescue.  My vet gave me a “Good Samaritan” discount when I rescued two kittens.  One of them was near death and it took two rounds of antibiotics and lots of good food to bring her around, but we did it.

If you don’t have a litter box, take a shallow box lid and put some litter in it, and place her in it after she’s eaten.  She’ll catch on very fast.  If she cries a lot after eating, she may need help to potty depending on how old she is.  If you think that may be the case, take a warm slightly damp washcloth and gently massage her tummy and privates (do it over a sink!) and that will encourage her to go. (The mother does this with newborns.)

If you decide to keep her, you can get her spayed in a few months.  If you can’t keep her, contact local rescue groups, they can help you find her a home once she’s healthy.

Good luck with her; feel free to email me and let me know how she’s doing!  She’s lucky to have you!

Answer 7

Purchase some kitten formula at Walmart, similar store or pet store. This will supply the nutrients that she is most likely lacking. She needs to be kept warm as she cannot retain body heat yet. Is she having bowl movements? If not, she needs to, so take a warm damp cloth and rub her rectal area to promote a movement. Take her to the vet for a check up. She may have worms( they won't hurt you) but these can deplete her system. Thank you for rescuing her and enjoy your new kitten.

Answer 8

I am not a vet, just someone who has had alot of cats. Most kittens stay up at night and nap during the day, alot like babies. Try not to give her milk, it might give her diarrhea. Most stores sell kitten milk. It is with the pet vitamins and shampoos.