Help! I found a baby kitten

[Scrapper16]

Last week I found a baby kitten at work. There were no other cats/kittens anywhere around.
He was in very rough shape, very thin, covered in fleas & ticks.
He came right to me and wouldn't leave my side.
(I work in an office. I had to stay outside for an hour, he kept trying to follow me back inside. So cute.)
I took the kitten to the vet right away. (the closest one to my work)
They estimated him to be 6-8 weeks old.
He weighed 15.2 ounces.
They bathed him and gave him a bit of flea meds.
They said that due to the amount of fleas he had, he was low on blood, so they did no blood tests.
They also told me to give him canned food.
I picked the ticks off one by one that night.
He hardly ate/drank.
He had terrible diarrhea for a few days, so I brought him to a different vet for another opinion.
(This vet has seen my parents pets for many years, we trust her very much)
She estimated him to be 4-5 weeks old.
He weighed 14 ounces.
She gave him some intravenous fluids and sent me home with electrolytes to give him.
She said that I could give canned cat food or baby food with meat only.
I chose baby food, he loved it.
She did a stool sample test, came back negative on any parasites.
He still had diarrhea, I think it actually got worse.
So, I decided to give him just kitten formula.
I feed him every 4 hours. (yes, night and day)
The diarrhea has stopped, but he only pees, no poop.
He still hasn't gained any weight :(
I am very worried about the kitten.
He is a very happy kitten. Loves to be held, purrs a lot.
I am going to just continue what I am doing, but wondered if anybody had any similar experience and maybe suggestions?
I am so scared that I could lose him, I have become so attached!

[Scrapper16]

Thank you . . . . . . I do feel now that I am ready for another kitten. It's funny, when I found him I really didn't even "want" a kitten, but I miss him terribly :'(
I didn't want another, as I could never "replace" him. As time goes by, though, I really miss having a pet.
The best part of my day was coming home from work, kicking off my shoes and holding him. I just hope I can find one who likes being held as much as Gizmo did.

[LindaTX]

So sorry to hear about what happened to little Gizmo.  I just don't understand...what is FIP?  I'm having issues with my new kitty, he's getting thinner and thinner.  Not eating much at all.  I'm going to try and find info about this FIP.  I hope that's not what is wrong with my little Foxy.
Once again, I'm so sorry about your precious little kitty.

[FurballsMom]

So sad to hear the precious baby was too sick to be helped.  You need to keep reminding yourself that you did everything possible for the little kitten.  Look how often you took that little one to the vet.  You clearly did your very best.

Now that you know how much these little fur babies grow on you, you might want to consider adoption of another little one at some time in the future.  Take your time, but do consider this:  I feel I waited entirely too much time to adopt another cat when I lost my previous cat to colon cancer.  I was a nervous wreck not having a little cat to love.  Get this, a friend who is not a pet person, even told me that I needed to have a cat.  So, it was clear that I waited too long to get another cat.  Take your time, but just don't wait too long.

[AppleBr]

Deeply sorry for such news :( - I  had run for this post looking for GOOD ones...
Poor baby was happy for a few days, at least.You did your best for him...

[Piparskeggr]

So sorry to read about Gizmo, I was quite made happy by your stories of helping him.

Sometimes we do everything write and it still goes wrong, Anita and I feel that way about Kessie, who we lost to intestinal lymphoma in June.

And yes, these little pieces of fluff and fury do certainly get into our hearts.

[teddybears4ever2]

I'm so sorry to be reading this.  Stardust and I send our hugs in this time of need.

[Scrapper16]

So sad to have to post this. I had to have Giz put down last Monday. He hardly ate on Sunday. I called my vet and made an appointment for Monday morning. On Monday morning I found him lying on the floor barely able to move. I was devastated and rushed him to the vet right then. She said that there was nothing more she could do for him. She determined that he had FIP. I had never heard if that before, but I started to read up on it, and it all made sense.
I am tearing up while I type this. I can't believe what an impact that little baby made on my life.     :'(

[kay247]

You can also get multiple litter boxes going, sometimes cats just don't like one box for some reason or another.  If you aren't cleaning it often enough (some cats want it clean immediately after they go, some don't care if it sits a couple days) then that may be irritating him and he may be avoiding it for that reason too.  A second box would solve that problem for you.  

I'd get 3 boxes going if I were you, one on each level or spaced throughout the house.  That way if one is soiled he can move to the next etc.  And try to keep them as clean as possible.  Also make sure he has at least 4" of digging room in each box (I give my cat more like 6" depth of litter in there).  I get the largest sized box too so it is very deep and the cat can really dig around in there and bury their stuff like they want to.

GL and hope he returns to using the boxes!

[kay247]

W/ regard to him not using the box, do you take his paw and "dig" for a moment when you put him in the box where he is supposed to go?  Make sure you take his paw in your hand and actually show him to dig in there.  Then he will know that is where he is supposed to go.

[kay247]

Oh I LOVE his big ears! He is so cute.

[opus88]

sorry I missed your post until now....and sorry to hear Giz is having some issues again. I will give you a link with some problem solving hints hopefully some suggestions there will help. I would also suggest a Vet appt. for a URINE ANALYSIS to check for crystals &/OR infection....quite often when a cat stops using a box its b/c they are having pain and this is how they communicate it, although its not common in such a young kitty, but it sure needs to be checked out. read the site I'm sending and if nothing there helps than I really recommend a Vet check...for UTI (urinary tract infection)...let us know ok

http://catinfo.org/?link=litterbox  

[Scrapper16]

Ugh . . . . so I switched back to litter. (non-clumping)
For three days, he used the box faithfully. Then suddenly, he treats the whole house like his litterbox.
He peed on the dining room floor, in my husbands slippers, pooped on the couch 3 times and even pooped in his own bed twice!
My steam cleaner is sure getting a work out lately :(  
This is so frustrating. Giz is the most loving, cuddly, adorable kitten, I am just at my wits end about this. I always put the poop in the litter box and then put him in it. He goes right to work covering it. I don't see any litter, foreign objects or worms in it . . . .

On a lighter note, I have some new pictures of him but they won't load on my page here, I keep getting an error . . . .

[opus88]

hi...this is the link to the walnut clumping litter, seems many people are very happy with it, it wouldn't be something Giz would eat(I hope)...its natural, none of the 'stuff' they put into the clay litters. I wish I could buy it in my small city :(
do as it says with any new litter....start adding it gradually to the one kitty likes in Gizmo's case that would be clay litter....add slowly and keep increasing the amount as he gets used to it..

http://www.bluebuffalo.com/healthy-home/naturally-fresh-clumping-cat-litter

[opus88]

oh yes now I remember he did eat the littler and get plugged up.....how abt mixing it, try 50/50....hopefully that will keep him from chomping on it and still use it...you can also try a clay litter thats NON clumping to do the mix with, theres also a walnut shell litter and a  crystal litter....keep trying till you find something he'll use.....;)

[Scrapper16]

I am nervous that he might eat it again, though.
We never actually saw him eating it, so if he did it again, I probably wouldn't know for a while. That's why I wonder about a non clumping kind? If he does ingest it, I assume it wouldn't . . . clog him up as much? He was blocked up real bad last time, and I was very surprised the it was from eating litter. I never saw him eat litter or spend extra time in the litter box.

[opus88]

little monkey.......yeah best go back to the clumping litter for now b4 he gets used to NOT using..and be sure and buy an enzyme cleaner such as Natures Miracle to remove all scents of places he's used..cats go by scent and these enzyme cleaners are the only thing to remove that scent from their sensitive noses..
go back to the clumping, wait a few weeks than if you do wish to do a transition to another litter do so by adding it to the old litter slowly..just a cup full or so at a time.
btw....yesterdays news is a great one, however pine shavings are not..they have way to high of a chemical odor to them and most cats hate. good luck.
glad to hear he is doing so well :)

[Scrapper16]

So, a couple weeks (at least) has passed since my last update.
Gizmo is doing great . . . except . . . .
he won't use the litter box. When I used (clumping) cat litter, he used the box every time. Obviously I stopped using that. I tried yesterdays news, nope . . . . He goes on the floor behind the couch. I put a small box with the yesterdays news in that spot, he just started going behind another couch. I then tried pine shavings. Still, he chooses to go on the floor. Should I try going back to litter? Maybe the non clumping kind?

[spirit3]

Gosh just following your story!!! I guess we found Scout much sooner when she was abandoned, I could feel her little ribs. We were lucky in that she had no fleas or signs of parasites. I gave her Whiskas kitten milk which I gradually diluted to wean her off of per Opus rec. and regular canned kitten food which she handled quite well-it was over by the Friskies and has a pink label w/white kitten on it. The kitten crunchies she doesn't like for some reason so I have to mix them in w/the moist to get her to eat some at breakfast. We think she was about 4 wks when found based on Spirit's size @ 5 wks when we got her. Absolutely best of luck to you both-you have a little fighter there-keep us posted-Scout sends her best wishes!! (our feral rescue)

[Scrapper16]

I am surprised as well, Science Diet is not sold at any supermarkets here. As a matter of fact, most veterinarians recommend it. I bought it at a pet store, in their specialty food isle. It was one of the most expensive! I did not see Wellness or Natural Balance.

[AppleBr]

You definitly would have troubles here
Science Hill is not supermarket sold - not here in my city,at leasts.Some of the other mentioned are.
Hills is one that share  good pet shops windows together with Proplan.Eukanuba and co.
Nothing that surprises me,however.Did I already say I never wished that much being living in Usa the way I do now,because of my kids?
At this moment Im having troubles with sanitary granulate coming with small black pieces of stones...
20kg of that at home and thinking about buying some ( another brand)
Sac mail me - standard reply I guess :(

[opus88]

Hill's Science Diet is a low end cat food, which is filled with corn, by-products and products which are not nutritionally sound. It is loaded with grain as well, which means additional carbohydrates which cats do not need for sound nutrition. Cats are obligate carnivores and need meat. Friskies, Purina are also low end products as well.

Supermarket brands are notoriously poor quality food. While high end products are a bit more pricey, perhaps, providing your cat with an excellent diet will in the long run save lots of vet bills, as many cats develop digestive problems from eating low end foods.

Read more about excellent feline nutrition by visiting
http://www.catinfo.org/

Feed your cats wellness and natural balance foods. They will thriving on them, and since I stopped all dry food and products containing grain, my cats are far healthier and doing really well.

Of course, any change in your cat's diet should be done slowly, by mixing in the superior product with the old food and gradually switching over to avoid digestive upset.

[AppleBr]

Did you say Science Diet its not a good brand?
I always believed it was,and its quite expensive here.
Got their anti furball snacks and they do have a good look and smell,first packet she loved, second is still here ( thats the way Lolo is, its not any product fault)
Btw, you would not sleep in peace living in Brazil and reading some questions some people have about cats and procedures- Im sure!

[opus88]

any canned food is better than dry..and kitten food is best for him now until he gets older and stronger.
there are many 'grain free' brands available at good pet stores and no by-products like I mentioned before.
the 'best' cat food brands are more expensive and they also don't taste as great as the junk food brands...believe me I've been trying to get one of mine to switch for 3 yrs now...he refuses to eat the better brands.

IMO scrapper, since it is a kitten food and he's eating it and not having diarrhea issues I just wouldn't go changing it right now....when he gets a little older, than try one or two and do a slow introduction so theres no GI upset(diarrhea).

Go or Wellness are two good brands, but maybe best to leave his diet alone right now...keep with the science diet but use the turkey as it seems to have more real meat than the beef....♥

[Scrapper16]

Yes, it is kitten food.

I always thought it was  one of the best, what brands would you recommend?