I've always accepted the fact that sometimes things go wrong and pets just die. Truthfully, I only had one kitten die on me out of the blue when it was a week old. It was a shock to find that the kitten that was wobbling around with the others and nursing just fine, had died for what seemed to me like no reason. But I accepted it, and I didn't blame myself for not seeing anything wrong.
3 days ago my cat had a litter of 4 kittens. one is different. Smaller, eyes wide open and dark red...(I'm sure she'll be blind) and a large blister type bunp on her forhead. I didn't think she would live the rest of the day. But she did, and she lived the next day. The bump shrank by almost half and one of the eyes closed. I would check on her often and She looked to be nursing the who time.
But then last night I noticed that she wasn't nursing. She would line up with the other kittens and look like she was nursing, but really she was just laying there. It was so sad. I thought for sure she was about to die. later, I found her just a bit away from the pile of the other kittens and when I touched her, she was very cold. I thought she had died so i picked her up. Seems she was only sleeping because she jerked away and had a cow, screaming at the top of her lungs.
It seemed so strange that she would have enough stregth and will to try and scramble out of my hands and be a crybaby about being picked up. She soon fell silent and curled up in my hand for like half a hour and just slept away. I set her back in the litter, making sure she was with the others to stay warm.
So then I ran out and bought kitten milk and a eyedropper and started feeding her. She didn't take to it well at first but then she got the hang of it and I fed her about a teaspoons worth (While getting another teaspoons worth spit back up^_^) and here I am after getting 4 hours of sleep feeding her again. This time she took a bit more milk, she was much more active and no longer cold.
I still don't know what I should do. I asked my father to take her to the vet. If anything the vet would be able to tell if she's suffering because of that strange blister on her head and put her to sleep. But the cost of putting the poor thing to sleep is extreamly expensive over here and my dad quickly ruled it out.
It just makes me feel bad to not do anything. I know that if she dies, she dies, but I don't want her to die hungry when I could have helped in some way. I know by feeding her I may just prolong her life and that life may just be full of pain. But it just seems mean to not do anything.
I don't know if I'm being greedy; wanting to help her to easy my own guilt and saddness. (About letting her die without doing anything) I still don't know if feeding her is the right thing to do, but no one is giving me any better options. The mother cat hasn't done anything to show that she's rejecting her. The kitten is treated like the other three. If she would only nurse on her own. It gives me such a helpless feeling.
Wow, i didn't think this would be so long. I just had to get my feelings out.
I'm sure you've tried helping her latch onto her mother.....
I had to bottle-feed three kittens a couple of years ago. I knew that one of them was going to die from the beginning because when she drank the milk it went into her lungs, no matter how slowly I tried to feed her. She was always hungry. When the others finally started eating "real" food she never could learn how. One day I went out and she was gone. It's always hard when something you've "loved" and taken care of dies.
I think you're doing the right thing by giving the kitten a fighting chance. I'm sure others will disagree with me.
As long as she's willing to eat, feed her. Whatever is wrong with her will either fix itself, or she will pass on, and that's life. But if she's making an effort to eat when you feed her, it means she's got at least a bit of fight left in her and I personally would feel I owed it to her to give her a chance as long as she continued trying. As long as she doesn't seem like she's in pain, and as long as the feedings don't seem to be making her worse, I don't see anything wrong with making her life a little easier/better right now.
As long as you are able to feed her, she won't be suffering from hunger and you'll feel better because you are helping her. Perhaps nature will correct itself and she'll thrive. I'd still try to get her to nurse from her mother and to cuddle with the other kittens--animals love company. You're doing the best you can.
Sakai, you are doing the right thing feeding the kitten. Hugs.
I'm in a similar situation. My labrador had 12 puppies 11 days ago. It is now very apparent which is the runt. I have worried myself constantly over whether this pup is getting enough to eat. I have been having the mom to feed him separately when her milk supply is very full. If he's with the other bigger, stronger pups they push him out of the way and he goes to sleep. I did try to bottle feed him but he doesn't like the bottle. He is thriving OK now, but it's taking a lot of diligence to make sure he gets to eat first.
I agree with the others. Keep her comfortable by feeding her, and by making sure she's warm either by putting her close to mom (since she's not being rejected) or by making sure she's on a hot water bottle. I've nursed ill foster kittens back to health many times, and I've also lost kittens. Whatever happens, you know you've done your best.
And I'm sure you know that you should get your cat fixed as soon as possible after her milk has dried up. Cats, especially in warm climates, can go into another heat quickly (even while nursing kittens) so you'll want to make sure she stays inside until you get her fixed.
Hi everyone. Well I thought i should let you know how things went.
I was able to feed the kitten these past few days and she was doing rather well. moving around more and gained a bit of weight. But this morming I woke up to give her her morning feeding and she had died.
I was hopeful, because she had lasted this long and was getting better. I was only a little surprised to see that she had died. I'm happy now because I know she's not in anymore pain. And I was glad that I was able to feed her and keep her comfortable the few days she did live.
Thank you for all your support everyone ^_^
I can't let the little thing just die
