found you guys w/ search ... please help!

i've looked all over the net, and i'm praying you guys can help me. my granny found a kitten in her flower bed, and after waiting a good while for the momma to come back, gave the kitten to me to nurse. i've never done this before, but neither one of us could just leave him there after no momma showed up after a day and a half. his eyes were still closed, and even though i was doubtful i could help him, he was great for about a week. he ate good, he pooped good, was crawling around a lot. i bought kitten formula, kept him on a heating pad on low, and this morning when i woke him up to feed him, he wouldn't eat a drop. so i thought, okay, i'll try again in a little while. hour later, still nothing. around lunchtime, i KNEW he had to eat, but he still wouldn't. then i noticed that his neck was swollen and fairly firm to the touch. i called the vet, and they had no advice, but told me that they require a large down payment up front, based on the expected costs, which i CAN NOT afford, no matter how much i'd like to, and that since he hasn't eaten in a day, he'll most likely require an IV and at the very least overnight treatment, probably more. is there anything i can do to help him? warm compresses seemed to reduce the swelling some, but not enough for him to eat any significant amount. :cry: :cry: it just breaks my heart that i don't know what to do. i'm normally a dog person, but he's the cutest little calico kitty, and i've gotten pretty attached already .. can someone give me some advice? i spoke to the shelter today, and she said to see how he does overnight, and she was going to get in touch with a kitty foster family tonight. so i have to wait till tomorrow to do anything ... what can i do now??

 

only advice I have

take him to a no-kill shelter asap.

 

You can also try feeding it with a needless syringe or eye dropper, and put a little bit on his tongue. It sounds like this kitten needs professional help though. Most vet clinics will have a tech or someone else that will take care of orphaned kittens, they would be better able to take care of this little guy. Check with some clinics in your area and see if any will.

 

First off take him to another vet, because I know that some vets will do treatments and if you can't afford it at this time they will let you pay it off, something like a payment plan.

I would also try the Eye Dropper to try and get some on the tongue to try and get it to feed.

Good luck, and let us no how you go.

 

a few suggestions, if you call and tell them you are only helping this kitten, that you found him with no mother, they are sometimes more lenient, alot of places have different policies for feral or abused cats. so ask about that. is it the kittens lymph node? but you efinitely need to get this kitten somewhere as it is so young., if it does live you need to find it a new home as you now know you can'T afford vet bills. But you have been doing very good with nursing and mothering it.

 

to stimulate his appetite you can put a wee wee bit of Karo syrup on his tongue. That'll perk him up enough so you could probably get some food into him for the time being. But I agree with everyone else...find a caring vet or no-kill shelter as soon as you can

 

thank you all for your responses. he ate a little last night, but passed away during the night. we don't have no kill shelters around here, we just have a small shelter that does what they can ... the next closest shelter is about 66 miles, and it keeps animals for a shorter time then ours does. i love living in the country, but sometimes i hate it for lack of opportunities. where i used to live there wasn't a 24 hour clinic, but the vet didn't mind working after hours at all, and would let you pay what you could at first, then pay the rest in a week or so. here the vet doesn't really seem to care and was very firm about the fact that you have to pay for the known charges up front, and pay the rest immediately after, even when i told her it was a stray i was just trying to nurse till he was old enough to find a home :x
i think the lady at the shelter was trying to make me feel better, since i was crying on the phone, but she said she's nursed a lot of abandoned kittens, and it's about 50/50 whether they make it or not. she said she had 2 from this one litter that lived and thrived for weeks, then suddenly got sick and the vet had to put down. poor little guy. he was cute enough, i KNOW the shelter could have found him a family. thanks again guys.

 

Aww, I'm sorry sweetie. I know how it feels. I've gone through it a million times. The thing about them being sooo young, is that when they get abandoned like that, usually something is wrong with the kitten or puppy to begin with. The mothers have a sence that something is wrong with them and will often times push them away from the litter. Thats probably why you found this little guy.

Just remember, you did what you could, and your wonderful for that! So don't beat yourself up. You gave him a chance when no one else would.

 

I am so sorry...but at least he died in a home and was cared for a little while rather than passing away in a bush somewhere all alone - you did what you could and that was a very nice wonderful thing for you to do.

 

I'm so sorry for your loss. You did all you could and you're a wonderful person!

 

so so sorry for the loss. it sounds like you did your very best to help the little one.

 

I am soo sorry for your loss, and I think it is wonderful that you did what you could to help out the little guy.
I have a special place in my heart for kittens that have been abandoned by their mommas or lost their mommas....and then get hand raised by someone.
My little kitty Hunter, lost his momma when he was just a few days old I believe. Someone brought he and his brother to the vet emergency clinic where in the city where I live...low and behold, they both did fine...from August 11 to the beginning of November they were both raised at he VEC. Then they were taken in by C.A.R.E a rescue organization...I got Hunter (only because I couldn't take two kitties) and the foster parent of them actually ended up keeping Hunter's brother Jessie.

Good people try to help animals and it sounds like the vet in your town is a real jack-***. I know that vets have to make money because it's their living but aren't they somewhere ethically responsible to help out sick and dying animals in the most humaine way possible????

 

I am so sorry for you loss, but like other people have said, don't beat yourself up over it, you done everything possible for this little guy. You have a heart of gold for helping him through his tuff times.

 

I'm sorry for your loss. :cry:

 

I am so sorry for your loss..its heartbreaking...but there may have been something wrong with the kitten and that is why the mother abandoned him..that happens often. when the mother senses something is not right they will push them away to die. as sad as it is,,the kitten was lucky to have you during that time to love and care for him, instead of alone. Also we are given little tests in our life, and this could have been one meant for you. You did more than most people would have done.