Lacey's kittens: two weeks old

[ginnyinWI]

It's been a rough week. The mom came down with an upper respiratory infection (URI) and by Saturday we started her on an antibiotic. Then on Sunday one kitten got sick too and was so stuffy that she stopped nursing. (If they can't smell, they can't find the nipple no matter what you try.) So I have been feeding her kitten milk replacement formula since then. She's holding her own but hasn't grown like the other two--is pretty much the same weight as a week ago. But a friend is also fostering a mom and kittens who also got sick and they lost a few of the kittens, so I guess I should feel lucky. Her mama cat stopped eating so then had less milk and everything got much more complicated.

Yesterday tabby kitten number two started sneezing and getting congested. So far she is still nursing well--she's 14 days old rather than 9 like when the first one got sick. I have a steamer in the room, a heating pad, saline drops for their noses, ointment for their eyes, and the formula. I am getting up once every night to feed the first kitten, so I am feeding 11:30 p.m., 3:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., and then every two or three hours during the day. So naturally I am looking forward to the little nose clearing up so she can get back to nursing on Mom. I think she is a female but am not sure at this point.

I will keep the mom on the antibiotic for another week because the kittens who are nursing will get some in the milk. That's what's sad about the first sick kitten--she is too little for any meds and isn't getting any in Mom's milk either. They can have meds at three weeks old, so if this goes on that long, that's what we'll do. A URI is caused by a virus, but research shows that antibiotics help lessen the severity of it.

The first photo shows the two that are nursing and the third sick one going up over Mom's back because she can't smell where the milk is. Second photo is of the three. Sick littlest one in the middle (tabby). The third photo is the other tabby who just started sneezing. She's bigger and has a little handlebar mustache pattern on her face. The third kitten is all black and is so far eating very well and has a round little tummy. You can't tell in these pictures but their eyes are halfway open now. Hopefully when they are better I can get some better pictures of their faces.

[shenmue]

1. Be healed by the miraculous squee of Ceiling Cat

[City Lights]

2. They are adorable!

Wishing all of them a speedy recovery!

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Oh, I hope the little sick one gets well.

If it seems that he won't make it, I would give him antibiotics even if he is "too young" if he will be dead anyways without it. Just hope that decision isn't needed.

[ginnyinWI]

4. I was thinking the same thing.

If three weeks old is old enough, and he/she is two weeks, that doesn't seem too much of a difference.

[okasha]

5. I agree with this.

If the nursing babies are getting the antibiotic in Mom's milk, it's not hurting.them. If the sick baby loses ground, medication isn't going to hurt. (Is it amoxycillin? My vet says it's virtually impossible to overdose with it.)