[Mei-Mei]

:lol:

For some reason, I find more stray animals, birds with hurt wings, lost possums, and turned-around turtles than anyone I know. :roll:

I have found a lost kitten. She seems to be about 5 weeks old. She's obviously a stray, covered with fleas, very thin. I have two questions for you guys:

(1) It's Sunday and the vet is closed. This kitty's eyes are really gummy with cold and mucus. I've been trying to clean them with a warm cloth, but they just gum right back up again. Any thoughts as to what this might be?

(2) I enjoy my kitty Kali's company so much that I had been thinking about getting another kitty, so it was kind of like Providence that I found this kitty. But I'm not sure she's the kitty for me. I don't feel the same sort of bond with her that I immediately felt with Kali. I know I'm not being entirely fair when I say that, but I just don't I just can't make up my mind. I would feel like the worst sort of heel if I took her to the shelter and then turned around and adopted another kitten. Do you guys know what I mean? I really don't know what to do. :? :?

**by the way, the stray kitty is a tortoiseshell female

 

[firelightsj]

I do know exactly what you mean.... I'm really sensitive to that kind of thing too, to finding the right "connection", I suppose But hopefully my experience can help..... I was SO careful in choosing a kitten at the humane society, and since she was with 3 others that all looked similar, I begged the people working there to remember exactly which one she was so that when I came back to pick her up (they needed to keep her for another week to spay her) they would have the right one! So I came back a week later, and they went to the back and came out with a kitten in a carrier.... a different kitten. I knew it right away, I had pictues of the other one on my phone, and even the workers could see they'd mixed them up... but the one I originally wanted was already adopted at that point!! I was so upset, and I brought her home anyway, but just didn't feel the right connection... I seriously considered bringing her back, and felt awful about it, but my family convinced me just to give it a try...... and needless to say, now I'm hooked She is the perfect kitty for me, I know that now.... I guess I just needed a little divine intervention to bring her to me! So my advice would be to give it a little more time... you could be surprised

Oh and Maya had the eye gunk too... I think its just a symptom of a respiratory infection... but cleaning her eyes gently with a warm washcloth is probably the best thing you can do, unless you notice it getting worse... then maybe try a visit to the vet...

 

[Jeanie]

You will probably have to get drops from the vet. In the meantime, keep the kitten isolated from your other cat, and wash your hands thoroughly. If it's an infection, it could be contagious. I would wear a smock when caring for the little one so that you don't carry the infection on your clothing. I would take the kitten to the vet as soon as possible.

I think that caring for this kitten and seeing it improve and get plump and playful will result in a real caring on your part. I hope all goes well. Will you keep us updated on its condition and what you decide?

 

[Mei-Mei]

Unfortunately the decision was taken out of my hands.

I belatedly remembered that the vet at the animal shelter was open on Sundays and I took the kitty in because it seemed to have a lot of trouble breathing. The vet said that the kitty was too young and sick to survive so they would have to put her down immediately. I didn't even know they did that.

So poor little kitty has crossed the bridge now, and I know she's happy there. I know how didactic this is going to sound, but examples like this are why it's so important to have your pet spayed or neutered!

 

[Jeanie]

That's so sad. Of course you can't take any of her littermates right now, either. You're absolutely right. Pet cats should be spayed or neutered, and wouldn't it be great if we could do the same for strays and ferals?

I hope you soon get a kitten.

 

[ForJazz]

That was a sad story, as they always are, but I think it was wonderful of you to try. And the kitten got to feel someone care for it and die peacefully, rather than starve to death or be attacked by predators. That would be a much worse fate, so you should definitely still think of yourself as this kitty's angel.

Speaking of the spaying/neutering feral and stray cats...I was watching celebrity poker the other day, and the woman who won was an amateur, and won 100,000 dollars for her charity, Alley Cat Allies. I was like "**** yeah!" because this charity is not a rich one, and now think of all the stray/feral cats that will be helped because she got lucky!

Back to the subject...thanks for sharing your story. I hope you'll still think about adopting another cat. Let us know what you decide.

 

[Lori]

Such a sad story, so sorry the little guy had to be put down.
ForJazz is so right, your were this kitten's angel. I am so glad you cared and helped him.

 

[sentimentalgirl]

So sad...I"m really sorry for the little kitten.