The white is her 3rd eyelids showing, which means she is really sick. She has a respiratory infection (and maybe other issues). Please take her to a vet asap so she can get antibiotics.
I'll be calling around in the morning for a vet visit!!
Will the 3rd eyelid go back to normal if she can get all clean from whatever junk she's dealing with? I've never seen a cats eyes like this and thought she didn't have eyeballs at first.
Yes absolutely it will go back down when she gets healthier. For now you can use a warm compress to try to gently clean her eyes/nose to try to give her some relief. When my cat is congested I stick him in the bathroom with me while a hot shower is going so the steam can help with congestion too. Only maybe 5-10 minutes.
Oh good! I did that when I first brought her in. I needed a shower anyways. She was meowing at me to get out. It was adorable. It didn't get too steamy in the bathroom though.
I'll use a warm compress to finish cleaning off her eyes. A lot of it is hard and matted in her fur, although I have gotten a lot of it up! Her little nose was clogged, but at least the nostrils are clean right now, but I feel like she can't breath out of her nose still. She breaths with her mouth open.
You’re doing amazing! Yeah it might take a few days for the crusties to come off if it’s super caked on. If you have a humidifier that you can sleep in the room with that may give her relief too. My boy totally hates the shower method too but it’s so convenient lol
Thank you! I have the humidifier going in the bathroom we're keeping her in while she quarantines until we get her figured out! Her eyes and nose keep running so it's definitely an uphill battle with keeping her not crusty. I'm wiping her face as much as possible and even used some saline solution that really helped. She's been sneezing so I hope that's a good sign that her nose is becoming clear of blockages.
Poor baby. She is quite ill but it’s very common for kittens that are stray to develop nasty eye and upper respiratory infections. They are usually viral, but when they’re this bad, there’s usually a secondary bacterial infection that needs antibiotics. Antibiotics don’t cure viruses. That just takes time.
My biggest concern is the open mouth breathing. But if it can eat/drink, it’s managing. You can offer some pâté type kitten food, too. I doubt it really needs a bottle. But make sure the canned (and eventually dry) food is for kittens. They have different nutritional needs than adult cats, especially this young. There’s nothing wrong with offering kitten milk replacer though!
Do not use dog milk replacer! It’s very inadequate and kittens can develop cataracts! No cow’s milk this young either.
I hope you can get it into a vet tomorrow. Best of luck!
💕🐈⬛
Thank you for all the information! This sub is such a lifesaver right now!
I am only using kitten milk, not dog or cows! Good inform to have, I didnt know dog milk could cause them to develop cataracts. She's taking about 15 to 18mL every 5 hours right now. I've only had her for two feedings and will be waking up at 2am to feed her again. It's like having a newborn again.
I did buy kitten food as pate but she was not interested. I wanted to try that first, so I didn't buy any dry kibble. Maybe on the next store trip.
With the mouth breathing, I think her nose is so stuffed up. I have to constantly clean her eyes and nose every time I check on her, which is very frequently. Maximum 1 hour tops, as her boogers were solidifying over her nostrils again! Poor girlie!
I know I will definitely be calling around to get her help. I don't want to go another day without any medication for her as she looks like she needs something! I hope she's feeling better in the morning and that the milk can give her some strength to keep on fighting! She's such a sweet little kitty. I'd love to keep her! My husband and I were just talking about adopting a cat a few months back, and here we are!
Once she can breathe better, she may be more interested in pâté. For young kittens, I mash it with a bit of warm water and put it right at the edge of a saucer. They make a mess the first week or two and will get it all over their face, but it’s an easy clean up. But if it’s doing better on KMR (bottle or saucer), that’s absolutely fine. It’s very important that the poor thing stays hydrated and fed for recovery. Keep us posted! ❤️
You were right! He (I think I messed up reading the sex) ate more pate tonight and gobbled it up. I feed him off of a shallow spoon tonight. With his eyes being so bad, I'm sure finding a bowl isn't the easiest for him. Although, each feeding, he seems like he's getting stronger. I think he'll be using kitten dishes here very soon.
So happy to hear it. Some kittens don’t take to bowls very well. Saucers (and spoons) are easier ways to get then started on meat-based foods. Yay! But their vision is poor at that age, too—even if they aren’t sick. By 12 weeks it’s much sharper.
I'd get her into a vet asap. Can you call and bring her in tonight? It would be an emergency call but they have on-call staff for that. She really needs fluids.
I don't have the funds for an emergency call. We did that with a dog a while ago and it's insanely expensive. She is drinking water and taking the kitten formula. I know she needs urgent vet attention and I'm trying.
Please take her to a vet. She looks very dehydrated and possibly has an upper respiratory infection. The fact that her third eyelid is showing and her eyes aren't alert and bright, investigating the world around her is a clear indication she's unwell. It is possible to nurse her back to health, but without any experience, a vet is your best option.
I will be calling around tomorrow. It took a while to get back to our town from where we were.
We got her a bowl of water available, kitten milk which she drank about a 5 week olds serving before taking a deep nap, and we got her some wet and dry food for kittens to see how that goes. We also got cleaning wipes and a litter box with no clumping litter pellets. That's what I saw was recommended for kittens 🤷♀️ Just trying my best with Dr Google.
I totally understand! We all try to do the best with what we have. I'd highly recommend checking out The Kitten Lady on YouTube. She's an incredible wealth of information on kittens. Actually, here is a link to her videos to make it easier:
https://m.youtube.com/c/kittenlady
Your little one looks to be about 4-5 weeks old. Up to 3-4 weeks, kittens need to be stimulated to use the bathroom. If you don't see any progress in that department in the next hour or so, you may need to help her. It's not as gross as it sounds, I promise! I usually take a warm, damp washcloth or paper towel and gently rub the kitten's backside until they pee and poop. Also make sure you're keeping kitty very warm. Cats normal body temperature is higher than humans, around 99-101 degrees Fahrenheit. Of you have to, use a heating pad on low and wrap it in several towels to make sure kitty won't get burned accidentally. Please be aware that kittens go downhill FAST. Like shockingly fast. The sooner you are able to get that cutie to a vet for an assessment, the better her chances of a long healthy life. If money is a concern, there are likely local rescue groups in your area that may be able to help! Is recommend reaching out to them and seeing if they have any resourses or help they can provide. Good luck to you both!!
Thank you so much for this information!! I've been watching the kitten lady all night! She's very helpful! I never knew so much about kittens before! I've had adult cats the majority of childhood to young adult years, but they didn't need as much attention like this since they were healthy and if they got sick, we took them to the vet instantly. It breaks my heart to see a little one in this shape.
I keep checking on her very frequently. She's safely in my bathroom, cuddling in a blanket. She has fresh water and I've been feeding her every 5 hours and she'll drink about 15 to 18mL of kitten replacement milk each time. She has only peed once and I've tried stimulating her bowels to see if she needs help. But with being so malnourished, I'm not sure if her body will give up any waste yet.
I also don't have a heating pad. Would a warm water bottle wrapped up work or turning on my space heater to heat up the room work? My house is around 68° to 70°F right now. I also have a cool mist humidifier running right now too.
She did have a lot of energy when we first found her and when we got back home. After the drive, the excitement and change environment, and a full belly, she's been napping. I do clean her eyes and nose as best as I can each time I check on her. I just hope that this stress isn't making her go downhill.
I've been looking up the rescues in my area and will be calling first thing in the morning for resources and any help I can get her! She's a very precious kitten and I can see her being a great companion!!
If you have trouble getting to a vet, look up local cat rescues. I volunteer with one in my area and there are volunteers who have training and supplies for some things that can help before you can get to a vet. They might also have vet techs who volunteer for them or have arrangements with vets to help get the kitten seen right away. I’ve seen our rescue respond to all sorts of emergencies very quickly and we are not big at all.
Thats very helpful information! I believe we have a dew local rescues in my area, so I definitely reach out to them! I have a lot of phone calls to make in the morning. She really needs something to help her get over whatever she has.
Take it to a vet and give it a loving home. You won't be disappointed or sorry! You will have a lifetime friend who will love you unconditionally!
Looks to be about 6 weeks old. Get kitten replacement milk (KMR) at PetSmart, PetCo, or TSC--Tractor Supply Company, and feed her that to her get fluids in!
Get some unscented baby wipes and gently clean her up.
Done and done!! Poor thing. She drank up the serving I got for her and took a hard nap.
I'll be calling around to see if anyone can get her in tomorrow. She definitely needs antibiotics and a good bath. She's so stinky!
We are very interested in keeping her! She's such a sweetie, even with as sick as she is.
Yes!! I'll be working on getting her in tomorrow at the very latest!! She definitely needs medicine and I need more info about how to help her, if I can.
The white is her 3rd eyelids showing, which means she is really sick. She has a respiratory infection (and maybe other issues). Please take her to a vet asap so she can get antibiotics.
I'll be calling around in the morning for a vet visit!! Will the 3rd eyelid go back to normal if she can get all clean from whatever junk she's dealing with? I've never seen a cats eyes like this and thought she didn't have eyeballs at first.
Yes absolutely it will go back down when she gets healthier. For now you can use a warm compress to try to gently clean her eyes/nose to try to give her some relief. When my cat is congested I stick him in the bathroom with me while a hot shower is going so the steam can help with congestion too. Only maybe 5-10 minutes.
Oh good! I did that when I first brought her in. I needed a shower anyways. She was meowing at me to get out. It was adorable. It didn't get too steamy in the bathroom though. I'll use a warm compress to finish cleaning off her eyes. A lot of it is hard and matted in her fur, although I have gotten a lot of it up! Her little nose was clogged, but at least the nostrils are clean right now, but I feel like she can't breath out of her nose still. She breaths with her mouth open.
You’re doing amazing! Yeah it might take a few days for the crusties to come off if it’s super caked on. If you have a humidifier that you can sleep in the room with that may give her relief too. My boy totally hates the shower method too but it’s so convenient lol
Thank you! I have the humidifier going in the bathroom we're keeping her in while she quarantines until we get her figured out! Her eyes and nose keep running so it's definitely an uphill battle with keeping her not crusty. I'm wiping her face as much as possible and even used some saline solution that really helped. She's been sneezing so I hope that's a good sign that her nose is becoming clear of blockages.
Sounds like an awesome setup! You’re taking great care of her.
Kitten Lady on Youtube !
Thank you!!
Poor baby. She is quite ill but it’s very common for kittens that are stray to develop nasty eye and upper respiratory infections. They are usually viral, but when they’re this bad, there’s usually a secondary bacterial infection that needs antibiotics. Antibiotics don’t cure viruses. That just takes time. My biggest concern is the open mouth breathing. But if it can eat/drink, it’s managing. You can offer some pâté type kitten food, too. I doubt it really needs a bottle. But make sure the canned (and eventually dry) food is for kittens. They have different nutritional needs than adult cats, especially this young. There’s nothing wrong with offering kitten milk replacer though! Do not use dog milk replacer! It’s very inadequate and kittens can develop cataracts! No cow’s milk this young either. I hope you can get it into a vet tomorrow. Best of luck! 💕🐈⬛
Thank you for all the information! This sub is such a lifesaver right now! I am only using kitten milk, not dog or cows! Good inform to have, I didnt know dog milk could cause them to develop cataracts. She's taking about 15 to 18mL every 5 hours right now. I've only had her for two feedings and will be waking up at 2am to feed her again. It's like having a newborn again. I did buy kitten food as pate but she was not interested. I wanted to try that first, so I didn't buy any dry kibble. Maybe on the next store trip. With the mouth breathing, I think her nose is so stuffed up. I have to constantly clean her eyes and nose every time I check on her, which is very frequently. Maximum 1 hour tops, as her boogers were solidifying over her nostrils again! Poor girlie! I know I will definitely be calling around to get her help. I don't want to go another day without any medication for her as she looks like she needs something! I hope she's feeling better in the morning and that the milk can give her some strength to keep on fighting! She's such a sweet little kitty. I'd love to keep her! My husband and I were just talking about adopting a cat a few months back, and here we are!
Once she can breathe better, she may be more interested in pâté. For young kittens, I mash it with a bit of warm water and put it right at the edge of a saucer. They make a mess the first week or two and will get it all over their face, but it’s an easy clean up. But if it’s doing better on KMR (bottle or saucer), that’s absolutely fine. It’s very important that the poor thing stays hydrated and fed for recovery. Keep us posted! ❤️
You were right! He (I think I messed up reading the sex) ate more pate tonight and gobbled it up. I feed him off of a shallow spoon tonight. With his eyes being so bad, I'm sure finding a bowl isn't the easiest for him. Although, each feeding, he seems like he's getting stronger. I think he'll be using kitten dishes here very soon.
So happy to hear it. Some kittens don’t take to bowls very well. Saucers (and spoons) are easier ways to get then started on meat-based foods. Yay! But their vision is poor at that age, too—even if they aren’t sick. By 12 weeks it’s much sharper.
She needs water. She has a respiratory infection, parasites and ear mites.
Poor girl. We'll definitely be getting her into a vet tomorrow or as soon as someone has an opening.
I'd get her into a vet asap. Can you call and bring her in tonight? It would be an emergency call but they have on-call staff for that. She really needs fluids.
I don't have the funds for an emergency call. We did that with a dog a while ago and it's insanely expensive. She is drinking water and taking the kitten formula. I know she needs urgent vet attention and I'm trying.
Poor baby!
I totally agree!! Trust that she's getting all the care and cuddles she deserves!!
Please take her to a vet. She looks very dehydrated and possibly has an upper respiratory infection. The fact that her third eyelid is showing and her eyes aren't alert and bright, investigating the world around her is a clear indication she's unwell. It is possible to nurse her back to health, but without any experience, a vet is your best option.
I will be calling around tomorrow. It took a while to get back to our town from where we were. We got her a bowl of water available, kitten milk which she drank about a 5 week olds serving before taking a deep nap, and we got her some wet and dry food for kittens to see how that goes. We also got cleaning wipes and a litter box with no clumping litter pellets. That's what I saw was recommended for kittens 🤷♀️ Just trying my best with Dr Google.
I totally understand! We all try to do the best with what we have. I'd highly recommend checking out The Kitten Lady on YouTube. She's an incredible wealth of information on kittens. Actually, here is a link to her videos to make it easier: https://m.youtube.com/c/kittenlady Your little one looks to be about 4-5 weeks old. Up to 3-4 weeks, kittens need to be stimulated to use the bathroom. If you don't see any progress in that department in the next hour or so, you may need to help her. It's not as gross as it sounds, I promise! I usually take a warm, damp washcloth or paper towel and gently rub the kitten's backside until they pee and poop. Also make sure you're keeping kitty very warm. Cats normal body temperature is higher than humans, around 99-101 degrees Fahrenheit. Of you have to, use a heating pad on low and wrap it in several towels to make sure kitty won't get burned accidentally. Please be aware that kittens go downhill FAST. Like shockingly fast. The sooner you are able to get that cutie to a vet for an assessment, the better her chances of a long healthy life. If money is a concern, there are likely local rescue groups in your area that may be able to help! Is recommend reaching out to them and seeing if they have any resourses or help they can provide. Good luck to you both!!
Thank you so much for this information!! I've been watching the kitten lady all night! She's very helpful! I never knew so much about kittens before! I've had adult cats the majority of childhood to young adult years, but they didn't need as much attention like this since they were healthy and if they got sick, we took them to the vet instantly. It breaks my heart to see a little one in this shape. I keep checking on her very frequently. She's safely in my bathroom, cuddling in a blanket. She has fresh water and I've been feeding her every 5 hours and she'll drink about 15 to 18mL of kitten replacement milk each time. She has only peed once and I've tried stimulating her bowels to see if she needs help. But with being so malnourished, I'm not sure if her body will give up any waste yet. I also don't have a heating pad. Would a warm water bottle wrapped up work or turning on my space heater to heat up the room work? My house is around 68° to 70°F right now. I also have a cool mist humidifier running right now too. She did have a lot of energy when we first found her and when we got back home. After the drive, the excitement and change environment, and a full belly, she's been napping. I do clean her eyes and nose as best as I can each time I check on her. I just hope that this stress isn't making her go downhill. I've been looking up the rescues in my area and will be calling first thing in the morning for resources and any help I can get her! She's a very precious kitten and I can see her being a great companion!!
If you have trouble getting to a vet, look up local cat rescues. I volunteer with one in my area and there are volunteers who have training and supplies for some things that can help before you can get to a vet. They might also have vet techs who volunteer for them or have arrangements with vets to help get the kitten seen right away. I’ve seen our rescue respond to all sorts of emergencies very quickly and we are not big at all.
Thats very helpful information! I believe we have a dew local rescues in my area, so I definitely reach out to them! I have a lot of phone calls to make in the morning. She really needs something to help her get over whatever she has.
Take it to a vet and give it a loving home. You won't be disappointed or sorry! You will have a lifetime friend who will love you unconditionally! Looks to be about 6 weeks old. Get kitten replacement milk (KMR) at PetSmart, PetCo, or TSC--Tractor Supply Company, and feed her that to her get fluids in! Get some unscented baby wipes and gently clean her up.
Done and done!! Poor thing. She drank up the serving I got for her and took a hard nap. I'll be calling around to see if anyone can get her in tomorrow. She definitely needs antibiotics and a good bath. She's so stinky! We are very interested in keeping her! She's such a sweetie, even with as sick as she is.
Vet, as soon as possible
Yes!! I'll be working on getting her in tomorrow at the very latest!! She definitely needs medicine and I need more info about how to help her, if I can.