Foster Kittens

As you know we fostered some Pomeranian puppies earlier this spring, and they went on to be adopted.  Then the shelter had litters of kittens being dropped off on a daily basis, and they needed help.  So we took a litter of four feral kittens that had lost their mother.  They were four weeks old - three orange males and one tabby female.

Sadly, a day or two after we took them they became very ill.  Tests at the vet did not reveal anything.  I began calling it kitty ebola, for lack of a diagnosis.  I would come back from running an errand and the cage would be in a biohazard level 4 state.  Whew!  Those poor sick kitties.  We were very sad when one of them died.  They were on special food and medicines, but it just wasn't settling their little bellies.  Another one became very weak, so I rushed them back to the vet.

Still no answers, but since it was a Friday, the vet tech took them home for the weekend.  The weakest one had a feeding tube stapled to his head so that he could have constant nourishment.  We missed the kittens that weekend - they had already lost their feralness and had become affectionate and purry.

The constant feeding from the feeding tube worked, and the little guy rallied.  The next Monday, the three of them were able to come back.  I got to name them, so I named them after key influences in psychology:  Anna, Sigmund, and Hans. 

They still have some stomach issues, but they are doing much better.  I love seeing how playful they are.  Hopefully they will continue to thrive and find loving homes in a few weeks! 

Linked today with Feline Friday.