Question:
On 10/28/04 A mother stray cat who had been hanging around brought her entire litter of five onto my porch. It was cold outside and I noticed that she was ignoring one of them and it was crying alot so I brought them all inside. The mother and 4 kittens are doing well.
I took the sick one to my vet He said she was a little over a week old. She has a knot on her tummy so he gave her amoxicillin. I have been hand feeding this little one and I am in way over my head. She is suckling and eating from the eye dropper. Took her back to the vet on10/29/04 because she had developed a rectal prolapse and her posture has become very ridgid. The doc said keep up the antibiotics, but his feeling was that she has sepsis.(or that the infection had moved into her joints) He also encouraged me to keep trying to save her Because she is still eating and fighting so hard to live
We have named our little rescue baby Sweetie. AS of today 11/04/04 She's hanging in there. Still eating. I am new to the forum/site and this is my first attempt at hand raising a kitten. I was wondering if anybody out there who is experienced with rescue kittens could please answer some questions for me (I think my daily phone calls are starting to get on my vets nerves)

Best guess is Sweetie was born around Oct.17th so she's about 2 1/2 weeks old. Been hand feeding her since since the 28th of Oct. First 5 or 6 days she was eating every two hours. But the last 2 days she's sleeping more and only wanting to eat every 4 hours. Is that a sign she's getting better? Or worse? Also how much should she be eating at this stage? She is still small only weighs about
6 oz. She weighed about 4 oz when we began feeding her last week.

Her umbilical infection has improved, and her joints are getting better too(although her front legs are still ridgid and straight).
Has anyone ever had a kitten so young recover from this type of illness?
My vet won't say much other than to keep feeding her and giving the antibiotics. He also isn't concerened about her rectal prolapse He says if she gets over her infection and gets stronger then he'll try to put a stitch in to correct it. Of course the nervous mother that I am I can't help but wonder how long can this poor baby go on with her little rectum hanging out.

She doesn't appear to be in pain, I asked the vet if I was doing the right thing for her or if she should be put to sleep, He said as long as she is eating and fighting to live He would not put her down.
So I'm going to keep fighting the fight But it would make me feel a lot better to hear from even one person that has had a kitten like sweetie survive.Any advice would be appreciated Thank you

Answer:
I'm sorry I have no advice/experience to pass along. I just wanted to say that you are a marvellous and selfless person, an angel That mother cat knew exactly where to bring her babies. Good luck to the little one.

Answer:
Welcome

I think you are the Sweetie Smart Mommy to have chosen your porch.

I don't have much advice to give as I am as inexperienced with cats as you
..but keep checking in. The people on this board are an amazing bunch of
walking encyclopedias.

PS. We'd love to see photos of these furballs.

Answer:
Thank you for doing this wonderful thing and saving this poor family of kitties who would all have died without you!! Where are you located? Just a warning - make sure the mother cat doesn't get out, as she can get pregnant again in as little as 4 weeks after giving birth.

Little kittens with multiple problems and who are failing to thrive usually don't make it. Even healthy newborn kittens can die if their mother won't care for them, no matter how hard you try:( But I don't want to tell you to give up, because this one might survive! If it's eating and doesn't seem distressed or in pain, I would continue awhile longer.

4 feedings a day for a kitten that age is o.k. I'm puzzled at the vet doing nothing about the rectal prolapse however. Is it very mild? Here is some info:
-----------------------------
The primary goal of treatment of rectal prolapse is to eliminate the underlying cause while alleviating the immediate discomfort. If the prolapse is mild, of short duration, and the tissue is healthy in appearance, then a conservative approach is recommended. A warm isotonic solution is applied to the exposed mucosa.

The mucosa should be gently manipulated and massaged in an attempt to remove edema from the prolapsed segment. The prolapse is then gently reduced following the application of a water-soluble lubricant to its surface. A loose pursestring suture is placed in the anus. The cat is fed a low-residue diet and treated with stool softener. The pursestring suture should be removed in 7 to 10 days. The cat should then remain on stool softeners for another 2 to 3 weeks.

If conservative management fails, a colopexy is recommended. This technique fixes the colon to the abdominal wall using six to eight mattress sutures in the hope that this will reduce the tendency for recurrence. A 3- or 4-0 nonabsorbable suture material is used and is placed partial thickness through the wall of the colon and fixed to the abdominal wall 3 to 4 cm to the left of the midline abdominal incisions

Amputation of the prolapsed rectum is necessary if, on initial presentation, the rectal mucosa is necrotic, lacerated, or irreducible. Excision of the prolapsed portion is followed by a full-thickness anastomosis of the remaining rectal segments." Careful placement of sutures to incorporate all mucosal and serosal layers is important. The cat is given only liquids for 48 hours following surgery, then is returned to a normal diet and treated with a stool softener for 2 to 3 weeks. Because of the possibility of strictures, incontinence, or leakage from the anastomotic site following amputation, more conservative methods of treating a rectal prolapse are encouraged. Prognosis with these more conservative methods is fair to good.
----------------------------------------------------------

Here is an article on handraising kittens.
http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

If this baby doesn't make it, or you decide to end the suffering, please dont' feel badly. You are doing way more than most people would ever do!

Answer:
To answer the question from the previous post the vet said she will have to recover fully from the umbilical infection/joint infection before he can fix the prolapse because the infection(putting increased pressure in her abdomen) is the cause of the prolapse and right now she is much to weak and small to withstand the procedure, that will fix it. (it is a full thickness prolapse of about one and a half inches) Again any advice appreciated thank you

Answer:
I just wanted to add my sentiments,you are a true the world would be a better place if we had more of you
I am sure little Sweetie will make it with your loving help.

Answer:
Bravo for your kindness, patience and perseverance with these little lives.

Answer:
Bless you for giving your time and energy to this little kitten, I'll be praying that she makes it and grows big and strong.

Answer: