His care is very touch-and-go, but I’ve set him up for success with a drop of Karo syrup at each feeding, subcutaneous fluids, and formula that is diluted with electrolytes. He cries but will not latch, so he’s being tube fed every two hours. He’s in my incubator with a heartbeat kitty set at a toasty 90 degrees. He’s so small and thin that it is difficult for him to retain body heat, which is why he’s got such a high setting.
One of my concerns right now is his umbilical cord. When I picked him up, I noticed there is a small bump underneath it. I’m going to ask the veterinarian about it when I take Ereth in today.
Wish this little guy luck, because he’s going to need it.♥️
windycityfosters
I finally got the background on this little guy. It isn’t pretty.
Agave’s parents were related, which is what happens when you cohabitate unaltered litter mates over 4-6 months old. Unfortunately this inbreeding behavior can result in kittens with severe congenital deformities. All four of Agave’s litter mates died within their first few days of life.
Agave survived, but his mom was producing no milk. In fact I visited her today at the shelter before she left to be spayed…you would never have known she had kittens less than a week ago! Agave is severely underweight because of this, weighing in at a tiny 81 grams at 6 days old.
This little house panther has got a ton of odds stacked against him. In fact, it’s entirely possible that he has internal issues that won’t reveal themselves until he’s older. Regardless of any hidden health problems, if he wants to fight I will be fighting right alongside him. We are taking it day by day, feeding by feeding, living in the moment.♥️
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Look who latched today! Those tiny ear wiggles make me so happy.♥️
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I’ve got my fingers crossed that this is the last video I’ll post of Agave with his eyes closed! They’re going to open by tomorrow, I’ve just got a gut feeling. He’s 1.5 weeks now!✨
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Eyeballs incoming!
windycityfosters
Today I realized something about Agave…he is actually a she! Whoops! I realized I didn’t actually get a good look when I first got her, I just kind of guessed. That’s ok, her name still stays.
Part of why I noticed is because I was stimulating her to pee and puss came out. She was started on antibiotics tonight to take care of that!
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I haven’t posted about Agave in a hot minute and it’s because this girl’s been goin’ through it the last couple days. She lost her appetite on Thursday with no other symptoms…she had solid stool, good energy levels, weight gain. She was on antibiotics for several days prior, but not a particularly harrowing one. I tried fresh formula, different temperatures, different nipples. She didn’t want it.
I only give kittens one or two missed meals before I start tube feeding, giving fluids, B12, glucose supplements, and start a detailed log of feedings, weights, etc. She was also old enough to receive a gentle broad-spectrum dewormer. I’ve learned to act before they start going downhill…never “wait and see”.
Well I’m cautiously announcing that she has latched on long enough to evade tube feeding for her last two feedings! Let’s hope she keeps this trend up!
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Little Agave graduated from the incubator this morning! She’s got a bigger playpen where she can start litter box training and have access to more enrichment.
She’s also gotten over her tube feeding phase and is on the bottle full time! Workin’ on growing into those bat ears.
windycityfosters
A snippet of Agave’s lunch today!🍼
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