Say hi to kitten Dale 👋🏻. . Him and his mom Daphne are having a rough week. She birthed five kittens on Monday, but rejected them ⋆

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Say hi to kitten Dale 👋🏻.
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Him and his mom Daphne are having a rough week. She birthed five kittens on Monday, but rejected them. It turns out she has a badly infected abscess on her eye and was likely in too much pain to care for her babies. Unfortunately four of them did not make it 😢.
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Little Dale and his mom were rescued this morning and are now at the emergency vet. He is very dehydrated, weighs 80 grams, and has a critical flea burden. His dried up placenta was still attached when I got him. Luckily he’s got some spunk and did latch on and drink some KMR. Daphne will have to have immediate eye removal surgery.
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This is a very unexpected expense for our rescue, and if you would like to help out I would be so grateful. We have over 100 cats in our care at the moment and this surgery at an emergency Vet Hospital is a really big ticket item. I will put a link in my bio to where you can donate, and a swipe up link in my stories. Choose General, and put “For Daphne” in the message box on the donation page.
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Thanks kitten lovers. Please keep these two precious souls in your thoughts and send some virtual love, they really need it ❤️ #DaphnenDale @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Mama Daphne is home! 😍.
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Her eye removal surgery went really well. It looks terrible but I know very soon she’ll be feeling so much better. My heart breaks for how much suffering she’s endured this past week. She is the sweetest girl. Even though she’s in a strange new place with a stranger, she purrs and wants to cuddle. She keeps trying to crawl into my lap but her cone gets in the way, and she’s kinda high on pain meds, so the whole thing is just heartbreakingly endearing. I love her already ❤️.
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Her surgery and chance at a happy new life is all thanks to YOU! When the treasurer of our rescue messaged me last night and told me that 75 people had donated over $2,000 for Daphne I got tears in my eyes. She said the donations came from all over the world. I’m just so grateful and overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of this community. Kitten lovers, you’re the BEST! Thank you! 🙏🏻.
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Daphne’s surgery bill was $1,800. More donations came in today and I want you to know that 100% of the money donated goes directly to the care of our rescue cats and kittens. That’s one great thing about small independent rescues – they’re run entirely by a network of volunteers and there’s virtually no overhead or administration costs – so you can feel good about your donations being used for the kitties ❤️.
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I hope to be able to reunite Daphne with her baby. But for the next few days she’s on pain meds which would pass through her milk to Dale, so I will have to wait. I’m not sure if she’ll still have milk by the time they’re reunited, but even if she doesn’t my hope is that she will accept him back and we can co-parent 🙎‍♀️🐱 #DaphnenDale @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Dale is officially a member of the 100 gram club 💯.
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Five days old and he is the weight of a newborn. But he’s really strong and fiesty and doing great. I’m very hopeful 🙏🏻 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Daphne is the sweetest most good natured girl. Despite all she’s been through she just purrs and rolls around begging for affection. I can’t wait for her cone to come off so she can give me the head butts she so desperately wants to give 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Goodnight kitten lovers ❤️ @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Beautiful sweet Daphne. I can’t get over what a gentle sweet natured girl she is. Such a lovey dove, always wanting cuddles 💗 #DaphnenDale @whiskersnpurrs Said.

We just got home from the vet hospital. Daphne has not been her usual sweet snuggly self the past 24hrs and I was concerned that she seemed in pain. And she wasn’t eating or using the litter box today. The vet says her surgery scar looks really good and the amount of swelling is normal for this point in recovery. We got some new pain meds so hopefully we can get her feeling more comfortable 🙏🏻 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

So poor little Dale has got some poop issues. Well, lack of poop issues actually. The vet examined him last night and an X-ray confirmed he’s really backed up. She gave him an enema and we’re still awaiting a poopsplosion. Never have I ever wanted a kitten to poop so bad. Prayers for poop please! 🙏🏻 #DaphnenDale #constipatedkitten @whiskersnpurrs Said.

I think we are going to have a visit from the eyeball fairy tonight 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Sweet Daphne is doing so much better. The swelling has gone down, and the new pain meds are keeping her comfortable. The only issue is that she’s a very social girl and she’s quite upset about being alone in the bathroom. This morning she was crying and scratching at the door and when I brought in her breakfast she had somehow Houdini’d out of her cone! She needs to remain isolated for another week. I’ve decided that I won’t introduce Dale to her until her sutures and cone are removed 🐱 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Dale had a very busy day making eyeballs. And he has the cutest milk moustache 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

My tiny little man, with his tiny purr, making itty bitty biscuits ❤️.
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Thanks everyone for your 💩 prayers. He hasn’t had any big movement, just one tiny nugget late Thursday. We are trying everything to get it moving. Keep up your positive thoughts! 🙏🏻 #DaphnenDale @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Isn’t Daphne beautiful? Her scar is healing so well. Just a few more days until her sutures are removed and then we’ll post her big reveal 😍 # @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Dale just wanted to remind everyone that paws need claws. At this age his claws aren’t retractable, that comes at around 4 weeks old. At that time they can be trimmed – just like humans trim off the excess tips of our nails.
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Cats use their claws for grooming and scratching themselves, for balance, for stretching and exploring their environment. Declawing is the cruel practice of amputation and can result in permanent pain, and emotional and behavioural issues. Declawing is banned in many countries because it’s deemed animal cruelty. Check out the work they’re doing to educate and advocate for no more declawing at @pawproject ❤️ #DaphnenDale #pawsneedclaws @whiskersnpurrs Said.

This is the face of a post poop content kitten 😍
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We were back at the emergency vet today for another enema. He’s only passed one tiny hard nugget since the last enema five days ago. I’ve been trying absolutely everything to help him poop but he had the most stubborn log jam 😩.
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The vet said they only got one small nugget to pass today, and they brought him out to me with equipment and instructions to continue doing enemas at home. He was way overdue for lunch and screaming so I fed him right there in the car in the vet parking lot, then stimulated him to pee. And that’s when we had a poorly timed but very, very welcomed poopsplosion 💩.
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Thank you everyone for your concern and your prayers to the poop gods. I’m hopeful that his system can normalize now 🙏🏻 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

In all the kerfuffle yesterday with the poopocalypse, it got overlooked that my brave little man turned two weeks old 🎈.
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I still can’t believe he’s here, and he’s thriving. And I can’t believe that thousands of strangers from around the world were sending him good poop vibes, and checking into IG to see if there was an update. If you need proof that kitten lovers have the biggest hearts (and are just a tiny bit crazy) just go check out the hundreds of comments on my ‘Dale pooped’ post 😆.
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Just teasing of course! I love how much you all care and we are so appreciative of your support. And just because I know you want to know… Dale just had another ginormous poop💩 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

We went on a little half day road trip today, and poor Dale had a couple poonamis in the car. Snuggle puppy bore the brunt of it and is currently in the washing machine. Dale has a clean fresh bed now, and is all tucked in. Hoping we can find a happy medium soon 🙏🏻 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Coordination: 0/10
Effort: 10/10
Cuteness: 487/10.
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Dale is just 17 days old and he’s starting grooming behaviours. What a champ! 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

We always knew she was beautiful regardless, but now we can see for ourselves ❤️.
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Daphne had her sutures out today. She’s healing great but unfortunately I was advised she has to wear the cone for another week 😩 There goes my plans to put Dale with her. I think maybe I’ll do a supervised introduction and if it goes well I’ll allow them time together with me present so she can have the cone off. I have no idea if she will even accept him back. I guess we’ll find out! 🙏🏻 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

STOP TRYNA RECK MY FORT! ~Dale 🐱 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Daphne is such a peach 🍑.
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I didn’t get to do introductions with Dale today. It’s something that needs my undivided attention and time, and I was just too busy. I’m hoping this weekend I can get them together and I will for sure share it with you all 🙏🏻 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Daphne and Dale Reunion ❤️

Well here it is, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! At first I felt it was promising – Daphne was curious but not upset, and she started by licking Dale and rolling over on her side the way mothers do to expose their tummy. But as time went on (beyond the end of this video) I felt like she was seeing him more as a play thing rather than something to nurture 😳.
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Dale didn’t seem to know what she was for, and had zero interest in her nipples. He certainly didn’t seem overjoyed by her. He kept climbing over her to get to me, which was very endearing for sure, but also a bit disappointing.
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I’ll continue to give them supervised time together, but at this point I’m not comfortable leaving him alone with her 😕 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Mama & son ❤️.
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I’ll definitely be letting them spend more time together, just supervised. Even if she doesn’t mother him, it’s still good for Dale to have the company of another cat 🐱 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Dale is three weeks old today. Look at him in his big boy bed! 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

I think he may actually be trapped under her paw and waving for help. But I was too busy sqeeee-ing and recording it for you to notice 🤦🏼‍♀️ @whiskersnpurrs Said.

GAINS 🙌🏻.
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Dale is such a good eater. He guzzled back 18mls for breakfast like nbd! He’s 274 grams now which is small for his age, but he’s consistently gaining so I’m happy with that 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Dale finally cracks the nipple code 😍.
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Last night he was laying next to her suckling on his leg, while her nipples were on full display next to him. I tried again to rub his mouth against one and waddya know, he got it!
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This is purely comfort nursing, as Daphne’s milk is dried up. But it was still very sweet and made my heart so happy for him ❤️ @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Goodnight kitten lovers ❤️ @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Our little man weighed in at 340 grams this morning! That’s the low end for his age, but he’s definitely not grossly underweight any longer. Hes no longer frail, he’s plump and robust and thriving 😍 @whiskersnpurrs Said.

Mama & son ❤️.
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A little update on our sweet family. I do feel that Daphne is showing maternal instincts with Dale. She likes to lay down next to him, groom him, and today she actually gave Birdie a good telling off when she got too close to Dale!
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Dale doesn’t appear connected to her at all. The times he comfort nurses are when I put him on the nipple and rub his face on it. He’ll usually nurse briefly then go back to suckling on his leg. He will lay with her for a short time but usually ends up crawling over to me for cuddles.
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When Daphne is sleepy and calm I can allow their interactions because she is gentle and nurturing. But when she’s awake and playful she is much too rough with Dale. She is just a kitten herself, likely around 10 months old. So she gets very rambunctious, and will grab Dale roughly and bite and bunny kick him like a toy. He doesn’t like it and he squawks and tries to get away.
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So I’ll continue with the supervised visits. And when Dale gets bigger and stronger and can defend himself, I’ll likely end up putting them together in the foster room 🐱 @whiskersnpurrs Said.