# 11 day old kitten fading fast



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Vicky's kittens were fine last night. This morning I heard constant rhythmic crying from the room and when I went in I found one of the kittens apart from the others, cold and crying constantly. I am trying to warm her up but it seems quite clear that she is dying.

It's the one I wanted to keep as well.

What I am worried about now is that there is no sign of anything wrong on this kitten - the only slight abnormality is that she still has the umbilical cord attached and her eyes were slow to open. Losing one kitten is bad, losing the others would be devastating especially because 1. Vicky is such a devoted mother and has not left the kitten pen at all yet. I dread to think what state she will be in if she loses the whole litter, and 2. I really wanted this litter and Vicky had to have a caesarean - her second. If I try again it is almost certain that we will end up with a third caesarean and I don't even know if that is safe let alone fair.

Before I go into the vet, is there anything anyone can suggest that might be responsible for a kitten fading at this stage, that I might suggest to the vet?

Liz


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

Oh no...
I know you are experienced, so you may well have already thought of this, but at the risk of sounding patronising, have you looked to see if it has a cleft pallet?


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## rottiesloveragdolls (Nov 2, 2007)

*sorry to hear you may lose the baby  im sure with your experience you are doing all the right things for her, keeping her warm syringing liquids into her ect, it is such a heartache when these things happen specialy if there are no obvious Physical signs *


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## Leah100 (Aug 17, 2008)

I'm very sorry your kitten is not doing well  The only things I can think of are some sort of underlying infection, or maybe a heart murmur? I'm sure you've already thought of those and listened to her chest. I will keep everything crossed for you and the little one.


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

helz said:


> Oh no...
> I know you are experienced, so you may well have already thought of this, but at the risk of sounding patronising, have you looked to see if it has a cleft pallet?


Well no I hadn't, but at 11 days?? Anyway I just looked - can't see anything (apart from the fact that she is very pale but that will be because she is so cold). I did notice, checking Mum this morning, that Mum doesn't seem to have much milk, though the other two ktitens seem to have full tummies. Obviously I shall see if they need supplementing.

Liz


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

Yeah I know 11 days seems old for my suggestion, but I lost my kitten at 8 days due to a cleft pallet, the vet told me that they can be fine in the beginning, but as they grow the holes get bigger and they loose suction in the mouth. But that&#8217;s good that you can&#8217;t see a hole. I do hope the kitten is okay.


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## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

Any news yet Liz?


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2008)

Poor baby - keeping my fingers crossed for you

Louise
X


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

Oh I am so so sorry I just don't know what I can say  Just pray for them and mum xx


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Update - the kitten had a massive heart murmur. Actually I feel rather dense because, once the vet pointed it out, yes she was a lot smaller than the others, yes the fact that the umbilicus is still attached might mean Mum has paid less attention to her, and yes she was usually to be found further away from Mum than the other two.

The vet has put her on heat and put glucose under her skin, but it seems a rather pointless exercise to me. She was a blue shaded silver Tiffanie, jsut what I wanted to keep :-( - and with a lovely firm deep chin too.

The others have been checked and they are fine.



Liz


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

Glad the other 2 are ok. If she has a massive heart murmur is the vet saying she has a chance then?


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

She said that a young kitten can have a heart murmur because it is sick, rather than being sick because it has a heart murmur, but in that case the temperature is normally very high rather than low. And even if it did prove to be that, the underlying cause would still be there - so as I said, it does seem like a rather pointless exercise, but I did say I didn't mind trying of course.

Liz


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## audrey1824 (Aug 1, 2008)

Until she is completely warmed, she cannot be fed normally, as when they are cold their organs shut down, once she is warm she can be fed, I would hand feed her with 50/50 evap milk and boiled water with a spot of honey in, she could turn the corner.
Heart murmers can be caused by several things, among them, a valve that hasn't kicked in yet, but may later, a hole in the heart, sometimes if they are not too big, these can skin over, so don't give up hope yet.


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## Saynamore (Feb 28, 2008)

lizward said:


> Vicky's kittens were fine last night. This morning I heard constant rhythmic crying from the room and when I went in I found one of the kittens apart from the others, cold and crying constantly. I am trying to warm her up but it seems quite clear that she is dying.
> 
> It's the one I wanted to keep as well.
> 
> ...


It is awful when they are fading Liz and the little cries are pitiful. I know what its like as I have had lots of kittens faded in the past. The only thing that I could put it down to is incompatible blood grouping of the parents. Have you had the parents blood tested at all?


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Saynamore said:


> It is awful when they are fading Liz and the little cries are pitiful. I know what its like as I have had lots of kittens faded in the past. The only thing that I could put it down to is incompatible blood grouping of the parents. Have you had the parents blood tested at all?


No - it was a heart murmur - but you've probably seen that post now. One thing we don't seem to have in my breed is blood type incompatibility - I don't know of any reports of a type B cat and any outcross to another breed has to be to a type A cat.

The vet just called and as expected the kitten has died. I just wish it hadn't been that one 

Liz


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## Leah100 (Aug 17, 2008)

lizward said:


> No - it was a heart murmur - but you've probably seen that post now. One thing we don't seem to have in my breed is blood type incompatibility - I don't know of any reports of a type B cat and any outcross to another breed has to be to a type A cat.
> 
> The vet just called and as expected the kitten has died. I just wish it hadn't been that one
> 
> Liz


I'm very sorry


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## Saynamore (Feb 28, 2008)

lizward said:


> No - it was a heart murmur - but you've probably seen that post now. One thing we don't seem to have in my breed is blood type incompatibility - I don't know of any reports of a type B cat and any outcross to another breed has to be to a type A cat.
> 
> The vet just called and as expected the kitten has died. I just wish it hadn't been that one
> 
> Liz


I should read the full thread before I post. So sorry about the little one Liz, it is always so upsetting, even worse when the kit was going to be a keeper.


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## emmar (Aug 1, 2008)

Really sorry Liz  

RIP little one xxx


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## rottiesloveragdolls (Nov 2, 2007)

*sorry for your lose, RIP little one  *


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## Rraa (Apr 15, 2008)

o no!!! sorry about the little baby, Liz - such a shame it was the very one you would have liked to keep too.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

Oh no - so sorry Liz to hear the news. ((((((hugs)))))
Rest in Peace little one
xxx


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## Gizzyboy (Jun 4, 2008)

Aww, how awful for you!! I am so saddened by this. RIP little girl xx


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

im so sorry for you, its heart breaking, R I P little baby,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

So sorry Liz.


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## Selk67U2 (May 5, 2008)

*I'm very sorry to come on a read about the sad loss of your kitten Liz *


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

lizward said:


> No - it was a heart murmur - but you've probably seen that post now. One thing we don't seem to have in my breed is blood type incompatibility - I don't know of any reports of a type B cat and any outcross to another breed has to be to a type A cat.
> 
> The vet just called and as expected the kitten has died. I just wish it hadn't been that one
> 
> Liz


I am so very sorry Liz xxx


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## Sarnajes (Mar 30, 2008)

I'm very sorry.


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## marianne (Aug 12, 2008)

Poor little angel. I'm so sorry.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

Oh thats so sad fingers crossed that all goes well with the other babies. It is so frustrating when theres nothing you can do to help


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## Sungold-Bengals (Mar 10, 2008)

So sorry to read this Liz,

I know this will be hard because she was a 'keeper' but hopefully the surviving kittens will continue to thrive & this was just very unfortunate.
It is easier to bear when you know there was a reason that they fade.
You know there was nothing you could have done & I would have thought the Mum had probably realised this too.

Best wishes to you, mum & the remaining kittens x


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Thank you all for your kind words.

Liz


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## KarenHSmith (Apr 20, 2008)

Awwwwwwww. Thats so sad.


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## deedeedee (Apr 2, 2008)

Im so sorry Liz - RIP baby xx


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## binxycat (Mar 15, 2008)

So sorry Liz, hugs xx


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## audrey1824 (Aug 1, 2008)

So sorry Liz.


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

That's so sad. Poor little babe. Run free at the Bridge.

I hope the others are OK and continue to grow and thrive.


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

So sorry to hear this Liz it has been a sad week for our forum little ones


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Oh God how awfull  So sad when such a short little life is lost


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## PussyCatNan (Jun 24, 2008)

sorry to hear that


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Well, it happens to all of us at some time or another - not that it's any easier for that. Thank you all for your kind words

The remaining two seem fine anyway.

Liz


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