My foster kittens aren't growing, help needed.

[flatlined]

@Pullet

You’re probably confusing Feline Infectious Peritonitis with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Unlike FIV, FIP virus is very difficult, expensive, and inaccurate to test for, so I sincerely doubt that your kittens have been tested for it…

The more you describe them, the more it sounds like there is something seriously wrong with the kittens. I’m glad you’re going to talk to the vet. Don’t panic until you have a chance to get them professionally evaluated, but steel yourself.

{{hugs}}

You are 100% correct. That was a typo on my part, thank you for catching it for me.

The kittens are at the vet now. We have a wonderful vet who supports our group, so I knew that I could drop the kittens off before work and they would get worked in.

The vet called, sounding rather concerned. The kittens had sores in their mouths and throats. No wonder the poor lil things weren’t eating, it hurts! He wants to see the other kittens from the litter and any cagemates. He told me what he thought they had and I can’t remember the name. Its a mutated rabbit virus (I think) that a lot of ferals get.

I really do much better with cats.

I feel very badly that I wasn’t understanding that something was wrong with the kittens. The vet did point out that I’d only had them for 2 weeks (sometimes I have so many cats passing through my hands that I forget how long they stayed), and that the sores weren’t there when they left his office. Basically, he told me I was excused for not looking in their mouths with a flashlight.

I’ve bleached the cage, bedding, litterbox and dishes. I pitched the toys and scratching mat. I guess I’m ready for the next carrier full of those lil cuties. (maybe I can talk the director into letting me have the new adult she got instead)

[dropzone]

Hope they do better. Looked at the pic and my reaction was that these were definitely barn cats. Little tough guys who will do well.

Can’t adopt them. I’ve grown too allergic, though I need a few cats back in my life, if only to teach the dogs some respect.

[Cat_Whisperer]

Poor little things. Can they be cured of the mutant rabbit virus, or is it lights out for them?

[KinkiNipponTourist]

We had a parvo outbreak at our shelter recently…good lawd, what horror. I was on my way up there and they told me to turn right around and go home–my own cats all have FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus, the kitty version of AIDS) but aren’t currently sick so we didn’t want to expose them–but my vet says that with the triple vaccine (which includes FIP), they are protected. Still, she gave me some weapons-grade stuff to kill the virus (it can live for up to 6 months on clothes etc.) and suggested we suit-up when handling the parvo kitties.

Flatlined, I’m glad your foster dumplings are being well taken care of.

Chefguy, I’m very sorry to hear about your cat. You have my condolences.

[Sailboat]

@dropzone

if only to teach the dogs some respect.

Indeed. My little pit bull gets excited when our cat starts running around with the crazies, and sometimes she forgets and runs over to join in the play. The cat just turns to face her and coolly raises one paw, claws still sheathed, and the dog stops cold, her eyes big and round, and sits her butt on the ground with an audible thump. She definitely respects The Claws.

@Cat_Whisperer

Poor little things. Can they be cured of the mutant rabbit virus, or is it lights out for them?

Yeah, here’s hoping.

[Snickers]

Oh, poor fuzzers. Let us know that they’ll be OK.

[rocking_chair]

poor little kittens. another person wondering if they will be okay.

[purplehorseshoe]

@Sailboat

Indeed. My little pit bull gets excited when our cat starts running around with the crazies, and sometimes she forgets and runs over to join in the play. The cat just turns to face her and coolly raises one paw, claws still sheathed, and the dog stops cold, her eyes big and round, and sits her butt on the ground with an audible thump. She definitely respects The Claws…

This is a very funny post in an otherwise thread. Thanks for the mental image (thump) and here’s hoping the little fuzzbutts do OK.

[Inigo_Montoya]

@flatlined

Its a mutated rabbit virus (I think) that a lot of ferals get.

felyxomatosis ?

[Pullet]

Ooo. Calicivirus, probably. Suck. Not guaranteed fatal, but close. Sorry. Hopefully, the vet and her staff will be able to pull the babies through without endangering the other critters. Depending on the strain of the virus, it can be amazingly contagious.

Best wishes and hugs.

[flatlined]

@Chefguy

Our cat had to be put to sleep yesterday, but the last time I bought the baby food, I mentioned to the cashier what it was for and she said they sell more baby food to pet owners than to anybody else.

I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m also sorry that my internet was out yesterday, so I couldn’t say it sooner.

Inigo Montoya, I don’t think that’s the right word. I could be very wrong. The word sounds like “caletche” I do need to call the vet tomorrow and have someone spell it for me.

The kittens will survive. Our awesome vet has tested the other kitlets who have had contact with them and its only the ones out of that litter who are sick. We are pretty careful about mixing litters of kittens up for just this reason, but these kittens had been vetted, so sometimes we relax. It didn’t happen this time, there is no plague running through our cats.

The kittens are going to have compromised immune systems now. They will be prone to URI’s, weepy eyes and dental problems. We try very hard to be no kill, so these NOT barn cats will get treated and will have as much time as they need to find proper homes.

Kinki, I had no idea that cats also get parvo. What a nightmare. A while back, one of the dog rescues had parvo running through it. While I hated to do it, I had dogs tied to trees in my yard because the rescue needed to seperate all of their almost 200 dogs while they tried to get a handle on it. It was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

Offers up words of praise that you have FIV cats. What a kind spirit you have. It takes a special person to adopt critters who you know will cost extra vet money and still die early. The world needs more people like you.

The reason I’m saying that they are NOT barn cats is because they are cuddly kittens. They are afraid of strangers and sometimes hide from me, but they are coming around. Its possible that this is a blessing in disguise. Yes, they are sick, and if they were still on the mean streets, they would probably die. However, they are now going to get lots of handling, plenty of treats and much positive reinforcement for any good behavior.

Sailboat, I used to have a little prissy white kitty. She was my princess in every sense of the word. She didn’t have to do anything but look at a smelly dawg to get it to sit or even lay down…sometimes tucking nose under paws. Dogs are smart. They respect the Claw

[flatlined]

@Pullet

Ooo. Calicivirus, probably. Suck. Not guaranteed fatal, but close. Sorry. Hopefully, the vet and her staff will be able to pull the babies through without endangering the other critters. Depending on the strain of the virus, it can be amazingly contagious.

Best wishes and hugs.

Yes, that is the word. Thank you so much for finding it.

I’ve done the bleach and sun thing with their stuff, but the vet gave me more stuff to use. I promised the director that I’d come over tomorrow evening and do her cages. (her health isn’t good, she can’t do it herself)

[flatlined]

@Pullet

Ooo. Calicivirus, probably. Suck. Not guaranteed fatal, but close. Sorry. Hopefully, the vet and her staff will be able to pull the babies through without endangering the other critters. Depending on the strain of the virus, it can be amazingly contagious.

Best wishes and hugs.

Too late to edit my post. I wish I hadn’t looked at your link. I’m aware of this disease, when I am able to hand catch 6 week old kittens because they are blind and their eyes are buldging out, I know just what I’m dealing with. When I can outrun adult ferals, I expect them to cross the Bridge as well.

These kittens appeared to be heathy when they came into my hands. Stray kittens don’t act like tame kittens, so it took me longer than it should have to figure out that something might be wrong.

Depressed now.

[Pullet]

@flatlined

Too late to edit my post. I wish I hadn’t looked at your link. I’m aware of this disease, when I am able to hand catch 6 week old kittens because they are blind and their eyes are buldging out, I know just what I’m dealing with. When I can outrun adult ferals, I expect them to cross the Bridge as well.

These kittens appeared to be heathy when they came into my hands. Stray kittens don’t act like tame kittens, so it took me longer than it should have to figure out that something might be wrong.

Depressed now.

Don’t be too depressed. Finding the disease before the cat is literally too sick to run makes it more likely they’ll be able to pull the pet through. Also, at least it’s not FIP.

Don’t let this put you off all the good work you’re doing.

[flatlined]

Thanks** Pullet**. I’m not depressed anymore. I hope that this doesn’t sound bad, but when someone has almost a hundred felines passing through hands every year, one has to learn to accept the loses.

I tell myself that everytime I lose one.

The kittens are doing much better. I went to see them at lunch today and they are eating and drinking and playing. Our awesome vet thinks that they will be able to come back to me tomorrow. This is another win for rescue and a win for the Dope…because I really needed someone to tell me that my kittens were not doing well.

After the kittens are gone, I’ll do massive cleaning and then ask for only adults for a month or so.

[Pullet]

Don’t feel guilty about that, either. The reality of herd health is that you are trying to do the most good for as many as you can. Statistically, you won’t save every one. But, you’ll save many more than would have made it without you, and that is the important thing.

Glad the babies are doing well.

Keep up the great job