Expert: Karen Craft - 3/22/2011

Question
QUESTION: I adopted a kitten from a Humane Society 8 days ago.She was 8 weeks when I adopted her. They informed me she had a little cold. I took her strait to the vet. I realized on the way there this was more than just a cold thing though. She could not breath thru her mouth at all. The vet weighed her and at 8 weeks she weighed just 12 ounces. She is quite literally skin and bones! I was very frustrated with the Humane society for allowing her to get to this point. Anyway, she refuses to eat or drink Has been this way since I got her. The vet put her on an antibiotic, (clovamox?) and a eye antibiotic the first day. I have been feeding her by syringe since day one. At this point though after being back to vet several times. She is also on prednisone. I am feeding her the science diet ad canned food mixed with water so I can put it in a syringe and pedialite. She eats every 1 and 1/2 hours but I have done every hour as well.  She gets 2 ml of food and 1- 1/2 ml of pedialite every feeding. This is a 24 hour thing as she is very lethargic. She does not get up on her own the most activity she does is go to the bathroom if I place her in the cat box and fight me (very little) when I try to feed her. I have not seen much improvement and feel like there is something I am missing why is she not improving. Is there something else I can do or am doing wrong??
How can I help her to eat on her own and get more energy? Her eyes have cleared up and she is done with the eye antibiotic.  Also her body temp has been low if she is not on a heating pad. So she is in a warm room with a heating pad all day and night.

ANSWER: Hi Rebbecca,

Change her food. This will be the best thing you can do. Try feeding her my recipe for Kitty Glop. This is a very digestible food for her. And it will put weight on her. You can syringe feed it to her still until she starts to eat on her own. Keep her on the heating pad. This is one of the best things you are doing for her. The number one killer of kits is being cold. The prednisone will also help her. Good luck and take care.

Ciao, Karen

INGREDIENTS:
1 can goat milk or evaporated milk, (not sweetened condensed)
2 tbsp. plain yogurt (not low or non fat) Greek yogurt is best.
2 tbsp. mayonnaise (real not light or No-Fat)
1 tbs. Karo Syrup (light)
1 pkg. Knox unflavored gelatin
1 egg yolk (beaten,)
1 cup Pedialyte (unflavored)
2 jars Stage One Meat Baby food (chicken,turkey, or beef)
1 can cat food, (same flavor as baby food)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix milk, yogurt, mayonnaise, baby food, cat food, and syrup together well. Hand blender works well for this. Bring 1 cup pedialyte to boil and mix in Knox gelatin. Set aside. Mix egg yolk with small amount of milk mixture and beat well.

Add gelatin and pedialyte to milk mixture and beat well. Add in egg yolk mixture and beat well. Remember to not use egg substitute and keep egg white to a minimum.

Pour into bowl (with cover) and set in refrigerator. Glop will last for two weeks covered in refrigerator. Try freezing the mixture in ice cube trays and store the cubes in the freezer, thaw as many as needed.
Feed a couple of tablespoons to the kitten 3-4 times a day. If he wants more let her have it.

Always warm glop to room temperature ,(milk form), or a little warmer, before feeding.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: First of all the kitten glop works wonders also feeding her more is working great but how do I know if I am feeding her enough or too much? Also how long should I feed the glop to her?

Again thank you so much!!

Answer
Hi Rebbecca,

Glad the glop is working out. I usually fed my kits as much as they wanted. Kittens will stop eating when they are full. I weaned my kits at about 10 weeks old. Sometimes if it was the runt I kept them on it for another week or two. You should see a nice weight gain in her. Good luck and take care.

Ciao,Karen