I just found a kitten outside, it looks like it was an outside kitten with other kittens around. I have never owned a cat before! She looks to be very young, when I brought her home I noticed a little bit of green drainage coming out of her left eye, it's two days later after bringing her home and she still has it. Also, this morning she vomited up what looked to be her kitty food on the floor. I have no money right this minute to take her to the vet. I also have a one year old child that has been around her. Is this bad for her? Also, not sure what to do about the kitty. Please help!
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I copied this from a previous post on this site. I don't know who originally posted it, but found it to be helpful.
Chamomile Tea for Cat Eye Problems
Save on expensive vet bills. If you have an animal that has an eye problem, bathe the eye in chamomile tea. Steep strong tea as you would if you were going to drink it. Let it cool. Take a cotton ball or face cloth and soak it in the tea. Apply to animals eye(s). This helped me save lots of $ when my cat had an eye infection which the prescription wasn't helping. I only had to do it twice and the eye cleared up entirely.
Your kitten definetly needs medical care. Vomitimg and green drainage indicate an infection and cats can spread these things to humans. Call animal control and ask them what to do. Be prepared to hear the worst: in many areas animal control centers are so lacking in funds all they can do is put sick or injured animals down.
Before you call animal control, check around to see if there is a "no-kill" shelter in your area. They will treat the kitten and put it up for adoption.
Some vets will let you make payments if you can't afford to pay all at once. If not, then take the kitten to a no-kill shelter. She DEFINITELY needs medical attention!
The kitty has an infection. Keep it away from your child. The SPCA may be able to help you. There are some clinics that will work with you on payments.
Maybe you might let this kitty go to a new home via the no-kill shelter, since she urgently needs vet care. When you are good and ready to CHOOSE the cat of your dreams, with full resources for supporting her, you can get a healthy one and be able to afford preventive care to keep her healthy too. Much more fun! Wish you the best, I know you're already bonded, but this might be a good idea.
Take a warm moist rag and simply wipe the kitties eyes, then simply keep an eye on it. You never mentioned if the kitties appetite was still good. A cat can go up to 72 hours without eating and still live my vet has told me. Just make sure that the kitty has plenty of fresh water and a clean cat box that is scooped out every day.
AS far as "it" throwing up, that sounds like "fur balls" which all cats ingest from cleaning themselves and the other cats that may be around. You did not mention IF "it" is a short hair or a long haired cat. I have short haired cats and they throw up nearly once a week...it is only fur balls that they are throwing up. So they (the fur balls) are not hurting them at all. That is why cats eat green grass too to settle their tummies
Even though cats can survive 72 hours without eating PLEASE get it some dry food. My cats eat mostly dry food that I have sitting in its own bag over in the corner of the kitchen. Just cut across the top of the cat food bag fold the top down and let the kitty eat as much as it likes and any time that it likes...make sure it has a bowl a fresh water constantly.
As far as toys for your new kitty, wadded up balls of tin foil or news paper is something they can bat around and play with. My cats enjoy rubber bands (and even if they ingest them (the rubber bands) they will come out their other end so they will not hurt them.
They also love to get in paper bags (keep them away from plastic bags of any kind, as they can suffocate them). They also will love to lay on news paper and/or sleep in the sun no matter how hot it is outside.
Get a soft baby doll brush (or any small hair brush) and brush the kitty who will gradually let you do it all of the time. They are funny about letting someone get close to their stomach area UNLESS they are used to you and totally trust you.
REMEMBER that humans do not pick kitties, the kitties pick humans they are comfortable around and trust.
Remember too that they are one of God's animals and HE will take care of them with our help of course.
Don't worry about a vet bill until you have too - female cats can start to reproduce at 4 months of age! So they literally are kittens having kittens sometime.
Male kitties/cats will "spray" their urine on areas to mark their territory BUT having them neutured can eliminate that all together...
The last stray we had neutured and all of their shots given ran us close to $300 so do not be in such a hurry to take them to the vet. I remember an old barn cat we had years ago that lived over 17 years and never saw a vet but once in a blue moon...so save your money, leave their care in Gods hands and do the best that you can for yourself and your child.
Contact me should you have any other questions:
dpcarr AT bellsouth.net AND good luck from a fellow cat lover of over 50 years!
This may be a kitty cold. Get a bottle of store brand children's benadryl. At Fred's this costs $1. Use a small spoon or plastic dropper to get a bit of the benadryl into the kitten a few times a day. Also make sure it gets some calories. I just recently brought one back by using the drops & squishing cheese all over his mouth. He had to lick it off. A few days later he moved on to canned cat food. Also wet the kitties face with water, so it has to lick it off. Wipe off the gunk with damp paper towels.Wash yourself & your clothes with lots of soap & water regularly. If possible keep kitty & what it comes in contact with, away from your child until it gets better, which I hope it does. I know that even though my kitten hardly used any of the medication, it was one of the best money I ever spent. It took a few weeks of mushing his face in his food to get him to eat it & I still give him some cheese almost every day as I am trying to keep his tummy a bit round.
If kitty is very young you may have to wipe the other end too. This is how mama cats help them go.
I hope he (or she) gets better!
I had a perfectly healthy cat that once in awhile would vomit up undigested cat food. I always thought he ate too fast or too much. With this kitten he might be afraid the food will be taken from him, so he gobbles it down. Personally the eye infection sounds like it is of more concern. I think I would be careful to keep the child away from the cat, until you know what is causing the eye drainage.
You are such a sweetheart for taking this kitty in. I can help you hun. The eye drainage may be due to a cold - but even if that's not the case - you may use Terramycin Ointment on the eye(s)...it starts to work immediately and if you don't wanna get it at an expensive vet there are places that sell it like Tractor Supply...(places that sell meds for animals - even horses...they are like farm supply stores but are so great with ALL animals and pets for all needs, incl. medical needs) - Also, the reason lil' kitty vomitted up her food is simply cuz' she/he was so excited to have good food placed in front of it ... it simply ate too fast and therefore threw it up - I have worked at 3 vet clinics...God Love yah hun and God Bless...P.S. If there is no worm (ringworm) or fleas present, you and your lil' child should be just fine...Jodie Erica... Oh, and if there is ringworm or fleas present - those situations can be taken care of without hurting you or your lil' one...Good Luck Hunz
this is not uncommon with new kitties under 6 weeks. Warm towel washings several times a day. If the kittie developes diarreha contact me at drgonldytx56 AT yahoo.com for a NATURAL cure i use and now my vet is using regularly for all their easy cases and HARD CORE cases. Fleas - dawn dishwashing liquid, sock over head to protect it. if that does not work sock tied behind front legs will help keep it calm also. eye treatments may require calling a local vet or two for a consensus. just tell them you are without funds. 4 weeks old DO NOT GIVE IT FOOD YET. get some KMR kitten milk formula should be on it for another 4 weeks especially if it is having vomitting issues. It is throwing up due to stomach not handling food just yet. then start with one tsp soft food to 1-2 tsp formula every two days decreasing milk/food ration 1.5 tsp to 1T formula minus .5 tsp etc. Like giving your baby chili. At 4 weeks bladder and bowel control should be working or on the verge so you dont have to wipe them to stimulate them. If you are being forced to take kitten to litter box before and after every meal and stimulate them there. I will check with my vet for green drainage problem and give you a further update. if not treated the kitten WILL loose the eye. But dont be afraid it can be taken care of easy.
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