This is one of those cases where I think we were destined to fail but we gave it our best shot. The little orange kitty just wasn’t doing well yesterday so Vince fixed him or her a safe spot and we talked to a friend who suggested giving him pedialyte, which as you might guess, we don’t keep around here. We got some and tried feeding it to him with a tiny little scoop that was left in one of the formula containers Nicole had saved for me. This morning Vince went and got some kitty milk replacement from AgMart and a tiny bottle and a syringe.
Bottle Feeding Kitty
It makes my heart so happy to see my husband being so tenderhearted and working so hard to get the kitty to drink.
Feeding Kitty
He wouldn’t drink from the bottle at all so Vince managed to squirt a little in his mouth through the syringe.
When Vince got home from work, he tried it again and got some down him but he was barely moving. When I went out to check on him, he was gone! We tried our best to save him but we couldn’t.
He’s buried in the critter cemetery with two chickens. In all our married life, we’ve never had to bury animals and now we’ve buried three. Life in the country can be hard.
At least we tried. We did the best we could but it just wasn’t good enough.
Judy D in WA says
Sometimes life on the farm isn’t fun. 🙁 Sorry
Helen in VA says
Hugs, Judy.
Helen
Micki clemens says
I’m so sorry. Been there once, and the little guys are so cute…But you did try!
Cathy Stoddard says
Judy, you did the best you could – you did the best ANYONE could/would have done. Sometimes though it is not enough or too late to save them. It is heartbreaking, but a reality on a farm. You just have to love them when you have them even if for a short while. You guys are the best!!!!
Carolyn says
Well you tried! you can’t save them all.
Becky in VA says
So sorry for you and Vince that little Orange Kitty didn’t thrive with your care. Mother nature takes some things in her own hands and there is nothing you can do about it. Now, how about the other kitties?
Judi says
My daughter just lost a yorkie from low blood suar, got two more dogs Maltese and one also had low blood sugar now it just came home from the et blind and unable to walk only 2 months old. You did the best you could sometimes its just not in the cards.
Peg H says
Awww … {{{hugs}}}
AmyM says
At least he had someone in his corner…
Rebecca says
Aww, you did more than expected. I sure hope its siblings are doing better…apparently you and Vince are “mama” now?
pratima says
So sorry about the kitty, Judy! Hugs.
Susan ~ Patchkat says
Like everyone else in the country, it’s always hard to bury a critter…no matter what the critter was or how attached you are too it. God holds a special place for those who try to help others…even down to HIS littlest creatures. Sorry for your loss.
shirley bruner says
I don’t believe there was anything you could have done. if the mama cat moved on…and took the other babies…and left that one…she knew that it was sick. animals leave the sick babies behind…or kill them. ugh! kudos to you for trying to save it. you’ll have to have a sign made…yellow jacket cemetery. hahahaha yes, life in the country is tough.
AngieG9 says
I’m so sorry Judy. I’ve had to bury a lot of little animals, and on one occasion had to put a kitten down after it fell into a vat of turpentine someone left open. The worst part of that one was that the kids were there watching. I tried to get them to go in the house but they wouldn’t leave her. We buried her under my daughter’s sunflower plant. Gina nurtured that sunflower for years until it was so tall and old it just fell over in a heavy wind. It always hurts.
Kat says
Life in the country is hard 🙁 You did your best, may he rest in peace.
Linda Steller says
Aw, Judy. It does my heart good to see that you tried to save the little critter. I think the mom had just neglected them too much. I hope you can find the others and get them out of the shop before they meet their demise and leave unpleasantness around. Poor kitties.
Joan in NE says
Sorry the little guy didn’t make it, but sometimes there is just nothing that can be done. Reminds me when we had a stray have kittens under our shed. The mama had 4 kittens. 3 grew like they should and one just didn’t grow. She was about the size of a 3 week kitten when her litter mates were ready to wean. Will give the mama credit as she would take the kitten off and still nurse it. We finally caught her and fed her with an eye dropper and taught her to eat. She is now 11 years old and still going strong. So sometimes it does succeed, Just sorry the little one didn’t make it.
Sheri says
Oh, I’m so sorry, Judy and Vince.
Sherrill says
Ya know, when you had the pix of the little orange kitty walking along the fence, I thought then that the little kitty didn’t look so good. Such a sweet pix of Vince in those big ole hands trying to feed the baby. What a guy!!
Donna says
So sorry but at least you tried. The Mama cat probably knew it wasn’t going to make it. Nature has a way of doing what’s best for the animal.. Y’all are such good folks.
Lisa E says
Sniff! Sometimes all you can do is try. I hope the other kittens are OK.
Nancy B from Many LA says
Why do I have to cry when I hear animal stories like this? I’m such a softy. I’m so glad you are an animal lover!
Glen in Louisiana says
Poor little baby. We see that too often in the feral colonies here. Thatis why I do,what i do for the animals
Glen in Louisiana – capital area animal welfare society board member since 1989
Helen P says
Judy, I truly understand about losing animals in the country. I have an “angel'” garden along one of the back fences. I actually planted some Iris’s, canna’s. and there already are some Easter Lily’s growing near the fence. This way there will always be flowers in bloom.. If the kitten was the ‘runt’ of the litter, the others probably crowded it out to the point it was too weak to fight for milk. That could be why it was trying to get close to the chickens in order to stay warm and snuggle. That chicken that layed on the other side of the fence knew it needed company. As you said, you can’t win them all.
Susan says
You did the best you could, and it WAS good enough, but it didn’t save the kitty. His destiny lies elsewhere.
sheila sanderson says
Well you tried to keep it alive, but it was not to be
scrappyhappystarfishy says
I wonder what happened to the Momma kitty? We have strays that show up – but adults usually. Some live, some don’t – they are so starved by the time they find us. We also have a critter cemetary, ring a bell, read a short service and that is that. It is sad, true, but I think a good way for my little boy to experience the process of death on a pet level. You did your very best. Once I found 3 kittens, so far gone that I called the lady to come over and put them to sleep. I wanted to save them, I did, but I knew it was for the best. -Evelyn
Andrea says
It’s a real testament to your character that you were willing to go so far to help an animal you didn’t like or want. Thank you for trying!!
Joanna Guglielmino says
I’m so sorry to hear about little orange kitty. When these little ones get ill, it’s very hard to bring them along. They have so little body reserves. You and Vince were so good to try and save the little one. So sorry!
Joanna, Cat lover
Carol says
How sad. Thanks for trying. We found a newborn rabbit and tried to feed it KMR using a syringe that a pharmacist at CVS gladly gave us. Unfortunately the bunny didn’t make it.