Two Week Old Kitten... Good Grief

CowboysDaughter · Jul 21, 2008

We moved here {a large cattle ranch in the desert flatland of New Mexico} three and a half years ago. And we brought ONE cat from our old place {a ranch in the Davis Mountains of West Texas}; Tyler's pet, Jenny. There were already cats running amuck on the place.

Ever since we moved here it's been nothing but a hassle. We need to set live traps {we have a few} and catch the wild cats and get them spayed and neutered; in town you can get them spayed and neutered for free. But I'm afraid we will only catch our tame cats; they would be a good start anyway I suppose.

The point is; the ranch is overrun with cats. Long hair, short hair, tabby, calico, white, orange, black, tuxedo, young and old. It's insane. We toss them some dog food every night, but there is enough mice and rats and birds for them all to share.

I have become the designated kitty rescuer. Take Huckleberry for instance; he and his littermate abandoned by their mother in our oilpit at about 5 weeks. The littermate died, we bottle fed and managed to save the rugrat we call Huckleberry.

Moo and his sister Millie. They were abandoned along with three others that were too late to save, in the hay barn. I saved Millie earlier on, but Moo was COLD and barely breathing when we found him. We almost put Moo down because he was so far gone; he is now in a good home with some friends of ours.

And now we have this little black kittie. A wild grey cat had her first kittens; a gorgeous grey tabby, a grey and a black. The grey tabby died soon after birth. Then she moved them under this little wagon. I put them IN the wagon and covered it with an entry way for the mama. She abandoned them too; our retired cowdog Sam was trying to protect the grey kitten and ended up killing the poor thing in the process; I think it was starved already anywho.

Now we are taking on this little black kitten about 2 weeks old. He has no mother and no littermates. We can hold down a mama kitty called G.K. and let him nurse, but her kittens are about 3 months and she gets up and leaves him.

He is on the porch with a moving blanket, pillow case, and a soft towel. Lastnight we fed him dilluted evaporatd milk with an eyedropper and Daddy got us some kitten formula and a bottle today. I am feeding him kitten formula every couple of hours, but it's difficult to feed him, the nipple just isn't like Mama's.

I just pray that we can save him! Or her... I'll have to check. A fiesty little fellow, for sure, with sharp claws and big lungs.

Antarctican · Jul 21, 2008

Awwwww. Big hugs to you for all your hard work to save the kitties!

Tyjax · Jul 21, 2008

OK! Stop with the heart rending while I am at work. Bad cowgirl bad!

CowboysDaughter · Jul 21, 2008

Awww thanks so much Antartican! That means alot; I have been cursed with a soft heart. If I can save it, I will, and if I can't, I will break my heart trying. It's terrible, but it also feels good when you know you saved an innocent little life.

-laughs at Tyjax- Hehe. I is sorry -hang head in shame- "Bad cowgirl bad!" Haha that cracks me up. Am I making the big mean Tyjax cry in public? That's actually kind of amusing so it's time for an UPDATE! Baha!

Just got done feeding the little guy. I'm pretty sure it's a "he". He will suck pretty good for about 10 seconds then commences to chewing. I manage to squirt some down him and put him back to sleep. The problem is everytime somebody goes on the porch he wakes up and begins to scream!

The semi-nasty part is when you have to take a damp paper towel and wipe their little bottoms. They can't 'go' by themselves, their mama stimulates their bladders by cleaning them... back there. So with the mama absent, it's my job. Yaaaay. Haha.

He already has a cute personality and the most pitiful screams that melt your heart. I'll try and get a good picture soon so you guys can drool and melt your own hearts over a tiny little innocent, defenseless critter left with no mommy. =(

[Waits for Tyjax's reaction.]

Tyjax · Jul 21, 2008

I have hand raised 3 kittens in my life time. all three I found abandoned by their mothers at different times. I wont tell you about the ones I tried to raise and didnt.

I love animals. cats more specially. One of the most heart rending sounds (dont ask about the most,) is a 4 day kitten hungry cold and knowing it is abandoned.
*gulp*

CowboysDaughter · Jul 21, 2008

Well Tyjax, I sure applaud you for saving the ones you did, and atleast giving those others a chance at it. It's hard when you lose them, but knowing that you could save a life that would have been gone without YOU, is sure a heart warming feeling.

I'm an animal lover too; growing up on ranches and all I've had alot of experience with doctoring up horses, cattle, dogs and cats. Horses especially, we have two lame ones up right now. And a sick cow. And this kitten! Goodness. Oh and bunnies. We have saved two bunnies. Wild cottontails. One we saved from the dogs and had over a year, the other one was a teeny baby and we had to pick ants off of it with tweezers.

But unlike alotta kids, I've known the circle of life and death since I was itty bitty. I always understood when an animal got really sick, there was a possibility they could die and all we could do was try to not let that happen. I used to bring kittens and rabbits into Mama, crying my eyes out, hold it out to her saying, "Save it, Mommy, save it!"

I totally agree, that is one of the most gut wrenching sounds I have ever heard. I was sitting on a bucket under a tree listening to that little black fella scream and scream and scream while that mama cat sat about TEN feet from her baby, and didn't even glance at him. I won't lie, I was ready to go get the 12 gauge and pop that fluffy tail of hers right off. I was so stinkin mad, little blackie just screamed til he was hoarse.

Right now he is still asleep. I will get up about 3 times tonight to feed him. I'll probably sleep on the couch so I can hear when he cries.

monkeykoder · Jul 22, 2008

I much prefer the less fuzzy kinds of animals... Don't worry I won't feed her bunnies...

Tyjax · Jul 22, 2008

Group on truck farm/ranch myself. Long ways from there now. Long ways. In many ways.

Rachelsne · Jul 22, 2008

Have you thought about contacting a low cost/no cost spay/neuter clinic, some places will offer free services when you are trying to control a population of cats with out harming them, they may even lend you traps! contact animal control or a local cat shelter-(check petfinder.com for local places) and see if anyone can point you in the right direction, spaying and nuetering will save you some long time heart ache, and if you can find a place who wil do it for free or minimum costs it will be even better for you.

Good luck with the kitty!

CowboysDaughter · Jul 22, 2008

Tyjax: oh really? Man I wouldn't trade this life for anything in the world, it's my passion.

Rachelsne: They have a program in the nearest town where a lady donated alot of money for animals, so we can get them spayed and neutered for free. We just haven't gotten around to getting them trapped and stuff. See we don't go into town that often; Sunday afternoons and Wednesday nights and my bro goes in Thursday late mornings/early afternoons. So we will have to figure something out.

He is doing pretty well except this morning when I was washing his little butt he REALLY had to go and afterwards his little behind was bleeding a little. =/

Mitica100 · Jul 22, 2008

CowboysDaughter said:
He is doing pretty well except this morning when I was washing his little butt he REALLY had to go and afterwards his little behind was bleeding a little. =/

PM sent.