A very sad weekend

[adsr]

I walk my dogs every day (or try to ) around my apt complex when I get home...and last week as I was walking past a small box I saw a tiny tail sticking out from it....at first I thought it was a rat, but as I got closer, I could hear tiny squeals from inside....

so I looked and sure enough there was a single abandoned kitten, not a week old, tinier than the palm of my hand...it had it's umbilichord still attached, eyes closed and ear down...
it was screaming with all it's might and looking for it's mom...which from the looks of it...took all the rest of it's kittens and left this one to die. I came to that conclusion after I noticed that it was covered in it's own dried feces...
so, I took the little guy out and went home...that same nite I drove the pet store and got the best kitty milk I could find and a dropper and showed the kitten how to eat from the dropper and he was crazy hungry...(cleaned him with a warm cloth...)
I spent the next two days feeding him every two hours...even at night, I'd get up and feed him and he did really well, but still cried alot and was very sluggish......I ran out of milk and had to go to the grocery to pick him up some baby formula...(I got the most sensative, noncolic,..etc kind so as not to hurt his belly - it was a soy formula milk) which was really a great idea cause he just did so much better!!..I mean..he started to get fatter and his ears finally sprang up...he was a waddling/crawling maniac...whereever I was on the bed, he would find me...blind and all...I made the decision that I couldn't keep him, but I would be his foster parent and as soon as he was big enough, I'd get him his shot and find him a good home.....

on sat nite, afraid that maybe it wasn't a good idea to be feeding the kitten baby formula, I went to a different pet store and bought another bottle of kitten's milk and fed the kitten that nite and nodded off like normal...I woke up the next day and he wasn't making any noise, but just sleeping...me thinking that this was just normal since he'd had such a hectic few days, I didn't get concerned...I was getting concerned on sunday when he would wake for a bit and then fall back to sleep...I was concerned cause I was afraid that if he didn't eat, he could get sick again...so I tried on sunday to no avail to feed him and then sunday nite around 12am he got really sick with heavy labored breathing...and by 1am he gave a last little breath and was gone....I'm so gutted...

Especially because after I buried him in my yard beside a palm tree...I came inside and started to get rid of all his 'things' cause I couldn't even stand to look at them....and when I went to the kitchen to dispose of the kitten milk that I bought at the second pet store, I found that the milk was spoiled - At the bottom was nothing but curdled milk.....
I poisoned the poor thing....I feel like total shit today...been crying since I figured out what happened....

[shuttlecart]

its only manslaughter 2, don't fret it

[Sheridan]

at least you tried Linda.
don't beat yourself up over it.
some things aren't meant to be.

[AVX23]

Sorry to hear that Linda, that's really sad.

At least the poor wee thing had some love before he died, you did your best for it and it's not suffering no longer.

Don't be feeling responsible for it's death, It's probably more than just a wee bit sour milk that killed it, doesn't sound like it would have made it in anycase.

Hugs :) Px

[julian]

cat milk != human milk

(dollars != pounds)

and, please, if you ever have a kid:

baby food != adult food (danger of death)

[Lighter Thief]

That's a sad story, but sounds to me like it coulda been any number of things that finished the lil' fella off. Most likely the fact that he was, ahem, weak as a kitten to start with. At least you tried. If it had been found by the kids round here he woulda been tied to a firework.

PS. What the fuck does cat milk! = human milk mean?

[julian]

PS. What the fuck does cat milk! = human milk mean?

i would have thought it obvious from context?

does not equal, is not the same as

[spoon]

i don't mean to sound insensitive, but why didn't you just take it to a vet?

[julian]

...and, no, im not saying the baby milk necessarily had time to kill it, but you really cant just go swapping shit about and expecting it to work.

[Lighter Thief]

Course you can. I was raised on cat milk and it never did me any harm.

[adsr]

...and, no, im not saying the baby milk necessarily had time to kill it, but you really cant just go swapping shit about and expecting it to work.

actually, I've been thinking about this all nite and I think if I had of kept him on the soy milk he would still be alive...he gained weight began running around and actually pooped and pee'd alot after I started him on the soy...

I think it was actually having problems handling his mother's milk...
which is why his mother left him...so, yeah...I shouldn't have switched him back to kitten milk...

[adsr]

i don't mean to sound insensitive, but why didn't you just take it to a vet?

not a insulting at all...it's a fair question..

you mean when I first got him, or when he got sick??

when I got him, he was doing so well on the soy milk that I thought I could wait till I got paid to take him....
when he got sick, it was 12am on sunday nite and by 1am he was gone...there was no time...I really thought he was just having problem's digesting the kitten milk(it's when I first suspected that, that was what the problem with him was..) and was making plans to take him the next morning..

[adsr]

at least you tried Linda.
don't beat yourself up over it.
some things aren't meant to be.

Thanks Sheri...I know rationally that I shouldn't, but
I do...I had actually found a home for him...I told a coworker about finding him and we went over a few names to call him and by the end of the conversation, he told me that as soon as he was ready for shots, we'd go in 50/50 and he'd take him off my hands....he and his gf already had one cat and needed another to keep him busy...They were planning to go to the pound anyways...so it just seemed like fate...

[adsr]

Sorry to hear that Linda, that's really sad.

At least the poor wee thing had some love before he died, you did your best for it and it's not suffering no longer.

Don't be feeling responsible for it's death, It's probably more than just a wee bit sour milk that killed it, doesn't sound like it would have made it in anycase.

Hugs :) Px

Thanks paddy,
my dad keeps telling me the same thing about him having some love
before he died...I took some video of him feeding for you, but I erased it all...it's funny/sad cause my mom told me not to be doing that(taking photos/buying baby kitty blankets/bottles..etc..)cause I was growing too attached to him and I needed to be more realistic about the situation....
he reminded me so-so much of Ms.Pea when I got her from the AKC kennel and she was all sickly (remember I told you that story?!)and they gave her to me for free, because she wasn't suppose to make it and they couldn't even use her for breeding??...(runt of the litter)...
The kitty was the same way...just a little firecracker...when he was on soy and doing well...he'd find me on the bed and nuzzle his way into my side or behind my leg..., which I thought was incredible, because he was blind...lol....

Pea was already starting to grow attached as well....when I took her to walk outside, I left the kitty in the center of the bed and pea wouldn't leave
the bed....I had to pick her up and take her outside...she'd go potty and run right back to the corner of the bed...altho she couldn't summon up the courage to touch him or even smell him....She watched over him incessantly....last nite when I got home...neither pea or sugar asked to go outside...we all just laid there.....

btw: he almost got named Isodyne....it was one of the names that was being kicked around...along with Skweee....

[adsr]

That's a sad story, but sounds to me like it coulda been any number of things that finished the lil' fella off. Most likely the fact that he was, ahem, weak as a kitten to start with. At least you tried. If it had been found by the kids round here he woulda been tied to a firework.

PS. What the fuck does cat milk! = human milk mean?

actually the box that he was in when I found him was from the neighborhood kids...it's the reason why I took him cause they were on their way back...
so thanks for saying that, because it's pretty much what motivated me to take him in the first place....

[marcel]

That's a sad story, but sounds to me like it coulda been any number of things that finished the lil' fella off.

yeah, what he said.

you don't know for sure what the reason was. and it doesn't matter at all anymore.
at least you tried and did the best. don't beat yourself up over the fact that it maybe didn't help after all or that you maybe caused something or anything.
it's the thought that counts. etc.

easy said than done tho' I guess.

[sniffio]

Today, I think I woke up with this kind of thought.

If I was the cat,
and if I was to leave this life,
I would've been very happy if the last one I was with was ADSR.

I might take it as a blessing, too.

And if I was to live in your heart and your memory,
I wouldn't want you to be too sad about my death, too.


This may sound little, i dunno how to put it but,
ADSR just stored herself with capability of saving others.
Which I think is a gift and will save and help her as she goes along her way.

We have a saying in japan, well maybe in other countries, too,
"Sympathy is not merely for others' sake"

[Tec]

Doesn't the US have an RSPCA of sorts?

[Luke Handsfree]

No use crying over sour milk

[Spandex]

It's in kitten heaven now.. drinking whichever kind of milk is exactly the right kind of milk.

[julian]

drinking whichever kind of milk is exactly the right kind of milk.

hehe

[julian]

Doesn't the US have an RSPCA of sorts?

you cant give them away over there....
http://paxarcana.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/free_cat.jpg

[adsr]

yeah, what he said.

you don't know for sure what the reason was. and it doesn't matter at all anymore.
at least you tried and did the best. don't beat yourself up over the fact that it maybe didn't help after all or that you maybe caused something or anything.
it's the thought that counts. etc.

easy said than done tho' I guess.

what I do know, marcel...is that I watched him die and maybe
that more than anything has affected me...
If I had of walked into another room and came back and he was gone,
that would be one thing...but I watched him take his last breath..
and go from being this warm living creature to cold emptiness....
it's just got me out of sorts....

[adsr]

Today, I think I woke up with this kind of thought.

If I was the cat,
and if I was to leave this life,
I would've been very happy if the last one I was with was ADSR.

I might take it as a blessing, too.

And if I was to live in your heart and your memory,
I wouldn't want you to be too sad about my death, too.


This may sound little, i dunno how to put it but,
ADSR just stored herself with capability of saving others.
Which I think is a gift and will save and help her as she goes along her way.

We have a saying in japan, well maybe in other countries, too,
"Sympathy is not merely for others' sake"

This is the kindest most beautiful words anyone
has ever said to me...
Thank you....

[Tec]

RSPCA?

Yes or No?

[Parker]

RSPCA?

Yes or No?

lol

[adsr]

Doesn't the US have an RSPCA of sorts?

Yes, it's an hour away and closes before I get off work...
and I had every intention of taking him to the vet monday morning...

[soulcheck]

What's the fuss about anyway. Cats have 9 lives don't they?

[emef]

ignore what some of the people have been saying on here linda, i guess they find it hard to shake off their so modern tough stance cynicism... sad bastards

you tried to help the kitten, you did what you could at the time, you didn't just walk by and leave it to die on its own
you did a good thing that didn't work... don't beat yourself up about it... easy to say i know

[kams]

this thread is hilarious

sorry

[emef]

this thread is hilarious

sorry



have some heart man, we're talking about an ickle kitten here

[julian]

what I do know, marcel...is that I watched him die and maybe that more than anything has affected me...

Are you vegetarian?


If I had of walked into another room and came back and he was gone,
that would be one thing...but I watched him take his last breath..
and go from being this warm living creature to cold emptiness....
it's just got me out of sorts....

Ahh, now i understand....

[Tec]

have some heart man, we're talking about an ickle kitten here

Emef, you wanted a decent thread and well, here it is old bean..you can't start chucking mud now at people who are contributing to it and making the thread happen. Questions were asked of this kitten and answers were given..

[julian]

reminds me of how the press turned on the mccanns...

[Tec]

hahaha

[adsr]

ignore what some of the people have been saying on here linda, i guess they find it hard to shake off their so modern tough stance cynicism... sad bastards

you tried to help the kitten, you did what you could at the time, you didn't just walk by and leave it to die on its own
you did a good thing that didn't work... don't beat yourself up about it... easy to say i know

no worries, emef...I always know that on nofuture there is this
strange juxtaposition of extreme kindness and understand vs. hateful cynicism....

I've always just sifted out the good from here...and take nothing
negative personally....

I posted this here, because I know there are alot of friends of kittens/cats here...and I figured more people here could give me a good perspective, since I've never been a cat/kitten owner...only dogs...and the only dog I had pass away was 15yrs old, I wasn't around when she passed because she was taken to the vet...so, I said my good byes and to me it's completely different than this....

[julian]

"hateful cynicism"?

i havent paid someone else to keep, mistreat, and kill an animal on my behalf since i was 11. you, however, do it regularly. in the past 15 years, ive tried hard not to comment on other peoples desires to do this as we all do a whole load of stuff that quite obviously wrong, but pick and choose whats close to us.

for you it made you feel good to naively and lazily attempt to rescue one cat, whilst possibly driving home from "a nice barbecue...texas stylee...", but if you carry on about how bad its made you feel, youre surely bound to provoke people who take a little more interest in these things than your weekend of misguided compassion?

[julian]

i shouldnt have started reading this thread...

[adsr]

"hateful cynicism"?

i havent paid someone else to keep, mistreat, and kill an animal on my behalf since i was 11. you, however, do it regularly. in the past 15 years, ive tried hard not to comment on other peoples desires to do this as we all do a whole load of stuff that quite obviously wrong, but pick and choose whats close to us.

for you it made you feel good to naively and lazily attempt to rescue one cat, whilst possibly driving home from "a nice barbecue...texas stylee...", but if you carry on about how bad its made you feel, youre surely bound to provoke people who take a little more interest in these things than your weekend of misguided compassion?

other than the pay to mistreat and kill an animal on my behalf...which I'm not sure what it's suppose to mean...

I quite approve of your ranting....it's got a nice deep feeling to it all...
like you really know me....and have got me pegged....man...
you're good...

[spoon]

not a insulting at all...it's a fair question..

you mean when I first got him, or when he got sick??


well either really. if he got ill quite suddenly then there's not much you could have done. i just didn't see any mention of a vet in your original post. my experience of vets has been that they are always available if you have a sick animal and money is the last thing they're concerned with (or else they would have picked any other career you can think of), so i wouldn't hesitate to call them up if i found a newborn kitten. i wouldn't presume to know how to take care of it despite my best intentions. but you live and learn. i wouldn't blame you for what happened either - if someone abandoned it (which is fairly common, alot of people are too stupid to get their animal neutered or spayed and deal with the consequences using dumpsters and sealed shopping bags) it wouldn't have had much of a chance anyway.

as for the milk, i would be heading down to the pet store right now to pop the head off the lazy fuck that sold you that rubbish.

so, not your fault, you did your best - life can be cruel.

[emef]

edited ---- i missed your vegetarian credentials earlier in the thread

feel free to be smug and sanctemonious

[julian]

unless you've ever killed your own meat dont bother asking that question... smartarse

Im sorry, i dont follow?

[adsr]

well either really. if he got ill quite suddenly then there's not much you could have done. i just didn't see any mention of a vet in your original post. my experience of vets has been that they are always available if you have a sick animal and money is the last thing they're concerned with (or else they would have picked any other career you can think of), so i wouldn't hesitate to call them up if i found a newborn kitten. i wouldn't presume to know how to take care of it despite my best intentions. but you live and learn. i wouldn't blame you for what happened either - if someone abandoned it (which is fairly common, alot of people are too stupid to get their animal neutered or spayed and deal with the consequences using dumpsters and sealed shopping bags) it wouldn't have had much of a chance anyway.

as for the milk, i would be heading down to the pet store right now to pop the head off the lazy fuck that sold you that rubbish.

so, not your fault, you did your best - life can be cruel.

my experience with vets in my area...
a few month ago pea became paralyzed from the waist down because she and her sister sugar got into a fuss and from what I can tell sugar must have bit her on the spine...when I took pea to the vet and told them the situation with my dog and that I would get paid on friday and could make financial arrangements if they could just treat her now....they said no...
I went to 3 different clinics in my area....and finally broke down and borrowed money so that I could get her looked at....she's perfectly fine now, as it was just an inflammation of the spinal cord and ant-inflammatories took care of it...but believe me...I was hysterical when i was at the vet's office...and they didn't seem to be phased...

I use to have a vet in texas that I could count on the way you mentioned above....and could call him day or nite for any problems with my dogs and he'd send me the bill in the mail w/ payment options....etc..he'd basically work with you...it's not the same here....

I can see from my post that people might think that I never had any intention of getting him to the vet...I did have intentions to do it....
I got the kitten on wednesday nite and by sunday morning he was gone....
I got paid on friday and was making plans to take him the following week....

I thought about going over to the pet store and telling them about it, but
a)I have no proof - I emptied the container down the sink...and it was the last container on the shelf at the store...
b)the kitten is gone...

**BTW - this is the second incident I've had with kittens around my apt complex....There are cats everywhere, where I live....I can't tell which ones are ferrel and which ones belong to owners anymore as the old ladies around here keep them and let them run wild......The week before it rained terribly and my parents found a cat w/several weeks old kittens in their porch...They sent the kittens to a pet store that specializes in getting kittens homes and/or foster homes...
my parents told the apt manager and the manager said that they had already done a sweep of the place to get the cats spayed and neutered, but it still hasn't helped with the ferrel cat problem....
I've been trying to figure out a way to get this taken care of in my area....it's been on my mind....

[adsr]

It's in kitten heaven now.. drinking whichever kind of milk is exactly the right kind of milk.


I just saw this post and it reminded me...
I buried him with his bottle...like, (I think)
Buddists (I'm probably wrong) who leave food,
money(usually fake money), etc for their journey...

my thinking was kinda the same as yours above...

[Tec]

Hang on, Wednesday night?

In all fairness you should've rung the RSPCA (US division) and explained 'My heartless boss/bosses won't let me leave an hour early in order to get to your animal sanctuary before closing, the kitten needs some proper care and attention in order to survive, would you awfully mind in picking her/him up so he can get sorted out?"

Did you even ring them?

I too wish i hadn't read this thread as it goes.

[emef]

Emef, you wanted a decent thread and well, here it is old bean..you can't start chucking mud now at people who are contributing to it and making the thread happen. Questions were asked of this kitten and answers were given..

actually i was joking, dunt surprise me that you missed that

i'll add winks next time just for you

[love_tempo]

here's my pet story, I have this spaniel, and it's very nice. my vet told me it has dog epilepsy But then I found out it really had 'collapsing cavalier syndrome' (srsly) which is worrying looking but not serious. here's a video of collapsing cavalier syndrom, it's very sad (don't laugh!) :(

http://cavalierepisodicfalling.com/videos/Happy%20EF%20060528.mov

[adsr]

Hang on, Wednesday night?

In all fairness you should've rung the RSPCA (US division) and explained 'My heartless boss/bosses won't let me leave an hour early in order to get to your animal sanctuary before closing, the kitten needs some proper care and attention in order to survive, would you awfully mind in picking her/him up so he can get sorted out?"

Did you even ring them?

I too wish i hadn't read this thread as it goes.

I've rang them twice actually...once when my parents found their kittens in the porch and once when I found my kitty....
I left vm and no answer....
and again...the kitty was doing perfectly fine, actually better than
fine until saturday nite (when he was just sleeping like crazy)
when I gave him his first bottle of regular kitty milk and not the soy milk...

and yes...i do have some pretty heartless bosses....that is true...so
I don't any comment about that one...

oh -by the looks of me having to explain the same things over and over again to you, it's like you haven't really read the thread at all anyways...

[Tec]

actually i was joking, dunt surprise me that you missed that

i'll add winks next time just for you

so was i sunshine

[Tec]

I've rang them twice actually...once when my parents found their kittens in the porch and once when I found my kitty....
I left vm and no answer....
and again...the kitty was doing perfectly fine, actually better than
fine until saturday nite (when he was just sleeping like crazy)
when I gave him his first bottle of regular kitty milk and not the soy milk...

and yes...i do have some pretty heartless bosses....that is true...so
I don't any comment about that one...

oh -by the looks of me having to explain the same things over and over again to you, it's like you haven't really read the thread at all anyways...

oh well, at least you tried.

[love_tempo]

google ads recommends

Cat Tear Stain Removal - www.AngelsEyesOnline.com - Safely Removes Your Pet's Tear Stains: Go From Tears to Clear!

[emef]

so was i sunshine

touché

[sniffio]

here's my pet story, I have this spaniel, and it's very nice. my vet told me it has dog epilepsy But then I found out it really had 'collapsing cavalier syndrome' (srsly) which is worrying looking but not serious. here's a video of collapsing cavalier syndrom, it's very sad (don't laugh!) :(

http://cavalierepisodicfalling.com/videos/Happy%20EF%20060528.mov

Hi. I just saw the video.
I am not an expert about dogs nor know much about them,
but I read somewhere that this behavior is very normal among dogs.

I read that dogs are doing this on purpose to adjust their strength level for the day,
so that they could control their balance of awakeness and better sleep results.
I thought this was pretty common with dogs.

But then again, I haven't studied it or anything but wanted you to know.

[love_tempo]

Hi. I just saw the video.
I am not an expert about dogs nor know much about them,
but I read somewhere that this behavior is very normal among dogs.

I read that dogs are doing this on purpose to adjust their strength level for the day,
so that they could control their balance of awakeness and better sleep results.
I thought this was pretty common with dogs.

But then again, I haven't studied it or anything but wanted you to know.

ah ok, but that's a mild attack which just kind of funny looking really. here's a more serious attack like she's had half a dozen times. a lot more worrying, but her eyes are open which is nearly worse. vet thought it was epilepsy, heat stroke or some kind of nervous disorder due to mineral deficiency at first.

http://cavalierepisodicfalling.com/videos/long_movie_05-19-05.mov

[sniffio]

thanks for the reply love_tempo.
I'm sure this is different from what I was referring, too.
sorry for the illness, but I am glad it is not a serious one.

[nempsey]

silver lining: if your kitten had survived, you woulda had a lot of behavioural probs with it, as cats learn loads of stuff from their mothers and from being with litter mates

[Orang Utan]

Poor dead kitty - I would be bereft if my cat died

[Smartie]

Thats a wee shame, poor wee thing. At least you tried your best !

[edit]

Indeed; you saved him in the first place, and weren't to know this would happen. Same thing happened with a kitten of my mates whilst i was at her house. I was convinced there was something wrong, but was told she knew a lot about cats, and he'd be fine. He died in the night, and I seemed to be the only one bothered about it. Turned out to be virulent cat flu of some sort. So I feel for your situation. Cats kick ass.

[JonnySpeed]

linda you rock.

the cat will not hve dies over some sour milk - i assure you.

you tried and loved your best.

:)

[sticklebrix]

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-zVCYdrw-1o&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-zVCYdrw-1o&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

haha

[sticklebrix]

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-zVCYdrw-1o&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-zVCYdrw-1o&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

...and this one.

[Tec]

Did you give the dog valium Sarah?

[sticklebrix]

oops i posted the same video twice... i think i took the valium

[sticklebrix]

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LbmbQkX7czo&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LbmbQkX7czo&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

this one... but rusty's my favourite

valium chic