Are you a cat lover, especially kittens with their cute and sweet looks and innocent voice? So how to save a dying kitten?
You should know that cats are able to hide their suffering and discomfort, so you should rely on your eye to watch out for signs of a kitten dying.
This article will help you understand how to save a dying kitten by getting medical help, and learn about the different signs and symptoms that suggest a cat’s weakness so that you can make the appropriate plan to save its life.
Part 1
Get medical help
1
Get a cat box. If you do not have a cat transport box, you should look for a suitable box to put the cat in; Choose a crate that’s large enough for the cat to feel comfortable standing and moving around, but not too big to slam into the walls.
Cover the box so that the cat cannot escape.
Dig holes in the sides of the box for the cat to get fresh air.
Place a towel or old piece of clothing in the box to make the cat feel safe, and to absorb urine or vomit.
2
Keep the cat warm.
Newborn kittens are not able to regulate their body temperature in the absence of the mother who is warming them, so you should wrap the box in a towel or blanket to keep the kitten warm.
Just make sure you don’t block the ventilation holes you made on the sides of the box.
• The cat itself can be wrapped in a towel or an old piece of clothing for extra warmth.
• Be careful not to cover the cat’s head if you wrap it in a towel to warm it to allow it to breathe, just as you did with the ventilation holes if the box was wrapped.
3
Locate the nearest veterinary clinic. The cat needs veterinary attention immediately, so you should look for the nearest emergency veterinary clinic so that the vet will check it and make sure it can be saved from death.
An emergency veterinary visit costs a higher fee than a regular veterinary visit.
Type in the search engine "veterinarian" or "veterinary clinic" and then type the name of the city in which you live.
Or enter the postal number of your city in the search engine with the word "veterinary clinic".
Try contacting a pet shelter to have the administrator recommend a nearby veterinary clinic.
4
Take the cat to the vet.
The cat that you put in the box must be taken to the vet, and be aware of the sounds of groaning and meowing that may be issued during the car trip, which is indicative of its discomfort in the car.
So there is no need to waste time adjusting its position in the car, but rather faster than transporting it to the vet.
Make sure to wrap the cat in a towel or soft clothing while driving carefully and not moving the box suddenly so that the cat does not roll inside it.
Some cats calm down when they look out the car window, while others are not affected by it. Try both positions and see how the cat behaves.
Part 2
Helping a dying cat
1
Resuscitate the cat with CPR.
CPR is intended to stimulate the heart and breathing, is performed in unresponsive patients, and is suitable for both humans, cats, and a large number of other animals.
Only perform CPR on the cat if there is no clear breath or pulse, and in the meantime have someone call the vet or call them yourself if you are alone in the situation.
Remove obstructions in the cat’s airway.
Rely on your finger to remove any obstructions in the cat’s respiratory tract, and hold it with its head tilted forward and down in case there are fluids in its mouth, throat, or lungs so that gravity stimulates the exit of these fluids.
Put your mouth around the cat’s nose and mouth and inhale 3 puffs of air.
This is enough because the cat’s lungs are small and do not take in much air.
Be careful while doing this and remember that there are diseases that can be transmitted from cats to humans; Keep the air flowing every 20 seconds.
There is no need for chest compressions in the event of a heartbeat, and only pulmonary resuscitation if the cat is not breathing.
Check the cat’s chest for a heartbeat. Begin pectoral thrusts on the cat’s chest by placing it between the ring finger and thumb.
Do this as if you were squeezing the cat’s chest behind its bent elbow. Check your heart rate every minute.
Do not continue CPR for more than 5 minutes. This means that the cat has already unfortunately died.
2
Bleeding control.
If the cat suffers a cut or a deep prick, you must first control the bleeding and stop it immediately.
It’s the same as you would yourself, the goal is to clean the wound and stop the bleeding until you take the cat to the vet for sutures to close the wound.
Clean the area around the wound with water and an appropriate antiseptic solution.
• Use a piece of clean gauze to apply pressure to the wound.
After cleaning its edges, keep applying pressure for 5 to 10 minutes without lifting the gauze to examine the wound; It just causes the bleeding to continue.
Wrap gauze with a bandage when the bleeding stops, then take the cat to the vet.
Try to limit the cat’s movement so that it does not cause re-bleeding or tearing of the bandage.
3
Control the temperature of the cat. Kittens are prone to hypothermia and therefore need the warmth of the mother cat.
You must warm the kitten if the mother is not present or you cannot warm her for any reason; Place the cat in a box furnished with a rag or old clothing, and add soft towels and bottles of warm water.
Newborn cats are not able to regulate their body temperature, but rather rely on the mother for that.
Do not use a hairdryer or a heater to heat the cat directly, or you will cause harm to it as a result of excessive heat.
4
Watch out for kitten wilt syndrome. Some kittens wilt to death before weaning, despite the mother cat taking care of them.
There are some conditions that cause kittens to wilt and die, so it is important to pay attention to the symptoms of this syndrome early to save the kitten’s life.
Take a cat that you suspect has progressive wilt to the vet to assess its chance of survival.
Some of the causes of kitten wilt syndrome are:
Birth defects,
Obstructed delivery,
Environmental factors,
Blood type inconsistencies between the mother and the cat,
Postpartum delivery,
The low weight of the cat,
Bacterial,
Viral or parasitic infections,
Dehydration
Exaggerated temperatures of the birthing environment.
Part 3
Recognize the signs and causes of a dying kitten
1
Watch for signs of inactivity.
Kittens are lively, curious, and love to play by nature, and sleep for a long time like children, but at the same time, they are very active and active during the waking period.
If the cat is lethargic, i.e. sleeps all day or is not active while awake, this is a sign that something is wrong.
Take your cat to the vet immediately for a diagnosis.
2
Monitor your cat’s eating habits.
Kittens, especially newborns, need to eat about every two or three hours, so if the cat refuses to eat for several hours, this is a sign that something is wrong.
Kittens cannot go without food for several hours and usually, this indicates an upset stomach or a worse condition.
Take the cat to the vet for an examination.
3
Check the cat’s vomit. Kittens spit up constantly, like babies, and sometimes vomit, as a sign of their urgency to eat and breastfeed.
As for the cat vomiting constantly, it is a sign of illness and the need for proper treatment.
Some recommend giving kittens anti-vomiting medicines from those available to buy without a prescription, but do not do this to a small cat, but take it to the vet to examine it and give it the medicine, or else risk its life.
4
Protect your cat from bacteria and viruses.
The immune system of kittens is very weak, and they lack antibodies in the event that the mother is not breastfed as a result of depriving them of the antibody-rich colostrum milk; As a result of the lack, the cat becomes immune to it and thus becomes vulnerable to bacterial and viral infections.
Take the cat to the vet immediately if you notice lethargy, diarrhea, or vomiting to treat it.
Welcome to Cat Lovers! This is a place to share our love of cats of all kinds.
A website for cats and everything related to the cat world in terms of health, nutrition, and the most important facts about the behavior and behavior of cats.
A beautiful site with abundant information for cat lovers around the world. The site comprises several sub-headers for easy access to information.
https://drmartycats.com
Article by: Aram Hameed October 15, 2021