who went into a Sprint store in Torrance, CA, to confront whoever let a baby wait in the car parked right in front of the store’s plate glass window.
As Paz wrote on his Facebook page:
Walk by a Sprint Retail store and spot a baby, alone in a car, while its 82 degrees outside. No shade, no A/C…nothing. And the mother has the nerve to have this attitude. No concern for her child’s well being until attention is called towards it. I wanna make this somewhat viral, to spread awareness. If you see something, say something. This ISNT right. Share this if youd like. P.S. sorry for the shitty angle, im six foot five lol#badparenting #stupid
on Monday, August 3, 2015
When a mom in the store says it’s her child, Paz tells her, “As a good parent, I would go out and look on my baby.”
The mother says that’s why she parked her car where she can look on. “There’s nothing wrong with my kid being right there.”
“In YOUR sense, maybe there’s nothing wrong,” Paz responds.
You bet, in her sense! She’s the mom. She cares far more about the child than Paz does — but he assumes she doesn’t. Because we’ve all been trained to judge parents mercilessly and assume the worst.
But the mom is right. There is nothing wrong with a child waiting a few minutes in a car.
Yes, I know we have been exhorted to believe every child in every parked car, even 10 feet from a parent, is in immediate danger of heat stroke or kidnapping. But in fact, the most dangerous thing the mom did that day was drive her child at all. Kids are in more danger in moving cars than parked ones, and yet we don’t make viral videos
every time a mom drives her kid to the mall.
We go crazy when we’ve been told to go crazy, and lately we’ve been told to go crazy when a kid is waiting in a car, no matter what the circumstances. Paz even parrots the mantra, “If you see something, say something”
— a mantra that implies we are in such constant danger, we must be on the lookout at all times.
They are found too late. That leaves about 10 children a year who die in cars where we don’t know exactly how it happened.
As for the odds of this child being in true danger, here’s the math I did for , discussing a year in which 31 children died in cars (and for this I included all 31):
So, if there are 40,000,000 children under age 10 in America (and there are), and if they take an average of, let’s say, 10 car rides a week, we are talking about 20,800,000,000—that’s more than 20 billion—kid car rides a year. And 1 in every 670,967,742 of those errands could prove fatal—that’s 0.% of them. Should we really be regulating parental choice based on percentages like these?
No. And by the way: more kids die in parking lots than in parked cars. (See .)
What I appreciate about Paz is that he did NOT call the cops, because he knew that this could easily bring on a Child Protective Services investigation, and the family could be traumatized.
On the other hand, he posted the video including the licence plate, and now the police are apparently looking into the matter. Meantime, on Facebook, strangers are calling the mom a “bitch” and “crackhead” — which would make most of our own moms bitches and crackheads, because most of us waited out some errands in the car.
Here are two things that would actually make all kids safer:
1 – When you put your child in the backseat, put your phone there, too. That way you won’t forget your child, not because you love your phone more, but because you will notice when you don’t have your phone with you. You may not notice you don’t have your child with you if you get to work, the child has fallen asleep in the back, and you go about your day. Especially if normally you are not in charge of dropping off the child.
2 – When you’re running an errand and it’s hot, roll down the windows. Our parents did that back when the crime rate was higher than today.
Unfortunately, the law in California is draconian. (As most laws are, when they are named for a child who died.) Larry Altman at :
Kaitlyn’s Law, signed by Gov. Gray Davis in 2001, makes it illegal to leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle. The law was named for Kaitlyn Russell, a 6-month-old who died in Riverside County in 2000 after a caregiver left her alone in a car for more than two hours on a 100-degree day.
Two hours in 100 degrees is a lot different from a brief errand on a day that was not 100 degrees.
I wish the mom well, even as she is raked over the coals for doing something so innocuous. – L
Letting a baby wait in the car for a short errand, close enough to even SEE him, is not negligent.Poem From A Father Regretting Abortion, To My Little Baby
Remember me
To My Little Baby
My ex girlfriend decided to have an abortion, I did not want this to happen and so I wrote a poem to express my feelings, to say sorry and to tell my baby that I care.
Having an abortion is not easy... people think it is at the time. I had an abortion 10 years ago. I was living in a refuge with my 3 children after leaving an abusive and alcoholic partner. I...
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To My Little Baby
Published on
April 2009
It's so hard for me to try and find that right words to say.
I'm sorry we never got the chance to meet,
the chance to see your tiny body and hold your tiny feet.
I have an image of you in my mind,
your gorgeous smile,
your beautiful eyes,
a picture,
something I'll never let go.
Every Christmas,
every birthday,
I'll do nothing but wish you were here,
right by my side.
A boy or a girl I'll never know,
this love I have for you,
I'll never be able to show.
You'll always be daddys special one and mummys too,
and we want you to know we'll always love you.
I wrote you this poem to show I care,
this pain,
this hurt I cannot bear.
Its time to sleep now my little baby,
I'll be able to hold you tight and give you that proper kiss goodnight.
Goodnight Sweetheart
Love you always
Mummy and Daddy
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Jeri Dopp. Do not reprint any of it without written permission. Thank you.
A Rescue Workers Pledge: Give me the helpless, the lost, the homeless wee
ones struggling just to live, the innocent refuse of an uncaring land. Send
these, the weak abandoned lives to me - I offer warmth, care, hope and love.
But they're so tiny.....
Welcome to the hardest job you'll ever love!
The best part of my job, working with Homeless Cats, is
caring for the newborns. This is not an easy task but a more rewarding
one I've yet to find. I always say if people would spay/neuter their animals
they just might put me out of business but somehow I doubt that will ever
happen. Just how do you raise a newborn? Relatively easy, relax and do
The most important thing to remember is: treat these babies
just like they are newborn humans. Clean, clean and clean some more. I
keep antibacterial soap in dispensers all over my house and always wash
my hands before I handle a baby and right after. I wash their blankets
and towels every morning in hot soapy bleach water just to insure I'm
not harboring or spreading any disease or bugs.
All Mammals are born with sterile digestive tracts. They
get the needed bacteria from mom's milk and off her nipples. If you get a baby
that has not been with Mom they NEED friendly bacteria. I use Bene-Bac which I
buy on the Web. Once can also use& Baby Jarro-dophilus - also found on the
web. I always use a powder formula that has colostrums in it& with neo-natal's.
You really cannot have to many& safety tips when dealing with these tiny beings.
The second most important thing to remember is these babies
need to be kept warm, hydrated and fed. They are kept warm by different
methods, my favorite being a heat lamp placed over the carrier you have
them in. Make a nest for them using soft and warm blankets. Another method
is to place a heating pad, on LOW, covered by a towel and then the blanket
and then the baby. You don't want to cook them, just keep them warm. Be
sure to provide a &cool& spot for the kittens to crawl to if
they get to warm.
You can tell their age very approximately by several methods.
If they still have their umbilical cords they are probably between 1 and 4 days old. If their eyes are still closed they are probably between 1
and 10 days old. By 12- 14 days their eyes should be open. Open their mouths
and look for teeth. Do you see little nubs coming in? About 2 weeks. Are
they attempting to stand? Possibly 2 to 3 weeks. Are they starting to play?
Figure their age at about 4 weeks.
Newborn kittens do not drink cows milk. There are several
formulas available at pet stores, ie: K.M.R., Nurtuall, Just Born or you can use
Goats Milk. I prefer the powdered
formula but this is really a matter of preference. The formula is given at
body temp, never cold, through a nursing bottle. This is also available
at pet stores. To place it in the kittens mouth simply open her/his mouth
and stick the bottle in. You may have to give it a little squeeze to start
the milk flowing. Do not hold the kitten as you would a newborn baby. They
must be placed prone on your lap and fed exactly in that position. The kitten
should naturally suckle. PLEASE BE SURE THEY ARE IN A
PRONE POSITION, IF NOT, YOU TAKE A BIG CHANCE OF PUTTING FORMULA DIRECTLY INTO
THEIR LUNGS.
PRONE IS; FOUR FEET ON YOUR LAP - TILT THEIR HEAD UP TO GET
THE NIPPLE.
A kitten that is cold should not be fed right away, rather,
you should place it next to your skin and warm it. Feed it Pedialyte: 1
cc. per 2 ounces of body weight, every hour and warm slowly until the Kitten
is warm and wiggling. After the kitten is warm feed it formula. When chilled
the stomach and small intestines stop working and the formula will not
be digested. Kidney function in newborns is 25 per cent of what it will
be later. Because immature kidneys are unable to concentrate the urine
kittens must excrete large amounts of dilute urine. When kittens stop nursing
they dehydrate quickly therefore please consider this very valid point
if your kitten loses weight, becomes chilled or otherwise fails to thrive.
You can look in the kittens mouth for a lack of moisture, a very pink tongue
or mucus membranes. You can pick the kittens skin up at the back of his
neck. If it doesn't bounce right back this is a sign of dehydration. Watch
the kittens urine. If it is not clear, but a distinct yellow this is a
sign of dehydration. Anyone raising kittens by hand should have sub-q fluids
and syringes on hand. Many kittens have been turned around just by the
injection of sub-q fluids. Weigh your Newborn daily. His weight gain will
give you a good idea of how he's thriving. I keep a log book with each
kittens history in it, their weight, age, and dates of vaccinations.
The third thing to realize is these babies do NOT come
with the knowledge of &going regularly&. They would, under ideal
circumstances, have their moms clean their bottoms and help them urinate
and defecate. They do not, nor do you, have that luxury. I have heard many
people say use a warm cotton pad and gently wipe their little bottoms till
they go. I say hogwash. Moms tongue, if you've ever felt it, is like sand
paper. I use a nubby textured wash cloth& (to try to stimulate Mom's
tongue) and hold them under warm running water
wiping. Remember they MUST go. For constipated kittens put a smidgen of mineral
oil in their formula. We are looking for clear urine and formed
Do not be afraid to bathe these babies regularly. Use
an antibacterial soap (avoiding their eyes) for the first couple of weeks until
their eyes open then graduate to baby shampoo. Dry them well, followed by a hair dryer
set on low. Keep one hand between the dryer and the baby to be diffuse the heat
and avoid any &hot& spots on the Kitten. This will also insure the
heat is kept at a low temperature. Put them immediately back into their nest when you are done.
The main reason I use an antibacterial soap is because of their background.
We have no idea of what living conditions they were in before we got them
so it's just generally better to be safe than sorry.
When the babies are about 4 weeks old it's time to introduce
them to the litter box. Get a &low to the ground& one and be
sure you use clay litter. Never use scoopable with new babies, They tend
to play in it and eat it. They will make you very proud the first
time they go all by themselves. Simply place them in the box after eating
and let them go for it. They are naturally inclined to use this and it
is so nice to stop rubbing little bottoms. With any luck you are raising
more than one. If so you'll find one is eager to use the box while the
others poke at him causing considerable distraction. Try taking the others
away if one is inclined to use the box for it's original purpose. Most
newborns think the litter box is just a big sandbox and love to root around
in it, kicking the sand up and out. You just know if they could laugh out
loud they would.
Introducing them to food from the bowl is a different
matter all together. A lot of these kids simply don't want the burden of
feeding themselves. They just aren't ready to give up the nipple yet. I
have most of my trouble getting them to eat out of a bowl. You start by
introducing canned food mixed with formula when they are about 4 weeks old.. Put a little on your finger
and hold it to the kittens mouth. You may have to shove it in just to show
them how tasty it is. Once they are eating from your finger let them follow
your finger back to the bowl. Repeat this often, in fact once they are
ready for weaning do this every time you feed them. Don't be discouraged
if they don't jump up and down with glee. After all they like you! You've
been feeding them right along.
Upper respiratory is a very common illness in kittens.
This is an airborne disease so the kitten should be kept isolated. First
thing to do is get Vet care so they are on an antibiotic. A much needed
medicine to have on hand is Terramycin. This is an ointment which is applied
to their eyes. I have yet to see a Feral Baby that didn't need it at some
time. They come to us with so much wrong with them and usually the eyes
is the first place you see it. I generally place my kittens in a &Kitty
Sauna&. I make this by tenting a carrier and placing the kittens inside.
Just outside the door I place a humidifier filled with water and a little
salt. I place the tent to include it and turn it on for about 5 to 15 minutes.
The kittens are in warm moist air which is breaking up the mucus and allowing
them to breathe freely. I take them from this and immediately put them
right back into the warm nest. If you go over the time they should be in
the sauna don't panic. I once forgot about a litter that I had &cooking&
and remembered them after nearly an hour. When I took them out their little
ears were dripping water but they were none the worse for wear. It's just
not a good habit to get into. Set a timer.
One piece of equipment I have found very useful (although
the kittens do not like it!) is a rectal thermometer and a jar of Vaseline.
Taking a cats temperature is very simple. You just put the thermometer
in the Vaseline and then insert it in their rectum. Place it about an inch
in and hold it there for at least one minute - two if you can and read
it. A kittens temperature ranges between 99 and 102 degrees. Anything higher
that 102 and I get concerned. This is usually a good time to call your
One thing that very easy to do but you must avoid is overfeeding.
Overfeeding produces Diarrhea. It is far better to err on the side of underfeeding
rather than overfeeding. Follow this chart and you should have no problems:&&
** 30 cc is equal to one ounce of formula.
A weight should be approx. 4 ounces. Give
32 cc of milk replacer per day spread out over 6-8 feedings.
At age 1 weight should be approx. 7 ounces. Give
56 cc of milk replacer spread out over 4 feedings.
At age 3 weight should be 10 ounces. Give 80 cc
of milk replacer spread out over 3 feedings.
At age 4 weight should be approx. 13 ounces. Give
104 cc of milk replacer spread out over 3 feedings.
At Age 5 weeks a Kitten should weigh 1
pound and at 10 weeks 2 pounds. He should be eating by himself.
Should you get a Preemie, a Kitten weighing
far less than average, please be prepared to feed him every hour& until he
is at weight appropriate for his age.
Remember, nothing is written in stone. Your kitten may
have a voracious appetite or a very small one. When fed adequately a kittens
stomach will feel full, not tense or distended. I& set my alarm and
get up every two hours with age 0 through 1 week, every three hours age 1 week
through 3 weeks. After three weeks I usually feed the their last bottle at 11:00
P.M. and then again at 5 or 6 A.M. After 4 weeks they need to be fed only 4
bottles a day - they will drink more and this is when I supplement their bottles
with Rice Cereal. They are given Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Bedtime. Once they
are eating out of a bowl I always leave food with them over night. They may need
the nourishment. There are many times when I would
much rather be doing anything at all besides feeding kittens at 3 in the morning
but the truth is I have been doing this for so long that I simply do not sleep
through the night any more. Set an alarm so you can be sure your little charge
gets fed. A steady weight gain of 10 grams or 1/3 ounce per day and a normal stool
are indications you are feeding the correct amount. Overfeeding is indicated
by a loose stool. Reduce the strength of the formula by diluting it 1/3
with water. Unchecked overfeeding leads to a depletion of digestive enzymes.
Eventually, when there is no digestion of the formula you will see a stool
which looks like curdled milk. At this point stop all formula and give
only pediolyte and water until the kitten has a normal stool.
One hint I have found very useful when raising an &only&
child. Place a small stuffed toy in his nest with him. He will snuggle
up to it . One other trick you can try is empty out the contents of a stuffed
bear or any animal and place in an alarm clock. Put the stuffing back in
to muffle the sound. Sometimes this muted noise is reassuring to the baby.
Kittens die - for no other reason than it is their time
and there is nothing we can do about it. This is one reason I watch my
babies so carefully. Once they start to fade they can go very quickly.
We usually are fighting the odds when we take these babies in. They can
be born with many congenital defects which means it wasn't anything you
were doing. Something went wrong during the pregnancy and it is not known
until the kitten is 2 or 3 weeks of age. My last litter this past summer
(1996) were all born with problems. Two had cleft palates and had to be
put down immediately. The third one lived for three weeks but his intestinal
tract wasn't developed and he died. I have found the first litters in the
spring are usually the healthiest. As the season wears on and the Mom has
more litters she ends up having very little to give them in the way of
nutrition and we see it in the general health of the babies we get. If
you lose a baby try to remember you gave it, quite possibly and very probably,
the only love it ever knew. Sometimes we are merely the stopping off place for
Kittens on their way to their next life. If you have shown this baby a loving
hand then you have certainly done a great deal and I do thank you!
Feeding and warmth are the most important things these
babies need. If you must err in feeding let it be on the side of underfeeding.
If you have fed the kitten and wiped his bottom and he is still crying
he either has colic (from over feeding) or he is cold. The temperature
inside his nest should be about 85~. It doesn抰 hurt to buy a thermometer
and place it inside his nest to keep a close check on the heat. You can
also pick him up and holding him flat on your hand very gently pat his
back or with one finger pat his side and see if he has a gas bubble. These
kids really just need common sense.
After their umbilical cord falls off watch the area carefully.
It doesn抰 hurt to give it a few wipes with Hydrogen Peroxide. They can
be easily infected.
I have several hints to share with you and as the season
gets started and goes along I will post them here. There is one thing I
do with all my babies that makes them quite lovable. I treat them exactly
like I'm the Mom Cat. I carry them in my teeth - lick their little heads
and hold them a lot. I hope these hints have encouraged you to try raising
Feral babies yourself.
Many times, in fact more often than not, the babies we
get have the runs. This is caused by exposure to parasites etc. If you
are raising a homeless kitten who develops this problem first take him/her
to your Vet. They usually need to be put on Antibiotics or another medication.
All to often their little bottoms are red and raw. OUCH! Try putting& Desitin
on them. If you are not happy with these results use Vaseline. This simply
puts a protective coat over the babies skin and prevents any fecal matter
from getting on it. This will relieve the pain quite a bit. If this occurs
very gently stimulate them under tepid running water.
When raising more than one baby, as in a litter, you will
find that at about 2 to 3 weeks of age they will start rooting around in
their nest looking for something to nurse on. Invariably they find each
other. Besides being a nasty habit which doesn't look very nice they can
get sick from ingesting urine. After stimulating them spray their little
bottoms with Bitter Apple. This is a foul tasting but harmless spray which
can be purchased at any pet store. It's original use is designed for electrical
cords however I have found it helps deter a lot of unhealthy and unwanted
behavior. If this doesn't do the trick, separate them. Do not allow them
to nurse on each other.
Remember every time you introduce something new to eat
it will probably show in their bowels. Any change in formula - from powdered
to liquid etc. If they should get constipated first try putting a few drops
of cooking oil (vegetable) in their formula. If this doesn抰 work do &kitty
push-ups&. Holding them in one hand, rest their back feet on your
other hand and gently push them up and down several times to exercise their
stomach muscles. They hate it - I love it. I sing them little songs and
laugh at them as they glare at me.
Here is one more thing I forgot all about. Baby nose drops.
If you have a kitten with an upper respiratory illness they usually can
not smell. If they can't smell, chances are they will not eat. About twice
a day spray them with pediatric nose drops - right up their little nostrils.
This will clear the nasal passages, they will be able to smell and thus
eat. Do this just before you offer them their meal. Simple little hints
that usually work.
If you have a baby that is showing signs of distress try
putting a little dab of syrup in their mouth. Sometimes this is all they
need to give them the added energy boost to get them eating.
You may find your sweet little kid has a voracious appetite
at about the age of three weeks. I usually buy a box of Gerber's Rice Cereal
and mix a little in with their formula. I honestly don't believe it does
anything for them as far as nutrition goes but it does tend to stay with
them a little longer than just formula. It may be just what you need to
get a full nights sleep.
I am currently raising a very tiny little girl. She is
three weeks old yet weighs only 5 1/2 ounces! She suckles rather well,
urinates and defecates well but continues to be extremely small. Since
I have had her since birth I have no idea of her health background. She
is being injected with 12 - 15 cc. of sub-q fluids twice daily and I just
got a wonderful hint from a dear friend. I am adding, besides Rice Cereal
to her formula, Baby Strained Chicken. This has already added a 1/2 ounce
to her tiny little body. Adding this protein brings to mind a problem that
we were having last year with Gerber Strained meat. Be sure to read the
label before you buy. Gerber has changed their formula however I am not
sure who might still have the older version. Please be sure it has
Powder. This can be harmful to the babies. There is ALWAYS something new
to learn with these kids....
When you are gathering supplies for your new addition
be sensible. These kids are most likely going to need a Vet visit so save
your money where ever you can. I go to the thrift stores and yard sales
and buy blankets. Then I bring them home, wash them and cut them into four
even pieces. Thus, for the price of about $1.00 you've got four nice blankets
for the babies. I also buy old roaster pans to use as litter boxes for
the kids. They really don't need Nieman Marcus or Macys. All they need
is to be warm, fed and loved!
I am including a formula recipe that can be made from
things bought at your local 7-11 store, just in case you find a baby when
the pet stores aren't open:
&One 12 ounce can of Evaporated Skim cows milk,
One 4 ounce can evaporated whole cows milk, one 4 ounce container of plain
yogurt and three egg yolks. Mix well and strain. I always give it to them
warm - let them think it's coming right from Mom...what do they know????
They're happy, I'm happy and it's usually a nice ending.
And I have found a recipe for a pedialite substitute:
4 1/4 C. Water. 2 tsp. sugar - you can add up
to eight for flavor. 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda. This is good to have
on hand for babies that are getting dehydrated or showing signs of URI.
Kittens that are taken from Mom, for whatever reason,
at the age of about 1 or 2 weeks may have a little bit of trouble adjusting
to the bottle. This is simply a matter of persistence. You must keep offering
the bottle and they will learn that this is where food comes from - not
mom. I imagine it must be a bit of a shock. I hold them close to me so
they get warmth while nursing, a poor substitute but usually I'm all they
have. Don't give up on them. Keep offering the bottle. They may go as much
as 24 hours with very little nutritional input. Place the nipple in their
mouth and squeeze the bottle. They really will eat. Any baby that has not
been eating for more than - oh about 6 hours is probably getting very
low on blood sugar. Mix Karo syrup with warm water and give it to him.
It's surprising how much this will help.
Watch closely any new babies stool. Quite often they have
the runs and this is usually very treatable with Amoxy Drops. (where would
we be without them??) See your Vet for a proper diagnosis. If the stool is quite dark in color - almost a black
- this indicates blood in the stool and immediate Vet care.
I normally do not advocate early FELV&testing simply
because you can get false positives. This is a test that comes back positive
for FELV&when the kitten is perfectly healthy. No matter what the
results of early testing they must be re-tested at age 4 - 6 months. About
the only time I would even suggest early testing is if your healthy kitten
starts acting lethargic. This is not normal for a healthy kitten to suddenly
start laying around. Watch closely his appetite and bathroom habits. A
complete blood work-up is certainly not out of order here. All of Safe Haven
kittens are tested prior to adoption as a courtesy to our clients.
If you get a Feral Kitten that has been with his Mom for
a while the chances of him having fleas are fairly good - in fact almost
a sure bet. These babies can
NOT have Flea Shampoo. They are way to young.
You must bathe them regularly and use a flea comb. Fleas can be deadly
to a newborn so be diligent. I have seen 4 ounces of baby covered in fleas.
It's pretty disgusting but a fact of life we must deal with.
There are times, when we get these babies, they are so
young they have not been with their Mom at all. Sometimes they do not suckle
due to being weak or ill. This is when we must resort to tube feeding.
This is not difficult but it can be deadly to the kitten if not done properly.
I am including a graphic to make it easier for you to understand what it
involves. You take a catheter (size 5 French for smaller kittens, 8 or
10 for larger ones) and a syringe. You weigh the baby and calculate how
much formula he gets in a 24 hour period. Divide this up into 6 feedings.
Measure the tube from the babies mouth to his last rib. Place a piece of
tape over the end near his mouth so you know how far to insert the tube. Warm the formula and draw up the prescribed amount through the tube. Be sure
there is no air in the tube. Now place the end of the tube into a bit of
formula and allow the kitten to taste it - then slip it down his throat.
It should go all the way to where you've marked the tube. Wait a minute
to hear him cry just to insure you haven't gotten it into his lungs. Slowly
inject the formula directly into his stomach. This may be the only way
a baby gets nourishment. Please be sure to measure carefully and after
the tube is inserted wait to hear the baby cry . Liquid directly into a
babies lungs is not
it's a deadly one.
Another all to common problem you will run into while raising a new
born is dehydration. I have never had a newborn season without encountering
it at least once. As I have said before this is overcome by the injection
of Sub-q fluids. These can be obtained from your Vet along with the needles
and a plastic syringe. You will probably need a 20 cc syringe. The size of
the needle depends on the size of the baby. The smaller needle goes into
their skin easier but takes longer for the fluid to enter - the larger
needle leaves a bigger hole but the fluid goes in rather rapidly. You pick
the skin up between their shoulder blades, making sure you have enough
of it between your fingers to insure you are just going into the folds
of the skin. The amount of sub-q fluids relates directly to the babies
weight. Check with your Vet about this. I usually warm the fluid in the Mico
Wave - just slightly. You don抰 want to introduce cold liquid into
the babies body and you don抰 want to scald them. Insert the needle into
the fold of skin you are holding up and plunge the fluid in. When you are
done, remove the needle and hold the area closed with your finger tips
for about a minute. If you don抰 some of the fluid will leak back out.
Please don抰 be afraid to try this - it just may save your babies life.
The picture I have is Darlene - she suddenly stopped eating - and after
several hours I decided she needed something in her. Thank you for trying!
If your Vet has decided on a course of Antibiotics for your baby
please be sure to give them all - for the full course of a week or two.
The kitten may respond rapidly but, not unlike humans, the germs may be
lingering in their little bodies. A relapse with these little tykes can
be deadly. I usually just pick the baby up, open their mouths and essentially
pour the medicine in. I have had some who refuse to take it. These kids
I hold by the scruff of their neck, tilt their head back and then dose
them. Sometimes you must be very quick but they really must have all their
medication. If the Doctor has given them an antibiotic with the directions
&Twice a day& be sure to space it out to get the full value of the
medicine. If they get their medicine at 10:00 A.M. and again at 5:00 P.M.&
you're defeating the purpose of the medicine. Try to get 12 hours between the
Now here is something I have become accustomed to and just didn't
give it any thought. Recently a lady wrote and asked me about her cat sucking
on himself. My Vets and I feel this is a comfort - much like a baby sucking
his thumb. Perhaps he was taken off the bottle a little earlier than he
would have liked. One that I&raised last year always curls up and
sucks on a patch of fur near her back leg as she drifts off to sleep. Since
she is a black girl this has created a slightly orange colored patch of
fur but other than that no harm is done. My little white boy, Joshua, always
puts his front foot in his mouth when he is going to sleep and sucks vigorously
on it. I imagine this habit can be broken but why would you bother? They
are content and that is our mission here - content kittens.
What about discipline? It is necessary but you
NEVER&EVER&slap
a kitten. You teach them the same way their mom would. Yes, you may feel
a bit ridiculous at first but it works and makes a nicer kitten. You get
down on the floor and bring your head down to their level. Growl at them,
&cuff& them lightly and let them know some actions are just not
acceptable. I refuse to teach them to hunt - I draw the line there but
I willingly show the appropriate behavior.
Indoor or Outdoor? My own experience and feelings are simply this.
These babies have started out, usually, in less than desirable conditions.
Studies have shown that an indoor cat has a life expectancy four times
that of an outdoor cat. Do this sweet little bundle of fur a favor and
let him know he was rescued for a reason - to live long and well. Keep
him indoors.
&&About those nipples:
I have bought them and laughed to myself when I rea
poke a hole in the end with a needle. Sure, if you want to watch your baby
turn their head inside out trying to get milk out of the bottle. I use
a pair of scissors and cut a small slit diagonally. You don't want the
milk to run out - just make it easier for this baby to suck on.
Many times these babies simply do not have all the nutrients needed to
make them healthy. I add &Baby Dophilus& which can be purchased at any
health food store to their formula and, once weaned, to their food. This creates
friendly bacteria which they often need just for bowel problems. I add 1/4 tsp.
to their formula and about 1 tsp. sprinkled over their canned food.
I have, on more than one occasion, gone into the kitten room and found a
baby lying prone on the bottom of the cage.& This does not always mean
certain death. These kids can not regulate their blood sugar and if they miss a
meal they may go into shock from it. Pick them up and immediately give them a drop of
syrup on their tongue - then feed them and watch them carefully. I would
certainly see a Vet but do try to stabilize them at once.
When weaning your Kitten be sure NOT to use any Kitten food
that has fish additives in it. This addition is almost always comprised of
ground up fish heads and such and almost always results in Diarrhea for the
kitten. Kitten food that uses only chicken and/or Turkey is your best bet. I
have found that Nutro Kitten dry food is a bit to fatty and will result in the
same thing. Science Diet Kitten food seems to work best.&
VERY important to isolate any new kitten you bring in
until you're positive they have no transmittable germs. URI is an airborne
disease that can be carried through the heating vents. Ringworm is a germ that
gets on absolutely everything and is very difficult to get rid of. Pan Leuk (Parvo
) is transmitted through body fluids only. FELV is transmitted through saliva,
feeding dishes etc. You must be the judge on what you're willing to submit your
own cats to. I keep all my kittens in a &kitten room&. They have
absolutely no contact with my own cats.
After close to 20 years of raising these babies, I have
heard of and tried using Goats Milk
as a substitute for formula. I can only guess it matches Moms formula fairly
closely. I have been using it exclusively on a litter I am raising and they are
doing really wonderfully. It wouldn't hurt to try this to put needed ounces on a
tiny baby.
When you get a kitten that has been with Mom and does not
want to nurse you must be persistent. Put their little heads in a headlock and
hold the bottle in their mouth. It may take them some time but they will nurse.
If you are raising a baby, or plan to, I thank you!!!!!
Author: Jeri Dopp& E-Mail
copyright &
By Jeri Dopp}