Need input - emaciated kitten

I started volunteering at the local animal shelter last week. Well two days ago there was a litter of kittens dumped in a cardboard box without a mother. One was having a harder time than the others and was obviously the runt. Within one day he was refusing to eat, drink, and was extremely lethargic, frail and cold, his eyes were stuck together with gunk, and he was not spunky like his littermates at all. I put him in a carrier and carried him to the office and asked if I could foster him until he is better. They refused to allow me to foster him because they do not have a foster program, (not to mention…) even though I am a volunteer who busts my ass for them and has proven herself. Finally, after stating countless facts and being accused of arguing multiple times, she agreed to allow me to adopt the kitten…

A huge vet bill later…he got a shot of antibiotics, some fluids, eye drops, wet food, and I went to the store and bought some formula. It was touch and go for a few hours, but after a night of snuggling he is doing awesome. He now follows me everywhere, meows when I leave the room, and is a spunky little guy gaining his strength back.

I am worried because he still hasn’t pooped. Is there anything I can put in his food to stimulate him to go?

How old do you think he is judging by the pictures?

I can’t decide if I should continue volunteering or not…I know the animals need me (for example they weren’t rinsing bleach off the cat dishes and I caused them to change that) but I also know if an animal is going to die for no reason other than people being irresponsible, I WILL bring it home…so a kill shelter is probably not the best place for me to volunteer…

Not even 20 minutes after taking him.



Getting his first rest out of the animal shelter.





That night, after making some progress:

This picture shows how skinny he is.


He fits in my hand.




First night all snuggled in.


This morning:

Two more pictures from just a minute ago.

Omg he is so cute. Thank you for doing what you do and making sure this little guy got the medical attention he needed!

He looks to be maybe like 4 weeks? Maybe 5? He might still be at the age where if you took a warm wash clothe and wiped him, it might stimulate him to go.

I think you should keep volunteering, as long as YOU are enjoying it. It sounds like you are doing good work there, though.

Yes, I'd physically try to stimulate him to go. If that doesn't work, you could try adding some laxatone to his food to see if that helps get things moving. If he hasn't had a bowel movement within another day, I'd take him back to the vet. Kitties that can't poop aren't good.

Really hope he continues to improve!

Omg. That breaks my heart

Lots of nutrical and stimulate to poop for now.

Poor thing!

Thank you for your replies.

I have been physically stimulating and he pees but does not poop. I will get Nutri-Cal tomorrow. Where can I get Laxatone?

Poor thing Keep us posted.

I got the Laxatone and mixed it with his formula/wet food today. Hoping he will poop today.

One of my cats was bottle-raised. The formulas can be constipating for many kittens, try mixing it with more water than they recommend (like, 2x as much).

You can also carefully try the old Q-Tip in the butt trick if stimulating externally isn't working. My guy, I had to actually give him wee enemas for several days to get him to poop (just 2 cc or so of plain warm water) but don't do that unless you get someone to show you how (eg vet).

Have you tried offering him a litter box? I had a bottle baby around that age who wouldn't poop and when I offered him a litter box he used it without a problem. You can also try moving him on to wet kitten food. You can mix some of the kitten formula with wet food to help his tummy adjust. That might help him poop too.

This is another case that highlights the need to change kill shelters from the animal disposal facilities they were originally designed to be into facilities that actually care about sheltering and finding homes for animals that need that service.

Oh, if your formula is already liquid, dilute it about half and half with water or skim milk.

Thank you guys soo much for your advice!! She has now pooped many times today and is acting like a normal, crazy kitten.

Great ideas about the extra water in the formula.

You were lucky! LOL. She has no interest what so ever in the litter box and poops all over my floor and pees all over her bed. I tried putting her poops in her litter box and it isn't helping. I am currently mixing the wet food with formula and feeding it from a syringe so he doesn't bury his face in it and fill his nostrils with it. I will try to put it in a bowl for him and tomorrow and see how he does with it since he is doing so well.

I completely agree. This place is much more like an animal disposal facility than an animal shelter that has the intention to give each animal a fair chance at life.

Sorry I say s/he - I am not sure of the sex so I just throw the words s/he around.