Coping With Animal Health Problems

Don’t bring kittens of unknown origin into your home WITHOUT vaccinating first. I brought home a “dumped” kitten (approx. 16 weeks) from a groomer. It had been 17 years since I had a kitten. In my house of six cats, 4 of them found me. Since I have a healthy population at home, I didn’t think about the kitten’s vulnerabilities, esp. since I didn’t know it’s history. On top of that, I got it from a groomer, who got it from (?), and did I mention I am a petsitter? After making our acquaintence, and falling in love with the little darling, within one week in residence at my home, he had full blown distemper It was then I learned of the 90% mortality rate, the horrible fever, the wasting away, the weakness. I took him to the vet for fluids, and after vomiting yellow film was over (two day period), loose stools, bloody stools, etc. continued to dehydrate. I couldn’t hydrate him enough with a 105 fever. After a five day period, his body temp dropped, he turned ice cold, and he died. It was the most horrible thing I ever experienced. While it may be something those in rescue experience within the kitten populations, I would rather pass on the experience next time. Under lessons learned, it is important to remember the health and safety of the kitten, as well as the community of felines in your house (to which he posed no risk).
So for the sake of all, get the kitty his shots first, then make him your own.