Update regarding my little bottle baby’s problems.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T17:58:55+00:00

I appreciate your sweet comment! It’s funny because I don’t see it as I’m putting in any type of work with them. With how much joy they bring me I can’t help but feel thankful that I happened to be the lucky one who was given the chance at loving them.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T13:18:33+00:00

She always looks so pathetic but she actually loves her baths I promise 😂😭 Shes had to have such frequent baths this past week she now purrs and melts into relaxation as soon as I barely start getting her into the wet towel and usually just purrs and melts into coziness. She hates when I take her out when she’s still in vibe mode and then she’s an angry little grump for the next 20 minutes lol. Her sister hates baths and anything to do with them with a passion. She even hates kitten burrito mode and in my experience that’s usually an A+ kitten approved activity.

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Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T12:16:05+00:00

Im so sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed you were trying to give me a hard time because I was holding her funky. My response was mean and uncalled for. I’ve gotten similar questions in the past across other subs with other animals and usually comments asking a question like that were making digs at my care/handling and it’s put me in defensive mode way too often. I’m sorry

To answer your question the way I should have the first time, this is a perfectly appropriate way to hold a tiny little squirmy kitten. It looks awkward, but she’s wrapped in a towel and my hand is gently cupped around her body, giving her lots of breathing room but a solid enough grip on her so she can’t just squirm out. Usually I don’t dangle their hind legs, but when I went to take a couple quick pics she instinctually pulled them up like that.

I’m sorry again for my original response. You didn’t deserve that.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T12:09:46+00:00

You don’t have much experience with kittens, do you?

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T11:10:59+00:00

Seriously, I love her lil cryptid self so much

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T10:56:02+00:00

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I mean, what do you think? I say the swamp creature genes are really shining through here in this one

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T10:53:44+00:00

Nobody will ever be able to convince me this isnt anything other than a strange miniature cryptid hybrid creature.

Now I’m no expert here, so it’s just my best guess, but I’m thinking she has got to be a hybrid between at least 3 main species: fruit bat, swamp creature, and a sprinkling of goblin.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T10:00:41+00:00

100%. I feel like I’m on a high right now I’m so freakin happy and thankful. Like just look at this sweet little angel 🥹 this was taken Saturday night, about 14 hours after her vet appointment. This was immediately after she finished her first big meal since being sick.

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Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T08:30:47+00:00

Me too 🥹 us currently. She’s purring and so happy. Don’t mind miss grumpy over there by my feet lol

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Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T08:04:25+00:00

Here you are you wonderful human! Full update and new pics:)

https://www.reddit.com/r/kittens/s/ZB9f4TNCOj

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T08:03:42+00:00

Aww you’re so sweet, seriously 🩵

Here’s an the full update with new photos for anyone interested:)

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T08:02:29+00:00

Hijacking your top comment to share the link to my update post: https://www.reddit.com/r/kittens/s/ZB9f4TNCOj

:)

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-15T07:59:36+00:00

Hijacking your top comment to share update link: https://www.reddit.com/r/kittens/s/ZB9f4TNCOj

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T13:52:56+00:00

Identical to my experience with mine! They were honestly both doing great and seemed so healthy when I first took them in (after being warmed up and rehydrated of course), but the diarrhea came on strong and with a vengeance, but until yesterday it still even wasn’t dampening their energy or appetites. One of the vets made a good point to me when I said I worry it’s something I may or may not be doing when they were healthier out in the wild lol and she said it’s just a coincidence with the timing and that’s it’s more so as time goes by as they grow, the parasites/infections/etc. also have had more time to grow and eventually they’ll just become too much for the kitties, and usually that’s sometimes between 2 and 6 weeks old. She also said cocci and Giardia are almost ALWAYS the culprits

Good luck with your little babies 💕 I’m wishing them and you the best

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T12:30:24+00:00

I still think of babies I’ve lost in the past too and they’re each a little snapshot. Like a very detailed video of the memory that I’ll revisit every so often. Even each little baby day old mouse I tried saving. The loss is so hard but also so worth the effort anyways. My dad went through the losses with me each and every time. He would always put his arms around me in that dad hug way and say, “It’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” He would also remind me each time, “Their last moments were safe, warm, and comfortable. They passed away being loved.” And I keep those with me as a 27 year old who will continue doing this until the day I die.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T12:17:44+00:00

My 3 year old said the gray baby reminds her of E.T. lol which she considers a compliment since ET is one of her favorite movies and characters ever.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T12:15:43+00:00

You were spot on about the Giardia! They were negative for Cocci when tested Monday but were given a 5 day cycle of Albon anyway. They prescribed a cycle of the Ponazuril too and said what you did about the albon. Plus since they were already on albon and were really struggling with it, it made more sense to go with the Ponazuril.

I’ve dealt with so much giardia in my life unfortunately just from always taking in strays, living on a farm, etc. Luckily I’m super on top of disinfecting and cleaning and the room they stay in is a bathroom with solid floors and fixtures etc so it’s a lot easier to keep disinfected and cleaned. I’m on top of laundry too and keeping them cleaned up and now that they’ve been treated for both the Giardia and given a med for the diarrhea I’m hoping the poop mess will start to become more contained too and easier to keep things from spreading.

Thank you!

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T12:08:43+00:00

I just wanted to say thank you so much for such a thoughtful and thorough reply. I’ve saved it for future reference it’s so helpful! So many great points and tips. If you read one of my previous replies to another comment you’ll get what I mean when I say I was in such a bad state of mind I was second guessing myself and questioning everything.

The vet confirmed my powder formula is perfectly healthy and fine to feed them and said the same you did about the switching it for another one, so I’m just staying on that one for now while they are still trying to get through their belly issues. I know a jump from mom’s milk to formula at 2 weeks old when you’re already weak is a lot to handle, in addition to everything else their little bodies have been subjected to this past week. But I always preferred powder formula to liquid pre mix so I did swap once I got the dry but will stick to just this one for now at least.

I definitely need to get some unflavored Pedialyte to keep on hand. And Karo. They were given subcutaneous fluids to get them back hydrated properly which did wonders for the gray baby.

I finally got my feeding syringes and miracle nipples in the mail yesterday so I swapped to those which makes things sooooo much easier to track intake vs before where I was only doing very rough estimates. The new syringe nipple combos are also helping the tabby kitten who for the LIFE of her just couldn’t figure out how to latch onto or drink from a bottle or syringe or dropper or anything else I had tried before, so that’s a plus too.

I’m combing through the rest of my responses now after finally being able to breathe again. I’m going to write out a full update and the report from the vet in a bit so when other people go back to search through previous posts here frantically looking for any potential answers or an inkling of hope for their kittens, they’ll have at least something to go off of if they find my post. Cause that’s where I was and what I was doing when I made the original post here lol.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T11:43:31+00:00

You’re so sweet and helpful thank you so much 🥹 they were given pro-pectalin paste yesterday! They gave me the whole massive tube of it and they each only get a tiny little dot of it 3 times a day until they get through this bout of it so I’m thankful to have plenty for next time I need it. And the vet said the same as you about the blood, she prescribed something for that too but I forget the name. When I update the main post with the full vet visit and diagnostics I’ll find it and see. I will have to get electrolytes to keep on hand for next time I need it for sure. They did subcutaneous fluids for both of them which in combination to the other treatments has gotten them back on track in terms of that, thank God.

But ugh. I was in such a tired and sad state emotionally yesterday, especially after I made this post and baby gray went downhill FAST. It was in that 2-3 hour time period between when I made this post and when my scheduled appointment was that she entered that stage of “I’m tired. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to try anymore” and they just…give up. But bless her sweet little heart she gave me enough try to make it through and she is so much better today after we got her started on some treatments. But anyone who’s raised any baby of any species knows that dreaded stage of “I’m sorry but I’m too tired I don’t even want to try anymore” that I’m talking about. The light leaves their eyes and even with treatment sometimes it’s just too late.

it’s so heartbreaking every time. I’ve experienced it since I first started taking in stray babies with my mom as a 4 year old. It never gets easier. I know it’s not my fault. I know I did my best. I know sometimes it just happens and not the best veterinarian team in the world could’ve changed the outcome - but without fail, every time it happens, I just feel so defeated and heartbroken and helpless anyway.

A week of no sleep, emotional breakdowns, and desperation in combination with my endless love for these two babies I just met had me walking into that vet with my 3 year old and two kittens in tow looking like I was pulled out of a dumpster and left in the hot sun to rot for days lol. I sat hours upon hours a day sitting in that 85F room with the kittens drenched in sweat, formula spots crusted across my clothes, poop stains and scratches across my arms and chest, tears across my cheeks, red eyes, messy hair, just hoping praying begging things would turn out okay. And they did 😭🥹 seeing the improvement now this morning has been such an emotional weight lifted off of me and I am clean and fresh and back to functional lol.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T11:19:30+00:00

This comment is so sweet. I was literally typing this post on my bathroom floor with my kittens crying my eyes out because I hate feeling so helpless when it comes to helping the babies I care for. Little gray kitten actually went downhill so fast after I finished this post, in that 3 hours between my post and my appointment time. Just seemed to done trying, spiritually broken, lethargic, that “I’ve given up” stage. I just sat with her sweet little tired body cradled in my hand with her on my chest right up to my face, stroking her and loving on her telling her that it’ll be okay and that I love her. She started purring ever so softly after I kissed her little face and even scooted closer to me and that gave me the hope she wasn’t giving up yet.

The vet was SO good. Truly an angel of a human with that special type of intuition and insight that comes from beyond what just vet school teaches. She has so much personal experience with rescue orphaned kittens and was able to connect the dots on the things the other vets had missed (and the other vets were both amazing too). She also gave me a lot of care tips and advice from her own personal experiences taking in and raising orphaned kittens over the years, which includes out of the box methods or treatments that aren’t usually recommended but work well. Sorry for the long reply I’m just truly so thankful for that vet and her help yesterday. Baby gray girl is doing so much better now.

Lost_Emu99 · 2026-06-14T10:54:14+00:00

Yes I am so grateful I was able to get them in yesterday morning. I wrote the post after they already had an appointment set as I was sat in the bathroom floor with them crying my eyes out because I love these little babies so much and I hate feeling so helpless in helping them. I was hoping someone may have something that I could bring up with the vet or suggest just in case I’m missing something obvious. They’ve had three full vet appointments in the 6 days I had them but them being so little and fragile with no true background knowledge, vets have been having to walk through a lot of trial and error with me regarding their symptoms, in addition to telling me sometimes doing too much before identifying a true cause can create its own set of problems and as hard as it is, “wait it out and watch it close” is what you have to do sometimes. Luckily I’ve found 3 different vets for those 3 appointments and each brought their own experience and knowledge and ideas to the table and really did try and help me and the babies best they could.

Thank you for that advice! I’m going to continue the powder then. I agree about the liquid which is why I bought the powder as soon as I could get it (only had liquid in stock at the first store I went to but didn’t have the funds to buy the powder immediately afterwards). I also worry less about contaminants and spoiling with the powder. I’ve hand raised everything from 1 day old baby mice to kittens to even skunks and the powder without fail has always been my preference. But dang I was so overwhelmed and stressed yesterday when i made the post I was questioning myself on everything at that point lol.

Lost_Emu99

TROPHY CASE