Eye Infection

[MissDolittle]

I often encounter eye infections in kittens when they just come in, but today I got the worst case ever! The eyes were crusted over and after I finally soaked it enough to open them a bit, a load of pus and gunk came shooting out of there..that must have hurt!

I cleaned it all out and put some topical penicillin in the eyes, but I don't know if that kitten can see at all. Here's a picture, AFTER half an hour of cleaning!

You see the black stuff on top of the eyes? That's how the the entire face was, except the nose!!!!

http://amazes.us/pics/infectedeyes.jpg

[salt&pepper´smommy]

oh poor little guy, hope he is better now

[MissDolittle]

Major improvement this morning..we're working on it :).

I didn't even mention that he is just skin and bones too..I don't know how or on what he survived! He certainly didn't have a mother to clean or feed him for at least 3-4 days! But he is huuuuuuuungry and eating good.

[salt&pepper´smommy]

I'm glad he's getting better, I'm sure is because all the love and care you're giving him

[Fluffytial]

We once had two kittens that had bad eye infections like that. I am so glad you are there to help this poor little guy.

[MissDolittle]

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words :).

I just got done ordering the 6th bucket of 5 lbs Esbilac this year :smile39: ....

[WingedCat]

Awww the poor little baby. I'm glad he found his way to you Miss D, he's in good hands now.

[MissDolittle]

Thanks :).

Here's an update in pictures. I named him Rusty for obvious color reasons :smile29: :

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/eyeinfection2.jpg

and he's having quite an appetite lol:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/redkit1.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/redkit2.jpg

[nouri]

Hi MissDolittle, our kittens have eye infection too. One of them fell from the balcony & since then he becomes skinny. The other kitten puts on weight despite of the eye infection. I give the skinny kitten vitamins & hopefully he can survive. For the eyes, I apply eye lotion. Glad to know that Rusty is getting better.

PS. The skinny kitten still has appetite to eat. They're abt 7 wk old.

[MissDolittle]

Do they have also diarrhea, can you tell? It sounds like that they either are infested with internal parasites and need to be de-wormed, or they have some kind of an infection and need to be put on antibiotics. Can you get your hands on that? I would do both, de-worm and put on antibiotics.

For the eyes itself, I get the injectable penicillin for pigs or horses and just put 1 drop in the eye (DO NOT INJECT!), only use topical to put on wounds, scrapes, abscesses and eyes, just like lotion.

If an eye infection lingers longer than 3 days, it's not a good sign..means the kitten doesn't have enough strength to fight it, the immune system isn't very strong and needs help.

[SnyperKat]

Seeing this reminds me of when we first got Neko with her eye infection. I feel so terrible for that little guy... I really hope he'll pull through okay. I'm glad to see that he's eating though. :) The picture with him and the bottle is so cute!

[nouri]

Do they have also diarrhea, can you tell? It sounds like that they either are infested with internal parasites and need to be de-wormed, or they have some kind of an infection and need to be put on antibiotics. Can you get your hands on that? I would do both, de-worm and put on antibiotics.

For the eyes itself, I get the injectable penicillin for pigs or horses and just put 1 drop in the eye (DO NOT INJECT!), only use topical to put on wounds, scrapes, abscesses and eyes, just like lotion.

If an eye infection lingers longer than 3 days, it's not a good sign..means the kitten doesn't have enough strength to fight it, the immune system isn't very strong and needs help.

MissDolittle, thanx for the info. The skinny kitten died this morning. Actually he already recovered from the eye infection. I don't really know why he died. Last nite he was eating his food. His stomach looked round as usual except his size is small compared to the other kitten. Maybe he fell from the balcony the other day. BTW, no sign of diarrhea. The other kitten is doing fine.

Like you mentioned before - we're not God & trying our very best.

I forgot to mention abt Akeer. He's doing great, very naughty & funny kitten.

[MissDolittle]

I'm sorry to hear that hun! :smile20:

I have a kitten losing the battle here too. He was fine yesterday..this morning he refused to eat, had blood in the stool and is crying ever since. I'm pumping him full with electrolytes and antibiotics, hoping he's going to turn around. The others are fine too.

You ever heard of something called the "kitten fading syndrome"?

Here's some info:

The failure to thrive in newborn puppies and kittens, or neonates, is known as fading puppy and kitten syndrome. The syndrome can occur from birth to 9 weeks of age. Affected neonates can decline quickly and die, so immediate detection and treatment are key to survival. Be sure you know what to look for and what to do if you see any warning signs.
Causes
The causes of fading puppy and kitten syndrome are divided into three groups: environmental, genetic, and infectious.
Environmental
• Hypothermia or hypothermia—Puppies and kittens' body temperatures vary with the environment for the first week of life, thus making them easily susceptible to becoming too cold or too hot. They are able to shiver, which helps keep them warm, when they are about 6 days old, and they develop the ability to pant in response to overheating within the first week.
Neonates that are too cold are unable to digest food or nurse. Their heart rates decrease and their circulatory and respiratory systems can collapse. These neonates must be seen by a veterinarian immediately because hypothermia can quickly cause death. Hypothermia is less common but can occur in hot climates or with inappropriate supplemental heat. Overheated neonates often cry relentlessly.
• Maternal factors—Overweight or older dams are more likely to experience neonatal loss.
• Maternal neglect—Maternal neglect can be exhibited by a dam's reluctance to lie with and warm the neonates, refusal to permit nursing, or lack of sufficient milk production. Large-breed or barrel-bodied dogs may also step on or clumsily crush puppies.
• Environmental toxins—Neonatal skin is thin, and chemicals can be more readily absorbed through the skin in a neonate than in an adult. Breathing chemical fumes is also a concern. So evaluate the bedding material and products used to clean the whelping or queening box. Avoid pine oils and phenols as well as direct contact with bleach or quaternary ammonium (e.g. Roccal—Pfizer Animal Health; Parvosol—Neogen) residue.1 Use gentle cleaners with little odor, and remove all residue before contact with the neonates.
Genetic or congenital factors
• Physical defects—Abnormalities of the mouth, anus, skull, and heart that are present at birth are relatively common. Swimmer (flat) puppies and kittens can be identified by flattened and widened chests. Pectus excavatum is a severe deformity resulting from intrusion of the breastbone into the chest cavity. Neonates with physical abnormalities should be evaluated immediately.
• Birth weight—Kittens have a normal birth weight of 100 ± 10 g (3.5 ± 0.35 oz). Kittens with a birth weight of less than 90 g (3.2 oz) have poor survival rates.2 The normal puppy birth weight varies with breed. For example, Pomeranian birth weights are about 120 g (4.2 oz), and Great Danes weigh about 625 g (22 oz).
While pups and kittens may lose a small amount of weight (< 10%) during the first 24 hours of life, after that weight gain should be steady. Pups should gain 5% to 10% of birth weight daily, while kittens should gain 7 to 10 g (0.25 to 0.35 oz) a day. Weigh neonates twice a day, and bring them in for immediate examination if normal daily weight gain does not occur.
Associated with low weight is transient juvenile hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) syndrome, particularly
in toy-breed dogs. Failure to maintain frequent feedings can result in low blood sugar. This can occur for several weeks to months in toy breeds and often arises when the pups are transferred to a new home where feeding schedules are not rigidly followed.
• Neonatal alloimmune hemotytic anemia in cats— Cats have two main blood types, A and B. Some kittens' blood types do not match the queen's blood type. Kittens with type A blood that ingest colostrum while nursing from a queen with type B blood absorb antibodies that destroy their red blood cells, which leads to severe illness or death.
Infectious agents
• Bacterial infection—Because of their immature immune systems, puppies and kittens are at risk for infection through the placenta, umbilicus, or gastrointestinal or respiratory tract from contaminated environments. Clinical signs of bacterial infection vary but include vomiting, diarrhea, constant crying, fever, failure to nurse, and sloughing of the ear and tail tips and toes.
• Viral infection—Many viruses can affect neonates. Canine herpesvirus infection is common in puppies, and signs vary from constant crying to abdominal pain. Canine parvovirus type 1 produces a rapid onset of crying, failure to nurse, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and weakness. In kittens, feline herpesvirus type I and calicivirus are most common.3 Coronavirus infections are also common in ill kittens and can cause diarrhea and feline infectious peritonitis.
• Intestinal parasites—Because roundworms and hookworms are transmitted through the placenta, most pups are born with these parasites.4 Kittens and pups can acquire roundworms through the dam's milk. Hookworms are transmitted to kittens and puppies through the placenta and mammary glands.4 In addition, some protozoan parasites cause diarrhea in the young. While rarely fatal, they can contribute to illness and put a neonate at higher risk of additional infection.
Things to look out for
To catch any struggling neonate early, always observe all the neonates' behavior and be on the lookout for key benchmarks. Normal puppy and kitten neonates sleep and nurse. They spend most of their time in a group and cry only briefly.5 Neonates that lie away from the group, cry constantly, are restless, or fail to nurse should be examined at once. By the age of 5 or 6 weeks, sleeping alone can be normal.6 The amount of activity increases dramatically after the second week of life.
The eyelids separate between 5 and 14 days. Ear canals
open at 6 to 14 days. Other benchmarks include crawling at 7 to 14 days, forelimb support at 10 days, and locomotion at 3 weeks of age.6 Teeth appear at about 6 weeks of age, although this can be delayed in toy breeds. These benchmarks are guidelines only and can vary dramatically among breeds and family lines.
What your veterinarian will do
If you see anything of concern, call your veterinarian immediately and schedule an appointment. Your veterinarian may instruct you to bring in the dam and the entire litter for examination. Be sure to bring records of weight gain since birth and any other data you have collected.
Your veterinarian will want to know about the dam's exposure to other dogs or cats during the last third of pregnancy as well as the travel history of housemates. He or she will also ask about the location, temperature, and exposure of the whelping and queening box to other animals. If you have purebred cats, inform your veterinarian of the blood types of the torn and queen, if known. Your veterinarian will also ask about the dam's ease of delivery, appetite, diet, vaccinations, mothering skills, and medications. Family history of neonatal survival can be useful, as can pedigree analysis.
Timely veterinary attention provides the best chances for saving these neonates' lives. Because the exact causes of fading puppy and kitten syndrome are often not immediately apparent, your veterinarian will initially focus on supportive care and diagnostic evaluation. Initial therapy may include providing supplemental warmth, fluids, glucose, nutrition, and sometimes a blood transfusion and oxygen. Medications such as antibiotics or parasiticides may also be needed. Swimmer neonates often respond to physical therapy, and some of the other congenital defects may be corrected with surgery. Intensive treatment of ill neonates is time-consuming yet extremely rewarding.

[nouri]

Hey MissDolittle, thanx for the info. I'm saving that one for my reference. To say that I've neglected the kittens - hmmmm, well maybe I did. That was during Aidil Fitri Celebration abt a wk plus ago. I went visiting for almost everyday since I've a wk leave. But I never failed to feed them, keep them warm in the cage. There're many things I don't know abt kittens, really.

I'm lucky the other kitten is doing fine. He's recovering from the eye infection. Last nite I applied plenty of eye cream around his swollen eyes. Yesterday he can't really see. This morning he can open his eyes.

[MissDolittle]

That's great news!! Mine is doing great too, totally healed up!

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_kittybutters.jpg

[MissDolittle]

On the other hand, if I look at this picture, he might be blind after all:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustyeyes.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/blindkitten.jpg

but he acts as all the other kittens..no difference..

Here's a very photogenic one, lil Tiny Tim:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_kitt1.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_kitt2.jpg

[nouri]

Thanx MissDolittle for the cute pics. Our little kitten is recovering too. Guess he'll be blind too. I'm not too sure. As long as he's healthy, that's a good news to me.

[MissDolittle]

You must keep him inside if he is truly blind. I am not sure how to figure that one out either...I guess I have to wait until he chases balls and all that, to see if he goes by what he sees. This is a first for me too.

I forgot, I have a movie on youtube where the kitten is on:

http://kittencare.blogspot.com/

starts out with him right away...

[MissDolittle]

I have an update on Rusty. He is definitely not blind, at least he reacts to light, that's something. However, his infection came back! It's the toughest and longest infection I have ever treated unsuccessfully!

I just emailed my Vet this picture, hopefully she can hook me up with some other medications that work better than what I got here. He's otherwise a very healthy and sweet kitten, I'd hate to lose him to an infection.

I already lost 3 of the litter of 6, that's enough! One passed away this morning, lil Cheetah. All 3 died of something different too..strange world that is.

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rusty.jpg

Here are 2 of the 3 survivors from the litter of 6 and 4 healthy eyes to compare it with:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_fourbigeyes.jpg

Lil Calico on her rice buddy lol:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_calicoricebuddy.jpg

He is ALWAYS hungry! :smile29:
http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_orangekitten.jpg

And here is what the cage looks like..it's a blessing this cage! It was a donation..it's twice as wide as you can see and has 3 stories which I can split into 6 small or 3 large compartments.

I have to keep the lil male separated from the others, because they all suckle on him..they always pick on the smallest lol. But I hated to leave him all alone, so I put the one kitten in with him that didn't show interest in suckling:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_kittencage.jpg

[WingedCat]

Poor little Rusty. :(

Miss D have you tried using a simple homemade saline eye wash? We used this a lot when I was a kid and it cleared up some pretty nasty eye conditions in cats, i'm talking eyes glued shut from all the junk.

Here is a simple recipie

1/2 cup boiling water (distilled water is best if you have it on hand, however I have used just plain tap water.)
1/8 teaspoon salt (Sea salt or plain salt would be better, but in a pinch iodized has never bothered my eyes )

Boil the water, add the salt and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool before use. Can be kept for a couple of days if refrigerated.

[MissDolittle]

Thanks! I'll try that! Nothing to lose!

[salt&pepper´smommy]

how's rusty?

[MissDolittle]

Thanks for asking! The infection is muuuuch better, and he appears to be able to see, but looking at his eyes on this picture I just took...I don't know. It's the first time today that he actually has his eyes open, up until last night he kept squeezing them shut because they hurt:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustyopeneyes.jpg

[WingedCat]

I sure hope that cute little guy will heal up soon, bless his heart. Does the saline solutions seem to help soothe his eyes Miss D? I know it soothes mine when theyare acting up because of allergies, pollution, dust etc.

[MissDolittle]

I haven't tried it yet..however, your suggestion reminded me of colloidal silver, so I made a wash of that first. However, his cataracts will probably require surgery and those are outrageously expensive..we're talking thousands of dollars. :smile20:

[WingedCat]

Yikes, that's expensive surgery! I'll cross my fingers that it will clear up on it's own, he is to young for cataracts.

[MissDolittle]

This is what my vet said:

The eyes on this kitten are not cataracts. A cataract is deep within the eye lens causing a cloudiness inside the pupil. This is a cloudiness of the cornea- often viral induced in young kittens from calici/herpes/chlamydia virus'. I am pleased to hear that it is improving- generally these get worse over time especially without treatment. I think this kitten could benefit from topical antibiotic eye ointment and oral antibiotics as well for secondary infection and corneal edema.

[MissDolittle]

Today, improvement continues!!

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustybottle.jpg

[salt&pepper´smommy]

aawww.... good to hear he's improving.

[nouri]

MissDolittle, thanx for sharing those cute pix. For your info, I realize our little kitten is not blind too but I wonder why his eye infection hasn't recovered yet although it wasn't bad like before. His eyes look exactly like your kitten. Early this wk he fell from the balcony while catching up with the mother cat. I'm a bit worried but he looks fine. He eats well & chubby too, very active. jumping up & down like Akeer. BTW, Akeer is a good big brother to his little brother. I haven't named him yet.

As promised, here's the pic of our little kitten with his big brother, Akeer.

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/6f880804e9db29076e128b693ae5fe654g.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/4dc1e19d623ce6505e039cce30f1376c4g.jpg
I hope you guys still remember Akeer. He got sick last time & luckily he survives.

[nouri]

Poor little Rusty. :(

Miss D have you tried using a simple homemade saline eye wash? We used this a lot when I was a kid and it cleared up some pretty nasty eye conditions in cats, i'm talking eyes glued shut from all the junk.

Here is a simple recipie

1/2 cup boiling water (distilled water is best if you have it on hand, however I have used just plain tap water.)
1/8 teaspoon salt (Sea salt or plain salt would be better, but in a pinch iodized has never bothered my eyes )

Boil the water, add the salt and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool before use. Can be kept for a couple of days if refrigerated.

Hey WingedCat,

Thanx for the tip. I'm glad it's working. I'm checking the kitten's eyes every now & then.

And MissDolittle,

I did apply this sea cucumber ointment to the kitten's eyes. He did recover & then I stopped applying the ointment b'coz I was busy with my things.

[MissDolittle]

I see nouri, it sure does look very similar from what my kitten has. If you read what the vet said, without treatment it's not going to get better, only worse. So get him some medication..this stuff is painful as heck!

And do something about your balcony, cats keep falling off that thing every time you post loool.

[MissDolittle]

I wanted to let you know the names of the medications I got for the kitten.

The oral antibiotic is Clavamox (0.3 mg/ml twice a day) and the ointment I need to put into the eyes 3 times a day is called Vetropolycin.

[MissDolittle]

Rusty today..I can start to see blue in the eyes!

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustybetter.jpg

[nouri]

I see nouri, it sure does look very similar from what my kitten has. If you read what the vet said, without treatment it's not going to get better, only worse. So get him some medication..this stuff is painful as heck!

And do something about your balcony, cats keep falling off that thing every time you post loool.

Yeahhh :lol There's nothing much I can do abt the porch. Usually I lock the glass door when I'm home. Otherwise I put the poor kitten in the cage & he'll get mad. My sister bought this eye cream Terramycin. His eye infection is improving. I really hope so. Like you too, I can see his eyes already.

Last nite, it rained heavily until morning. I was really worried abt the kitten b'coz his body is warm. My family members said it's normal but I'm not too sure. Is it normal for kittens/cats to produce such body heat when it's cold? Thanx MissDolittle. Well, as far as I can see, he's doing okay & getting naughtier each day.

PS. MissDolittle, I'm trying my best to heal the kitten's eyes. I pray he'll recover soon.

[MissDolittle]

Oh yes, kittens and cats can generate a heat that scares me sometimes! Their body temps is a bit higher than hours, that's why it feels hot.

99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 C) up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 C) is normal for a cat. Below or above these temps and something is really wrong.

I never understand how it can be a really hot summer and nobody wants to go outside and the cats sleep on the hot hood of the car hahaha.

Good luck with your kitten's eyes, hun! I don't know about the eye creme you got there, but if it helps, keep using it!

[nouri]

Thank God, I'm glad to learn that. Yeaaahhhh, he's playful & happy as usual. I notice the thin white film covering the eyes is "breaking". I hope that's a good news. Thanx MissDolittle.

[Nadine]

That little kitten looks like it had a chemical burn to the eyes or maybe had gotten into insulation (fiberglass). The tissue looks like keloid which should dissolve. A saline solution will balance most chemical exposures and the saline will help heal up the natural keloid formation on soft tissue wounds. Coloidial silver helps with eye infections in my experience.

[MissDolittle]

No, it's a viral infection and very typical unfortunately. But it's under control now, phew :).

[Nadine]

It's great to hear that your kitten is getting better and you know what is causing the eye problem. We've taken in kittens with eye problems before but I don't think we ever had one with really serious eye problems like yours.
Oh and I saw a bunch of your videos on youtube, I was laughing and crying at the same time!

[MissDolittle]

My vet explained to me about the eye infection and gave me medication for it and since it's healing up, she must have been right on.

I only have these 2 buggers left. Rusty and lil Tim who is having some digestive problems, so I will keep both until they are all good:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_kittieshammock.jpg

[MissDolittle]

Now that only Rusty and lil Tim are left, it got a lot more quiet in here!

Timmy is still on the bottle, but only one per day. Rusty doesn't want to have anything to do with it anymore, the bottle that is:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_timsuckle.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustyout.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustyout1.jpg

[salt&pepper´smommy]

woah!!! look how much rusty has grown..... how old is he now? sure looks a lot better, I hope he keeps it up.

[MissDolittle]

He's about six weeks old now..one pretty cat he'll be one day. :)

[WingedCat]

I <3 Rusty. :smile26:

[MissDolittle]

I decided to keep them both one more week, because they are both so ready for a new home, but I want to make sure that there's no relapse. Rusty's eyesight is perfectly alright! He chases everything that moves lol:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustycage.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_timmy1.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_timmy2.jpg

[MissDolittle]

I just got back from the animal shelter. Rusty and lil Tim are still there, but they are having a ball with the other kittens.

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_rustyattheshelter.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_kickerkitties.jpg

Yes, that's Kicker on the bottom left hehe.

And while I'm at it, here are a couple of the puppies at the shelter:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_shelterpuppies.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/normal_puppyshelter.jpg

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/userpics/10001/blacklab1.jpg

The kittens are in the same size cage that I have..there is nothing more I could for them here at home. At the shelter a lot of people come in and out, so hopefully they will be adopted soon.

I often see people get this sad look in their faces when they hear the word animal shelter. They immediately feel sorry for the animals and have all these horrible ideas in their heads.

Besides the necessity of having to euthanize animals due to the lack of space and funding, the animals that actually do spend time at our local shelter couldn't have it any better from the animals' point of view.

The dogs are not locked up in some cages, they run around free in a save enclosed environment, can socialize with each other and have dog houses and lil pools with water and toys to play with.

Cats of course can't be kept outside, but they are sheltered savely in clean cages and get played with a lot.

Everything they need is provided and this place couldn't be any further from "horrible". The 2 ladies who run the shelter here have a heart of gold and my deepest admiration, because they sure work miracles every day. I extent that admiration to our 2 Animal Control Officers as well!

[WingedCat]

What a bunch of cute pics Miss D! :)

[SnyperKat]

Very nice pics, MissD, especially the puppies! I don't have anything against animal shelters, they are much better for pets than pet stores without a doubt. What is sad is that so many pets are abandoned that the shelters have to euthanize in order to save even MORE abandoned animals. Gah!

[nouri]

MissDolittle, thanx for the cute pics. I love the puppies too. How's Rusty doing? My Tiger is doing fine. He's putting on weight & that's good news.

[MissDolittle]

Yeah, but that wouldn't happen if the owners would get their animals fixed and taken care of. If it wasn't for the shelters, streets would be overrun with stray animals that would be diseased, get poisoned, shot, run over or die of whatever nasty cause. Then the thought of humane euthanasia is bit more friendly to look at.

Very nice pics, MissD, especially the puppies! I don't have anything against animal shelters, they are much better for pets than pet stores without a doubt. What is sad is that so many pets are abandoned that the shelters have to euthanize in order to save even MORE abandoned animals. Gah!

[MissDolittle]

Rusty is great as you can see in the pictures. He's totally healed up and a perfectly healthy kitten :smile15: .

MissDolittle, thanx for the cute pics. I love the puppies too. How's Rusty doing? My Tiger is doing fine. He's putting on weight & that's good news.

[salt&pepper´smommy]

I'm glad to know that Rusty is doing fine, those pics are so cute, both the kitties and the puppies.

[nouri]

Oh boy, I'm gonna miss Rusty. Too bad hah, I won't be able to see Rusty growing up here. Hey MissDolittle, pls don't delete his cute pics here. Luckily I have Tiger & he looks like Rusty too. I hope Rusty will get an animal lover like you MissDolittle as his foster parent.

Speaking of shelters - I've no idea at all whether we've one in my town. I wish we've one to protect cats/kittens & dogs/puppies. We do have stray dogs around & I really pity them. One of our young cats was mauled by stray dogs last yr. We couldn't locate his body & he never came home. Guess he died that nite.

[MissDolittle]

You are so sweet, nouri, thanks! Sorry to hear about your cat and the stray dogs. I saw a show on stray dogs in Tijuana, Mexico, yesterday...man it was baaaaaaaaaaad.

[SnyperKat]

Yeah, but that wouldn't happen if the owners would get their animals fixed and taken care of. If it wasn't for the shelters, streets would be overrun with stray animals that would be diseased, get poisoned, shot, run over or die of whatever nasty cause. Then the thought of humane euthanasia is bit more friendly to look at.

Yeah, I forgot to mention that in my post. If people were more responsible with their pets, then there wouldn't be a need to have so many shelters, or euthanasia. But, at least a lot of animals get adopted into loving homes. It's much better than having strays around, I agree.

[MissDolittle]

I don't know, strays are certainly bothersome to people because they are not a cute sight, they get into the trash, and they attack their weak pets.

If you look at it from the stray's point of view, they are free, they get to live the primal natural way they were born to live without a human confusing the hell out of them with odd behaviors and baby voices.

Stray dogs are usually mentally very healthy animals, but they get pushed around, run over, poisoned, shot, tortured, and even hated by animal lovers!

So ya, from the human's point of view, strays suck. But if a stray could talk, I'm not so sure you'll get a lot of complaints.

[SnyperKat]

Hehe, personally, I don't get bothered by strays, but I'm one of few, I think. I'm sure they don't mind their freedom. I usually worry about strays being mistreated by people. :( All it takes is one sadistic person to make an animal's life a living hell, stray or not. We had a case up here a few years back where somebody was cutting off the tips of ears and tails of stray cats, but then he'd drop the cats off at the shelter afterwards. He was caught after two or three cats were brought over, thank goodness. There was a flood of adoption and fostering offers that year!

[MissDolittle]

Bless your heart :). It's people who cause the problem, and it's people who try to help it too. Unfortunately we don't have enough of the latter yet. Emphasis on YET! :)

[Fluffytial]

I agree that strays are not the ones that are doing anything wrong. We have had 24 stray dogs come through our yard in the last 2.5 years. We have kept two, gotten three back to their owners, several have been to scared and we couldn't catch them, and the rest either went to our local humane society or we found homes for them. I can't see a dog running without wanting to try to catch him and keep him safe.
I can also sympathize with people who get a little frustrated with the strays. We have a dog that has been running here for about 6 months. He is afraid of people. He is not nuetered and keeps picking up friends to run with him. He is very much one to challenge the resident dogs if they bark at him. We actually had to stop walking our dogs over the summer because he and his friend/s were going through twice a day or more and we had watched them following another lady walking her dogs. I feel sorry for the dog because he looks a little thin but it is also easy to get frustrated with him because he is alot of trouble. We don't have an animal control and unless he bites someone the police won't do anything about him.
I thinks shelters are a very good thing. I feel so sorry :smile20: for the dogs stuck in those kennels all the time though, I want to take them all home with me.

[MissDolittle]

I absolutely agree, I feel and am the same way. Except the part that I would let a stray dog ruin my walks with my dogs. I have learned not to let a dog intimidate me and I know how to stand my ground.

We have a lot of dogs just dashing out of their yards on our walks, big ones, small ones, nervous ones, protective ones, and dominant ones. My dogs have learned to ignore every dog out there, because I stay calm too. I am actually looking forward to other dogs being out there, because it provides a challenge and exercise for my dogs and myself.

You should watch the Dog Whisperer show where he goes out with the letter carriers of Atlanta and shows them how to act when they get approached by dogs, because unfortunately over 2000 of them get bitten a year.

Your stray sounds like a born pack leader who is always looking for a pack. Have you tried to trap him? With a humane trap I mean?

[nouri]

Well, I've to agree with you guys. Here in my town, our city hall has issued a law that those disposing their pets ie. dogs & cats will be penalized & I doubt it'll work. I don't think so. You can see cats & kittens at restaurants & it's quite an ugly sight.

There were cases in other parts of our country that stray dogs were shot to death & animal lovers aren't happy with such actions. It was even discussed in a few popular blogs & reported in our national papers. There're no other better way but to put them to sleep rather than letting them to suffer.

[MissDolittle]

Laws are good and fine, IF they are being enforced! If there is nobody that sees to it that these laws are followed, what good would they do, right?

But it's good to know that people DO speak out and have blogs about it, that's the first step to help the animals :).

[nouri]

Yes, that's very true. The 1st to do is help/save the animals. I think we do have a few shelters but not in my hometown. I really hope our City Hall will be serious with the law. In fact, the pet owners should put "bracelet" with the owner's name, address & contact no. to their pets. What do you call that? Sorry abt my English. So if somehow the pet is lost, they can search & return it to the owner.

[MissDolittle]

Like an ID tag or collar? We get those with the rabies vaccination, a little tag to put on the collar with the ID and the name of the vet at least, who can look up the name this way. But we also have to register the pets with City Hall, but hardly anybody does it, because nobody checks it.

I have microchips in my dogs in case something happens.

[nouri]

Yes, that's right. Something like a chain around the pet's neck. I'm uncertain whether one of the requirements is to register the pets with the City Hall. It'd great if they really enforce the law. At least something can be done to help/save dogs/cats. But then MissDolittle, it's not easy to educate the society esp. in this part of the world. Many still consider dogs/cats are just animals & they don't need protection or rights like the human race unless they're endangered species.

Microchips are great but I don't think we've them here.

[MissDolittle]

Honey, the majority in this part of the world is just the same. If I hear one more "oh, it's just a dog", I'm gonna scream!! Ignorance is a bliss, I tell ya! But some listen.

I had ordered roughly 30 dog leashes for everybody in my neighborhood with a dog. I'm going to print out some dog whisperer stuff and wrap them up nicely and put them into their mailboxes.

If only ONE person is going to walk their dog as a result of it, I will consider that a major victory and surely worth the effort.

[Fluffytial]

I haven't tried trapping the stray dog. I don't have any way of getting a trap big enough for him and I don't know what I would do with him if I did catch him.
We do have an animal ordinance in our county, just passed last year. But nobody enforces it.
MissD I love the thing you said you were going to do with the leashes. You have to let us know what happens.:smile29:

[MissDolittle]

I keep forgetting that not everybody has the luxury of cooperating animal cops...

Yeah, I'll let you know what came out of the leash idea :)!

[nouri]

Wow...... that's a very good idea. Pls do update us MissDolittle. Thanx.

[nouri]

Speaking of stray dogs - stray dogs in Turkey find homes in Europe. Check here for more details. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=91410

[MissDolittle]

That's great news! At least this way it will work because EU is not that overrun with homeless pets as the US is. And they have organizations that go over to Mexico and bring strays here, instead of taking care of the local strays.

[nouri]

The local authorities shd take charge of the stray dogs in their own country first. I've to agree with that. BTW MissDolittle, Tiger is recovering from his eye infection. I can see his eyes already. I'll snap his pics & paste them here. He's doing really great. Thanx to your website.

[MissDolittle]

That's good news!!! Can't wait for the pictures :)!

[nouri]

Hi MissDolittle, sorry I broke my promise. I don't have the time to upload Tiger's pics. Pretty tight these days. Oh yes, I found out Tiger is a baby girl. All this while I thought Tiger is a he. He he he he...... BTW, how's Rusty? Has he found a new parent? I really miss him.

PS. I'm afraid Akeer is a she too. I don't know how to differentiate esp. young cats.

[nouri]

MissDolittle, as promised.

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/6b51d468da827e531df85241408d6b4e4g.jpg

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/591805c987c8f7e080534252f0f92dcf4g.jpg

[MissDolittle]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWW!!!

Yes, Rusty found a home!!! :))))))))))))

[WingedCat]

Awwww What a cutie!

[salt&pepper´smommy]

Yes, Rusty found a home!!! :))))))))))))


that's such good news!!!!!

[SnyperKat]

Yayayaya!!! I'm so happy for Rusty!! :D And Nouri, those are very cute pictures! ^^

[nouri]

I'm glad Rusty finally found a new home. He must be very happy with his new family. Thanx MissDolittle for the good news.

And my Tiger as usual - she's a happy little kitten. SnyperKat, it's not easy to snap her pics as she loves to move around.

BTW, I just came back from the Sunday Market & played with cute little kittens there. I mean they're meant for sale. Too bad I didn't my digicam along. Otherwise I can share the pics here. They're so cute. If I had money to spare maybe I can have one of them.

[nouri]

MissDolittle, as promised.

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/6b51d468da827e531df85241408d6b4e4g.jpg

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/591805c987c8f7e080534252f0f92dcf4g.jpg

This thread reminds me a lot of Tiger. Finally the cat is gone. But at least I can see Tiger growing up, have the chance to love & take good care of her. Except a mth plus ago, I got sick until now. The weather is extremely hot & humid too but I always place a container with fresh water for the cats. Maybe Tiger couldn't take the heat anymore. I was in bed for almost a wk plus & had no idea she was sick until this morning.

[MissDolittle]

Sorry you had to go through this, again! Get better soon!!

[nouri]

Well MissDolittle, Tiger is not my cat actually. But the most frustrating part - the owner doesn't concern at all. Well, it's okay. After all all cats go to heaven.