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Underdeveloped orphan kitten

18 15:54:44

Question
I am raising a kitten that was found in the trash. Her eyes opened the day after I found her.  She has a very strong will, can walk some, can defecate and urinate on her own (on herself of course) and likes to roll over to have her tummy rubbed.  I have had her almost 2 weeks now and she still only weighs 4 oz. She drinks from a bottle but just a little. For the last couple of days I have also been force feeding with a syringe.  Her stools are fine and regular.  She is so skinny though she looks like a baby bat.  No fat!  Her ears are still closed also. She has recently been shaking her head occasionally.  She also cries A LOT!  She sleeps well. If it  makes a difference, she is a calico.What can I do for this poor little baby to grow and be healthly? Any advice is greatly appreciated and life saving!
Thanks a bunch!
Deb and Little Bit

Answer
Hi Deb!  Congrats on that little baby girl!  She's sure lucky to have found you!
A vet visit may be necessary, as because of her emaciated appearance, intestinal parasites may be the culprit.  A simple fecal test and dewormer by your veterinarian will take care of this problem.
Definitely continue feeding her with a syringe.  Often times, they will not be able to get enough from a bottle.  KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) is the absolute best form of kitten milk to use and can be found at any veterinarian's office or pet store.
At this stage in her life, I would associate the shaking of her head with the itchiness of her ears opening.  She may be crying because she is hungry and you may want to increase her feedings.  She should be getting the milk replacer (never cow's milk) from the syringe every 4 hours until she's full.  
I hope this helps and please keep me posted as to how she is doing!
Hilary