Feral Kitten & Cat Sicknesses

Question
Thank you and thank god I found you. Since I moved here to Waterford CA (near Modesto CA) I have never seen so many hungry, sick feral cats. I am feeding and trying to care for about 15 outside right now but there is a momma cat with 4 babies that I have tried to make confortabe in my back near garage. The babies are about 8 weeks but 2 of them have the eye weeping and respitory problems I can hear. I don't have the money to take them all to the vet and the Humane Society here will probably put to sleep. Is there anything I can do to help this little kitten. The Mother seems tame and she also has a weeping eye. Is there anything to do about this? I am on Unemployment myself and have tried to make sure they always have food, water and a warm place to sleep but don't know what to do about health issues and even at Aleey Cat Rescue, they want $20 per cat plus $20 for cage after you trap them. Help? And God Bless you and anyone helping these innocent creatures.

Answer
Hi Kathy,

Thank you for stepping in to help these kitties!  

Unfortunately, there isn't any way to get these babies the proper care they need without a vet.  Sometimes if you just take one and tell them there is another that needs treatment, they'll supply you with enough medication for both, especially if you mention that they're ferals you're feeding.  I can tell you a couple of things you can do that won't hurt in the meantime.  They'll help in areas that the vet wouldn't treat, anyway.

One is to start supplementing the sick kitties' food with lysine in case they're suffering from the feline herpes virus.  This is the most common reason for respiratory problems in cats, although its victims usually go on to develop bacterial infections, and that's why a vet should prescribe antibiotics.  Back to the lysine - this amino acid prevents the replication of the herpes virus.  I recommend to use a product made just for cats, such as Viralys or Enisyl-F products (search for them online or visit www.entirelypets.com).  But you can also use tablets for people, available at any pharmacy.  The kittens can probably get away with 250mg a day, mom should get 500-1000mg, divided into two doses.  The tablets, typically 1000mg, are much too big to give by mouth, even divided into quarters, and need to be crushed up and mixed into canned food.

As for the eyes, you should use a product called Terramycin eye ointment.  This will treat a broad range of bacterial infections and also will help protect and heal any corneal ulcers that are commonly caused by the feline herpes virus.  You will want to gently pull down the bottom eyelid of the kitties to create a little pouch.  Then place a 1/4" strip of the ointment in the pouch 3 times a day for 10 days in most cases.  This is currently on manufacturer backorder, so it's not available through most retailers but you can find it on eBay in a pinch.  

I definitely would advise a vet visit if you find any way possible, but those are the things you can do from home.

Best of luck!

Jessica