CRICKET

Last-minute rescue! Meet Cricket — a very tiny feral tuxedo kitten, about 8 weeks old, suffering from Rhinotracheitis (FVR). His eyes were full of green discharge, and his inner eyelids were halfway closed. The infection had been worsening day by day, and untreated, it could have led to blindness or worse; FVR can even cause death from pneumonia in young kittens.

Jackie first spotted Cricket last Friday while feeding his colony. We noticed that he was awefully quiet for his age and not playful like the other kittens. After a full week of trying to catch him, tonight we finally managed to scoop him up (though we’re still not sure if he’s a he or a she!), get him safely into a carrier, and rush him to the vet hospital. He received a slow-release antibiotic injection that should help clear the infection over the next 15 days.

Cricket is understandably very stressed right now and not easy to handle. He bit and scratched the vet, so it wasn’t possible to do much more for him or determine his gender this time. But with a little patience, we hope he’ll begin to trust us so that we can treat his eyes with drops and give him the full medical care he needs once he’s easier to handle.

For now, he’s isolated, resting comfortably, safe, and already on the mend. Thankfully, he still has a healthy appetite — after just a couple of hours, he was already eating tuna and his kitten kibble!

Please keep our little Cricket in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. We’ll post an update tomorrow!

UPDATE

This tiny baby has already survived more than any kitten should, but his fight isn’t over. To ensure he makes a full, healthy recovery, we urgently need support for his upcoming medical care: follow-up vet visits, medications, eye treatments, and eventually getting him/her fixed as soon as he’s strong enough for surgery.

Cricket’s Morning Update Cricket woke up this morning snuggled into the soft blanket inside the little cardboard box we set up for him as a shelter — and he absolutely loves it!

We set up a webcam to monitor him throughout the night, just to make sure he was okay. We watched him eat both his kibble and wet food, and use the litterbox like a little champ! He didn’t make a fuss at all — he slept peacefully through the night, clearly starting to feel safe and much less stressed.

Cricket still has a long road ahead — eye drops, follow-up vet care, and lots of patience — but he’s safe, warm, and eating well

UPDATE

After ten days on antibiotics, we’re finally seeing real improvement. His eyes are much clearer now, though his left eye is still very watery and produces some discharge, especially in bright daylight.

We’ve been doing everything we can to help our little Cricket heal and feel at ease. We set up a FELIWAY diffuser in his room, dewormed him, and treated him for fleas with a spray safe for very young kittens. And surprise…we can confirmCricket is a boy!

Once those awful fleas were gone, he transformed into a completely different kitten: relaxed, curious, and adorably playful. After giving him a good cleanup, we washed all his bedding and retired the big old box that served as a shelter inside his crate. In its place, we added a smaller cozy box with a soft blanket so he still has a safe place to curl up. He just loves it!

He’s eating well and making great progress toward a full recovery, but the infection isn’t completely gone yet. Next Friday, Cricket has an appointment with our trusted vet, and while we’re there, he’ll also be tested for FeLV/FIV.

CRICKET’s VET VISIT UPDATE – Cricket won’t be needing more antibiotics— his eyes have fully healed, his upper respiratory congestion is gone, and he’s even gained a little weight over the last two weeks! He’s still just a baby with a sensitive immune system, so stress affects him easily and he’s now taking a supplement to help boost his defenses.

During Friday’s vet visit he spiked a fever of 40°C, so he received a Meloxicam shot and we were told to monitor him at home. Thankfully, it turned out to be stress-related; his temperature has stayed perfectly normal ever since.

And the BEST news of all: Cricket tested NEGATIVE for FeLV/FIV! Soon he’ll be joining Catroom 1, where he’ll meet youngsters Cheeky and Frankie and of course the rest of the older gang.

Welcome to the sanctuary, little Cricket! Now that he’s officially become a sanctuary resident, he’ll be needing some sponsors! SPONSOR CRICKET for only $5 a month! https://projectchangeonelife.org/sponsor-a-rescue/