Itty-Bitty was the most outgoing of the auto shop kittens but also the runt. It’s important to share his story so everyone knows how much he was loved, but please be warned that it’s not a happy ending.
Coming to us with his littermates, Itty-Bitty was a hit from the get-go. Extraordinarily people-focused, he constantly wanted to be held and cuddled. Like his siblings though, he was very malnourished when we got him. His spine and hips were visible even through the thick fuzz. But he took to eating well! Formula, wet kitten food, chicken gravy, dry food, squeeze-ups: they were all his friends.
A couple of weeks after we got him, we were excited when our neighbors told us they wanted to adopt a kitten from us and Itty-Bitty was going to be the one! They took him to their house for a few hours to see how he did with their cat and the introductions went well. We thought it was best for him to stay with us for a little longer since he was so tiny and still relying on formula somewhat, so we agreed he’d move in with them in a few weeks once he was old enough to leave the crate.
Not to long after his first play date Itty-Bitty started to limp, refusing to put any weight on one of his front legs. He didn’t act like it was in pain but we were worried and took him for an emergency vet visit. They did x-rays and all looked okay so the best guess was he had sprained it somehow and rest was what he needed. There was a slight chance there was some nerve damage which could mean amputation but they were optimistic.
He continued to do well for a few days but then after giving him a bath we noticed significant swelling in his shoulder and took him straight to the emergency vet. They found an abscess and drained it. They suspected a small puncture may have gotten infected but weren’t terribly worried. They sent him home with antibiotics and pain killers with instructions for more rest.
He was so small they don’t make e-collars and they had to make one out of a coffee cup. Being a go-with-the-flow kitten, he was fine with it as long as he still got his cuddles and treats.
Because of the drain our neighbors and we agreed the best thing would be for them to look after him while he recovered. His siblings are wonderful but couldn’t be trusted to leave the wound alone. They took wonderful care of him, with his new mom wearing him around the house in a sling most of the time and constantly administering his pain killers and chicken gravy, whichever the situation demanded.
A few days later we woke to a phone call from our neighbors at the emergency vet. Itty-Bitty had started to develop labored breathing and they knew something was wrong. The vet told us he had become septic and given how young and frail he was, there was virtually no chance of survival. Together we made the unbearable decision to let him stop having to fight and rest.
Itty-Bitty was only with us for a short time and with his forever family for an even shorter one. He was so incredibly loved by all, that compassion was the sole human interaction he experienced. Far too short, his life was likely far longer and richer than it would have been in the wild and even with the pain we can say we did right by him.
We’ll miss you Itty-Bitty. We love you very much.
