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On the last week of August, we were asked by another rescue for help. They had a sudden epidemic of cat flu and were finding it impossible to provide the care needed. Sadly some had already passed away or were put to sleep due to complications of the cat flu; many younger than 10 weeks old.
Monika, a cat we took in in July from the same rescue, was little more than a kitten herself when rescued but already had three of her own kittens to care for.
Mum and kittens were all sick with flu and although treatment was given by the vet sadly all the kittens passed away or needed to be put to sleep - they were only 2 weeks old but the damage they'd already sustained was too great.
Monika herself needed a lot of TLC and vet care, and was on several weeks of isolation and antibiotics in her foster home.
We are pleased to say she was passed by the vet mid-August to be rehomed and last week she went out to a new home where she is loving life.
We took 15 kittens in total in on the 30th of August are all under 12 weeks old - ranging from 5-12 weeks. They all have cat flu but some are bearing up better than others.
Of the 15, 6 have had to have emergency vet care so far - with these 6 being the youngest and suffering the most.
At the present time we are assessing which of the kittens could be suitable to go out to a foster home and which need more round-the-clock care. With cat flu, the biggest concern is passing the infection on to other cats - nearly all of our cats on-site are carriers and have the lasting effects of cat flu - with kidney, dental and gum disease being the main issues for our resident felines.
It's important that we get the infection under control as soon as possible for not only the health of the kittens and their future but also the other cats on-site.
Isolation areas have been set up and all equipment, bedding, and even clothing worn by staff are to be disinfected between visits or be set aside for sole use.
Cat flu is not something we are unfamiliar with but equally it's not something we like to hear mentioned. Cat flu can prove fatal for some, especially the very young, the elderly or the immune compromised.
Right now our priority is providing this group with what they need, both in the way of hands on care but also vet care and food. As many are still so young they are still aren't weaned onto solid foods completely so are still receiving a milk substitute.
Appeal for Help!
For the kittens who are requiring kitten milk as their main diet still, we will go through 372g of Lactol kitten milk on average daily or 600g for Royal Canin's Babycat Milk. Working out at approximately 5-14 tubs a week for the next several weeks until they are weaned completely onto solid foods.
Two examples of the Kitten milk we use are;
Royal Canin Babycat Milk - 300g - average at £11.50 a tub from online retailers - we would use approximately one full tub and a third of a tub a day of this product - costing (at an average of £11) £23 Daily (2 full 300g tubs)
Beaphar Lactol Kitten Milk - 500g - average at £16.35 a tub from online retailers - we would use approximately one full tub and a third of a tub a day of this product - costing (at an average of £11) £12.16 Daily (2 thirds of a 500g tub)
We use Royal Canin Kitten or Royal Canin weaning (dry or wet) usually as first preference for the sicker kittens due to the nutrional quality and our experience of using it. We can make use most brands, including Whiskas, Felix, Purina, etc. For dry food alone we could be looking at a cost of £4.76 daily for all the kittens. With the addition of wet food we could see increases of costs up to £19.04 daily (for wet and dry).
Using approximately 675g dry food daily for all the kittens a 4kg bag of dry food will last us just under 6 days.
So we are appealing to you all if you can spare anything at all to help right now it would be very appreciated.
As already said some have had vet care already but at a minimum they are all going to need vaccinations, worming, flea and microchip (when they are healthy enough to think about rehoming) which will be roughly £50 per kitten.
So we are looking at an outlay of £750 at least for vet bills.
The younger ones especially are quite sick and will need treatment - so this will end up being more.
All help is appreciated - if you can help please donate
Send donations of milk, food and even cat litter directly to the sanctuary -
Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary,
26 Crosskennan Lane,
Antrim,
BT41 2QY
Or donate via our wishlist on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3H0PFLPE4ZO9W/ref=cm_go_nav_hz
You can also help us with the Vet bills - either with direct donations to our vets - the main being Clare Vets in Ballyclare and Cedargrove Vets in Belfast.
Or donations to the sanctuary to help with these bills;
Paypal
People's Fundraising
Just Giving
Direct on Our Website
Read down to learn more about Cat Flu!
What is Cat Flu?
Cat flu can affect your feline friend very similar to how we experience a human flu - with a fever, a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes.
Whilst not always, it can be serious and potentially fatal especially in vulnerable kittens and adult cats with ongoing ailments.
When you suspect your cat/kitten is experiencing the tell-tale signs of cat flu, it's important you get them to the vet and get the necessary treatment as soon as possible. Some other common questions relating to Cat flu have been answered below:
"What are the symptoms?"
Cat flu symptoms don't always appear immediately, it can take up to 2 weeks for the signs to appear. Keep an eye out for:
Runny nose and eyes
Sore throat
Fever
Mouth ulcers
Sneezing
Dribbling
Cat loss of voice
Kittens are a bigger risk due to their age and weak immune systems. If you suspect your kitten has any of the symptoms above, please ensure you contact your vet immediately.
"How can I treat cat flu?"
"Is there a vaccine?"
"Will the vaccine protect my cat completely?"
"What about anti-inflammatories?"
"What about lubricants and eye drops?"
"What about cat flu in kittens?"
"How do I care for my cat when they have the flu?"
"How can I relax my cat when they're ill?"
"Should I touch my cats eyes or nose if they have cat flu?"
"Do I need to change their feeding regime?"
"My cat struggles to breathe, how can I help?"
"What will happen if cat flu goes untreated?"
"What causes cat flu?"
"What causes cat flu: What is Calicivirus"
"What causes cat flu: What is Herpes virus"
"What causes cat flu: What is Bacteria: Bordetella bronchiseptica"
"What causes cat flu: Bacteria: Chlamydophila felis"
"Are there any long-term effects of cat flu?"
"Can my cat carry cat flu without symptoms?"
All help is appreciated - if you can help please donate
Send donations of milk, food and even cat litter directly to the sanctuary -
Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary,
26 Crosskennan Lane,
Antrim,
BT41 2QY
Or donate via our wishlist on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3H0PFLPE4ZO9W/ref=cm_go_nav_hz
You can also help us with the Vet bills - either with direct donations to our vets - the main being Clare Vets in Ballyclare and Cedargrove Vets in Belfast.
Or donations to the sanctuary to help with these bills;
Paypal
People's Fundraising
Just Giving
Direct on Our Website
Help us to help them!
Please, CLICK here to Make a Donation (PAYPAL)!
Or You can send a donation via a bank transfer to
Sort Code: 950202
Account Number: 31184288
Account Name: CROSSKENNAN ANIMAL
If you want to get stuff delivered to us you can get it posted directly to Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary, 26 Crosskennan Lane, Ballynoe, Antrim, BT41 2QY
Or send us an email to crosskennan@hotmail.co.uk to arrange a drop-off of donations!
Did you know you can send grocery deliveries to us too? Just let us know in advance, and you can do a ASDA, Tesco's, Sainsbury's Online delivery and get it dropped off at the sanctuary. We can make use of so much from your local supermarket, from fresh fruit and veg, to frozen peas and sweetcorn, fresh chicken, ham, liver, washing up powder/tablets, dish soap, bleach, disinfectant, toilet rolls, dog food, cat food, birdseed... The list could go on forever!
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