Tonight when I got home from work, I was beat. The heat has been so tiring and with the air conditioner down, work is almost unbearable. I asked Mike to help me bottle feed and handed him Troy as I picked up Triffles. At first all seemed well then I heard a choking noise and looked over. Troy had dropped the nipple of the bottle and was open-mouth gasping but no air was coming out! I grabbed the kitten quickly and dangled him upside down for a few minutes. He started to cry- which was a very good sign, but when I brouht him right side up, his mouth opened and closed like a fish on a line- so upside down he went again.

The bottom line is that Troy has gotten milk in his trachea and lungs. For a week old kitten, this can be quite dangerous and a large percentage of just weeks old kittens die from aspirating formula.

The liquid acts like a foreign object and the body launches an attack against the invader. But, because it is actually a foreign object (and not a virus) antibiotics won’t stop the impending brochitis or pneumonia and the kitten gets progressively weaker and dies.

Mike feels horrible. I should have never asked him to help me-especially after last night, but there are four kittens to feed and only one of me. Now, what happens to Troy will be up to God and just how strongly this little orange boy wants to live. I feel so helpless and angry at this turn of events. Trying so hard to keep these kittens alive and find them loving homes and now I may just lose one. The only saving grace is that if the liquid I removed from his mouth and nose (with a q-tip) is the only liquid that got all bottled up and his trachea and lungs are clear- only time will tell.