rescue kittens with dull sparse fuzzy fur

[pjrose]

Our two latest fosters are a pair of six-week-old kittens rescued from the middle of a road in Maryland. The boys are being treated for ear mites, eye infections, and worms. Despite all that, they are gentle purr-boys, having a ball playing in the house, and totally cooperative for their meds

They also have dull extremely short fur, more like fuzz - sparse and not very soft. There are occasional longer hairs here and there, so it's possible they may turn out to be medium- or long-haired kitties. Or, maybe they just have some kind of "hairless" cat in their lineage.

We're hoping that with good quality food (our foster organization generally uses ProPlan dry) they'll grow nicer coats. Anyone out there have experience with giving kittens supplements like fish oil or ??? to help with this?

 

[scrapngen]

I know we always gave our cats Yeast Pills. Their fur was amazingly soft and thick. Neighbor cats' fur wasn't as nice, but when they started using the pills it also got softer. The cats really liked the pills as a treat as well, so no problem getting them to eat it. I think we used to get them at Trader Joe's.

 

[NWL]

Well they are only 6 weeks old, so it may be a bit soon to worry about their fur.

13 years ago I went to our local shelter and fell on love with the scrawniest, ugliest kitty that was 1 day away from being put down. 6 months later she was a big grey furball. She still is!

Be patient.

Cheers!

 

[Rose Pink]

PJ, it could be poor nutrition. All those infections and parasites really put a drain on the body and these bodies are only 6 weeks old and already need extra nutrition to meet rapid growth requirements. I think in a week or two of good nutrition, you'll see quite a difference. The kitten chow provided by your shelter should meet their needs. If not, you can supplement but I'd check with the vet first. Too much of some nutrients can be toxic.

 

[pkyorkbeach]

How nice of you to foster these little babies....

 

[heathpack]

I would give them time to get over their distressed situation, feed the proplan and not worry about it unless they are itchy or the skin has sores/looks unhealthy. I expect you will see a big difference in a month, if not then maybe something is wrong. However, "hairless" cats often have a very thin coat, kind of like velvet. It would be possible they are naturally hairless cats.

H

 

[pjrose]

Thank you for the responses. I'll take Heathpack's advice and see if it improves over time now that they're being properly fed and cared for. There are no sores or other skin issues, just the dull sparse short fur. It is kind of like cheap velvet - not nice velvet.

NWL, your rescued kitty experience is just wonderful!

 

[NWL]

Thank you for the responses. I'll take Heathpack's advice and see if it improves over time now that they're being properly fed and cared for. There are no sores skin issues, just the dull sparse short fur. It is kind of like cheap velvet - not nice velvet.

NWL, your rescued kitty experience is just wonderful!

Thanks pjrose! Her name is Ethel and she is the boss of her 2 canine sisters.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your two feline friends!

Cheers!

 

[pjrose]

Their fur is getting softer!

We've had the boys for about two weeks now and the fur is getting softer. The little buff boy Charlie now has fairly thick fluffy fur, maybe medium-length. It's not soft-soft, but much better. The little grey boy Buster, who has extremely short fur, is getting more velvety. I'm not sure if it's growing longer, but it seems thicker and definitely softer, and feels great for us to stroke. What a difference nearly two weeks of good food and lots of loving makes!

On another note, Charlie's eye infection didn't clear up with the gentamicin drops. The veterinarian thinks there may be something structurally wrong. The upper lid is curled down inward, and the hair may be irritating the eye. He couldn't tell if the problem is the lid or if the eyeball may not be fully developed and may be too small to push the lids out. Surgery would likely be needed for either of those, and he's such a tiny little kid - just 2.5 lbs! They'll check next week when Charlie is sedated for neutering, and meanwhile we're using an opthalmic triple antibiotic ointment and moisturizing drops in between treatments with the ointment.

Our recent foster puppy was almost totally blind and it didn't bother her in the least. Let's hope that even if Charlie's issue is serious, he'll stay his purry cuddly playful self.