When you are a feline fosterer, you literally never know what you are going to “get” from those in your care. Most rescued cats and kittens from the streets can come with a whole host of medical issues. The ones not clearly present with a simply visual once-over, seem to pop up when you least expect it. But there are also common issues that you tend to see in most street rescues. Fleas are a given. But another VERY common infection a lot of homeless cats suffer from is a URI – Upper Respiratory Infection. That runny nose, itchy and watery eyes isn’t reserved for humans. And these little fluffy nuggets were ALL sneezing up a germ storm! Fortunately, their experienced fosterer wasn’t scared off from a few boogies. But love IS the best medicine, right?
Patience and a vet visit is (also) the best medicine.
When Kim Russell of my.jerk.cats and Spicy Kitten Rescue in Canada picked up a bundle of sickly kittens, she was ready for the challenge. On October 18th, 2024 she introduced her latest foster kittens to her supporters.
Meet the latest! There are 8 kittens (6 males 2 females) and everyone sneezed the rest of the way home. As per usual, name suggestions in the comments are welcome! No spice on these 8 but plenty of snot. Upper Respiratory Infections are no fun! Two are refusing to eat and the others are such messy eaters that it is constant spot cleaning. Thank goodness there is decent 💩!
One of the most amusing steps in fostering animals is naming them. And Kim and followers had the perfect theme for these sniffly sweethearts.
Meet the Cold & Flu Litter (very sick kittens with URI) ~ Ricola, Buckleys, NeoCitran, DayQuil, NyQuil, Robitussin, Vicks and Tylenol.
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Thankfully the kittens tiny bodies soon began to heal.
Despite the crusty boogers and watery eyes, the Cold & Flu litter soon began to feel better when finally given medicine. Left on the streets unaddressed, URI’s in young kittens can be very dangerous. And in this case, Calicivirus was determined to be the cause of the URI’s.
A URI (Upper Respiratory Infection) in kittens can be quite serious, especially for young kittens with immature immune systems, as it can lead to complications like dehydration, malnutrition, and even death if left untreated, particularly if they stop eating due to congestion and can’t smell their food; therefore, prompt veterinary attention is crucial if you suspect a kitten has a URI.
Calicivirus causes the typical typical clinical signs of an upper respiratory infection involving the nose and throat such as sneezing, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membranes lining the eyelids), and discharge from the nose or eyes.
In this kitten crew, poor little Buckley was suffering the most. His little nose was so stuffed, he couldn’t smell his food! So Kim had to syringe feed him his gruel; food mixed with kitten formula usually to form a paste. But he was so hungry, the buff colored tiny boy was extremely willing to slurp up the delicious food. 
NeoCitran also needed a bit of prompting to dive into his food. But when he finally did, boy did he EVER!!
Once the medicine cleared up their URI’s, these fluffy kittens let their antics take over!
Once the kittens began to feel better, their massive personalities came through their tiny bodies.
“Buckleys was so happy to join his family in the kitten room yesterday. He did this little dance for a while until he was feeling brave and soon was acting like he owned the place. He is fully recovered from being the sickest kitten and is now the biggest one of the litter!”
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I may be absolutely biased because fluffy black kittens are my kryptonite, but Vicks is just begging for grumpy face kisses!
“She’s rage baking.”
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The best outcome for these sickly kittens? Adoption!
As soon as the litter began to feel better and they reached the desired weight, they were all fixed and ready for adoption. Of course, getting quality photos of kittens is like trying to wrangle….well kittens. It’s NOT easy!
“Kitten wrangling for a group photo 📸”
Some AMAZING news for the two stunning void gals, Vicks and NyQuil – who were adopted TOGETHER! Because if you can’t tell them apart, you should just take both!
Vicks says “no boys allowed!” 😼 Vicks & NyQuil are adopted together! #fosterkittens #spayandneuteryourdamnpets
Be sure to stop by the adoption center if you are interested in these sweethearts, or any of the many deserving felines.
These kittens are ready for their furever home and up for adoption through @spicykittenrescue! These 12 week old sweeties don’t have a spicy bone in their body and are pure purrs and cuddles instead 😻❣️
Tylenol (grey tabby), DayQuil (black) and Buckley’s (orange tabby) are being fostered in the shop’s kitten window and are being fed by @primalpetfoods! These boys love their raw. Stop by the store to visit with these cuties #downtowncobourg!All photos/Screenshots from IG @my.jerk.cats and @spicykittenrescue
