# Optrex



## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Hi
Is it safe to use Optrex in kittens eyes? Or is cold tea better?
Thanks


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Nicnac, I've never heard of "Optrex"...what is going on with the kittens eyes?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Optrex is a lubricating drop. I wouldn't use that without checking with a vet. You can use plain contact lens preservative free saline solution though. 

But tell us more about what is going on...if the cornea is scratched or damaged you don't want to go putting things in the eye.


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Hi. There is no discharge or gunk, but after waking his one is takes a while to open. Sometimes it looks like 'sleep' in the corner - I guess just like ours can. But the 'sleep' is not green or yucky at all


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Oh I forgot, optrex is a human eye wash that is safe to use for children - and adults. My logic was if it's safe for children it might be safe for a kitten?? 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Nicnac, 
If its only a saline eye wash, no other ingredients, then yes, its safe to use!
Some human eye drops contain other ingredients, like the kind that get rid of the redness in people's eyes...
These aren't safe for kitties.
A warm wet washcloth wrung out, can be used to gently clean around the eye as well.
How is your little one doing?
Sharon


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Hi Sharon
He's doing really well (touch wood). He's now drinking 55-60mls a day, starting to walk better, starting to clean himself and getting his first few teeth. He definitely now looks like a super cute kitten rather than like a mustache with legs - which is what he looked like when I found him. I can't wait for him to be old enough to use a litter tray though 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Great Job Nicnac! 
Once they start growing, they grow like weeds! 
I love your description of a "Mustache with legs"!! 
Maybe you can include a picture of him from your phone?!
Hang in there, he'll be able to use a low sided litter box before you know it!


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

*Bad eye*

Hi. Gizmo still has a bad eye. (2 days or so now). It is not red or gunky but when he wakes it is often sealed closed but slowly opens again on its own. I've tried drops or wipes of cold tea, warm water, saline drops but nothing seems to be working. I don't know how long it should take to clear up or if I should be worried. I cannot contact a vet for another 16 hours. Any advice would be great!! Thank you


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

Why can't you contact a vet?


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

It is 6pm here and vets are only open 10-5. (I am in Uganda in East Africa)


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

Ok, fair enough.
But why couldn't you contact one earlier? Didn't you say this has been going on for 2 days now?


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

I was doing what was recommended on here to me. It is not green or gunky and does not look like an infection. Do you have any suggestions of how I can help an abandoned kitten I rescued 2 weeks ago, rather than trying to make me feel guilty?


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

I can't make you feel anything. I just don't understand the sudden sound of urgency now by telling us you can't contact a vet for 16 hours?

People here try and help the best they can for not being able to actually see the cat or the problem. They say what they think it might be and carefully try and suggest something that might help the cat in the short term. It is up to you to contact a vet and get some face to face medical help for him/her.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

If the measures you've taken already haven't resolved the problem, it is time to consult a vet. The vet will probably stain his eye to look for any injuries to the surface of the eye. Then an antibiotic ointment will probably be prescribed.

Laurie


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thank-you Laurie. I will take him to the vet tomorrow. I was just wondering if there is anything else I can try over night. It seems to worry me more than him as he's not touching it at all.


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Cat face, I have not said it is urgent. The kitten is fine in every other way and it does not seem to be upsetting him at all. I am trying to find out if there is anything else I can try overnight before I can get to a vet. I have lived and worked in this country only a few months and have recently found out not all vets are registered or fully qualified - hence me asking for advice here first. If this is a forum, for help and advice, you are currently offering neither so please leave this thread so I can just read the considerate, helpful and useful comments. Thank you


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I keep non-steroidal eye antibiotic on hand for just such situations, but since I'm assuming you don't have any eye antibiotic, I think you're already doing everything I might think to try before going to the vet. When you said you'd used warm water, are you talking about wiping the exterior of the eye with warm water, or using a warm, damp compress on the eye? A warm compress might help break up the exudate that is sticking the eye shut overnight.

On the good chance that this little problem is caused by a herpes flareup, try to get your hands on some L-lysine (available in the U.S. anywhere human vitamins are sold - I have no idea where or if you can find it in Uganda). If you can buy L-lysine, mix 250 mg into some canned food once daily for him. It's just an amino acid, so it's perfectly safe to give him daily even if he doesn't have herpesvirus. L-lysine inhibits replication of the herpesvirus, making it easier for his own immune system to put a flareup into remission. It won't do anything for him overnight, but it may help over a few days or weeks time.

Laurie


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks Laurief. I don't know where I can find those either, but I will do all I can to find out. I teach Special Needs Children in a school which has a school nurse so I can ask her where to look  (The local staff all think I am crazy for trying to save a kitten. We think Gizmo is about 3 weeks old. We found him at at 4 days old. He has grown so much it is amazing. I just want to give him the very best chance I can. 

I have tried slowly and gently wiping his eye and Lightly holding the cotton wool or cloth in the eye for a little while. It doesn't really have any discharge, it's not swollen or red. It looks more matted as a minute or 2 after waking, Gizmo can open the eye. 

Sadly alot of vets here cannot be trusted - i've now found out. But I will keep trying! Going to them armed with ideas I think is a good idea, so I will take your suggestions for sure!

Thank-you for your time and help


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Any chance you can find some colloidal silver drops where you live? It is an anti bacterial. I have used it on myself for eye and sinus infections. I hope Gizmo gets better soon. Thank you for helping him.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Nicnac! If you've got the plain eye drops (saline only, no additives) keep on using that till you can see the vet.
A warm compress held on the outside of Gizmo's eye, when he first wakes up, will take care of the initial gunkies!!

LaurieF. Always seems to have very good, sane advice...so anything she recommends, is good to listen too!

You're very brave and must care a lot to be teaching "Special Kids" in Uganda! 

Please keep us posted!
You've done an amazing job getting Gizmo to this point!
Sharon


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

nicnac said:


> Thanks Laurief. I don't know where I can find those either, but I will do all I can to find out.


If there's some place you would go to buy vitamins for yourself, that'd be a good place to look for L-lysine. If you can only find 500mg tablets, you can still use them for the kitten. Just cut them in half, crush one half with a hammer and mix it into a little canned food. If the kit isn't eating canned food yet, mix the L-lysine into his formula.

Laurie


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thank you so much to all of you that have given me great advice. I will follow the ideas for tonight, take him to a vet in the morning and then look for the other suggestions - they are already saved on my phone ready for the search. 

Thanks again. It really is a great help!!!! I'll let you know what the vet says.


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)




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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Nicnac, 
Is this the precious little Gizmo?? 
So so Cute and still so tiny!
Yep! Looks like what you've been doing is working!! 
Sharon


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## Heather72754 (Nov 1, 2013)

OMG he is so adorable!! :luv


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Hi Sharon
Yes this is indeed my gorgeous Gizmo. He know weighs just over 200g and has nearly doubles his weight since I found him. His eating, walking, toileting are all improving  he is certainly a feisty guy come toileting time. He's even started trying to clean himself a little and his first teeth are starting to cut. 

I did wonder if his eye crustiness is linked to his teeth in the way human babies can get fevers and colds when they teeth. I'll see the vet tomorrow either way. If nothing else the peace of mind will be good.

Thanks again for all your ideas and support 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Nicnac, Whats so amazing to me, is how the time has flown by! It only seems like yesterday, when you first posted about what kind of a homemade formula might work!

You said you're there teaching Special Needs children and only been in Country for a few months...
Where do you originally come from?
I would imagine theres quite a culture shock...
Take care of yourself and Gizmo!
Sharon


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

I am British. My son and I came to uganda at the start of this school year (July). Before here, i taught in the Philippines for 2 years, before that we were in Thailand for 8 years and before that I was in the UK. 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

WOW!! That's one way to see the world!  How old is your son? 
Do you speak more than one language now?


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

What a sweet little baby!

He looks like he's doing really well. It's been my experience that some kittens get goopy eyes, as long as it doesn't worsen (redness, swelling, ect) it usually clear up on it's own...but going to the vet isn't a bad idea either.

A quick tip for someone who's had a teething kitten: don't let him knaw your fingers to soothe him! That quickly becomes a truly bad habit. Instead, take one of the nipples (no hole!) from the bottle kit and let him gnaw and suck on that as a kitten soother.

Here's a pic of my bottle baby Doran and his soother


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks for this idea library chick!! I can't get bottle teats small enough here - I my human size which is still too big. But I can get a human pacifier. I guess it's the same thing. I will look for the smallest i can find! This is perfect timing as his teeth have just started to break the skin. Thank you


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

No problem 

As an addition to not letting him teeth on you try not to play with him roughly with your hands. He's at the perfect age for my two favorite kitten games; tummy tickles and the bitey feets game.

Tickling his tummy is pretty self explanatory 

The bitey feets game is something I did with both my boys as kittens and they still love it at nearly 6 years old. I'd hold the kitten on its back then make chomping noises and pretend I was going to eat their feet...like you might do to a baby. 

I also love to play peekaboo with kittens.

Im jealous! 3-5 weeks is my favorite kitten age bracket. Cuddly, playful, adorable...too little for getting into lots of trouble, lol.


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thank you for all the advice!! We took gizmo to the vet today. We were told it's a minor allergic reaction. Nothing to be worried about. It is common and normally clears up on its own and it's often something they grow out of apparently?? We were given an antibiotic steroid eye drop to use twice a day. We'll see how it goes  the vet was happy about his progress so far!! I feel so much better now he was checked! Thanks again 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Glad Gizmo's OK! Good to have the eye drops!


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

After 1 dose his eyes were fine. I'll give them to him for 2-3 days as instructed but it looks good ;-) yeah!!!


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

That is some really good news. I'm glad your kitten is doing so much better


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

The eye is now fantastic  my new task is to now find kitten food in this country as he his eating so
Much formula and now trying to chew and push in and out his dropper of milk during feeding. 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

YAY! Gizmo! So glad his ey has cleared up! Lol! Sounds like a healthy baby with that appetite!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

How's Gizmo doing??
Have you been able to find any kitten/cat food yet??


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Gizmo is doing well. I managed to find some pouches if wet kitten food but he's not interested at all. He'd much rather nibble and play with the dropper when I feed him milk lol. 


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

If you're up for it, consider feeding him a raw meat diet. There are a number of raw diets that different folks use for their cats, both home prepared and commercial. I feed my cats home-prepared Raw Prey Model. Young kittens are hard-wired to eat raw meat. Unlike adult cats, who can be challenging to transition to a natural, raw diet after having spent years eating species-inappropriate commercial foods, kittens take to raw meat like fish to water.

I bet if you put a piece of raw meat in front of Gizmo, you'd see his inner tiger come out!

Laurie


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

That's an interesting idea. I had a friend that used to feed her kittens a mixture of cut up chicken gizzard and chicken liver. It was cheap and always available in stores unlike cat food. What would recommend using?


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Not pure liver and gizzard! That's for sure!

A balanced raw diet contains: 

-80% (or a little higher, you'll need to adjust based on your cat) muscle meats such as gizzard, heart, tongue, and cuts we would eat
-10% (or a little less) edible bone such as cornish game hen, quail, or small chicken bones (ribs, wings, necks).
-5% liver (that's a piece the size of a quarter once a week...give or take)
-5% other secreting organ like kidney, spleen, brain, sex organs, ect

There are many ways to do a raw diet, but, IMO, the best and also cheapest method (short of feeding whole prey items...which my cats refuse to transition to ) is frankenprey. Basically the idea is you feed chunks of meat and aim to balance everything out over time. So rather than feeding a chunk of meat with bone in it, and tiny weeny slivers of liver and kidney each meal you'd have a meal of meat, a meal of meat with bone, a meal of meta and a bite of organ, repeat.

The key to any raw diet is variety, and since you've got a kitten this is the best possible situation. Kittens will try pretty much anything that might possibly have been food at some point, lol. They're very flexible.

Personally, I never weaned Muffin onto kibble and I do kind of regret that. He barely tolerates even wet cat food...and if I feed that two meals in a row he just won't eat it.

I'd suggest trying all varieties of meat you can get your hands on (very little fish though), as well as wet cat food and kibble. Basically he's at the point where he's learning what is food. If you give him a wide variety of things to try then he'll be easier to manage as an adult. Cats fed a limited or repetitive diet as kittens easily become very picky adults and that is just a PITA.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I feed my Raw Prey Model (aka "frankenprey") diet a little differently than librarychick. I use the same meat/organ/edible bone proportions as librarychick noted above, but I feed each at every meal. To my way of thinking, that most closely replicates a natural prey diet. After all, a cat doesn't eat all of a mouse's muscle meat one day, all of its organs the next, and all of its bones the next. It eats the whole mouse - muscle, organs, and bones - in one meal. So I feed all three in their meals here at home.

It's particularly important to provide a balanced diet to a growing kitten. Nutritional deficiencies or imbalances could permanently impact the growth and development of the kit. So spend some time on Google and read up on the various raw diets to see if you are prepared to take this on. Also, check out the Raw Feeding sub-forum here at Cat Forum.

Laurie


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I just want to clarify, but 'long term' I mean balancing out each week or month, vs each year.

The way I balance it out makes sense to me, I did balance each meal out for a while, but TBH it's a heck of a lot more work and with 4 cats it was just too fiddly for me.

One thing I wish someone could have gotten through to me (a few people told me, it just didn't really sink in until much later) is that there is no special way to feed raw to a kitten. It's the EXACT SAME diet...just more of it (around 5-6 months through to over a year growing kittens each more than adult cats, just FYI).

There are no special 'kitten' mice that only kittens eat. There aren't 'senior' flavored mice for old cats to eat...it's all exactly the same. Just make sure it's balanced and feed to their appropriate appetite and you'll do fine.

TBH if you're up for it go for a prey model diet. Since kittens are so flexible with their eating habits it's WAY easier to start them on whole prey items like mice, chicks, quail ect than it is adult cats. I really wish I'd gone 'whole hog' back when the boys were kittens and I was still switching them over. It is very difficult to get adult cats to accept new food items, especially ones so different (feathers? Fur?!) from what they're used to. See if you can get safe sources of local frozen prey items and offer those periodically too. People who supply snake owners usually have good variety of whole prey items and they're perfectly suited to cats as well as slithery reptiles


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Wow this has definitely given me food for thought  in not sure if the whole food thing is an option here - i love in Uganda at the moment so don't have the types of stores we do back home in the UK or the the USA. I will google it though And see what is possible. Thanks for the ideas 


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Nicnac, 
How are you and Gizmo doing??
Hope all is well with everyone! 
Sharon


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Gizmo is doing great, thanks. He now weighs 600g, eats some kitten food, sleeps all night, uses his litter tray, plays and climbs. Just need him to master the drinking from a bowl and from dancing on my computer.  he's turning into a real kitten. It's amazing how much if his behavior is instinctive


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Is he catching on to drinking from a bowl at all? I've found teeny kittens need to be taught how a bowl works.

I'd use his kitten milk, and hold a few drops on my fingers. When he licks them I'd slowly lower my fingers to the bowl, and then lower them he's drinking the milk that leaks up between my fingers. From there you slowly take your fingers away. He may need to be shown a few times, and you can switch to water pretty quickly.

Cats don't have the same depth perception we do, so they can have trouble knowing how deep a water bowl is. That's why some cats will dip their paw the the water before drinking - to get it to ripple so they can see where the top is. Ditto with why cats like fountains, the surface is moving so they know where it is. Still bowls of water are tricky for kittens especially. I've seen some dunk their whole faces in by accident. adorable 

More pictures of the little cutie please!!!


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks for this. I'll keep trying. Every time I've tried so far, he looks at me as if I'm mad. He licks around his mouth, he eats food from the bowl but doesn't show any interest in drinking from it. I do make sure he has at least 40ml of his homemade kitten milk and leave him a saucer of water at all times to make sure he doesn't dehydrate etc. I'll keep trying for sure!!


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)




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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)




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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)




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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Nicnac you've done an Awesome Job with Gizmo! The pictures are so cute! 
I love the "Proud of himself" one and the "Snuggle Time" one!! 
(So precious!) 
Sharon


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Oh my! :love2 That Gizmo is just too cute! Haha! Love all those pics, but my favorite is the "proud of himself" photo! Is that your son in the third photo? Just how much cuter can they be?

I'm so thrilled Gizmo is doing so well! You must congratulate yourself, nicnac! It must not be easy practically hand-raising such a young kitten in your location!:smile:


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Thank you. I am finally starting to relax a little. Not too much though lol. I am starting to trust his instincts and telling myself 'He'll get there....' 'there's no rush'. Hence I'm trying not to stress about the drinking thing. He's managed to develop so well so far, I'm hoping the same will happen with drinking - with a bit of encouragement  When I get to worried ie did he eat enough etc I just weigh him to check he's growing. To me if he's gaining weight, playing, active and happy, then things can't be too bad. Hopefully


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

Yes it is my son with Gizmo. They enjoy snuggle time and playtime often - even when it should really be 'Go to bed time'  Some things are hard esp as I can only find 1 type of dry kitten food and 2 types of wet and all may run out at any time (I'm stock piling every week) but I have had some great advice from here which has really helped. I am sure without the advice, he would not have survived. Thanks all again!!!


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Those pictures are just.....I have no words. He looks SO much like my Doran at that age! That really just takes me back.

The only advice I've got left after that is to take as many pictures and videos as you can. That sweet baby age goes by so quickly. *sniffles* I just want to tickle his little tummy!

Oh, and on a more practical note, keep his litter box in the same room as him ALL THE TIME. I carried Doran's potty around the house as I took him to different rooms I think it really paid off. They just can't hold it at that age...but OH the cuteness!!!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Nicnac! Hope all is going well for you, your son and little Gizmo!!
Sharon


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

Aww, I just saw those pictures!! Wow Gizmo is growing! And those eyes are so big, bright and clear!! He's a beautiful little kitty ..and I love those little kitty toes. 

All of your pictures are terrific! That one with your boy is so tender. One for the photo album for sure!
The one where he's proud of himself he looks so healthy and vibrant! Just like every kitten should look like!


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## nicnac (Mar 25, 2014)

*Thank you*

Thank you to everyone that has given me sooooooo much advise on how to Try to save a 4 day old kitten whilst living in east Africa. Gizmo is now 12 weeks old and a loving, lively kitten. Thank you 


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

That is great news! I am so happy for you and Gizmo! Please post a picture when you get a chance. I bet he is a handsome kitty! Thank you for giving him a chance.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Nicnac! 
Yes Please!!
Would love to see an updated picture of him now!
Sharon


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