Kitten With Pneumonia Weighing Only 128 Grams Surpasses LA Rescuers’ Expectations

I’ve cared for newborn kittens before, and seeing these tiny furballs explore and learn is always magical.

Jamie, also known as Kitten Foster Mom, experienced something very similar. She is a dedicated foster volunteer, working alongside Baby Kitten Rescue located in Los Angeles, CA.

The team had been contacted by another foster mom who was doing her best to look after a litter of three kittens. One of the kittens, Lucy, required extra attention and specialised care.

The woman reached out to Jamie, confident in her ability to handle the situation. Without a second thought, Jamie welcomed the litter into her care, prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Lucy was battling pneumonia, but Jamie’s biggest concern was her size. Although she and her brothers were five weeks old, Lucy was tiny – so small that she seemed more like a newborn than a kitten of her age. Jamie shared in a post:

“This tiny little baby is 5 weeks old and weighs only 128 grams. For scale, some newborns to one week olds weigh this much, so needless to say, she is very underdeveloped.”

Luckily, Lucy’s appetite was strong and Jamie soon realized the tiny fluffball had a strong will to survive!

Her foster mom scheduled a visit with a neurologist to check for any underlying health issues that could explain Lucy’s delayed growth.

Meanwhile, Jamie devoted herself to providing all the care and attention the tiny kitten needed.

In just 48 hours Lucy went from a lethargic little kitten to a bundle of energy. She started using the litter box all by herself and even made a bunch of biscuits with her tiny paws! As Jamie shared in an update:

“Lucy still sleeps a lot, but she is having longer and more energized periods of awake time than she had previously, so I’m feeling more confident about her recovery. The goal is to get her well enough so she can be reunited with her brothers. I’m taking it day by day, but today was a huge milestone.”

Sadly, the little kitten was still struggling with pneumonia, making every breath a huge effort.

Throughout it all, Jamie stayed close, offering comfort and carefully keeping track of her medications.

Finally, the appointment with the neurologist arrived and luckily Jamie had some amazing news for Lucy’s followers, as she shared:

“Dr. O’Neil said Lucy looks like a perfectly normal kitten, she’s just small. He did say that she should be checked for hypothyroidism once she’s big enough to have blood drawn. Dr. O’Neil said Lucy needs to be twice the size she is now before taking blood, so we’ll have to wait on that testing.”

Although Lucy was officially free of pneumonia, her shallow breathing worried her foster mom. Concerned, she quickly took Lucy back to the vet for further evaluation.

This is when the vet discovered that Lucy suffered from Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome also known as pectus excavatum. According to PetMD, this meant her rib cage was not formed correctly.

Thankfully, Lucy’s condition could be treated at home. A small splint was placed around her ribcage to help it heal correctly, but that didn’t stop her from purring and making the tiniest biscuits.

After nearly a month in her foster home, Lucy began gaining weight. At one pound, she had reached an important milestone in her recovery.

On the other hand, the splint she was wearing was working out perfectly. Her chest started to become round and she could finally breathe normally! As Jamie shared in an update:

“Exciting news! Lucy no longer has to wear her bra! Now that Lucy’s chest is no longer flat, she is breathing so well! She’s even more energetic than she’s ever been; probably because she’s getting more oxygen and isn’t getting winded from playing.”

Meanwhile, Lucy’s brothers, Brian and Patrick, had already found their forever home. Little did Lucy know, she was soon going to join them.

When the family discovered that Brian and Patrick had a tiny sister, they immediately decided to adopt her too. Lucy, however, remained with Jamie until she was fully healed.

Now that Lucy was all alone, Jamie showered her with cuddles and attention, as she mentioned in an update:

“The adopters still have every intention of also adopting Lucy once she’s ready, but that will be months from now. I’ll make sure to give Lucy extra love and attention now that she’s a singleton.”

This spirited little kitten truly captured my heart. Soon, she’ll be reunited with her brothers and start enjoying her life in her forever home!