Good news, good news......
1) Two of the four kittens with matted eyes, etc. After 3 days of focused nutrition they are all doing very well, even running around the farm yard this am playing. They can stay, but I need to give them another dose of food love to get them successfully on their way in a few days for a week.
2) I found an abandoned black baby crying, cold, hungry, matted eyes (a sign of malnutrition or a weakened immune system) out in the Morton barn. No mama appeared to claim the baby. I brought it in over the night, was only able to get a little 1/2 n 1/2 down. Baby liked being held, slept better. Checked and fed again at midnight, not really taking any food (very small, maybe 5 or 6 weeks). This am baby was cold, so warmed baby up and had minimal success feeding. Took baby out when I fed the barn cats - it was crying for mama. No success.
Later baby (mini lil) and I went looking for my lost phone, no success. Stopped in the house for one more attempt at feeding, then went to the Morton barn to see if mama could be found. (Home directive is no new fury friends - and I did not want to shave the kitten.)
Coming in the barn, a black mama cat came from hiding in the bails. She knew what the baby was, but was looking to me for food. Pretty soon she was licking mini lil. Finally she carefully grabbed mini lil by the neck and hopped up onto the bail stack disappearing. Good sign, baby was hers and she claimed it.
Attached is a picture of "mini lil".
Note: One of the four bigger kittens I was feeding back to health is grey and has a very gentle loving personality. I'll get a pic of him/her and figure out the sex and share later.
Dad