Oh dear, that sounds really trying! I’m glad Ruby is helping.
Wishing you all, all of you, the best.
Fingers crossed for Ripley. 
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Gerber baby food puréed chicken (small glass jars, blue label and lid, check the ingredient list for chicken and water only) can be miraculous in getting sick kitties to eat. Not for long-term feeding, just to get calories into the belly during a convalescent hunger strike.
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This is excellent advice!
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I’ve been trying all her similar favorites – a canned tuna brand that is more broth than tuna, her favorite wet foods, but nothing yet. I’m practically having to force the water onto her a little bit at a time, but she’s so dehydrated and snotty I don’t know if anything is staying down.
I suspect she may need an intravenous hydration therapy if she gets any worse, but I really don’t have the cash for that so I’m extremely worried right now. All I can do is keep trying the water a little at a time. 
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Are you using an eye dropper? Even a drop, every few minutes, can make a world of difference.
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I am using a ketchup squeeze dispenser, like you find in diners. It fits her mouth/throat as well as can be. She’s getting little dashes every few minutes. With all the snot, I expect she’s feeling some throat pain and it could be why she’s resistant. But there’s no contact with the bottle, just a little dash of water because I’m holding her jaw open with my other hand.
ETA: Aaaand Charlie has cornered her and sliced her inner ear with one of his claws. She was bleeding pretty good, and in the dark I thought she was shaking off saliva onto me, but it turns out to be blood. 
This poor baby does not deserve the crap she’s been through in the past two weeks.
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Oh, the poor baby!
She needs a safe isolated space to rest.
Do you have anyone who can help?
Also, in addition to the baby food suggestion (which, great tip!) I’ve had to use this stuff for fosters before:
When they just won’t eat or put on weight, I rub a bit around their mouth and they lick it up. If we’re lucky, within a few days they get their appetite back and then I mix it with food.
Good luck. 
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Okay, we’re back from the vet and Ripley is fine. All cleaned up and back safe at home. She has a small cut on the inner surface of her ear, but the vet says it’s not very big and too difficult to get a stitch in there, so I need to monitor it and apply pressure when it’s needed to stop the bleeding. He applied a yellow powder that I suppose is meant to promote healing. Three more days of antibiotics to go. 
Yes, the vet had a tube of this goop at the office, and gave her a nice dollop of it before we left. 
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Good! Is she ok now? I hope she gets well soon.
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She is still lethargic, but is improving. She’s moving around more than she was before. I think things will improve once she gets her appetite back.
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Update on Ripley:
She managed to loosen the scab on her ear again, so it was another bloodbath last night. I’ve bought some extra bleach for cleaning because it looks like an abattoir in here.
The vet asked to hang on to Ripley for a few hours so they could thoroughly clean her inner ear, mouth, and sinuses. I’ll go back to get her this afternoon.
ETA: We’re back, and Ripley looks much better. She’s still kind of tired, but I think she’ll be better soon.
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Old man is having a hard time finding and using the litter box so we set up our extra bedroom in a way that makes it easy to clean, he spends most of the day in there. We let him wander around the house once he goes potty.
Old age is a pain.
Mr. Feral giving him a bath.
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I was passing under the palm trees when I heard the huge flock of parakeets making a noisy racket as they ate the fruits. On the ground these two seemed lost among the gray pigeons. I thought they were young birds that had fallen out of the nest. Quite a mistake, actually they didn’t want to eat amidst the cacophony of other green birds and preferred the company of the pigeons.
ETA
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Update on Ripley:
Ripley has not eaten in days, though I have been making sure she’s drinking water. The veterinarian gave her a good dose of the high-calorie paste, and sent me home with a tube of it.
Also, she’s developed phlegm in her lungs (that’s both of us now), so he also gave me some medication to mix with saline solution to use in the nebulizer I use when I have serious asthma issues.
I have not seen her use the cat litter box since she came home from surgery, but she finally urinated in the cat carrier on the way home, so I take that as a good sign.
Seriously, with my current pulmonary issues from this head cold, I almost felt like collapsing on the way home myself. It’s only a kilometer, but I had to take a few rest stops on the way home.
Now to give Ripley a bath and get some of the urine cleaned off her.
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Awww, this sounds so crummy! Poor little Ripley. Poor both of you.
I wish I had some sage advice, but as you’ve been to the vet and they sent you home, I hope you both feel better soon!
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Best wishes to both of you.
The one time a pee accident in a carrier is a great thing…
The only advice I have is too keep trying to smear a bit of smelly/tasty stuff on her lips to encourage her to lick it off.
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Yes, I think it’s a sign that thing are turning for the better. Anyway, she’s had a bath (good times) and a good rubdown that I hope also helps to loosen the phlegm in her lungs.
Not a happy camper, but I think some resistance and fighting is also a good sign.
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What a cute pic! I just want to rub her little nose ridge.
Yes, I’m missing my foster kitties! But also, wish I could help comfort Rip. If only you guys didn’t live on the center of the sun.
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