Approximate delivery day for this mama kitty?

misterwhiskers

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Oh, I am almost sobbing. What a great mama Polka is. You have saved all their lives. I'm pretty impressed with you, too.
 
Sarthur2

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Is there a little back story on the kittens? When this friend of a friend found them abandoned? Like in a box somewhere? I would love to know. They look very healthy.

I would let them nurse full-time for a good week or more before introducing wet food. Kittens start weening around 4 to 5 weeks because they get their baby teeth, but I would go slow for now so they can bond and Polka can get her mama loving on.

I am so happy for Polka! Thank you for doing this!
 
catluvr101

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Poor polka! I've been reading this thread for awhile and after all polka and you have been through! So sorry about it all! And that vet! Some people just don't get it how many of us can't afford things like that! So sorry! Hope polka feels better, prayers are sent your way. Glad you found kittens for her to take care of!
 
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sweetlynn86

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These poor kitties weren't abandoned. My friends neighbor had a cat that gave birth. She originally had 8! She was an indoor cat because they live in the middle of the woods. 5 days ago, the cat clawed through the window screen and took off. She hasn't come back so the family was feeding them cows milk. They have the most AWFUL diarrhea. They start a 5 week course of dewormer tomorrow and hopefully polkas colostrum will give them a little boost. They couldn't afford kitten milk so they were doing what they could. I haven't cleaned them up because I want polka to take over. Polkas smile is back. It was magical. I came inside with all the kittens and set the kennel on my bed. Polka was sleeping and when the kittens started crying, she was on high Alert. I slowly opened the door and let polka put her head in the kennel to monitor her reaction. When I seen that she wasn't stressing out, I opened the door and let them all meet. Polka started cleaning them and hissing a lot. It only took a minute though to realize she was hissing at the ones who were wandering off and they were listening to her. I will never feel okay about losing her babies last night but at least now, it's only me hurting. Polkas heart is full.
 
Sarthur2

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Thank you for sharing this story. Bless the family that kept these six babies alive for the last 5 days. Mama took off because she was in heat most likely.

The diarrhea will clear up in a day or two now that they have Polka's milk, unless the worm medicine upsets their tummies. What meds will they be getting and what is the dosage please?

You will be amazed at the communicating that Polka will do with her new babies. She will make all sorts of sounds that they will respond to.

There are six, so it's okay if you help clean them with a warm, damp cloth while they have diarrhea.

I am thrilled that Polka has taken to them and they to her. Of course you will mourn her babies, but Polka won't know the difference.

Have they all nursed by now? Where are you keeping them?
 
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grizzlysapien

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I read this thread in one day. In one day I laughed hard (@sweetlynn86  you cracked me up in most of your posts!), I got anxious, I prayed, I sobbed, I cried.. And now I am relieved but also angry.

The vet that performed the surgery, was that your regular vet? Or the one that your vet told you to call in case of emergency? I remember at some point, you wrote that you live in a small town, so you don't have a vet clinic for after hours and weekends. If I don't remember correctly, please forgive me. 

If he/she is your regular vet, please try to find someone else. If he/she is the one your vet suggested you called, don't ever go back there again. And if I were you, since he/she didn't respect your requests, I wouldn't get that anxious on paying him/her on time.. I am not implying "do not pay him/her at all".. I am just saying, that he/she doesn't have the right to urge you to pay him/her swiftly. 

Either he/she is your regular vet, or the emergency vet, I would spread the word on how he/she handled the whole situation, to every potential client of his/hers. That miserable excuse of a human being, did not respect Polka's life, stress, efforts and didn't respect the new tiny innocent lives that were on their way.. He/She didn't even respect your stress, your efforts, your devotion to that mommy-to-be and her babies. But, he/she was really capable of charging you for "the service"..

When I read about the meconium, my heart stopped. My twin died because of it. We remained in our mom's belly for much longer than expected. The doctor wanted to enduce labor, but my parents wanted to wait another day. Finally, we decided it was time to leave the "mothership". I got out first. She got out second, but she didn't make it. Maybe if your vet urged you to make an ultrasound, or something.. since you are not the doctor - they are! All of this could have been avoided.. 

And yes, they do cry. They don't sound like we expect them to sound. They cry quietly. It's in their nature. My Grizzly was still stressed by his mommy's death and cried for about 3 nights when I first got him.. I held him on my chest, close to hear my heartbeat. It was unbearable.. Thank God he recovered.

The one thing I am grateful about, is the fact that these six babies that are adopted by Polka, wouldn't stand a chance if Polka hadn't lost her babies. Such an oxymoron, but so true..

You've done everything within your powers. You have a beautiful baby of your own and take care of others as well. I just hope you have equal-worthy aliance on your side to help you with your mission. 
 Cheers!
 
grizzlysapien

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Totally with you, @sarthur2  ! Actually my feelings are not conflicted. I totally disapprove of the vet's actions.

And as I wrote in my closing statement, I am gratefull that at least the six orphans, found a loving mommy in Polka. I just admire @sweetlynn86  's patience and persistence to find solutions, even in the darkest of hours.. 

respect.jpg

respect.jpg

 
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sweetlynn86

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So much to respond to. @sarthur2 we use prescription anthelban. They will get .05ml every Monday for 4-6 weeks. They have all nursed and have yet to let go. She's on my bed currently and I'm not sure I can get her down right now. @Handsome Kitty I'm pretty sure I have the floor for the night. Polka was trying to get up and the babies were making it hard. I thought it was my chance to move them to a nest I made in the closet. I pulled a kitten away and it screamed. Polka nipped my arm. She's not losing her babies twice. And I'm okay with that. I'll wait till she needs to get up and I'll move everyone at that point. @GrizzlySapien they were the on call emergency vet. My vet was unreachable so I called every vet in the area until one of them had an emergency number on their answering machine. I would never make them my main vet. I was approved for something called care credit today and the vet got paid. I'm so glad I was approved because care credit will make spaying and neutering of all these kittens possible and it will cover polkas follow up appointments. At my vet of course. I don't have an "alliance" in the form of a husband. He wasn't ready to be a father to a disabled child and I wasn't going to force him. However, I have God on my side and that's obvious through the events that unfolded these past 2 days. It's not what I expected but in the end, 4 were lost, 6 were saved and polka is a terrific mom. She has somehow produced enough milk already to give every single kitten a prominently round milk belly. And she's fiercely protective as she proved when I grabbed a kitten. She wants to be rubbed and kissed but her kittens will NOT be messed with.
 
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