New kittens, mother has conjunctivitis

[merree]

I had a new family of fosters delivered to me today. 6 kittens, 3 days old, and their mum. She is thin but seems otherwise well except for swollen and sore eyes.

The kittens look okay. I will weigh them a bit later after she's had some time to settle in.

I've wiped her eyes with colloidal silver. Is there anything else I safely do for her? She's come straight from the pound via a temporary carer and hasn't seen a vet. Vet access is difficult due to the distance to the rescue's favoured vet. I don't want to have to move her and the kittens again unless she urgently needs to be seen.

 

[StefanZ]

 
I had a new family of fosters delivered to me today. 6 kittens, 3 days old, and their mum. She is thin but seems otherwise well except for swollen and sore eyes.

The kittens look okay. I will weigh them a bit later after she's had some time to settle in.

I've wiped her eyes with colloidal silver. Is there anything else I safely do for her? She's come straight from the pound via a temporary carer and hasn't seen a vet. Vet access is difficult due to the distance to the rescue's favoured vet. I don't want to have to move her and the kittens again unless she urgently needs to be seen.

weak chamomile tea is said to be mildly sootheing.  Use at body temp.     Common tea may also be useable, but chamomile is directly sootheing, so use this if you can.

If you dont have problems with salomonella in eggs at your place, blend in an egg yolk everyday with her food.   Egg shells crushed into fine powder gives much calcium.  Sprinkle some alike salt on her food.

Food kitten type as you known, dry and wet, as much as she managed.

goats milk is good, full fat youghrt, some full fat mild cheese...

 

[merree]

Thanks Stefan.

I've had a chance to look over the kittens. One of them looks like it may have some goo in one eye (still closed).

They're small for 3 day old babies. Their weights are:

122g

118g

116g

114g

112g

106g

I don't know how heavy they were at birth so I don't know if they're gaining, but I'm going to start supplementing them anyway. How often do I need to do that if they're still feeding from their mother? I have formula and sponges.

 

[StefanZ]

 
Thanks Stefan.

I've had a chance to look over the kittens. One of them looks like it may have some goo in one eye (still closed).

They're small for 3 day old babies. Their weights are:

122g

118g

116g

114g

112g

106g

I don't know how heavy they were at birth so I don't know if they're gaining, but I'm going to start supplementing them anyway. How often do I need to do that if they're still feeding from their mother? I have formula and sponges.

You can use a weak saline water solution, ie salt and water.  Barely noticeable its salty.   You boil out the solution, and use body warm.   But if you notice its much goo, ie pus, it will be vet errand.   Some vet may be willing to prescribe terramycine over the telephone, but observe a serious infection in a kitten isnt nothing to play with, unless you really know what you are doing.

The weight arent bad.  Presuming they didnt gained super, the birth weight were decent, even on the smallest they arent critical.

Still, it may be wise to supplement some.

The total need is 8ml / 30g body weigh a day, so on a 120g kitten it gives about 25 ml kmr or goats milk a day.

Here it may be less, as we presume they get the main share from momma...

Weight them every 12 hours till you get a safe count.  After it it should be enough with every 24 hours, if everything seems OK.

Observe with 6 kittens you may be forced to have some sort of rotation system, 3 with momma, 3 taking their midday nap in their own little nest with a heating pad.   Or at least, pay close attention so everyone gets their share, and perhaps supplement someone.

If not, you will almost sure get a weak runt - whom is simply runt because the stronger siblings push it off nipples, and it doesnt gets enough...

 

[Sarthur2]

They are on the small side so supplementing is good. They may not need the entire prescribed amount since they also nurse from mom, but trial and error will let you know. I think rotating them as Stefan mentioned may be the way to go. Make sure everyone stays warm.

Both mom and kitten have eye infections. Mom's sounds particularly bad. Stefan gave you good ideas for cleaning them. You don't want the pus to back up in the eye as it can cause damage. The sooner you can get a tube of terramycin eye ointment the better. It will clear it nicely. Watch the other kittens' eyes as well. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious.

Feed mom unlimited dry kitten chow and wet food meals while she is nursing.

Thank you for taking in this family!

 

[merree]

I've been able to get some extra milk into the smallest two. I'm still working on the right technique - I feel like I need another couple of hands!

Twice now we've found the mother cat outside the nest feeding just one kitten. It looks very much like she's taken it out of the nest herself. She is licking it and seems to be caring for it normally. It's been a different kitten each time. Are they supposed to do that?

(I just went back to check and she's returned it to the nest and is lying down outside by herself again.)

 

[merree]

Family.jpg

• merree
• Mar 16, 2017

This is the new family The blue kitten at the front is the smallest one. I found her a nipple after taking the photo.

Mumma cat's right eye was gummed up this morning. It opened properly when I washed it. It looks like it has been bothering her for a while - her eyelid is completely hairless and looks quite thick. The kitten's eye looks clean this morning but I'm washing it anyway.  I'm working on getting some ointment for them.

 

[Sarthur2]

Thank you for taking care of their eyes. It's very important. I'm glad to hear they are better, but I do hope you can get ointment asap. They need it.

Sounds like mom is doing great! They do sometimes take kittens out for one on one. Just keep watching. All kittens need equal time to nurse. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[catwoman707]

What a lovely family!

Mom needs terramycin, if you can't get it through a vet asap it can be ordered online with no prescription.

This should take care of mom pretty fast, applied at least twice a day.

As for the kittens, plan on them having infections too, but I wanted to explain in detail about babies with this issue.

Before their eyes are open but you can see some infection starting, it is absolutely critical that those eyes are kept clean. Never open their eyes, but that tear duct area gets clogged which is hardly noticeable, the infection causes drainage/pus-like fluid from the infection and it MUST come out through the ducts, if there is any gunk that does not allow it to drain easily, it continues to be made but will build up around the eye and behind it, which is BIG trouble. If you see ANY swelling of an eye, it will look slightly protruded or bubbled, the fluid is already backing up and is causing terrible damage, meaning the kitten can lose sight or worse and even more common it will ulcerate, basically swell so much it bursts open, is painful beyond words, and will cause urgent removal of the eye.

Having a rescue for many years, I have seen the worst of the worst, kittens come to me with eyes untreated and are beyond repair and have to have it removed.

Very very sad, especially because with care it never would have happened.

So, prevention is the simplest of course.

Warm wet washcloth held on the eye for maybe 30 seconds, then after a couple minutes go back and gently wipe it clean.

When their eyes are open but have infection they will wake up with them stuck shut so it's the same as above, get the eye goop softened, by the time you go back to wipe it will have opened somewhat itself, then wipe it clean and put terramycin in it.

The infection responds well to the ointment too so curing them is fast.

For mom, sometimes it is ongoing for long and may be the lingering symptom of the number one most common URI which is the herpesvirus (rhinotracheitis) 

Occasionally the eye does not respond so much to the ointment and will need Idoxuridine drops which most vets don't have on hand but can be ordered.

If it is from the URI, despite mom not showing other signs, you will know because kits will start sneezing in a couple weeks, if that happens they will need antibiotic clavamox drops likely, because it will keep the bacteria away as it can become pneumonia otherwise, and kittens are at risk of this.

I also recommend a close monitor of babies weights at least daily, as there are always going to be a couple/few who are bullied from nursing and will slide downhill pretty fast without plenty of nourishment, with 6 kittens you may need to rotate according to size, 3 and 3. Every 2 hours, the alternate space being a small container, carrier, box, etc with softness and warmth.

Be sure to keep mom full of fluids/fresh water and canned food is great and best, but add dry available at all times too since her appetite will be increased.

 

[StefanZ]

 
I've been able to get some extra milk into the smallest two. I'm still working on the right technique - I feel like I need another couple of hands!

Twice now we've found the mother cat outside the nest feeding just one kitten. It looks very much like she's taken it out of the nest herself. She is licking it and seems to be caring for it normally. It's been a different kitten each time. Are they supposed to do that?

(I just went back to check and she's returned it to the nest and is lying down outside by herself again.)

I think its some sort of natural rotation which she is doing instinctively.  We often recommend such when its a big litter.  They tend to fight / bully.  You prepare an extra little nest, with a heating pad.  And let half of them sleep there their midday nap, while the others take their turn with momma.   And swich after two hours or when it seems suitable....

This what you describe isnt supposed to be very common, but you are the third forumite in a short time whom are describing such actions by momma.  So apparently it isnt that rare.  And everytime it happens with big litters.

 

[Primula]

Twice now we've found the mother cat outside the nest feeding just one kitten. It looks very much like she's taken it out of the nest herself. She is licking it and seems to be caring for it normally. It's been a different kitten each time. Are they supposed to do that?

It makes sense. She has 6 kittens & may be feeling overwhelmed especially if she is under the weather. So she takes one out at a time to give it her full attention. She then puts it back & later takes another one.

 

[merree]

She does seem a little overwhelmed! I've been letting her feed them in shifts, three at a time, which she seems very happy with. When all of them are trying to feed there is always one that can't find a nipple and squabbles break out.

I weighed them after 12 hours and they'd only gained a few grams, but I think they were due for a feed at that time and their tummies were empty. At the 24 hour weigh-in they had all gained 10 grams or more, except one who only gained 7g. That one took a long time to latch on at the last feeding so didn't have as long on the nipple as the others. I gave it a top up with formula.

The mother is the size of a half-grown kitten herself but I think she is older than that. I'm sure she has done this before. She's very relaxed about them being handled and doesn't spend a lot of time fussing over them. Mostly she lies around outside the box waiting for them to get restless, then she goes and feeds them.

Her eyes are looking much clearer today. The discharge has stopped and she isn't squinting so much.

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you gotten eye ointment yet? You can order it online without a prescription.

Here is a link:

http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9675

It will completely clear it up.

Continue daily weigh-ins and topping off any kittens who need it. It sounds like everyone is settling in now! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[merree]

I'm not in the US. I can only find it in powder or aerosol form for horses, and it's very expensive. There are other antibiotic ointments but they are only available on prescription. The rescue owner has some but we live some distance apart so the logistics are tricky. We're working on it.

 

[sandra scarrow]

Human antibiotic eye drops will work. 10 g is acceptable weight gain, the 7 keep an eye on. They are very young to be sick usually uri hits starting about 4 weeks. Your likely going to need antibiotics for this group.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Human antibiotic eye drops will work. 10 g is acceptable weight gain, the 7 keep an eye on. They are very young to be sick usually uri hits starting about 4 weeks. Your likely going to need antibiotics for this group.

Please don't use anything for humans without consulting with your vet.

 

[Sarthur2]

I hope you are able to get the ointment as soon as possible. [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[merree]

I haven't yet been provided with anything for their eyes. I am at the mercy of the rescue group when it comes to vets. Their preferred vet is nearly an hour's drive away from me, and I'm not able to go there. I am going to have to insist that they find a way to get this family there tomorrow. The situation has gone downhill quite quickly. There is more going on here than eye drops can fix.

Mother cat has hardly eaten anything today and will only feed the kittens every 4 or 5 hours. If I try to put them on her any more frequently she gets up and leaves. She was responding to their squeaks and going to them yesterday; today she has mostly ignored their noises. Her eyes are still looking better but her demeanour seems quite depressed. When she does feed them she has started sitting up instead of lying down with them.

I found a bead of pus at the corner of one of the kittens' eyes, and at least one of them has had diarrhoea in the nest.

Most of the kittens have gained only a couple of grams today. Two of the smaller ones have lost weight since yesterday, even with me feeding them in between feeds with their mother. The ones that need supplementing the most are the most resistant to taking the formula. They swallow very little of it.

I'm particularly worried about the smallest one. She fights the sponge/syringe, doesn't swallow the milk that I try to give her, and she roots at her mother's nipple with her mouth closed. In the rare event that she does latch on she doesn't hold onto it for long. She squirms and squawks a lot.

I am going to press for them to be moved from here tomorrow. They need to be with someone who has more experience with hand raising kittens, especially since they are unwell. I could have managed to feed a couple of well kittens; six sick kittens is more than I am comfortable with.

 

[Sarthur2]

merree

I'm so sorry to hear this. They sound quite ill. It's not normal for mom to not want to nurse. She must feel awful. She probably needs sub-q fluids, antibiotics, and anti-nausea meds. They may have parasites causing diarrhea, and goodness knows what else. So very sad.

Can you meet someone halfway so the family can be seen today? This sounds like an emergency to me!

In the meantime, please wrap the tiny kittens who need supplementing in a towel like a burrito so they fight less, and go drop by drop in the side of the mouth. They've got to have food.

You can also smear honey or sugar water on their gums for a quick energy boost before feeding. You can put a drop or two of honey in their formula too.

Please keep me updated. This is distressing.

 

[merree]

It's midnight here and I'm home alone with sleeping children. I can't take them anywhere until the morning.

I'm about to feed them again then trying to get a couple of hours sleep before the next feed.