URGENT newborn help please!

junglebutterfly

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I am a foster but I have yet to foster any this young so yes I am freaking out.

I have a bit of an emergency on my hands over here. My husband's sisters barn cat had 6 kittens and so she brought them to me cause they were born on the 12th when it was still getting freezing and below out. Anyway I had them in my bathroom and the mom was doing fine until about 2 days ago when she started picking them up and moving them and separating them and everytime I checked on them she wasn't feeding them. So I took them out of the bathroom and put them in a cage so the mom really didnt have a chance to ignore them or separate them. The problems are as follows: I see her feeding them a lot but they arent gaining any weight. some are staying even but most are losing. The mom doesnt seem to be eating enough herself so I am now giving her some moist food that the shelter gave me. She wasn't on kitten food until she came to me and I did have to switch her cold turkey. The mom also has been having runny I mean really really runny poops like water and it is pinkish and really stinky. And the newest problem that just started today is that she isnt cleaning up after them at all, she is letting them poop and it is getting on them and everything. I just don't know what to do I don't have experience with kittens this young. This has been a 2 day problem and I just switched mom to the moist food tonight. please help I am really worried. (baby A I tried to give formula to beacause it lost so much the first day but it wouldn't take it all)

birthday: March 12

Weight Flux in last two days:

A: 6.6 oz (down .3oz day 1, down.1 oz day 2)
B: 7.1 oz (even for 2 days straight)
C: 6.5 oz (even day 1, down .1oz day 2)
D: 7.1 oz (even day 1, down .1oz day 2)
E: 7.2 oz (even day 1, down .3oz day 2)
F: 7.6 oz ( up .3 oz day 1, Even day 2)

I dont know how much the weight should or can go up and down, if i am overreacting I am sorry, I am just worried. Thank you.
 

gayef

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At nearly 2 weeks old, weight should be approximately 7 ounces - Yours sound in line with this. It is probably OK for them to lose a little, especially if you aren't weighing them at exactly the same time each day. The .3 ounce loss you mentioned in your post really doesn't mean much if tomorrow's weight at the same time has increased by at least that much.

The fact that Momma isn't cleaning the babies concerns me a little bit though. As does the fact that her poop is runny and discolored. Try giving her a little boiled chicken breast and cooked white rice (the long-cooking kind) mixed with a little plain water to see if she doesn't bind up on her own, but you might want to speak to the program coordinator to see if a vet visit isn't in order here.
 
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junglebutterfly

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That is part of the problem:

These aren't fosters. I am doing this as a favor to my sister in law, hoping to get a better survival rate then she would have had in her barn. If these were fosters I woulnd't be aas worried because I could just take them to the shelter whenever I wanted to see the vet.
 

gayef

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Ah, ok, sorry - I misunderstood.

Well, do you have a regular vet you see or would you need to find one? If you need to find one, get out the yellow pages and start calling those nearby you to see what they can do for you.

Can you check with your shelter to see if they would be willing to see Momma at a reduced cost? Maybe?
 

momof3rugratz

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The stools can be from the cold turkey switch give her a good quality kitten food.. Also weight the kittens at the same time each day. Just keep a close eye on them. Are they kept warm or is there a draft where they are. The weight does sound ok to me also. Keep us posted ok.
 
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junglebutterfly

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Today momma has kept the babies much cleaner!! I fed her the boiled chicken and she was thrilled with it through the whole day she ate an entire small chicken breast. Her stool is still runny and some of the chicken came out looking almost like it did when it went in, so I am really worried about that. I got to go to the store this evening and I cooked her up some rice and before I go to bed I will her her some rice and chicken and moist food and see what she goes for and maybe I can get a better idea of the problem. My husband is going to call his sister in the morning and beg her to let them all go for a vet visit. A few of the babies did lose weight today, also I ended up force feeding formula to 3 of them with a syringe but the best I could get them to take without screaming was 2 cc each. I figure that that is definately better than nothing at all and tomorrow I will force them a few times during the day. I am really worried about them still though the stool issue with mom seems like it should have resolved itself by now. anyone have experience in how long it would last if it were just food related??
 

momof3rugratz

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Food issues can last some times a week or 2... It is good you got food in them are ya keeping them in a warm area to help keep there strength up... Rice is good for the cat and the chicken make sure the chicken is super shredded up.
 
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junglebutterfly

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Today momma wouldn't touch any food at all and she is dehydrated also. I tried science diet kitten dry, special kitty wet (not its not recalled), rice, chicken, hot dog, tuna, authority (what i feed my cats), and even formula and whiskas catmilk!!! I finally just went through my entire kitchen trying to find something she might eat!!! I called my sister in law and we took her to the vet and she was really dehydrated so they gave her some sub-q fluids and got her on some science diet a/d which she did eat. They are testing her stool for parasites. so thats where we are now I am gonna forcefeed the babies as often as I can and hope they gain again. send some good vibes!

Also, in response to Panther pride, the shelter provides me with science diet kitten dry food and pretty much whatever they get donated in wet food which right now happens to be special kitty that wasn't recalled.

And yes they are warm they even have a heating pad on low under their towels.
 
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junglebutterfly

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Well we took Momma lucy and the babies to the vet. Now she is eating the science diet a/d because a huge problem was that she wasn't eating or drinking which explains why the babies were feeding and still losing weight. That was saturday the evening of saturday and all day sunday went well but now she is back to not cleaning up after them. They are feeding and she is eating and drinking now she just isn't cleaning up after them. Does anyone have experience with this? I will be taking her to my shelter today to get her re-tested for fiv and felv please keep your fingers crossed that we dont have those cause i have my 3 kitties here and a foster mom and litter too!! Another question: all the kittens are really really dirty and i was wondering if it would be ok to wash them? They are 2 weeks old today.

OH I FORGOT TO MENTION ALL SIX KITTENS GAINED WEIGHT LAST NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH 21ST!!!!!!!
 

yosemite

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I'm sorry to hear you are still having difficulty but it seems as though there is more hope now and things could pick up.
 

abymummy

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Originally Posted by junglebutterfly

Another question: all the kittens are really really dirty and i was wondering if it would be ok to wash them? They are 2 weeks old today.

OH I FORGOT TO MENTION ALL SIX KITTENS GAINED WEIGHT LAST NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH 21ST!!!!!!!
Congratulations on the weight gain!


Wipe down with a soft cloth or cotton wool with warm water, don't bathe!!! Well, actually you can bathe but I wouldn't recommend it seriously unless you really, really know what you're doing (read Persian or Exotic SH breeder). The youngest I've ever bathed a kitten is 3 weeks.

So, wipe down with a damp cloth and make sure they are warm and dry after. The reason the kittens are dirty is because mommy is not there to clean them up. To avoid any more messes, wipe them down with tissue paper dampened with warm water immediately after feeding...they will piss and poo into the tissue, be warned!
 

leesali

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The problems are as follows: I see her feeding them a lot but they arent gaining any weight. some are staying even but most are losing.
Will the momma cat let you assist w/bottle feeding?
If so, purchase some KMR & small kitten bottle...I just had a momma cat here w/5 babies & she did let me assist.

The mom doesnt seem to be eating enough herself so I am now giving her some moist food that the shelter gave me. She wasn't on kitten food until she came to me and I did have to switch her cold turkey.
Premium wet & dry food is great for momma cat...have found KMR warmed-up in a bowl is excellent for nursing mothers...high in calories & nutrients.

The mom also has been having runny I mean really really runny poops like water and it is pinkish and really stinky.
Nursing mothers, from my experience, have been known to get a bit of smelly stool but keep an eye on that...if she is an outside cat, she could have worms and/or parasites...should really try to deworm her & babies.

And the newest problem that just started today is that she isnt cleaning up after them at all, she is letting them poop and it is getting on them and everything.
Sounds like you have to step-in w/a washcloth & warm water...momma cat (if young) may be overwhelmed.

I just don't know what to do I don't have experience with kittens this young. This has been a 2 day problem and I just switched mom to the moist food tonight. please help I am really worried. (baby A I tried to give formula to beacause it lost so much the first day but it wouldn't take it all)
Don't panic. These little ones are enough to make anyone grey overnight
Again, if you feel the little ones are not getting enough, grab a bottle w/some warm KMR and bottle-feed. It is tricky to get just the right nipple for them but I find the very long thin ones work best for the newborns.
 

momof3rugratz

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Please do not bath them but wipe them down. I used the baby wipes hyperalgenic(sp issues lol) Am not sure what to use but I figured hay mine where 4 weeks almost and had food all over them so I used those they are free or dyes perfumes and everything there was no smell but they where soft. They didnt mind. That is an option
 
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junglebutterfly

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Ok I took Momma lucy to the shelter today to get her re-tested for Fiv/felv since she hadn't been tested since she was a kitten and got her shots. The test was negative!! I wormed the momma at the shelter also but they didn't want me to worm the babies yet cause they are so small. The vet also called and said that her stool tested negative for parasites!! But she is still having diahrea and not cleaning up after the babies. I had to give all six babies a good washing with a warm wet rag today and I would assume I will be doing that daily from now on....

Any experiences like this??? anyone????
 

jkrodger

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Sounds like Mom is young and a bit overwhelmed. Just keep a close eye on them, if they start losing weight again even though they're feeding, you may want to supplement them with additional feedings of KMR. Mom may also feel uncomfortable/unsafe if her cage/crate isn't covered, so if you put a towel or blanket to cover most of it, making it more like a cave, she may she paying more attention to the kittens. Especially keep a close eye on them now that Mom has been wormed, I know many vets hesitate to treat nursing mothers. Please keep us updated! Sounds like you are doing a good job.
 
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junglebutterfly

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Momma Lucy is really dehydrated between feeding the babies and having the diahrea and I just don't think she drinks enough anyway. She definately doesn't drink as much as my cats do. I fed her water this morning with a baby medicine dropper. I fed her 'til she wouldn't let me anymore, it was about 10 teaspoons. I worked all day, left at 6:30 and got home at about 8 so I worried about her a lot. I picked up some kmr for her today I figure maybe she will take more of that then the water and I am now mixing her wet food with the kmr. She has a dirty dirty trick of finishing the kmr but leaving about half the food so I have to put more kmr on. Is there a limit to what I should give her? She is very very skinny and I just figured I would give her whatever she wants just as long as she is eating. Is forcing water in her good and how much do I need to keep her healthy? I will cover up her cage tonight and see if that helps at all also.

This is so hard for me I am a terrible worrier, like the worst!!! I'm so glad I have you guys to help and to listen and just plain old root me on!!! Thanks!
 
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