Great news!

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
I have some gret news for the kittens! They have both put on weight and are now eating 3cc's of formula every 2 hours(they were just eating 1 1/2-2 cc's before)! They are also starting to get the pudgy bellies that kittens ought to have, lol. No more skin and bones!

As well, the white kittens' tail tip is doind alot better. Yesterday, about 1/2 inch of the tip of the tail was purple/brown, now only about 1/4 inch is still brownish. I guess the bitter apple spray is working.


Here's an updated pic for ya'll:



(the tiny stuffed animal is there to give them something to suck on rather then each other's tails.
)

By the way, is it normal for them to have "naked" ears. Their legs also have hardly any hair and the hair on heir bodies seems a bit sparse as well. I thought they looked normal, but from comparing them to pics of other newborn kittens, it seems like they are as fluffy.
Is it just cause they are premies(so I assume)?
 

sadieandziggy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
1,364
Purraise
1
Location
Exeter, South West, UK
Glad they are doing well.

My babies have got very fine hair on their legs and ears so I guess this is normal as they were on time. They also have very fine hair on their tummies, you can almost see the pink skin.

Well done for having the patience to do this on your own. Where is mum cat?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
The mama cat belongs to a woman who lives about 15 minutes away. I met her via freecycle(I was trying to rehome a cat that I had taken back, long story). She told me how her cat was preggers and asked if I could give any advice. Well, I did my best to walk her though everything and help her out as much as possible.

The mama cat had 4 kittens. However, by the end of the first day 1 kitten was dead. The next day the mama didn't lay with the kittens and they got chilled. The woman managed to get the kittens warm again, but it was too late for one of the kittens and it passed. Well, the lady tried crating mama with the kittens and put a heating pad in there too, just in case. However, mama pushed the kittens over into one corner and hogged the heating pad for herself. She would have nothing to do with either of the 2 remaining kittens.

Soooo....the lady emailed me and told me her situation. She had done a bit of research on how to raise kittens by hand, but she didn't want to go through the work. She asked if I could take them, so I agreed.

That's how I have 2 kittens. lol
 

barblynnp

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
134
Purraise
1
WOW!!! They are so adorable! You are so wonderful for taking care of them!!!! I'm glad that they found you.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
IT's lots of work, but it's totally worth it!

I was talking to my mom last night and told her about the kittens and she asked me why I would want to take care of them(since it's such hard work). I guess it's something you have to do to understand. I mean, being able to know that that little baby is looking to you as its mother and that you hold it's life in your hands(literally, lol) is just something beyond words. It's just amazing.
 

xxtashaxx

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2006
Messages
3,113
Purraise
1
Location
uk london
thats fantastic news that their gaining weight.
im still leaning towards them being prem especially the thiness of fur on their bodys, with prem babies the fur is one of the first things you notice its sometimes patchy where you see more skin then hair etc, and the other thing is how small they look compared to a full term newborn kitten.
if they were prem then take extra precaustions with cleaness SP? there more likly to get infections otherwise. make sure you wash your hands before touching them after feeding , make sure all things used for feeding them are washed proply ( i know you do this anyay even if they wasnt prem) you just have to be extra aware of it.
they also may start to do things later then full term kittens.

again your doing an amazing job with these little ones.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
Thanks you.


I was wondering, about cleanliness, I have been using the same syringe for each kitten, is that ok? I figured that it would be since they are together 24/7 anyways. Am I right or should I use seperate syringes?
 

xxtashaxx

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2006
Messages
3,113
Purraise
1
Location
uk london
i always used seprate ones, but as long as you clean the sryinge before the other uses it i think it would be ok, i cant say it will be safe as i really wouldnt know and wouldnt want to give you the wrong information.

but if i remember rightly when i took in 2 4 week old kittens who hadnt started weening yet they shared a syringe, i would bring the cup of milk replacer up to their room with 2 sryinges and i wouldnt get a chance to feed them one after another they wanted feeding at the same time lol, so i would fill both up and feed them like that and they would often swap over and we never had any problems. so i think it should be ok, but im not an expert lol
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
Thanks.

Wow! ow did you feed them both at the same time? I can barely do one, lol. Congrats to you!
 

xxtashaxx

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2006
Messages
3,113
Purraise
1
Location
uk london
it gets easier as they get older as they WANT to feed from you, and theres no stopping them lol as far as there concerend they cant get it quick enough i was new to taking over as mum then so never tried the bottle, i couldnt fill the sryinges quick enough for them.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
That's how it is right now for me. I have 1cc syringes and they each eat 3 ccs per feeding. I was just pausing and refilling/reheating each syringe, but then the vet gave me a bunch of extra syringes. So, now I have 3 syringes full so I can switch em real quick before the kittens get too grouchy, lol.

They're pretty good about staying latched on once I finally manage to get it in their mouths.
 

danimarie

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,149
Purraise
2
Location
Massachusetts
Originally Posted by TortieBaby

IT's lots of work, but it's totally worth it!

I was talking to my mom last night and told her about the kittens and she asked me why I would want to take care of them(since it's such hard work). I guess it's something you have to do to understand. I mean, being able to know that that little baby is looking to you as its mother and that you hold it's life in your hands(literally, lol) is just something beyond words. It's just amazing.
That's beautiful!!!!!!!!
And THEY are beautiful!!!!!

You're a wonderful warm-hearted person!!!

 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
Awww...thanks. You make me blush, lol.

I'm going to try and update ya'll tomorrow. Right now my hubby is using the computer and I only managed to snatch it for a sec.
 

danad

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
82
Purraise
0
Location
Oregon
Wow, I think what you are doing is amazing !
I would be scared to death with such little ones.
Best of luck to you with them. Must be such a joy
to see them begin to thrive .
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

tortiebaby

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,006
Purraise
3
Location
Illinois, USA
Yes indeed! In fact, their eyes are just starting to open! Yippee!

I tried to take some pics, but the batteries died before I could get any good ones, dangit!

They're growing up WAY too fast.
They'll be gone before I know it.
 
Top