Urgent! Need my surrogate mom to accept more kits!

I am fostering a mom with kittens now around 6 weeks old. Tonight I got a batch of kittens less than a week old whose feral mom abandoned them. Three died before I got any of them, and now I have the remaining three.

The mom I have is freaked out. She wants nothing to do with them. Is there any way to speed up acceptance? can I put her with them in a large carrier?

I have done all the fur rubbing and putting them with the other kittens (who are also really freaked out and they run away).

These babies are about the size of my 2 thumbs, they are so small. I don't know if one of them will make it through the night.

If anyone has been through this and can give me some help it would be great.

Oh dear, Is she really unaccepting? if her kids are running maybe you could try taking one of hers away and subbing it for a little one?
By the sounds of the size of them they sound very small...

Oh I think if you keep mum calm she may be sensing your stress,which may put her off from accepting them.

Could you make them a bottle in the time being to keep them going?

Her own kits are weaned- they are about 7 weeks old- but they were still visiting her for a drink now and then. I put them another room after about an hour because she was too distracted by them.

I don't think I have any formula for kittens that small but I will check. I may have some powdered KMR.

I hope your cupboard isnt as bare as you think.

I was just thinking can you get her to settle in your lap and get someone else to get the kittens to suckle while you keep her occupied?

Thanks for dropping me another line. My KMR is not the right brand; it was for 4+ weeks old. I tried it anyway with a bottle and it did not work. These kits are virtually 4 days old.

I've tried introducing them the way you suggested but by myself, since no one else is around. The minute she feels anything touching her belly she freaks out.

I put her own kittens back in the room with her (they also were freaking out in the other foster room) and am going to put the tiny babies in an open carrier in hopes she will come around- maybe will be confused by her kits. I am a bit worried though that the kittens will trounce them. There is a considerable difference in size!

The problem now is that I have to leave for my last brachytherapy radiation treatment (after which hopefully I will be CURED of the big C) in one hour i.e. 11AM and I cannot get back until about 7 PM. I left messages for the others in my group and instructions for how they can get into my house in the meantime. I sure do wish they would answer the phone .

If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know. The help is much appreciated.

We got our new mommy to take in three other kittens making her total 8 and she did a great job by rubbing them, her babies and the end of her nose gently with a bounce fabric softner sheet. She couldn't tell them apart and raise them all! Best of luck!
KarenR

Bless you for taking these babies in. Were you able to get in contact with anyone in your group?

Originally Posted by BarbB

The problem now is that I have to leave for my last brachytherapy radiation treatment (after which hopefully I will be CURED of the big C)

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It's a long story but in fact someone had been supposed to come and get them before I went for my radiation.

I had agreed to take the kittens the day before, just for overnight. So I did everything possible to try and get the mom to accept them since I was so worried they would not make it. I did not really sleep that night.

Anyhow I did reach the person at 1PM after my treatment, and, they said no problem and not to worry and they would get them.

When I reached the person they said they had fallen asleep and asked if my husband (who had just gotten home b/c he had to work late after meeting me at the hosp for my treatment) would meet them halfway with the kits.

My husband and I decided to just drive them to the person so they would get there.

I will definitely post when I hear something but I can't bring myself to call and ask about them right now. I am just too sad about all of it, plus knowing I am not well enough or experienced enough myself to bottle feed them on top of everything else.

Ok well they finally were able to recapture the original mom cat and put her back with her babies. I don't know if she will let them nurse. The babies have been bottle fed but are weak now.

KMR is good for kittens of any age. I have used it for preemies, day old newborns and up to their weaning age. Even if the queen does nurse the kittens should be supplemented with KMR and Bene-bac. If the queen rejects them chances are the kittens are ill and will need to monitored and bottle fed round the clock. Good luck-