Rags Has Six Babies... So Far!

Thanks!

What beautiful babies!! I can't wait to watch them grow!

Wow, what a colorful bunch of kitties!

Now, which one are you going to name "Richesse?"

(Rags, Riches, get it? )

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Wow, what a colorful bunch of kitties!

Now, which one are you going to name "Richesse?"

(Rags, Riches, get it?

)

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How punny!

I got weights just now. Three of them have lost some weight. Cyndi and Belle have lost 1/8 of an ounce and Cuddles has lost 1/4 of an ounce. Should I do something? Do they need KMR or should I call the vet?
I know sometimes human babies lose a little weight after birth and then gain it back. Can kittens do the same?

Are they eating until they fall asleep on the nipple with fat, taught tummies?

The tummies don't look fat on all of them. I watched them nursing just now. Cuddles seemed to have a hard time staying on a nipple. I put him back a couple of times. The difference between Max (the biggest) and Cuddles (the smallest) is pretty noticeable. How much weight loss is critical?
I'm worried that Rags doesn't have enough milk. She does have a lot of babies.

Try and rotate them so that the same ones don't always get the nipples next to the front legs. Those have more or better milk. Bottle feeding is hard, but you might consider it. I tried with one of ours, and never could get her to take the bottle. One thing I didn't know about was that you feed them tummy down, rather than tummy up like a human baby.

Gayef are you out there? What do you think?

I did notice that they all try to get the front nipples. Max was hanging on to a front nipple and Cuddles was nursing right next to him, but for some reason Cuddles let go. I tried to put him on an unoccupied nipple toward the back, but he worked his way forward again. He's not completely helpless, but he's not as strong as some others.

I remember in one case recently, the owner would take one of the smaller kittens and sneak it in for extra feedings when the others were asleep. The momcat sort of got the idea and started doing that herself.

AWWWW - they are all so beautiful!! I'd be tempted to take one or two myself, but I'll have my hands full after Salem delivers!

I wish I had some advice to offer regarding the babies' feedings, but I'm new to all of this too. But I think the good peeps here at TCS who have had experience will be able to help you out!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

~KK~

Originally Posted by KittKatt

AWWWW - they are all so beautiful!!

I'd be tempted to take one or two myself, but I'll have my hands full after Salem delivers!

I wish I had some advice to offer regarding the babies' feedings, but I'm new to all of this too.

But I think the good peeps here at TCS who have had experience will be able to help you out!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

~KK~

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Weigh them again tomorrow. I don't think 1/8 of an ounce is a lot, but 1/2 an ounce would be. They should be warm and sleepy when they finish nursing. And they shouldn't always be fat, but not skinny or slack at the end of nursing. If their tummies are not plump at the end of nursing, they aren't getting enough. I know it can be done, because Elsa had 8 kittens with no supplementation. But it's sometimes difficult.

Originally Posted by kluchetta

I remember in one case recently, the owner would take one of the smaller kittens and sneak it in for extra feedings when the others were asleep. The momcat sort of got the idea and started doing that herself.

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Good idea. I might start trying that. The momcat figured out which baby needed extra feeding and put him on a nipple when the others were asleep? Smart mom. Rags loves the babies and is always shifting around to make sure that they are all nursing, but I think somehow Cuddles just hasn't been getting the best nipple. Just now I finally got him on a good one and Max found a nipple he liked well enough, so they were all nursing quietly when I left. I just worry about Cuddles. He's the smallest and I don't want to lose any of them.

I decided to weigh in grams. Here is the comparison to yesterday.

Max- 3/12, 126g- 3/13, 126g
Lovey- 3/12, 100g- 3/13, 100g
Cyndi- 3/12, 93g- 3/13, 94g (when I look at it in grams, it looks like she did gain a gram)
Punky- 3/12, 93g- 3/13, 93g
Belle- 3/12, 93g- 3/13, 92g
Cuddles- 3/12, 93g- 3/13 88g

See, it looks like Cuddles lost 5g.

I would sneak in a couple of extra feedings in the next day or so with Cuddles. I really wish I could remember who it was that did that, but the extra attention really helped the kitten thrive.

Did she have to do that for very many days before the kitten started to thrive?

Originally Posted by GayleMG

Did she have to do that for very many days before the kitten started to thrive?

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Just a couple I think. Let me search a little.

Thanks so much! I've got to go to bed pretty soon, but I'm worried. I'm afraid I won't sleep well tonight! I've got a 9am meeting about my new job. The timing of this wasn't great. I have been unemployed for three months and had all kinds of time on my hands. Rags gave birth right before I go back to work full-time. Great!
Of course, the flip side of that is that now I will have the money to pay for their vet care.

Originally Posted by GayleMG

Thanks so much! I've got to go to bed pretty soon, but I'm worried. I'm afraid I won't sleep well tonight! I've got a 9am meeting about my new job. The timing of this wasn't great. I have been unemployed for three months and had all kinds of time on my hands. Rags gave birth right before I go back to work full-time. Great!

Of course, the flip side of that is that now I will have the money to pay for their vet care.

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http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...edings&page=29

Start here!!!

Thanks! That was helpful to read. I will check Cuddles tomorrow. Actually I will weigh them all. I had been doing it at night, but maybe I need to weigh in the morning. I guess it doesn't matter, as long as it's about the same time each day. If I need to, I will try something that someone on that thread tried. I can supplement with KMR morning and night and let mom take care of it the rest of the time. That might work when I start my job and won't be here all day. I just hope that if I do that, Cuddles will take to the bottle.
In any case, I am keeping a close eye on him.

Wow! Beautiful kittens!! And I see by your other thread that Cuddles has gained a little bit of weight. Excellent!!

Can't wait to see the pictures as they grow!!