Kitten with a weak suckle!

Hi everyone! This post does not fall under the category of Ethical breeding but I need help reguardless. 

*Backstory: Last summer a litter of kittens were born in my backyard. I fed, befriended them and TNR'd the ones I couldnt adopt out. One disappeared, leading me to believe she has passed. 

Fast Forward to two days ago. I went out to feed said ferals and she was heavily pregnant at my backdoor. She greeted me like an old friend and I managed to entice her into my bedroom where I could keep an eye on her. 

She had two kittens on Tuesday night. One was stillborn, the other she had no clue what to do with. Having fostered many momless kittens I tried to bottle feed him and he had no suckle whatsoever. After working with mommy all night (This is hard because she really doesnt want me touching her) I showed her how to stimulate him and roll over to let him suckle. She also didnt seem to have any milk! I also suspected she still had a kitten in her. 

Last night at 3am she gave birth to another stillborn. (Highly unusual to give birth again 24hrs later,I know!) 

Here's what I need help with, I have to put him on the nipple every time and he only suckles for a second before pulling off. When I tent him he doesnt seem dehydrated but his belly isnt really getting that round "I just ate look" 

Should I supplument, or just keep putting him on mommy? 

Thanks everyone!

Praying he makes it! 

PS, Should I cross post this somewhere?

Are you weighing him?  If not you need to do so, every day at about the same time in grams.  It's the only way to tell if he is putting weight on.  However he's 2 days old already and you won't know if he's gained or lost in those two days, and another day could be crucial so personally I'd bottle feed him as well as encourage him to suckle from mum.  You need to toilet him before and after each feed as well, and feed him in the position he would feed from his mum in - on his tummy, head up a little.

Is she looking after him?  If not he also needs keeping warm, and he has to be warm to be feed otherwise he won't digest it.

Good luck with him.

I would absolutely be supplementing him asap.

Personally with his lack of sucking going on I would just tube feed, but most do not know how.

If you wanted to learn I bet one of the local vets or vet techs will be able to teach you how.

This is ideal since you will know exactly how much is ingested, etc. and aspiration is out of the picture.

If you don't think you want to go that route, and don't feel bad either, most people are afraid or intimidated by this, it looks scarey and dangerous!

You can use a small syringe (no needle) you can also get from a vet, like a 1.0 ml size.

It takes time and patience for this, because it's extremely important they don't inhale any, not one drop.

Watch his breathing, holding him on his tummy always with head slightly up as orientalslave is saying, and gently plunge a drop or 2 at a time into his cheek, not down his throat, and watch as he swallows.

Continue whether he wants it or not, as most will resist, and give at least several mls to him.

Even if it appears he is nursing, test this by tugging gently on him while nursing, it will show you if he is simply snuggying into momma but not sucking, or if he has a good hold on her nipple.

Thank You for you responses! I have a mail scale so I will weigh him. I am stimulating him to potty before and after and I showed Mommy a few times and it was almost like a light bulb went off. She is trying her darndest to take care of him, she's just scared and confused, but is keeping him warm, cleans him and responds to his cries.  I have them in a closet (Door cracked so she can get in and out) and I have a heating pad with soft blankets on top. 

I will continue to supplument as he is just not latching properly. I have never tube fed. I've given sub Q's to older cats but never tube fed. The vet cannot see them until tomorrow, so I welcome your imput greatly! 

You had got excellent advices already. For me is is essentially just to second them. Yes, you should additionally feed it now. This kitten has so thin margins, you dont want to risk make them even thinner.

If you can get hold on goat milk, it is useful as emergency milk. Perhaps even better than many commercial kmr´s.

Nay, giving birth after a pause of 24 hours isnt that unusual...  Your weak kitty is a bigger sorrow.

I agree with Catwoman tube feeding is very effective. But dangerous if you dont know exactly how to do it. That is why we usually dont talk aloud about it...  The sorrowfully is quite many vets seems they dont either to know how to do it... Of course, if somebody is desperate enough so it is possible to google. There are descriptions...

Although giving them food with dropper or syringe (feks a plastic syringe for dosing of medicines) makes it much easier to suckle, so he will surely manage.

misstorri said:

This post does not fall under the category of Ethical breeding but I need help reguardless. 


She had two kittens on Tuesday night. ... (Highly unusual to give birth again 24hrs later,I know!) 

Should I supplument, or just keep putting him on mommy? 


PS, Should I cross post this somewhere?

Click to expand...

I shall ask a mod to move this thread to Pregnants and kittens, where such threads usually are.

Good luck!