Preemie orphans

Kit made it through yet another night. He slept more than usual so I waited to feed him until he started stir. I'm not sure if that's what you should do or not but he was still fed every 3 hours.

FosterEmily this is very positive about little Kit Kit. sounds like you are doing a great job. I hope he continues to thrive.

& that is very cute about your daughter. I thought that might work if she could pretend with a toy and imitate what you're doing. Sounds like she came up with the same idea herself!

That's so cute about your daughter :-) It sounds like you are doing a great job with the little guy. I hope he continues to do well! Keep up the good work!

I forgot to mention, I think, that this little boy is also calico. Today was another good day for him. He hasn't had a bowel movement yet but I think I read its normal for them to only have one every 1-2 days?
The vet who saved him is also going to provide me with his formula free of charge. He is meowing more than ever and while I was snuggling him he fell asleep on my chest. It is safe to say I am becoming quite attached to this fellow. We even have guests at work coming into to see the miracle kitty. I've even had a few big bosses drop in to see about his progress. He has his own room at work. We keep it warm with a dehumidifier and I make sure to give it a decent clean each morning. If he survives me and the girls at work (all crazy cat ladies with kittens) have talked about having a kitty play date when he is older so he will be equally socialized with humans and felines a like!

Thank you guys so much for your advice and support! I don't know what I would have done without this forum!!

Also, I don't remember how much but he is gaining weight and his fur is much thicker than it was when I first got him.

Awww super to hear little Kit is doing well and see a new picture of the sweetie. Good to hear he is putting on weight and growing more fur. The growing fur takes up some of his energy/ nutrition, so once he finishes with growing in that fur thicker, he wiil probably take off even more on growth of his body / weight.

Yes it's OK if he doesn't have a BM every single day. but not more than 2 days without.

A calico boy! ?? Black, Red ( Orange/ Ginger) and White? In the earlier picture , he looks Brown Tabby and White to me but it is not very clear. Brown Tabby colors can sometimes look similar to tortie colors. ( Calico = a kind of Tortie & White) The darkest markings on a brown tabby are black ( IMO it really should be called Black Tabby. ) but the lighter color an be brownish, and sometimes they can have some places on them that are a reddish brown So it can be tricky.
Calico males are very rare; that would make him unusual in yet another way.
but I am sure we will be getting to see more pictures of him and see for sure the color / pattern.

I hope you are a strict Head Nurse and don't let little Kit's fans (even those big bosses! ) touch him, or at least not without thoroughly sanitizing their hands! ( better if they just don't touch him at all, if you can diplomatically keep them from it.) I know I keep saying it, but this little guy has zero immunity right now, until he is old enough to get his vaccinations, and even then his immune system will still be too immature to make a full response ( but it is sure better than nothing!) . It's just that it would take so little to get him sick. and I know you are working so hard to save him . and you're doing a great job. and he is doing his best , too.
He is quite a special little survivor and I do think it's great he has a lot of people pulling for him. :heart4:

He must be a black tabby! He's white with mainly big black spots that have patches of light brown. That makes more sense!
He made through another night! He's sleeping more and more!
I do not let his fans touch him and the kids seem okay with that as long as they get to watch him be fed. The bosses don't either. One co worker has pet him but it was after a good hand scrubbing. He hasn't ha a BM yet but I'm going to work in that today. He seemed a bit bloated last night but looks back to normal this morning. When I went to feed him this morning he was asleep until he heard me talkin to him. His little head shot up, he yawned then started meowing at me. So sweet. Can he regconize me?

His hearing is not so great yet but I think he may be able to recognize the tone of your voice .
He can recognize your scent for sure.
And to him, you are mommy!

you may want to try adding a couple drops of vegetable oil to the formula and see if that helps him have a bowel movement. if he doesn't today you will need to get him to the vet.

make sure to massage his whole tummy and along the sides of him, with your thumbs, make sort or circular motions and move from the upper abdomen on down to lower, and then anal area.

Yes it sounds like he is a little Brown (Black) Tabby!

He had a nice solid BM this morning. It was more brown then yellow and more solid than it had been. I'm hoping that is good!
He took a nice nap afterwards haha
And thank you. I will make sure to massage him more thoroughly !

He is 75 grams.

Kit has an appointment with the vet tomorrow morning. He is eating and acting normal but started bleeding with each bowel movement today.
The vet thinks he was either constipated and has a small intestinal tear from straining or that his bacteria levels are off. Either way she said it could cause him to become septic.
Wish us luck!
I've cut the frequency and amount of his feedings to maybe keep him from pooping so much (3 BMs today and 2 yesterday)
His fur seems twice as long today. He's had bed head all afternoon.

Adorable! You're an angel!

oh dear. I am keeping you and sweet little Kit in my thoughts. I hope he will be OK. I'm glad you took him to the vet.

He is just fine. He had a small tear that is already healing. I guess he went 2 days without pooping because he was constipated and he stressed himself out from finally pooping. He's still eating sleeping and having multiple bowel movements so he's doing well. 8 days old today!

I've had this happen with a few preemies who strained while defecating- glad it is already starting to heal and now he is having more bowel movements.

Many times with preemies GI issues are common so just be sure you are stimulating him well and massaging him as maewkaew suggested in an earlier response and adding probiotics to his bottle which I automatically do with preemies or newborns unless the milk includes good probiotics.

I have used a pinch of miralax in the bottles of a few constipated preemies and it has always worked very well without causing diarrhea like I had happen sometimes with other remedies for constipation. 

I use it once a day. 

Watch out especially when his eyes start to open and he is at the 2 and 3 week mark. Many bottle babies get sick right around this age if they were given anything "big" by mom or when their immune systems were at their weakest when they were only a day or two old. Be sure you are being extra, extra careful- I don't want to scare you but I've heard of a lot of fellow fosters who have lost so many babies because they weren't careful and didn't disinfect, wash hands, keep kittens separately, not let anyone handle, etc. Make sure you wash kitten laundry with the appropriate amount of bleach added and just keep up the good work! You're doing great and he looks great and not noticeably distended, just a nice belly which is great :-)

I am SO glad to hear he is OK.

& Laura has some very good advice.

So today is day ten and he is so big!! Having regular bms still. Eating like a pig and gaining about 10 grams daily. His fur is getting so long. Is it maybe safe to say he has a much better chance at survival?

FosterEmily said:

When I went to feed him this morning he was asleep until he heard me talkin to him. His little head shot up, he yawned then started meowing at me. So sweet. Can he regconize me?

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Rereading the thread I notice this. Yes, he recognized you.  This yawning is not because he is sleepy, it is a greeting for friends.  Adult cats do so,  apparently newborn infants can also do so to their mom or Mom.

Good luck!

Oh definitely, Kit's chance of survival is way way way better than it was when he was born in a premature c-section on a mom killed by a car.
It was a real milestone to make it over a week and to be gaining so well.

But as we have been talking about, he is going to still be at a big risk of germs. so you can't let down your guard . He still has like no immunity.

but YES you have done a wonderful job so far and you have increased his chances by leaps and bounds beyond where they were 7-10 days ago.
Looks like he is even getting ready to help you type some posts.