Please help weak newborn kitten!

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kitty0317

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So my cat had kittens this evening and by the fifth one she was pretty tired and cleaned it off but didn't really fluff it up. We dried it in a warm towel and tried to get it to nurse. It would attempt to nurse and then it's head would just sag off the nipple. It suddenly got cold to the touch even though it was by mom. We tried stimulating it again but it is mostly unresponsive. It is breathing heavily but has a good tongue and gum color. Help!
 

eb24

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Try warming the kitten again. Gently rub him.her with a dry towel in circular motions to get the blood flowing. To increase body temperature even more put the towel in the dryer for a few minutes to heat it up. It should be warm but not hot. Make sure that when you do this you are doing it right in front of Mom. Use slow movements so she can see exactly what you are doing and never take the kitten out of her sight. 

Kittens can't eat if they are cold so warming them up is step number one. Once that happens, gently set them with Mom and guide their mouth to a nipple. It can take a few tries but they should eventually latch on. If they don't then you are going to need to start supplemental feeding. See this link for more information on how to go about that, and watch some YouTube videos to be sure you are feeding properly. If done incorrectly the kitten can get milk in it's lungs and suffocate so you must be very careful! http://www.thecatsite.com/a/hand-rearing-kittens

Also, bottle feeding should only be done as a last resort. Once you start you risk Mom rejecting the kitten or them becoming dependent on it, meaning you are looking at several long months. Do everything you can to try and get the kitten to latch onto Mom. Hopefully once you get them warm they will be more alert and interested in feeding. 

A final note is remember that sometimes, despite our best efforts, kittens just don't make it. If this does happen don't blame yourself as it's just a part of nature and oftentimes is caused by an internal deficiency that we can't see. Do everything that you can, but know that even that may not be enough. 

 Best of luck and vibes that this little one learns to latch on! 
 
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StefanZ

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Yes, helping them with warmth is important. Them being weak is often essentially, they got too cold.

They cant either digest properly if not warm enough.

If you dont have the hair dryer to quickly warm up the towel, you can also use the micro.

Keeping the weak chilled one at your chest is quite effective - especielly if it is an orphan.

You can try and give a boost of extra energy by setting some sugar on their gum!

As a kitten beginning to fade is often just having too little sugar in blood.

Dextrose sugar (= glucose sugar) is best.  White caro sirup or honey are often tried.  If you dont have anything else, common sugar should also work, but slower. Dextrose is best.

Dextrose and sugar is in powder, so do wet it a little before putting on the gum...

Good luck!
 

eb24

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You can try and give a boost of extra energy by setting some sugar on their gum!

As a kitten beginning to fade is often just having too little sugar in blood.
For some reason I always forget about adding a little sugar to the system. Good thing I have you to swoop in and round things out!!! 
 
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kitty0317

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Sadly the little guy just passed about an hour ago. We got him warmed up but he just was not trying to suckle at all. We also attempted to syringe feed him but it just didn't work. Mom cat is taking very good care of the four other kittens and they seem to be very strong.Thank you all for all the help.
 

eb24

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I'm so sorry to hear that he didn't make it- I know how hard that is. 
 It truly does sound like something was wrong from the beginning and that his chances of survival weren't good regardless of what you did/didn't do. Again, sometimes kittens just don't survive outside the womb. 

Take comfort in knowing that in the short time he did have here he was in a safe and loving place. And, that he didn't suffer. 

Take the time you need to mourn this loss but don't lose sight of the four other healthy babies that you do have. Also take comfort in knowing that they and Mom are still thriving.

Because of his passing I will ask a Mod to close this thread. If you feel so inclined you can start a memorial thread over in the Rainbow Bridge section, or start a new thread here if other questions arise. 

RIP little one
 

rosiemac

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On behalf of the entire Team and Members at TheCatSite.Com we offer our heartfelt sympathy


This thread is being closed, but we invite you to post condolences in the Bridge forum when Kitty0317 feels up to it
 
 
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