new kittens...........help!!!!

I have had 2 newborn kittens maybe 6 days old. Mama kitty is not in the picture. The litter had 5, but 3 were already dead when my husband found them. I've been feeding them with a syringe using kitten formula. I have stimulated them to go to the bathroom. Today there was poo for the first time. I've had them 2 days. I've been feeding every hour and a half to two hours and I take them to my sister while I'm at work. I'm open to suggestions and any help you guys can offer. I really don't want these little guys to die.
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Hi there and welcome. What you have taken on is a wonderful but massive project.

The most important thing is to keep them warm. Newborns lose heat very fast. Get them into a nest of blankets/towels and keep a heating pad or hot water bottle well wrapped up and underneath their bedding. They will also get comfort from a ticking clock as it mimics the mother's heartbeat. You are feeding them at the right intervals and stimulating them to poo which is good. Get a kitchen scale that weighs in grams and weigh them at the same time every day - that is the only way to monitor their wellbeing, that they all gain weight every day. The amount will vary, but they must gain and if two days go by without a weight gain then get them to a vet quickly.

Please keep posting regularly and report progress or any changes and we can help you and talk you through everything. Good luck, be prepared for setbacks, it is not easy but can be done.

Thank you for your response. I'm truly terrified that I'm going to do something wrong. They are so tiny and helpless. Their umbilical cords are still on. Do I have to do anything with that? I would like to say that one pooped on his own just a few minutes ago!! I take that as a small victory. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! And please keep it and any advice coming.

tjarvis3 said:

Thank you for your response. I'm truly terrified that I'm going to do something wrong. They are so tiny and helpless. Their umbilical cords are still on. Do I have to do anything with that? I would like to say that one pooped on his own just a few minutes ago!! I take that as a small victory. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! And please keep it and any advice coming.

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No you don't have to do anything with the umbilical cords.  They will fall off on their own.

Please  know that they are not going to poop without help from you for quite some time yet.  You need to continue simulating them.

Overall it sounds like you are proceeding correctly! Good luck with them and let us know when other questions come up!

A nice site is www.kitten-rescue.com.    If you google, the words is handraising kittens, or handrearing kittens...

Some would say you are giving them formula a little tigher than necessary. every 2 hours is in most handbooks.

But it is better to give often but small portions, than give a big portion and risk reflux...  Dangerous!

Also, you will make sure they gets OK and stabilized, before you can take it more easy.

During transport, a good place is at your chest. Make perhaps small sacks for them to be in.  Or have them in your bra...

You are doing awesome!

*vibes!*

How much do I give them at a time? I'm using a 1 cc syringe and they are taking anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 cc at a time.

tjarvis3 said:

How much do I give them at a time? I'm using a 1 cc syringe and they are taking anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 cc at a time.

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Sounds normal, even good!   

Main thing, dont force any extra, if they got enough and dont want more, so to speak.

If they get enough you will see if they gain every day.  An electronical scale measuring in grammes is best.

There are cheap such to buy, kitchen or mail scale.   Or you can probably borrow one from some neighbour.

The only thing I would do with the umbilical cords is put a little antiseptic on the ends - betadine or another iodine based one is good, to prevent any infection. But probably, if you haven't noticed anything wrong there, like redness, then they are healing on their own.

Yes, yes, yes!!!!!! There was poo in their bed this morning!!! I am a proud mama!! Now they have been fed, stimulated and bed changed. We are now officially ready for the day!

We all love poo! In the right place, that is. well done, I am so glad they are progressing.

Me to.

This is Davidson on the left and Harley on the right. This was taken yesterday.

Ok. I'm worried. I've been sleeping on the couch right beside their basket so I can hear them when they wake. They didn't wake from midnight until 630. Is something wrong, do you think? They only ate 3cc. They did per per when stimulated, but no poo.

Are you weighing them? If they are gaining weight then they are almost certainly OK. And kittens do sleep a lot. The amount they eat and sleep will vary from day to day but gaining weight is the key.

My husband is bringing me a scale from work today. We just got back from our first vet visit. I was worried because Harley had started sneezing some. And since we weren't sure of any history on mom, well I wanted her to be seen. I told my vet everything I was doing and she said that I was doing everything right. Kittens just a little dehydrated so she gave them both some subq fluids and told me to mix the formula with some pedialyte. I just fed them some of the mix. They pottied and are now asleep. I feel better after taking them.

That must all be a relief to your mind. Ki9ttens do get dehydrated easily. I often give mine extra water in between feeds, with a needleless syringe. Not too much, so as not to fill them up, but a few cc.

jennyranson said:

 Kittens do get dehydrated easily. I often give mine extra water in between feeds, with a needleless syringe. Not too much, so as not to fill them up, but a few cc.

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A good tip.   So this extra water doesnt take away their hunger?   I mean, it doesnt  fill up their stomach?

Not if you only give them a little, and well before feeding time.

They are both sneezing now. I'm losing them both, I'm afraid. They are eating, but not as much at a time.

Can you get them to a vet? They may need antibiotics.