Momma Leaving Babies

Ooo another cutie pie!

I know you feel bad for pulling the others, but no harm done, it will be a big help for the little ones too.

I did mention I believe, about them having favorite nipples throughout their nursing weeks didn't I? How funny is that?!

That's what is going on when you will see everyone looking happy and lined up nursing, except for one, who is just beating the nipple thief up with their paws and nails, like 'get off of that, it's MINE!!'

They will not stop until they get that baby off and go to it themselves

As for how often/how long, you just need to sort of wing it there, they are actually nursing at first, but then fall asleep and it's more of a comfort thing, so I'd say if they go to sleep too fast, tickle/poke them to wake, until they won't and want to sleep, that's long enough.

Ideally, a couple times a day if possible is great.

20 grams in one day, and then only 2?! What is going on with that little one?!! 

Just so long as it's not ever more than 1 day of only 2 grams, as you know.

Haha that is interesting! I did not know that about favorite nipples. The ones they won't go on I trimmed down the hair because they seem to go to the ones where it has less hair. I thought that might help...

I am assuming he was full? That's what I am hoping. Since the average is 10 a day I figure it evens out over the two days but I'll be sure that he gains more tomorrow. I am putting him alone with momma too since the two gray ones don't fight for nipples, it's the chunkers that fight them. I'll keep you posted on how they do tomorrow!  

flambardslover said:

 
Haha that is interesting! I did not know that about favorite nipples. The ones they won't go on I trimmed down the hair because they seem to go to the ones where it has less hair. I thought that might help...

I am assuming he was full? That's what I am hoping. Since the average is 10 a day I figure it evens out over the two days but I'll be sure that he gains more tomorrow. I am putting him alone with momma too since the two gray ones don't fight for nipples, it's the chunkers that fight them. I'll keep you posted on how they do tomorrow!  

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I know right?! Go figure that one....

They choose their fave by the end of their first week, pretty amazing actually!

The fur was gone from the popular ones from the babies nursing, it sort of wears it off. That's why the fur is still there on the less popular ones

Yep, it's the chunkers who get pushy, that's for sure!

Keep us posted

Ok not a good day at all. I need your help in deciding if I call the foster emergency line.

Two of the babies lost weight. One lost 3 grams the other lost 4 grams.

Two of the babies gained only one gram.

One stayed the same.

I can't get any milk out of momma. This happened with my last foster momma, do you think she is drying up early?

flambardslover said:

 
Ok not a good day at all. I need your help in deciding if I call the foster emergency line.

Two of the babies lost weight. One lost 3 grams the other lost 4 grams.

Two of the babies gained only one gram.

One stayed the same.

I can't get any milk out of momma. This happened with my last foster momma, do you think she is drying up early?

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Obviously not good, but not sure why.

Mom puts out plenty of milk, and will only be able to dry up when they stop nursing, otherwise she will continue to produce it. She does need lots of water though, but you probably know that already.

Are you sure, absolutely positive that your scale is completely accurate?

Because like the other day the one gaining 20 grams, I mean, that is a crazy amount.

It is a possibility, think about it. If they are not whining and crying because theyre hungry, then something else has got to be up.

And any advice on bottle feeding 13 day old kittens would be great. I have bottle fed kittens before, but they were older and much easier to handle. 

flambardslover said:

 
And any advice on bottle feeding 13 day old kittens would be great. I have bottle fed kittens before, but they were older and much easier to handle. 

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I could walk you through it no problem, just not sure though, that they need it.

They will get overfed if they are bottle fed and getting plenty from mom, if your scale is not always accurate I mean.

The scale is on the same surface, zero to start out, same settings everything :/ I'm hoping that that is what is wrong but I have never had any issues with it before. 

The kittens are a lot more "talkative" as in crying and such. But that's more so if you go anywhere near them. 

As for momma, she didn't eat her kitten wet food this morning which is strange because she always eats it.

With my last foster momma, she dried up early because of an infection... I'm really hoping that is not the case here. 

The scales are so good at working nicely for awhile then changing things, always seem to start off going out of wack with inaccurate weights at first.

Does it take batteries> Maybe they are getting low?

Hard for me to tell from here of course, it just seems really suspicious to me.

Does someone else have one you can check it out with?

Do the babies look and feel fine? 

Going through a bad experience before will def. make you worry over everything, sort of traumatizes you!

Just changed the batteries now and it said the same weights  

Tried on another scale and it's saying the same weights. I don't think it's the scale unfortunately I really wish it were though...

flambardslover said:

 
Just changed the batteries now and it said the same weights  

Tried on another scale and it's saying the same weights. I don't think it's the scale unfortunately I really wish it were though...

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Sorry, I didn't get an email saying you wrote a reply.

What are your options other than to possibly supplement feed?

I ask because you mentioned calling the emergency foster number.

If you really believe that something is wrong you can feed them a couple of times and see how things go from there, whether mom seems better and what-not.

I just worry because I'm not the best bottle feeder. I use a syringe but I always have trouble. Bottles are a no go with me, never have worked for me  

I just got 4-5 mLs into each of them, just not sure how much I should be feeding them each time. I think something is wrong because the three thinner ones took to the syringe easily. They actually seemed to enjoy it and put up VERY LITTLE fuss. The two bigger ones had a bit of a fight with it. 

Okay so excellent!!

I was going to explain to you how hard of a time you will have trying to feed via bottle, at least at first, and suggest syringing, but you're already on it

4-5 mls is plenty for now.

Of course you do this while they are on their tummies only, just as when they nurse from mom.

Never squirt down the throat, but into the cheek and just a few drops at a time.

I also would suggest weighing each one after you feed, then when you weigh them tmrw see how it goes, they should be a little bit up from your feedings weights if mom is feeding them.

Do they appear to be nursing?

It's just odd, since we know she does have milk.

Well this will help ease your mind at least, for now. See what tmrw brings right?!

It is very odd. The gray and white girl isn't doing well I don't think. She feels so tiny in my hands compared to the others and she seems to have a lot less fight then them. Her meow is tiny, but she is still very alert. She worries me  

They all appear to be nursing and all seem to fall asleep, so I would assume they are full and tired! It's just so strange  

One other reason they would stop showing weight gain would be if they suddenly have diarrhea.

That would be sort of strange too, for it to come on so suddenly, but is always a possibility. I'm just stumped as to why.....

catwoman707 said:

 
One other reason they would stop showing weight gain would be if they suddenly have diarrhea.

That would be sort of strange too, for it to come on so suddenly, but is always a possibility. I'm just stumped as to why.....

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Would it be likely that they ALL have diarrhea? Momma isn't really herself, as I said, she didn't eat her wet food for breakfast, that's not normal for her. She poops A LOT. I figured she is still cleaning out? I might call again to the shelter tomorrow and see if perhaps the vet should see her and the babies, what do you think?

flambardslover said:

 
It is very odd. The gray and white girl isn't doing well I don't think. She feels so tiny in my hands compared to the others and she seems to have a lot less fight then them. Her meow is tiny, but she is still very alert. She worries me  

They all appear to be nursing and all seem to fall asleep, so I would assume they are full and tired! It's just so strange  

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Well we did talk about the rotation thing right?

This is for the small ones who are constantly pushed off the good/best nipples, making that kitten only get about half of what the others are getting, so a couple times a day they can be pulled out to allow the smallest one/ones to nurse to their hearts content.

This seems like she either needs that, or needs supplementing.

flambardslover said:

 
Would it be likely that they ALL have diarrhea? Momma isn't really herself, as I said, she didn't eat her wet food for breakfast, that's not normal for her. She poops A LOT. I figured she is still cleaning out? I might call again to the shelter tomorrow and see if perhaps the vet should see her and the babies, what do you think?

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Honestly, I think it's a great idea. Something is definitely amiss here......

Can you see that she is usually laying out on her side, not laying in a more upright position?

They will do this when they don't feel well, or are super stressed. It means the babies are unable to really nurse, maybe a couple will try to squeeze under her but not much, and not the smaller ones either.

Yup we talked about that, I am doing that she just falls asleep so quickly. I tickle her and she wakes up and nurses, but then after a while she isn't bothered by me. When she stops waking up to nurse, I put the others back. Now I am just nervous to keep doing that because the others are falling behind...

She took to the syringe quick, seemed to enjoy it actually.

Momma drank some milk too and the formula says it's fine for lactating mothers as well, so I figured it was fine to give her some? She didn't have her breakfast as I said so I thought that might be good for her to get some good stuff into her today.

She lays on her side normally but she will roll almost all the way onto her back and I notice that now that you mention it. But she does that when the babies go under her. The babies seem to like the bottom nipples the most and when they go down there, she rolls more over onto her back.