Momma Leaving Babies

catwoman707

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Sure it's fine for her to have now and then, just don't want to give it too often or she will get diarrhea.

Maybe the best solution rather than rotating is simply supplement the one girl?

Although this weight thing today is just too odd.

And there is no reason the rotation way should ever make the others lose or not gain weight.

Strange.
 
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flambardslover

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What's even stranger is that she was one of the ones that was "better off". She stayed the same weight as yesterday while two lost weight. Though the two other smaller ones gained only 1 gram. So she was still better off than the ones losing. I seriously want to blame the scale but I can't figure it out. I put in new batteries and it's reading the same. Same surface, same everything.
 

catwoman707

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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. 
Well if she werent feeling well and didn't want them nursing she would lay more upright, like to lay on her nipples preventing feeding.

For a mom to do this would not be normal either though, even if she did get sick, once they show you they are good, willing moms, they don't just stop.

I had a mom here once who was very sick with an internal infection, and I had no idea until she was VERY sick and rushed to the vet, and she continued to feed then through that entire illness, despite how uncomfortable it was for her, poor thing.
 

catwoman707

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I know it!! I want you to tell me it's the scale too!! Just doesn't make sense otherwise darnit! Well at least knowing they got fed and maybe do it again in a few hours will help things, see what tmrw brings.
 
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flambardslover

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@flambardslover  how's it going today?
Better then yesterday :) 

11 grams gained for two of the babies

5 for one

8 for the gray and white girl

and 9 for one.

I fed them four times yesterday so I am thinking something is going on with momma. Couldn't get her into the shelter vet today, will try tomorrow.
 

catwoman707

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Very good, the .5 could be a bit better but looks good.

Sounds like she does need to be seen, asap. Wouldn't want anything going on with her, possibly an infection or something.
 
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flambardslover

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Agreed! I will call again first thing tomorrow morning and try to get her seen. A bit disappointed that they never called me back. 

I'm going to continue syringe feeding them because if they are only gaining a small amount, I feel like she must not be producing as much as she was. At least the milk supplement is helping. They are starting to try to leave the bed now so they are growing up quick! :) 
 

catwoman707

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Yes, under the circumstances feeding them sounds needed.

I am anxious to hear what the vet has to say.
 
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flambardslover

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Ok so momma should be getting into the vet today if the shelter would call me back... 

Babies are actually doing well. This might be a stupid theory but tell me what you think. When the babies stopped gaining weight and lost weight, that was the same time that momma went off her wet food. Last night I finally found a different brand kitten food that is more flavored and she is back to eating it. Today I weighed the babies and they are all gaining, fatty pumba is up to 290 and little gray and white girl is 246 which is awesome as the others were in the high 240s or low 250s yesterday :) So I am thinking maybe the momma was leaving them more often because her body didn't have the energy to feed them since she wasn't really eating?

Gray and white girl is doing AMAZING with syringe feeding. She will take 10 mls each feeding and she will climb over to my leg like she wants more. She is a sweetheart! Going to be super friendly I think. Anyway, I am not really feeding the two biggest boys. I try to get 1-2 mls into them at each feeding but I think they are getting the best nipples and therefore getting enough milk that they don't really need me to feed them. I would rather them all take momma's milk then formula, but I have seen that the gray and white girl is really benefiting from the feedings I am doing with her, so I'm not going to stop with the smallest ones. 
 
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catwoman707

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Things seem to be smoothing out now, thankfully right?!

As far as the wet food thing, you might be right, it's so hard to read their minds and what makes them do the things they will do, we can only guess.

If she doesn't seem to be sick at all, and is back to eating the canned, maybe the vet visit can be delayed since it's pretty darn stressful on them too.
 
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flambardslover

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Yeah I am just waiting on a response from the foster coordinator as to what she wants done. If she calls I will let her know what is happening and she can decide. I don't really want to take the babies out, especially to a shelter... don't want to risk them getting sick. But I also don't want to just leave them behind when momma goes to the vet, so I will update her and see if she still thinks she needs to be seen. Hoping it was just that she was tired from not eating and things will be back to normal now! I guess we shall see with the weights tonight :) So far, so good though! 

Syringe feeding five babies around the clock isn't much fun to do alone haha! Can't wait until they can start eating wet food!
 
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flambardslover

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I say not much fun to do alone, but I should add totally worth it :) 

The household has fallen in love with the white and gray girl... let's see if she makes it back to the shelter to be adopted! Haha.
 

catwoman707

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I say not much fun to do alone, but I should add totally worth it :) 

The household has fallen in love with the white and gray girl... let's see if she makes it back to the shelter to be adopted! Haha.
Oh yes, very rewarding!

I have a feeling she is not ever going to see the shelter again....!! haha

If you do take mom, be very aware of everything that touches her body, nothing that can transfer any kind of bacteria or a virus, boy the shelters sure have it all going on there, things that won't affect adults but will latch on to new and unprotected babies so fast!

The biggest are of course the 2 biggie uri's, calici and herpevirus, but at least those can be seen in cats, panleukopenia is the biggest fear, as it is unseen until it's too late, and is deadly to all.

I just talked myself into feeling if she doesn't need to go then probably best she doesn't......
 
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flambardslover

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Updated weights:

White: gained 11

Tabby boy: gained 12

Tabby girl: gained 9

Gray and white girl: gained 14

Gray: gained 18

The gray boy has some weird days. Some low and then the next very high. 
 

catwoman707

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Wow!

So I wonder if they would stop gaining again if you weren't feeding them?

You can actually cut back a bit, I know it's alot of work and their weights are great!
 
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flambardslover

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I have cut back a tiny bit today. Hopefully they will still have good gains tomorrow. I am still wanting to feed the girl kitties. I get a good amount into them each day so I really think that they aren't getting the good nipples. I think the boys are really pushing them off. Gray and white girl seems to be doing a lot better and climbs to the end of the bed and onto my leg when I get in there! Haha, she knows when feeding time is! She has taken to it so well, I really do think she was hungry and the boys were hogging the milk. Tabby girl could be doing a tiny bit better. Past three days she gained 1, then 5, then today 9 so hopefully it keeps increasing. I'll keep you posted if anything changes!! :) For now, a picture of the whole family! 

 
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flambardslover

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Little gray and white girl is doing AMAZING! She leaves the bed now when I enter the room, she wants to be fed haha. Today I weighed her and she gained 27 grams from yesterday.... I don't know how that is possible but when I picked her up today I could really feel a difference, she doesn't feel tiny like she used to. Her fatty pumba brother gained 22 today as well. She is very sturdy on her feet now and is doing really well :) Soon they will be leaving the bed to run around and will start eating soon, maybe we can try later next week! :)

 

catwoman707

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Oh just look at her!!  OOOOOOH cuteness!

What a fabulous loving and observant mom you are !! 

I just love updates like this!
 

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Fatty pumba? O my lord,I just have to file that name away for future use!That is so descriptive of a cute plump kitten?Sorry, I've been keeping up with this thread and wanted to wish you much strength and determination in helping this little abandoned family.God bless you,hang in there ,we are all rooting for you and the little fatty puma and sibs.:vibes::rbheart::clap:
 
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