new baby is searching but won't latch on

Poop is about 1x day. Light brown very soft/watery. It doesn't hold any shape. You can see chunks of food in it. I don't notice any unusual/distinguishing smell...just smells like poop. The only change in her diet is the addition of the wet food.

It doesn't really sound like anything other than possibly the dietary change really....I would make sure she is taking in plenty of water though, so even adding some to her wet, making it soupier. Nursing moms drink about twice what they normally would, about 2 cups a day minimum.

Once a day shouldn't dehydrate her.

Try holding off a bit, if nothing else for the germ exposure at the vets, and the stress of going there, and see how it goes.

Def. something to be on top of though.

If you have a regular vet you use, it can't hurt to call and chat, telling them what's going on with mom, see what they have to say.

Probably the standard, 'we need to see her to advise' type thing

Thank you catwoman! Will definitely keep an eye on her.

MomSnickers said:

Thank you catwoman! Will definitely keep an eye on her.

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You're very welcome, glad I can help!

New problem....dang it! When I was weighing the babies tonight found a flea on one of them. I was able to pick it off and kill it. Mom was treated with Advantage II about one week before she delivered. I treat all my cats regularly, but they all go outside frequently.

What's the best way to proceed?

You're better off simply doing what you did for now, if mom was treated they shouldn't have more than maybe one or two randoms anyway, so not to worry about that.

Once they are a bit older we will deal with your options and what you want to do

Should I change out the towels in their nest? Does it upset the moms if you mess with their bedding? I don't want her moving them to an unsafe place again.

Basically the most important is after she gave birth, those were wet and a mess.

After that, it just depends on how they are looking. I would def. change them every so often, just to keep them fairly clean. They don't need to be perfect, just not smelly or dirty looking and feeling.

She won't mind I don't think

MomSnickers said:

Should I change out the towels in their nest? Does it upset the moms if you mess with their bedding? I don't want her moving them to an unsafe place again.

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My experience is that if the new bedding is washed in unscented detergents, the mom doesn't mind.  I like to use a "puppy pad" topped with a soft baby blanket, for both moms w/litters and kittens minus their mom.  What a lucky girl your mama kitty is - she is getting concierge treatment & her babies are going to be all the more confident because for them, the world will be a safe place filled with loving humans

What sweet words catsknowme! Yes, my girl and her babies are getting concierge treatment....I never thought of it that way, but it is so true! I adore them all and my boys are over the moon. The only struggle these babies will ever have is deciding which boy to love on! They drew numbers tonight to see which baby was theirs. After 2 random draws, they ended up with the same kitten each time....and it was the one each of them secretly wanted! I told them that fate put them together. They have names now: coconut, pumpkin and peanut

Picking fleas off the babies daily. I feel so bad for them. Usually 2-5 fleas at a time. Comb doesn't do well since they are usually around the tail and back legs. The 2 yellow babies easy to do. The black baby harder to spot any. What are the signs of flea anemia to watch for in the babies?

On a positive note, the three little pigs are growing rapidly. Each gains .5 oz per day

Should I try a bath with them.

I read about 2 drops of kitten strength advantage

What are my options?

Since they are in my closet, I kept thinking that all of my clothes are full of fleas! Makes me want to scratch all day:nod:

Okay so you have 2 options.

One is, drown the fleas, however they will be in the closet, mainly on the cats though, as this is how they feed. So you can either clear out any bedding, wash it and dry it, and vacuum closet well, and bathe them (I will tell you how)

Or get some advantage 11, the 11 part is important, their newest formula and it also kills eggs and larvae now as well.

You would put 2 drops on a surface, then swipe your fingertip through it and wipe in the babies neck.

Never use the tube to measure out drops, it's too easy to squirt out too much.

Mom needs treating as well, for sure. 

Personally, it's alot easier for me to just flea treat, but be extremely careful doing this okay?

Fleas will be history within a day

Let's clarify which advantage II. I have the small cat 5-9 lbs. I believe their is also kitten strength for under 5 lbs. which do I use?

I treated mom around April 20 when she was still preggers. Should I go ahead and treat her again when I treat the babies?

Okay it doesn't matter what size tube, as they are all way more than the amt you are going to use on the babies.

They are all the exact same formula, just use the prior post where I explain about putting 2 drops on a surface, swipe it with your finger and apply.

Yes, you can treat the mom again, no problem. Just when you do, stay there with her for a few minutes to make sure the babies don't go crawling over her back and right through the med.

Perfect solution!  Scared me to death and I watched those babies like a hawk.  First I worried that I didn't get the medicine down to their skin to absorb.  Then I worried that it was going to make them sick.  I'm glad I was cautious because those little ones are extremely delicate and those little lives are important! I put 2 drops each on the babies and the rest of the tube on mama.   I changed their bedding that night and the next day.   I have only seen one flea since.  It was on the bedding and it was dead.  I check the babies daily and no fleas

Works like a charm Fleas are history.

Those darn fleas are back! But my babies are so cute and fat!!!! Could it be because of the weight gain the Advantage II no longer works?