2 1/2 week old kitten is smaller than the rest of the litter. Some guidance please...

Hi i have a litter of 6 here and 5 of them are much larger than a this small one here. He shows no signs of being sick. He is just smaller and a tad skinnier. He doesn't cry very much so i'm assuming he is feeding from his mother though i do give him some formula. He is not cold at all. He is pretty warm so i'm assuming his temperature regulation is all good. One thing i have noticed is that he has less fur than the rest. I'm assuming assuming he is actually much younger than the rest and was born earlier than he should have? Any ideas?

Anything to relieve my stress would be awesome. Will recheck this post after i get back from work

Good you are observant, and giving him some extra.  EXACT  what kmr are you giving him?   Can you get raw goat milk?

When they are so small, they cant held their own body temp, so if he isnt warmed by mom or siblings, give him a heat pad on low setting, covered by fleece, for example.   Or carry him at your chest as Cangaroo.

The key to know if he thrives is to weigh him every day, at the same time.  If in crisis, even every 12 hours.  Electronical scale measuring in grammes is best.

Small one shall gain at least 6g every day, more normally build at least 10g every day...

Yes, he sounds as a little premature.  He was perhaps later conceived than the rest. Or it is an individual variation, but work with him as with a slightly premature yes.

Is the mom takin care of him?  washing etc?   Its very probable the bigger siblings push him off - surely from the best nipples, but perhaps even from all.

Lay im to mom when they are asleep.

And or give him extra... Does he takes bottle?  If not a syringe is often easier.  1ml or 1,5 ml. Tummy down, head up, in the corner of the mouth... Slowly and cautiosly.   Burp afterwards.  Help with stimulation if necessary.

Hunter1534 said:

 
Hi i have a litter of 6 here and 5 of them are much larger than a this small one here. He shows no signs of being sick. He is just smaller and a tad skinnier. He doesn't cry very much so i'm assuming he is feeding from his mother though i do give him some formula. He is not cold at all. He is pretty warm so i'm assuming his temperature regulation is all good. One thing i have noticed is that he has less fur than the rest. I'm assuming assuming he is actually much younger than the rest and was born earlier than he should have? Any ideas?

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Please come back with reports!

Good luck!

The mother is not neglecting him at all. Temperature doesn't seem to be a problem. He seems to be just as warm as his brothers and is always bundled with them. 8 were actually born but 2 died in about 2 days from being born. I just don't want to lose another one ( which I doubt will happen since if he wasn't eating, I think he'd be dead). I think he really is premature because his face and entire body is much more babyish than the others. Also his claws haven't retracted yet. I'm almost home. I will check the formula brand when I get home

Wow so it seems the brand of formula I've been using isn't so good. It's hartz kitten milk replacer. I'm gonna go look for some goats milk at the grocery store right now

Yes, Hartz is not nearly as good, also there should be a disclaimer on small print on either the front or back that says, for supplemental feeding only. The best is KMR, I use liquid on the youngest ones, like the kitty in your case, powdered for older kittens.

Hunter1534 said:

Wow so it seems the brand of formula I've been using isn't so good. It's hartz kitten milk replacer. I'm gonna go look for some goats milk at the grocery store right now

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Right, as you yourself hint, the Hartz hasnt the best reputation.   I myself think they do have uneven quality control...

Raw goats milk is the very best, but bottled full fat (or  cardboard full fat) are OK.

Of the other kmr, the brand made by  Pet AG, called for KMR, in powder, is the best and most reliable.  This is what we usually recommend).  Observe theirs ready made liquid formula isnt that same reliable... Peculiar enough.   But the bottles are cheap, so if you shall have something at hand just if, this may be a proposal.

But there are also other decent kmrs...  Royal Canins Baby milk is popular among the swedish breeders for example.

GNC makes several good brands, some are based on goat milk as main ingredient...

Does it have to be raw? What about powder regular goat milk?

Or evaporated

Hunter1534 said:

Does it have to be raw? What about powder regular goat milk?

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Nay, it doesnt  have. Raw is the simply the  very best,  getting also some immunological positive effects,  its why I keep to mention this.  IF you can get it.  Some can get it, but most people cannot, its not sold in the usual shops.   You must have some contacts and connections.

  Bottled, powder or evaporated are OK too, as long as they are full fat, ie about 3% fat when ready made.  But  less excellent than the raw.

And thus,  KMR in powder, or the other good  kmrs, suddenly becomes comparable alternatives.   

The experienced Catwoman707 for example, is a great partisan for the KMR in powder.  My guess is Catwoman would suggest you KMR before bottled goat milk.

You didn't say where you live? In the USA you can probably get KMR  at any pet shop. Also, veterinarians usually have some in stock, and also the bottles and small syringes.

I'm from California

Well I bought some evaporated goats milk. Hopefully this helps him grow a bit. I think he's gonna be fine. Was just born a bit too early that's all. He's already gonna be 3 weeks old. If he wasn't eating I think he wouldn't have made it this far

Hunter1534 said:

Well I bought some evaporated goats milk. Hopefully this helps him grow a bit. I think he's gonna be fine. Was just born a bit too early that's all. He's already gonna be 3 weeks old. If he wasn't eating I think he wouldn't have made it this far

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True, but who want to experiment?  They need all support they can get, as their margins are at best much smaller than most other kittens...

In the parallell tread by Niccolina, she mentions just a couple of natural food groceries where you can find real raw milk...  Its apparently chain stories, not just local enterprises.

You might call around to health food stores to see if they carry raw goats milk. Lassens  has stores in southern California, Bakersfield, Fresno, Santa Maria. I know they carry raw cow's milk.   I raised my kitten on KMR, he turned out fine. And from what you describe losing the 2 other kittens, it sounds like those 3 could be from a later mating during her heat.

I do not think goat's milk, raw or not, has enough taurine, fats and amino acids which any cat needs but especially this little one. Your best bet would be a brand name Cat milk replacer. At this age they grow so rapidly that a lack of a single vitamin/nutrient may harm them much more than an older cat.

nansiludie said:

 
I do not think goat's milk, raw or not, has enough taurine, fats and amino acids which any cat needs but especially this little one. Your best bet would be a brand name Cat milk replacer. At this age they grow so rapidly that a lack of a single vitamin/nutrient may harm them much more than an older cat.

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I think its the other way around.  Taurine for example, occurs naturally in meat and animal proteines.    Why its added to cat foods is because they typically has less meat than natural meat, as much cereals etc they do have added...

Similiar thinking is on the different kmr brands.  If you have a product being a made up combination, none or few of it of animal origin, you must add taurine and vitamines etc, to make the end product useful.

Also, quite a few owners and rescuers do witness they used goat milk with great success. No problems at all, and usually not even problems with constipation or such.

If bottled goat milk is OK to use in practice, raw goat milk must be even better, having also some natural immunological properties and natural antibodies - whom otherwise tends to perish if pasteurized.

Taurine is also added to canned food. I use KMR liquid on the youngest ones and I've had good success with it. Hopefully if Hunter1534 cannot find any goat milk, they could get KMR instead. Its sold at the Vet offices and all the rescues/cat fosters I've spoken to all agree KMR is the best. Also about the anti-bodies and such, will it transfer over to a cat or not even work at all since a cat and a goat are such different animals? I have used goat's milk temporarily, and also as a supplement for a elderly kitty but not with the little ones long term.

He's not doing so good right now. I'm incredibly stressed right now. I've made sure the milk wasn't cold and everything. Ugh part of me wishes it would just end so he won't suffer anymore

What are the symptoms?  Can you give him honey or syrup (glucose) around his lips? He may be plummeting. When my kitten was going down, I rushed him to ER. I think they gave him fluids etc. I was not feeding him correctly, and I don't know how he made it back. Have you been able to feed him every 2 hours when at work? Sorry, just tracked back, you have the mother - how is she treating him? He may very well be a preemie as you thought the other 2 were that died. I am hoping with you that he makes it, but he might not be strong or developed enough, and I am so  sorry for this.