2 week old orphaned kitten feeding problems

Hi everyone! 

I have recently adopted three orphaned kittens, about 2 weeks old (eyes and ears open, walking wobbly), they've been in my care for almost a week now. Been feeding them around 30-40cc of Kitten Milk Replacer per day every few hours (I'm trying to hit 55cc/day but they refuse to eat so much). So far, everything's going fine for the two of them, but the smaller one seems to be getting weaker and weaker (it was already small and weaker than the rest of the pack when he got here). On the first few days, he was eating fine (same amount as his siblings), but starting a couple of days ago, he began to refuse his milk little by little. Yesterday morning, he really refused to eat at all already. I just forced the milk on him but something seemed wrong because he would immediately pee while feeding and would weaken afterwards (not the sleepy after eating kind like his siblings get). Last night it got really bad, I tried to force feed him again (thinking he should still eat something no matter what) but while the bottle was in his mouth, I noticed he was stretching his mouth wide open looking like he was having a seizure. I immediately removed the bottle to check what was wrong. He peed again and started stretching his body like really was having a seizure. I got so scared I just didn't feed him anymore and put him back in the cage. I have had 1 or 2 unfortunate experiences before with orphaned kittens and well, they have seizures right before they die. I was thinking I would just find him dead today but he still lives! Which is good, but he is also still very weak and I have no idea how I'm going to feed him now. 

This is my first time posting here on The CatSite. I have read some posts here which have become very helpful for me. So if anyone has any idea what to do (I'm making going to the vet a 2nd choice because reasons), I would really appreciate your replies.

 

Hi!

I have no experience with kittens like this, but have you taken it to the vet for a checkup yet? The vet would be the best bet here.

I am boosting up Hoping more people will come and help!

I've asked for this thread to be moved to the pregnant cats and kittens forum as they are specialists there in this kind of thing.

StefanZ catwoman707 help please.

The kitten may have been attempting not to choke on the formula being pushed down his throat. I think a vet visit is definitely in order. In the meantime, some honey or Karo syrup or sugar water smeared on the lips, or a couple of drops in the mouth, may help to sustain some energy.

Please post an update.

lilylilacs said:

 
Hi everyone! 

I have recently adopted three orphaned kittens, about 2 weeks old (eyes and ears open, walking wobbly), they've been in my care for almost a week now. Been feeding them around 30-40cc of Kitten Milk Replacer per day every few hours (I'm trying to hit 55cc/day but they refuse to eat so much). So far, everything's going fine for the two of them, but the smaller one seems to be getting weaker and weaker (it was already small and weaker than the rest of the pack when he got here). On the first few days, he was eating fine (same amount as his siblings), but starting a couple of days ago, he began to refuse his milk little by little. Yesterday morning, he really refused to eat at all already. I just forced the milk on him but something seemed wrong because he would immediately pee while feeding and would weaken afterwards (not the sleepy after eating kind like his siblings get). Last night it got really bad, I tried to force feed him again (thinking he should still eat something no matter what) but while the bottle was in his mouth, I noticed he was stretching his mouth wide open looking like he was having a seizure. I immediately removed the bottle to check what was wrong. He peed again and started stretching his body like really was having a seizure. I got so scared I just didn't feed him anymore and put him back in the cage. I have had 1 or 2 unfortunate experiences before with orphaned kittens and well, they have seizures right before they die. I was thinking I would just find him dead today but he still lives! Which is good, but he is also still very weak and I have no idea how I'm going to feed him now. 

This is my first time posting here on The CatSite. I have read some posts here which have become very helpful for me. So if anyone has any idea what to do (I'm making going to the vet a 2nd choice because reasons), I would really appreciate your replies.

 

Click to expand...

Im writing this 16 hours after your alarming post, with that kitten more or less dying.  I fear its over now.  But I will answer anyways. He perhaps is still with us, or others may get some tips and ideas...  Or you with your new kittens you will surely rescue later on.

WHAT exactly  kmr do you use?   If you can get RAW goat milk, its probably best, but  bottled goat milk is OK too.   Im not saying goat milk is better than a good brand of kmr, but sometimes you want to change and try with some other sort.   And goat milk is always an OK alternative, and raw goat milk even an excellent alternative.

OK, the advice of smearing some glucose sugar, be it glucose sugar proper, white caro syrup or honey on the lips or gum is good, it gives some extra energy...  Such a sugar water may also buy you time.

Common sugar may work too, but its much slower, and must be digested... While  glucose sugar goes into blood already in the mouth...

Carrying te weak kitten at your chest may be a good idea...  Helping with the will to live, if nothing else...

Btw, visting the vet helps only if its a vet experienced with helping weak kittens.  Many vets arent...   So if you arent made of money, and this vet not very experienced in this, you can spare the costs.   BUT an experienced vet used to cooperate with breeders or with rescuers, is worth all the money.

Although even an inexperienced vet may for example inject some fluids SubCutant... Dehydration is a major danger.

OK, if he is that difficult to take syringe,  I think the last line of defence  will be to give him food via a tube directly to the stomach. (some experienced rescuers use tube feeding routinely, esp on prematures and the very weak)

I usually dont mention it, its difficult and highly dangerous for a newbe, if you havent been shown properly by someone experienced.  And have suitably gears.

The problem is,  many vets dont know how to do it.  Or if they know, they dont want to show it...  so in practice, it may be difficult for a amateur newbe rescuer to find someone who can show and instruct...

So, if you dont find some seasoned rescuer who can show you, you must do the desperate and try yourself.   But this kitten is practically dying anyway, so there is not much to lose.

Google on it.  Tube feeding of kittens.  There are quite a few descriptions.  I myself found several  good descriptions with a quick googling.

Read thoroughly several of them.  Think over it.  Get home the gears - small flexible tube of sufficient lengh...

And praying to God, focussing, doing your absolute best - do it.

I myself wont write much more,  Im no expert on this.  (I know Catwoman -already paged- knows more of the practical details).

Good luck!

@lilylilacs  please let us know if the kitten has died.

If not then we can take it from there. I am happy to teach tube feeding to you in detail, but need to know whether or not it is necessary to go on.

Your description does sound as if he were dying then, hopefully not but think it is likely.

@sarthur2  @StefanZ  @catwoman707  Miraculously, the kitten has not yet died!

While waiting for answers from forums and vets over the internet yesterday, I decided to force feed it again, this time I just took the time to place only a couple of drops in his mouth, wait for him to make a gulping gesture, blow lightly in his face to make sure he inhales/exhales, wait 2 secs, and then over again. I just kind of did so by instinct, because I really had no idea anymore (couldn't find answers over the internet). It was tedious but he managed to (despite against his will) ingest around 5cc of milk. When I fed him again a few hours after that, I did the same routine but there was a moment when he stopped resisting (out of exhaustion from resisting, I think) so the bottle was just on his mouth, and he began just sucking and gulping very very lightly on the milk (made me so happy!). A few hours again after that, the same thing happened although it only lasts for probably a minute. He usually finishes off more or less 5cc per feeding force feeding and not combined. Ah I forgot to mention, I warm him up with a hot bottle wrapped in a small towel first before feeding because I read somewhere that it helps with digestion.

With this, is tube feeding still necessary? I'm willing to do it if it is.

Also, the problem where he weakens immensely after feeding still happens. I'm really not sure what this means. Maybe it's from exhaustion from resisting the bottle? It really isn't the same where they get sleepy after feeding because when I try to wake him up he can barely respond and stay on all fours whereas his siblings cause a ruckus with a light nudge.

As for the milk, I can probably get a hold of goat milk here, just not sure if I can get it raw. The milk I bought from the vet is called Formula One. I don't have the box as they only sell it in plastic pouches (I assume because customers usually don't need so much), this was what the vet at the store suggested when I asked.

As for the vet, I've asked for some advice from a that I know personally, but didn't get any replies yet. I rather avoid vets here as they are not that good (in my experience) with kittens these age. There was one time where I adopted an orphaned kitten and one day found fly eggs on his tail (I KNOW what fly eggs look like). When I took her to the vet, they told me it was just some dirt and they cleaned it off and that the kitten was okay. The kitten died a few days after :/ I'm absolutely sure those were fly eggs and that there's something wrong with a kittens body (she had no open wounds/infections/whatsoever) if a fly decides to lay eggs on her all of a sudden.

Anyway!

Finally, generally, he has brightened up a bit but still very weak compared to the others. Although the other two have developed their own problems, I think I'll post them up on another thread.

For now, I will give him some honey and try to get a hold of goat's milk then tell you what happens.

Thanks guys!

@Draco  @Columbine  Thank you so much for the boost!

lilylilacs said:

 
@sarthur2  @StefanZ  @catwoman707  Miraculously, the kitten has not yet died!

While waiting for answers from forums and vets over the internet yesterday, I decided to force feed it again, this time I just took the time to place only a couple of drops in his mouth, wait for him to make a gulping gesture, blow lightly in his face to make sure he inhales/exhales, wait 2 secs, and then over again. I just kind of did so by instinct, because I really had no idea anymore (couldn't find answers over the internet). It was tedious but he managed to (despite against his will) ingest around 5cc of milk. When I fed him again a few hours after that, I did the same routine but there was a moment when he stopped resisting (out of exhaustion from resisting, I think) so the bottle was just on his mouth, and he began just sucking and gulping very very lightly on the milk (made me so happy!). A few hours again after that, the same thing happened although it only lasts for probably a minute. He usually finishes off more or less 5cc per feeding force feeding and not combined. Ah I forgot to mention, I warm him up with a hot bottle wrapped in a small towel first before feeding because I read somewhere that it helps with digestion.

With this, is tube feeding still necessary? I'm willing to do it if it is.

Also, the problem where he weakens immensely after feeding still happens. I'm really not sure what this means. Maybe it's from exhaustion from resisting the bottle? It really isn't the same where they get sleepy after feeding because when I try to wake him up he can barely respond and stay on all fours whereas his siblings cause a ruckus with a light nudge.

As for the milk, I can probably get a hold of goat milk here, just not sure if I can get it raw. The milk I bought from the vet is called Formula One. I don't have the box as they only sell it in plastic pouches (I assume because customers usually don't need so much), this was what the vet at the store suggested when I asked.

As for the vet, I've asked for some advice from a that I know personally, but didn't get any replies yet. I rather avoid vets here as they are not that good (in my experience) with kittens these age. There was one time where I adopted an orphaned kitten and one day found fly eggs on his tail (I KNOW what fly eggs look like). When I took her to the vet, they told me it was just some dirt and they cleaned it off and that the kitten was okay. The kitten died a few days after :/ I'm absolutely sure those were fly eggs and that there's something wrong with a kittens body (she had no open wounds/infections/whatsoever) if a fly decides to lay eggs on her all of a sudden.

Anyway!

Finally, generally, he has brightened up a bit but still very weak compared to the others. Although the other two have developed their own problems, I think I'll post them up on another thread.

For now, I will give him some honey and try to get a hold of goat's milk then tell you what happens.

Thanks guys!

@Draco  @Columbine  Thank you so much for the boost!

Click to expand...

I see its not longer as desperate.  

But it is still an useful solution in difficult cases.   I see also, you do rescuing time and again, not just once.

So you can guard yourself and read up on google, take several of different descriptions,   think it over if you feel comfortable, and try to get the gears...   And the self decision you can take later.  

(they different description  do really boil down into the same, but being described everyone somewhat differently, together they give a better total pic than just one of them)

Hi everyone!

I have some bad news.

Unfortunately, kitten passed away just now. He seemed especially weak this morning. And again, he weakened even more after feeding (force fed completely this time) of 5cc milk. But this time, he weakened to the point of death. I still cannot understand why this happened, and cannot find any similar situation online. Any thoughts? The first thing that comes to my mind is digestive tract problems.

Thanks to everyone who gave their thoughts and advice! Purraise!

Sorry to hear this. You did what you could. It is really hard to know what the cause may be. Good luck with the others.

Aww, so sorry to hear this news.

Something was very wrong, there are plenty of times that we just don't know why it happened, it's nature's way I suppose.

Let us know what is going on with the other 2, you mentioned issues started.

Im sorry, especielly now when the hope wakened up for real...  Its tough sometimes....

RIP little one.

I'm so sorry. You did everything you could. Sometimes these things just happen. For sure, he knew he was loved

Rest in peace, baby boy

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