I'm now a mommy cat to 5 abandoned, probably 1 week old kittens. Help!

I'm back with 2 more questions.

They're eating well, and purr and fall asleep immediately there after. I don't have a scale to weigh them, so how much should I be adding to the feed each day?

Poopocalypse continues. Some of them are going in the nest. First of all, is that normal? Secondly, how should I bathe them? At least 2-3 kittens have poo all over them each feed. Right now, I'm running their back end under warm water, and using a warm cotton ball to get any additional poo that made it on the body. I can't seem to get them dry quickly. Is there a trick I'm missing? The fluffier kittens seem to dry much more easily than the short haired ones. 

Thanks for all of the advice thus far! It's awesome to know there's a community of support out there. 

Have you noticed them stimulating each other at all? If they are suckling they can cause their littermates to eliminate. They are too young to be going on their own. They are also too young for a bath. They can't control their body temperatures and will chill. You can wipe them down with a warm, damp cloth. They should be cleaned several times a day in this method anyway.

Is there any way you can get a scale? Even borrow one? They aren't expensive and are the only way to be sure each kitten is thriving.

I haven't seen them stimulating each other.

Emergency though. One got a prolapsed rectum when I was stimulating him a few minutes ago. What do I do?!?!

Do you mean it's sticking out? Can you post a picture? You may need to call the vet.

It was sticking out. THANKFULLY, it went back in and I discovered the cause. The poor thing was constipated. It had a crazy hard, black stool, followed by normal color and consistency poo. A second kitten had a similar, for the lack of a better word, plug which came out right after I enlisted a friend to help bathe them. We had quite the production line going on. Hopefully all will flow smoothly (see what I did there?  ) from here on out. 

Please be careful with bathing them. They are really too young, and must be completely dry and warm before going back to the nest.

Sounds like the poor things were quite uncomfortable. Olive oil in the bottles could be enough to regulate from here on out.

We only did the body, and made sure to keep the head dry. It was a 3 person job. I washed. My friend dried. My daughter cuddled afterwards. I was too afraid to attempt all 5 kittens by myself. Didn't want them to catch a chill. We did discover though, that at least one kitten is now able to shiver (no worries, it was immediately cuddled on my daughter's chest with a blanket. 

I'm going to be keeping a close eye on their poo from here on out. Thankfully, once they got the plug out, everything afterwards was normal color/consistency. 

I'm beginning to question their age. I've been solely going on the eyes closed thing. They are literally climbing up and out of the filing crate I'm using. From everything I'm reading, that's a bit further on?

Can you videotape their movement? From the pictures I saw, they do look like 2 week old kittens, but it's possible they are behind on growth because they were abandoned and we don't know if they have been without food for very long.

My cell is out of data right now, so it may be a bit before I can. I'm about to do the second feed of the day, so I'll get some pictures. 

They've all started clumping together nicely to sleep now, and this morning, I noticed one of them trying to pounce/play with another. They are also sleeping soundly, and for longer periods of time. I have to wake them up to feed, but once I do, they're all up and moving/talking.

It is insane how quickly they're growing and acquiring new skills/actions. A rescue is helping me out and getting a dewormer for them all. I'm hoping they can get them weighed as well. 

Here are the crazies! It's so much easier/quicker when my daughter isn't at school. She's a master burper. 

Please ignore my double chins and weird faces in the following pictures. 

Kitten #1


Kitten #2 in a rare moment of zen. This one is the runt. 


Kitten #3 is my escape artist. 



Kitten #4 


Kitten #5 my big boy. He seems the heaviest. 



They would not stop moving. Oddly, the heating pad is on the other half of the crate on the lowest setting. They start there after  a feed, then migrate to the other side. 

They might think it's a bit too warm  

I really wouldn't give them much more than 2 weeks. I think you aged them correctly ^^ They are looking all very good and nice round tummies! 

You are having entirely too much fun with these kittens!

I've got a phantom hard stool pooper. Whoever this is is able to do it on their own. I was just feeding the runt, and turned away to focus on her, turned back, boom, hamster poo.

All of the ones that I've seen go thus far have nicely formed/colored poo, so I don't think the formula mix is off. Obviously, I could be wrong. 

Suggestions on how to fix the kitten when I find out who it is?
 

I've now witnessed all of them poop at least once! 

Small victories. 

I think adding olive oil to their milk is the only thing you can do! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

I haven't been able to get them weighed yet, but they're all very obviously gaining weight. 

From what I've read, they should be cuddled after feeding, but not excessively at this point. Am I right on this? 

They're also sleeping much more soundly in between feeds. I actually have to wake them up most of the time. All I have to do is uncover the crate, and they immediately spring to life. Just checking to make sure this is normal!

Yes, normal. Sleeping more means full tummies and growth! Good you're waking them for feedings. They should not skip one.[emoji]128522[/emoji]

I've fostered other kittens before, but none this young. Their development has me absolutely floored. The day to day changes are insane! 

Here's what's going on at this point. 
 

• All kittens are eating 15ml or more a feed. Distance between feeds are 3-4 hours during the day, and I push it to 5 at night without complaint.
• All kittens are gaining noticable weight. 
• They're all eliminating with stimulation.
• 2 kittens are beginning to go without. 
• 2 kittens are able to climb out of any enclosure I've provided thus far.
• 3 are walking fairly solid on 4 legs without the belly on the ground.
• The other two are trying. 
• All eyes are open 
• Ears are beginning to open up as well. 
• A few of them are beginning to cut teeth. (That was a fun find this afternoon!)
• Their sense of smell is awesome. My friend kitten sat so I could bring my daughter to a play date, and when I came back, they all mobbed my hands. I had kitten love.
• They're starting to develop a sense of sound. My daughter came in the room singing and woke them up. 

So, I'm thinking that all is going well thus far! I'm super glad they're progressing. They were so little when we got them. To say I was nervous would be a HUGE understatement. I'm guessing we're a little over two weeks now? By next weekend, I'm really going to have my hands full!

Thanks for the support!

Yes! Kittens develop at lightning speed! It's very amazing to watch these little creatures, who are born so helpless, learn about the world around them. [emoji]128522[/emoji]