4-5 week old orphaned kittens, One hasn't grown at all!

cassy michael

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A cat was hit by a car a couple weeks ago, leaving its kittens orphaned under my grandparents' house. We, of course, took them in and nursed them. When we started with the kittens we assumed they were 3-4 weeks old and the two we worried about were Grunt (Lethargic) and Bobbie (Runt). a week later Grunt is the biggest fattest kitten, Still mild-mannered, But Mew Mew, who was one of the pain in the butt kittens, we're starting to worry about. They've grown a lot over the past week, But Mewmew is now as small as Bobbie, and he looks like skin and bones. We feed them equally, It's not like we're starving him, he's just not growing, and we can't afford the vet. we can barely afford to wean them so the local shelter will take them. I'll take any help you give me!
 

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A cat was hit by a car a couple weeks ago, leaving its kittens orphaned under my grandparents' house. We, of course, took them in and nursed them. When we started with the kittens we assumed they were 3-4 weeks old and the two we worried about were Grunt (Lethargic) and Bobbie (Runt). a week later Grunt is the biggest fattest kitten, Still mild-mannered, But Mew Mew, who was one of the pain in the butt kittens, we're starting to worry about. They've grown a lot over the past week, But Mewmew is now as small as Bobbie, and he looks like skin and bones. We feed them equally, It's not like we're starving him, he's just not growing, and we can't afford the vet. we can barely afford to wean them so the local shelter will take them. I'll take any help you give me!
What kmr are you using?   Can you get raw goats milk?   This with equally feeding.  I understand he gets less use of this. Had you tried to give him more (or if he manages it!)   another alternative is somewhat lesser but more often.  Its sometimes the trick.

Im beginning to analyse, its not ready!
 

StefanZ

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A cat was hit by a car a couple weeks ago, leaving its kittens orphaned under my grandparents' house. We, of course, took them in and nursed them. When we started with the kittens we assumed they were 3-4 weeks old and the two we worried about were Grunt (Lethargic) and Bobbie (Runt). a week later Grunt is the biggest fattest kitten, Still mild-mannered, But Mew Mew, who was one of the pain in the butt kittens, we're starting to worry about. They've grown a lot over the past week, But Mewmew is now as small as Bobbie, and he looks like skin and bones. We feed them equally, It's not like we're starving him, he's just not growing, and we can't afford the vet. we can barely afford to wean them so the local shelter will take them. I'll take any help you give me!
proceeding.

Had they been dewormed? Some mild Pyrantel preparate is OK for them now.  Also the allround Milbomax is supposed to be able to use on healthy 2+w.

Meow Meow may perhaps have gotten more than his share of the worms, which they probably all have - as is common with kittens born by moms outside.

If they at any time were flea infested, they may even have tape worms too.

Many vets arent good with weak kittens, so its no big loss you do by not affording to go to see a vet.

Alhtough a vet whom is good with small, weak kittens - may be worht the money.
 
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cassy michael

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What kmr are you using?   Can you get raw goats milk?   This with equally feeding.  I understand he gets less use of this. Had you tried to give him more (or if he manages it!)   another alternative is somewhat lesser but more often.  Its sometimes the trick.

Im beginning to analyse, its not ready!
The only kind of goat milk we can get is pasteurized, we've been using Kitten formula, and we feed them regularly, until they stop eating, and then we let them lounge around with us to see if they get hungry again before we put them back. Mom and I are both allergic, so we can't spend too much time with the kittens
 
proceeding.

Had they been dewormed? Some mild Pyrantel preparate is OK for them now.  Also the allround Milbomax is supposed to be able to use on healthy 2+w.

Meow Meow may perhaps have gotten more than his share of the worms, which they probably all have - as is common with kittens born by moms outside.

If they at any time were flea infested, they may even have tape worms too.

Many vets arent good with weak kittens, so its no big loss you do by not affording to go to see a vet.

Alhtough a vet whom is good with small, weak kittens - may be worht the money.
No fleas ever that we can tell, They don't SEEM Wormy, but I guess a deworming couldn't hurt them. Is there a way to get it without a vet visit? 
 

StefanZ

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The only kind of goat milk we can get is pasteurized, we've been using Kitten formula, and we feed them regularly, until they stop eating, and then we let them lounge around with us to see if they get hungry again before we put them back. Mom and I are both allergic, so we can't spend too much time with the kittens

No fleas ever that we can tell, They don't SEEM Wormy, but I guess a deworming couldn't hurt them. Is there a way to get it without a vet visit? 
What exact kmr its you are using?  Pasteurized goat milk is OK to use, but its not better than a decent kmr.  Although its better than some inferior brands of kmr...

But raw goats milk do make sometimes the difference, so its always worth to see if its possible to get.

Yes, it depends a little on where you are. Here in Sweden we buy them simply in the usual pharmacias / apothece.  In USA you can find them in most well managed pet shopts or pet shells of Walmart.  The difficulty is to know which brand to pick, as there ARE inferior brands.

Milbomax as mentioned is safe.  Preparates containing Pyrantel are usually safe too.  Ie, the Pyrantel as such is very safe and mild.  It may be an inferior producer whom adds something less suitable to the pills.

So, go to your local well sorted pet store.  Write up what they have on paper, and google on it, and or come back here and do ask us.

Be sure its for cats and not just for dogs (sometimes its for both).  And its not too old.  The usage  datums are usually printed on the bottle.

As a rule of thumb, the factories whom also makes medicines for humans, or for veterinary hospitals, are reliable. They dont afford bad opinions.

While factories making cheap brands for sale only directly  to end customer, are often unreliable and sometimes even dangerous.
 
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cassy michael

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What exact kmr its you are using?  Pasteurized goat milk is OK to use, but its not better than a decent kmr.  Although its better than some inferior brands of kmr...

But raw goats milk do make sometimes the difference, so its always worth to see if its possible to get.

Yes, it depends a little on where you are. Here in Sweden we buy them simply in the usual pharmacias / apothece.  In USA you can find them in most well managed pet shopts or pet shells of Walmart.  The difficulty is to know which brand to pick, as there ARE inferior brands.

Milbomax as mentioned is safe.  Preparates containing Pyrantel are usually safe too.  Ie, the Pyrantel as such is very safe and mild.  It may be an inferior producer whom adds something less suitable to the pills.

So, go to your local well sorted pet store.  Write up what they have on paper, and google on it, and or come back here and do ask us.

Be sure its for cats and not just for dogs (sometimes its for both).  And its not too old.  The usage  datums are usually printed on the bottle.

As a rule of thumb, the factories whom also makes medicines for humans, or for veterinary hospitals, are reliable. They dont afford bad opinions.

While factories making cheap brands for sale only directly  to end customer, are often unreliable and sometimes even dangerous.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Milk-Replacer-Powder-for-Kittens-10.5-oz/49911832 This is the only Kitten Milk I have access to. Although I was told that doubling up on Similac (For humans) would work. 
 

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Do you know of a specific rescue who will take them once weaned?

If so, I would ask them for pyrantel, it's so cheap for us to buy, giving little kittens each a dose might cost a dime, probably less.

Surely they wouldn't mind helping with that.

ALL kittens need deworming, it's just the way it is.

Pyrantel is the best option at this age, but depends if it's available where you live, US then sure, easy to get.

You want to use the better KMR like from Petag. No Hartz brand.

How's their poop?

You said you feed until they stop, this might be the issue too.

Get the kitten's weight, for every ounce of weight he needs 8 mls of KMR per day minimum.

It may very well be that he is stopping too soon and just not getting enough to gain like he needs to.

You have gotten good advice from  @StefanZ
 
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cassy michael

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the Foemula I use IS Pet Ag
 
Do you know of a specific rescue who will take them once weaned?

If so, I would ask them for pyrantel, it's so cheap for us to buy, giving little kittens each a dose might cost a dime, probably less.

Surely they wouldn't mind helping with that.

ALL kittens need deworming, it's just the way it is.

Pyrantel is the best option at this age, but depends if it's available where you live, US then sure, easy to get.

You want to use the better KMR like from Petag. No Hartz brand.

How's their poop?

You said you feed until they stop, this might be the issue too.

Get the kitten's weight, for every ounce of weight he needs 8 mls of KMR per day minimum.

It may very well be that he is stopping too soon and just not getting enough to gain like he needs to.

You have gotten good advice from  @StefanZ
the Formula I use is Pet Ag brand, it's all Walmart sells. I think they might be a little constipated but no matter how much I wash them I can't get them to poop. I clean up small yellow poops rather regularly but since we can't spend all our time with the kittens (Allergies) there's no telling who's pooping. I did catch Grunt pooping today, it looked like he hadn't digested the (Extremely plain) Chicken baby food we'd gotten at all, it was runny and the exact same color.
 

catwoman707

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Hmm, he might have an absorption issue going on.

Or I should call it mal-absorption.

Sometimes, no matter how much we try, due to all of the cat incest breeding and unhealthy cats reproducing, there will be some problem kittens now and then.

I would really work on doing the weighing thing, an easy possibility and solution, see just how much he really is getting, that might very well be as simple as that.

Wouldn't that be nice?! 
 

Sarthur2

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You can add a few drops of olive oil or vegetable oil to their food. This usually helps with constipation. The chicken baby food is good for them - high protein. Do they lick it on their own? If so, they may be ready for kitten chow (dry food) softened with the kitten formula. Once eating on their own they may grow better.
 
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