newborn kittens very small runt :(

I'm glad you said that as that's what I've been doing every hour,at a guess I think I'm getting about .8ml into her, we finish the 1ml syringe but I'm accounting for dribbles! I feed her next to Mum who quite happily purrs away while I am doing it, i think i"m going to have a very very exhausting time but i not giving up on this little lamb! Fingers crossed for the next weight check in around 6 hours time!

It is extremely exhausting, but necessary to the kitten's survival. You'll need to catch short naps when you can and set your clock.

These first few days - and until the kitten is no longer at a premature birth weight - are critical. Your intervention will save this kitten.

Let us know the weight later!

She is absolutely, literally, a little lamb kitten.  I am up quite late in the night, and shall hold you and LambCat close in my heart through the dark hours.

So I know it's still very very early days but I'm a happy little lamb mummy right now!! Just weighed again so going from their first weigh in 24 hours ago we have the following

Little lamb 73gm = a 10gm gain!!
Black 111gm = 16gm gain
B&W 121gm = 24gm gain
G&W 119gm = 14gm gain
Grey 118gm = 19gm gain

I know it's really early days for little lamb but I am over the moon with a 10gm gain in 24 hours, she has got the hang of the syringe so well and just latches on and doesn't even spill a drop now! When she had her last ml and finished it I want and got her more but by the time I got back she was latches on to Mum sucking away.
I'll be getting up during the night with her and fingers crossed for another good gain in the morning. All my kids have obviously decided the white one is their favourite so there is no chance this little baby is going to be breaking out hearts of I can help it!!
It's funny as when I feed her, the mum quite happily sits and doesn't mind but when I weigh them she comes and tries to take them back, it's like she knows that I'm helping her by feeding her!

Whew! I am so relieved that this baby has gained 10 grams already!

Please keep it up until she is bigger. You are her lifeline, though she sounds like a fighter!

Mom understands feeding but not weighing!

So glad to hear you will be keeping her! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

I'm very very pleased to report that little white kitten has gained 6gms since her last weigh in just less than 12 hours ago and is now at 79gms [emoji]9786[/emoji][emoji]9786[/emoji] I'll still of course keep up the feedings but she/he is a little scrapper and quite happy to get in amongst everyone to fight for a nipple and more often than not wins by using her siblings to piggy back on to reach the higher up one's haha!

She's catching up fast! This is just wonderful. I'm glad she's so scrappy about getting a nipple too!

Most kittens at such a low birth rate would not make it, particularly if not supplemented.

Ideally, kittens double their birth weights by the end of the first week. I think you should continue supplementing at least until she has reached that milestone.

Thank you for your efforts on her behalf!

How are the others doing?

Hi sorry for the late reply as you can imagine it's hectic here! The others are doing great, so their weight gain this morning so for 12 hours is
Black 116gm + 5gm
Black & white 129 + 8gm
Grey & white 123gm + 4gm
Grey 125gm + 7gm
So I'm really happy with all them but will continue to do 12 hour weights for them all for now.

Little lamb is amazing me!! You would not believe the suckle this little kitty has, 1ml syringe she latches on and sucks so strong I don't have to move the plunger! We are getting no dribbles at all then as soon as she has finished her 1ml she goes straight back on mum and sucks away! Mum is eating wet food like there is no tomorrow but doesn't like the bathroom door being shut so we're leaving it open so she can pop down for 10 mins every hour to say hello then she trots back off upstairs to her babies! I know leaving the bathroom door open for her isn't ideal and it will be shut at night etc. But she has a very very close bond to our dog who an comes down and rubs all over for 5 mins every time she is down! Said dog has had to be bought 2 new toys today due to her sitting at the bottom of the stairs crying (stair gate in the way!) because she knows her best friend is upstairs up to something she can't be part of!

I am obviously going to continue with supplementing little lamb but should I keep with 1ml or now that she is finishing it should I be seeing if she wants more or leaving her to Mum for that?

Thanks for all the advice so far it's very much appreciated [emoji]10084[/emoji]

Awww, your poor doggie! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

Do you really need to close the bathroom door at night?

I'd say the little lamb is ready to move up to 2 mLs. I'm so proud of this kitten!

The others are doing well too, especially if they double that gain in 12 more hours. If they do not, give them some extra too. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Are you familiar with the Shari Lewis Show?  Perhaps this little one might be Lambchop?

Little lamb is now at 90gms, well she was this morning so that's her put on half her birth weight in around 60ish hours [emoji]9786[/emoji][emoji]9786[/emoji][emoji]9786[/emoji][emoji]9786[/emoji]
She is taking 1.ml from the syringe but seems to be nursing really well from mum too!
Other kittens all look like giants compared to her!Their gains from last night to this morning so 12 hours were
Black 135 = 10gm gain
Black & White 150 =8gm gain
Grey & White 141 =10gm gain
Grey 146 = 13gm gain

They all look on track to me to be doubling their birth weight in a week even little lamb chop which is amazing me!!

Would you think any of the others need supplementing? And little lamb chop still hourly? I'm not going to lie I'm exhausted but seeing her grow so well is making it all worth it, i know not to get ahead of myself and it's still early days for her but I really thought day one we were going to lose her so for her to still be here and to have put on 30gm in 3 days is huge for me! Bless her though as she is still lighter than the rest were at birth!

R rmwife

Congratulations so far! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

If the others continue to gain well, you can probably skip the supplementing, unless they cry for food, or are not gaining enough.

Do make sure they are on track to get close to 8 ounces by the end of week 2 though.

I'd feel more comfortable if you could continue to supplement Lambchop for now, even if it's 2 mLs every 2 hours. I hate for her to lose ground, and 90 grams is the bare minimum.

Lambchop is the perfect poster kitten for why supplementing is so utterly necessary and lifesaving!

Do get your rest though, and thank you so much. The first morning after you initially posted, I woke up worried about Lambchop, and it was the first thing I checked on! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

I think maybe with lambchop I will continue with hourly during the day and 2 hourly at night? To be honest until she doubles her birth weight I think I'll be happier carrying on with hourly, if I didn't and anything happened I would regret it,sleep is over rated anyway haha!
The others are great Mum only leaves them if they are sleeping and the slightest squeak from them and she is back there with them, the only other time they make noise is when they are nipple scrapping! Unbelievably lambchop tends to win the scraps, she (not sure why I keep saying she!) certainly has some fight in her thats for sure! I'll carry on with the 12 hourly weigh ins for them all and keep posting on here if that's ok just incase in my sleep deprived state miss something that someone with a lot more expertise can pick up on! Plus hopefully I can keep bragging about little lamb chop [emoji]9786[/emoji]

Oh, please keep posting!

I was not sure if you were planning to continue supplementing Lambchop, but I am so glad that you are!

Is mom eating well?

Rotating? I haven't been rotating them they all tend to feed together and sleep together in a big kitten pile of mum isn't there or are all sleeping tucked up on various places of her if she is there.
Mum is eating LOADS!! She has royal canin baby cat dried food down constantly and can't get enough wet kitten food! I've been giving her a small bowl of kmr once a day as well.

Are you confusing the rotating with the other poster who has 9 kittens? I remember you originally saying about putting lamb chop on mum when the others are sleeping but apart from the first 24 hours I haven"t done that as she really hasn't any problem getting to whatever nipple she chooses and will knock any of the rest out if they get in her way, she really does have some fight for a litle baby! Even after i have syringe fed her she will go straight to whatever nipple she chooses .

I'm glad to hear that mom is eating so well! That's great!

I think I was confused over the rotating.

Keep us posted! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Gosh, yes, keep posting, and the more pictures the better.  I'm now invested in watching Lambchop grow up!

Well...the rest of the litter, too, but I kinda named Lambchop...she's my Godkitten!