Prism and her kittens

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Willowy

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To be fair, even the SPCA info said that lavender oil is, at worst, a mild irritant, not fatally toxic or anything. I still wouldn't use it on baby kittens though. Maybe you could just put a bit of the oil on tissues and stick the scented tissues in places near the nest but not super close to the kittens.

You can bathe them, Dawn dish soap (not citrus scent) is good but really any safe shampoo will help drown the fleas. If you bathe them, make sure you don't get water up their noses, and make sure they're rinsed very well and fully dried in a warm, draft-free area. You can also flea-comb them, that's the safest way. But the fleas definitely need to go. They can suck a baby kitten dry in no time :(.
 
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lilkittykat

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To be fair, even the SPCA info said that lavender oil is, at worst, a mild irritant, not fatally toxic or anything. I still wouldn't use it on baby kittens though. Maybe you could just put a bit of the oil on tissues and stick the scented tissues in places near the nest but not super close to the kittens.

You can bathe them, Dawn dish soap (not citrus scent) is good but really any safe shampoo will help drown the fleas. If you bathe them, make sure you don't get water up their noses, and make sure they're rinsed very well and fully dried in a warm, draft-free area. You can also flea-comb them, that's the safest way. But the fleas definitely need to go. They can suck a baby kitten dry in no time
.
The kittens are rid of fleas at the moment, mum as well. thank you though. I appreciate it. 
 
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lilkittykat

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Are you weighing the kittens every day? Do you have supplies to supplement?

And how bad is the flea infestation? Mom needs treatment with advantage II and they all need to be combed daily.
Fleas are gone for now. Mum was bathed, and treated. kittens dont have them at the most. The ones we have left both weigh about 3 ounces. I am thinking of supplementing their milk because theyre just not drinking!
 

Willowy

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That's very small :(. Kittens ought to have a birth weight of around 3-4 ounces, and gain weight steadily, so at 3 days old they should have gained another ounce. Yes, I think you ought to supplement, they obviously aren't getting enough. Poor little guys. Sometimes mama cats just don't have enough milk.
 
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lilkittykat

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We lost two kittens last night, and since then the other two kittens haven't been suckling as much (or even at all) since their birth. They're about 3 days old, weigh about 3 ounces. 

Mother is producing milk, and she is opening herself to the kittens. But they're mostly just lying there. If i try to pick them up to feed them via bottle, they squirm around and meow for their mother.

If mum gets up they'll call to her and then cuddle into each other and sleep again. 

Is this normal newborn kitten behavior. This is my first litter, and I'm just constantly worrying about them. 

I've been keeping my distance apart from checking them for fleas, weighing them daily, and making sure mother isn't sitting on them (which is what i suspect the other two died of). 

I haven't seen them drink in about 5 hours, and i can't hear the sounds they make when they suckle. So I was just wondering if I should look into feeding them via bottle, or just wait and see. 

They don't seem to be interested in even bottle feeding.
 

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Fleas are gone for now. Mum was bathed, and treated. kittens dont have them at the most. The ones we have left both weigh about 3 ounces. I am thinking of supplementing their milk because theyre just not drinking!
Yes, you need to start supplementing them both asap or they are not going to make it. Do you need direction?

can you keep mom inside and 100% away from intact males?
 
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lilkittykat

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Yes, you need to start supplementing them both asap or they are not going to make it. Do you need direction?

can you keep mom inside and 100% away from intact males?
I understand how to, i have supplement and a bottle, and i know to wet the nipple and then stick a few drops and they should suckle from their. But as my latest thread states mother wants them to suckle, but theyre choosing not to. 

Mum has been cut off from the outside world for about a week now.
 

Willowy

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They may be too weak to suckle. Can you find a plastic medicine dropper or needleless syringe? It's easier to feed weak kittens that way.
 
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lilkittykat

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We have been trying to bottle, but they simply dont want to drink ANYTHING, weve tried syringe feeding too. But they just push it out of their mouths and sleep. Maybe they are just not wanting to be fed. Their stomachs are quite round. Will continue to try feeding them in an hour, and then see how it goes
 

talkingpeanut

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We have been trying to bottle, but they simply dont want to drink ANYTHING, weve tried syringe feeding too. But they just push it out of their mouths and sleep. Maybe they are just not wanting to be fed. Their stomachs are quite round. Will continue to try feeding them in an hour, and then see how it goes
It's one drop at time and then let them swallow. Then repeat. Is the formula warm? Are the kittens warm?
 
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lilkittykat

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It's one drop at time and then let them swallow. Then repeat. Is the formula warm? Are the kittens warm?
They are sleeping on mummys tummy, and the formula was very warm, has since cooled down. 
 

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If they will not nurse their mom, they will not suck a bottle either. They sound very weak, and need immediate supplementing every hour with about 1 mL of formula, or you may lose them too.
 
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lilkittykat

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If they will not nurse their mom, they will not suck a bottle either. They sound very weak, and need immediate supplementing every hour with about 1 mL of formula, or you may lose them too.
kittens are starting to get the hang of the bottle, and are using mum for warmth. Theyre wriggling aroung a lil more
 

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They are sleeping on mummys tummy, and the formula was very warm, has since cooled down. 
The formula shall be body temperature.  As said, one drop at a time, in the corner of the mouth.  It can take time and patitience to learn and get in the trick, both for human and kitten.  After the catched the idea, it goes quicker.

You can smear some glucose sugar solution on their lips and gum.   It gives quick energy for the moment.

As its difficult to find glucose sugar proper, you can use honey or white caro syrup.  so a thick water solution of these....

Its good to weigh them on a scale every 12 hours.  This way you know IF the gain.   I mean, perhaps they DO suckle from momma when you dont see it???

Anyway, I do agree with the others.  Dont wait and hope, be active NOW whe they are still OK.
 

StefanZ

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We have been trying to bottle, but they simply dont want to drink ANYTHING, weve tried syringe feeding too. But they just push it out of their mouths and sleep. Maybe they are just not wanting to be fed. Their stomachs are quite round. Will continue to try feeding them in an hour, and then see how it goes
Some kittens are by one or another reason bad sucklers.  That may be why they dont take from momma or from a bottle.  But many of such kittens can often be saved by using a dropper, needleless syringe or similiar.   In such cases its enough they manage to swallow, they dont need to suckle actively...

You dont write what the first kittens died of, but I presume there is some fault.  Perhaps bad suckling....
 
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lilkittykat

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Some kittens are by one or another reason bad sucklers.  That may be why they dont take from momma or from a bottle.  But many of such kittens can often be saved by using a dropper, needleless syringe or similiar.   In such cases its enough they manage to swallow, they dont need to suckle actively...

You dont write what the first kittens died of, but I presume there is some fault.  Perhaps bad suckling....
We just lost the third kitten. I really want to help the last but shes getting so weak, and im trying to feed her but im so scared she will breath the formula in
 

talkingpeanut

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We just lost the third kitten. I really want to help the last but shes getting so weak, and im trying to feed her but im so scared she will breath the formula in
Use the honey on her gums and go one drop at a time.  Hopefully you can help her.
 

StefanZ

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We just lost the third kitten. I really want to help the last but shes getting so weak, and im trying to feed her but im so scared she will breath the formula in
tummy down, head up - the body may be diagonally raised up.  If the kitten wriggles, you may perhaps want to hold it in a cloth.   The dropper or straw or syringe in the corner of the mouth, press out slowly a drop at a time, so they manage to swallow one drop...  That is the trick.

Do NOT try to squieeze the content into the mouth, and definitely not into her throat from forwards.   Yes, there is some danger, but not eating is much worse...

As said, smear a little  thick honey water on her lips and gum.  It gives quick energy, as glucose sugar doesnt need to be digested. Goes into blood already from the mouth.  

Honey contains much glucose sugar.

So we know for sure they dont take from momma.  And they dont add no weight, its just the way downhill at this moment.   Fight on to have any chance.
 
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