Need Board Magic for Kiwi

[kat_boy]

Mommy is very sick. The kittens are taking everything she has. She's gotten so bad that she is falling over when she jumps off of things and staggering while she walks. Her appetite dropped today, and she quit eating. She still wants to be a good mommy though, and continued to nurse. The vet said she is either preoclampsic, or hypoglecimic(sp?) or an combination of both.
The kittens are in the big cat carrier in another room, and I am trying to get them lapping up milk replacer, and get them interested in canned food, and it's not working. I am syringe feeding Kiwi her canned food, and milk replacer to try and get her strong and eating again. The babies are not allowed to nurse from her for at least 12-24 hours, and only then if she seems a little stronger......
I hope her and the babies will do well right now and over the next few days, please give me any advice you can.

 

[qtkitty]

It will be probubly another week or 2 before they really get interested in kitten food. Or they can get their lappers to work

as i like to call it.You might try mixing KMR and the food. Most of the time to start they suck at their food and liquids more then laping and biting( usually ending up with it litterally ear to ear too). Expecially if mama was in trouble for a while, she might not have been able to feed them the quality of milk they needed, so they might be a little bit behind. When Shadow was a baby i had to give her a taste of the canned food i put alittle mixed with KMR in a syringe and dropped some into her mouth, that caught her interest then she became more interested in eating canned food.

It might be in your best interest to get a kitten bottle so you can properly nurse the babies. The nipple will need to be punctured and it should not drip when upside down, but drip if pressure is applied gently. You will also have to "wet" their bottoms, which means taking a warm wet(damp) wash cloth and gently rubbing their genitals and anus to stimulate them to go to the bathroom. I had the best luck with a gentle circular motion atleast for peeing. With more then one baby they might stimulate each other to go, so bed them in things that can be changed. Since they are prone to getting cold giving them a bath at this stage isn't a good idea. Instead try dabbing the effected area with a damp wash cloth to get most of the gunk off then dry kitten sized vigorously with a dry cloth to get the kitten dry.

The website they usually send you to around here is www.kitten-rescue.com here is a direct link to bottle feeding:Bottle Feeding.

 

[stormy]

Oh no

I am sorry to hear Kiwi isn't well.

Sending many get well vibes her way.

How old are the kittens now? Close to 4 weeks, right? Spyder did not want to eat wet food when he was a kitten, he was the last one to eat willingly on his own and that wasn't until he was 8 weeks old. I would have to get some of the food on my finger and place it in his mouth a few times then he would start eating the food. But I would have to go through that routine at every feeding.

Wish I had better advice for you. Keeping my fingers crossed they all start eating.

 

[jcat]

Sorry, Matt, I have no advice, but Kiwi and her kittens will definitely be in my thoughts. Have you tried the kitten glop?

 

[valanhb]

Oh gosh Matt! Sending lots of good, healthy vibes to Kiwi and babies!!!

 

[kat_boy]

Kiwi got even worse, she is at the vet's for the night now. I am supposed to call him tomorrow morning to hear the news. He gave her a whole bunch of medication, a vaccination, and a few other things. He will monitor her until 10 am tomorrow, and then let me know wether or not we need to go ahead with an IV drip/medication treatment. He told me it's gotten very serious....I am so scared
The kittens are doing great with the bottle feeding, so for now I am fine with that. Good vibes worked great for the kittens......Let's hope they help mommy who's taken a turn for the worse.

 

[hissy]

Thank you for bottle feeding the babies. They are a bit to young to be interested in solid food yet. Please let us know how Kiwi does- poor girl. My prayers are with her.

 

[dawnofsierra]

Please feel better, Kiwi!

 

[stormy]

Sending more vibes to Kiwi.

 

[anne in sweden]

I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for Kiwi! Hope she feels better soon! Best of luck with the babies, too. Hand-rearing is hard work, but it *does* work.

 

[lovelydoll3479]

Best of luck with the kittens, my mum is hand rearing 3 at teh mo after mummy cat gave them an nasty eye infection and lost intrest. all the best love to the kitties and mummy cat

 

[lotsacats]

Sending all the positive vibes I can muster to Kiwi...let us know how she is.
(((((kiwi)))))))

 

[kiwideus]

Oh no! Kiwi is definitely in my thoughts

 

[qtkitty]

I hope Kiwi gets better soon!!

I am glad the kittens are doing well.. you will not believe how fast they grow before your eyes!!

 

[scamperfarms]

BOARD MAGIC FOR YOU! Really are getting some vibes. I have been keeping a tight watch on my girls. Bellie only had two but shes been getting Supplement Milk, since she had them and Dutchy the same, she just had hers so she is not interested in much.

Lots of VIBES.

 

[kat_boy]

She's there for another night, she seems to be getting her appetitie back, and seems a little stronger. The babies are a handful! I am having such a hard time with them it's not even funny.

 

[gizmoe]

I just caught this thread today. I am sending my best wishes to Kiwi, her babies and to you.

Keep us posted.
Melinda

 

[valanhb]

Matt, you were an angel for taking Kiwi in to begin with, and your committment to her and the kittens just proves how wonderful you are even more! Sending lots more healthy vibes to Kiwi, and strength to you for being a "mommy"

for a while longer while she recovers...