New Mommy cat very sick...kittens are only 2 weeks old

It's after midnight and a few minutes ago I went looking for my cat Licorice to see why she hadn't fed the kittens in a few hours.

Couldn't find her anywhere. Finally I thought to look in a room that she NEVER goes in, and there she was...curled into a ball...she looks like a limp rag doll.

I don't know what to do...these kittens need to eat...no place is open to go buy formula at right now!

Anyone have any ideas what could be wrong with her? she is hardly outside for a couple minutes since she has had them...

I did give her a couple teeny pieces of sardines two days ago...but I ate them and have been fine...do you think that is the problem?

Awww, I wish I could help but I don't know what could be wrong. I am sure the others who have experience with this will have some ideas.
I will be sending prayers your way though.

I sure hope so, if she or the kittens die, my three girls are going to be very upset

Hang in there hon.

Hang on let me get you the formula for substitute milk- do you have feeding syringes or bottles? How about surgical gloves, do you have any of those?

Emergency Milk Replacer

only can be given for 2 days)

3 oz condensed milk/Cow or Goat

3 oz water

oz plain yogurt (not low fat)

3 large or 4 small egg yolks - no whites

Mom needs to get to the Vet as soon as possible! Is there an Emergency Vet in your area? The kittens need to be kept warm. Please visit this site regarding care for these babies. There is also a recipe on the site for homemade kitten formula that you may be able to make with items you have on hand. Please do keep us updated when you have an opportunity.

oops, Hissy posted as I was typing. She's the expert.

thank you for the ingredient list...

I had just found one other one on here also.

I don't have condensed milk OR plain yogurt on hand... Nothing is open right now!

I just wish I knew what the problem was...I wish I could put her with the kittens, she has milk (i can tell she is engorged, since it has been a few hours) but what if it makes them sick????

Ok, you need someway to get the milk into them. A bottle would be best, you can use a doll's bottle if your girls are young enough to have them? If you have any type of drops around the house, you would have eyedroppers. You want to wash the dropper out really well and I mean really well and then boil some water- let it cool just a bit and place the dropper into the water and run several squirts of water through it. You want to feed carefully and slowly. If you have a surgical glove, and it is the unpowdered type, you can fill that with the formula and give it to the kitties, milking it into their mouths till they start sucking-

GET YOUR MOMCAT TO THE VET- and keep those babies warm- without mom to give them her body heat, they will get cold rapidly

Is there an ER Vet Clinic near you? Mom really needs to see a vet- quickly!

my girls are that young, but they don't have anything but plastic stuff.

I am going to go look in the kitchen for the droppers...will be right back

UGH I am sooooooo tired!!!! I have to get up in just a few hours to get them ready for school and everything!

I don't think there is a emergency vet...and even if there was, my hubby would NOT want me paying for it!

Well ask him how he would like to get up every three hours and help you bottle feed the babies round the clock? Also help you stimulate their bums, and private parts so they pee and poop in an appropriate matter? Teach them how to use the litterpan and how to get along with other cats- then ask him again WHY he won't let you pay for this vet care that is very much needed?

Believe me, it would be well worth your money and time to save mom and her kittens!!!

PLEASE SHOW YOUR HUSBAND THIS POST.

It sounds as though there could be one of several things going on with momcat, all of which need immediate medical attention. I don't want to scare you but this cat may be dying. You said she goes outside for short periods. She may have eaten some kind of poisonous plant or chemical while she was out there. She could have also been bitten/stung by an insect or snake. She may be developing a severe infection of the uterus (pyometria) which can be deadly if not treated. She may have Hypocalcemia which is caused by very low calcium levels because the momcat used up lots of it when the kittens were developing in the uterus and through lactation.

Whatever is going on, your cat may die if she doesn't see a vet NOW.

LOL uh, I could ask him that, but he wouldn't really do it, sorry to say, not all men are animal lovers!!!

I got a hot water bottle, filled it with rather warm water...put it in a zip lock bag so as not to leak, wrapped it in a towel, and placed it by the kittens...they are all sleeping together in a ball...

Found a medicine syringe (shoots liquid tylenol for example) into the mouth...I can use that.

There IS a grocery store open 24 hours, I just remembered...so I think I will run there in a minute and HOPE for some kitten formula...IF there isn't any and I have to make my own, did I miss where it said the AMOUNT a kitten needs per serving?

I really do appreciate all of your help, thanks so much!

No, under no circumstances should you use this dropper, you could kill those kittens!

to Kumbulu, I appreciate your concern.

My husband is asleep, he has work in a few hours. He won't mind me taking her to the vet first thing in the morning as much as he will mind if we spend a huge amount on an emergency one!

We don't have snakes here, the poisounous plant thing, that could be it.

the one about She may be developing a severe infection of the uterus (pyometria) which can be deadly if not treated. a couple years ago one of my other cats had that, I understand the symptoms, to be honest, it looks a lot like it!

She is eating kitten chow and has been for several weeks now, so you would think nothing would be depleted, but I understand how things like that could happen.

Have you used the dropper for Tylenol before? If so, you really can't use it as you can't guarantee, no matter with any amout of washing it, that there isn't some tylenol still in there. If you have some unpowdered latex gloves, tie off all but one of the fingers, fill the last finger, prick the end with a pin and slowly and gently direct the flow in the kittens mouths.