Kitten teething and nursing

I had noticed the other day that some of the kittens teeth were breaking through their gums. Now all of them vary between having 2 front teeth breaking through on top to all the smaller front teeth on top and a few on the bottom.

Since yesterday their teeth rubbing as their nurse has caused red almost raw looking areas around Magi's nipples... And she is acting like it hurts when the kittens with more advanced teeth clamp down she moves away a little.

I gave Magi a can of kitten food while i had the kittens out to move around more then their box lets them .. (they still can not manage the 2 inch rim to get out). The kittens went up to the food and were interested and trying to suck on it and lick at it. Of course they were more like the little water birds who dip their heads into water trying their hardest to get a little nip.

They are only 13 days old.. so i could use some advice.

Hrmmmm, two weeks is a little young for them to be introduced to regular foods, but if you make it real goopy, a few might get the hang of it. The youngest kittens I have ever had take regular foods was a little over 3 weeks old - I have no experience trying to feed them any younger than that.

The Kitten Glop recipe might be a good thing to try if they seems to be interested in what's in the food dish - here's the link:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46295

If they take to it easily, you can also try introducing some chicken or turkey meat baby food. Take my word for it, the first couple of times you give it to them, they get it EVERYWHERE so you might want to contain them to an area that is easy and convenient to clean up. *grin*

I have glop already made that i have fed Magi and kittens (which i had not been feeding the kittens the last few days because Magi's mamary tissue was awfully engorged.. although i was only feeding 2-4ml per kitten per day).. I have cans of baby food and wet kitten food. I was already planning on going out tommorrow and looking for leftover lanolium to make a large food area and litter pan area. We have them in a carpeted area.. so that would help a LOT with cleanup.

I am sort of afraid they would drown or breath in some of the glop with their little dippy bird move they are doing.. I definately think i am going to go back to bottle feeding some.. they were trying to suckle on me an awful lot tonight.. which has not been happening.. but i think Magi's nipples are getting painful from the rawness and she is not feeding them as much. Their bellies are not as full as they were yesterday.

BTW .. i wasn't trying to introduce them to the food .. but Magi was begging( Third can of wet food for the day OMG!!) .. i think i am going to need to up her calories yet again.

Poor Magi ... it is a difficult time for her, bless her little heart.

I understand you weren't trying to introduce them yet, but if Magi is backing off a bit because it is painful and their little bellies are not as rounded, then I think you are right that bottling them might be for the best for now.

Well i guess in the morning i will be making some fresh glop.. i prefer not to use any glop that is older then 2 days for kittens .. Magi can finish off a batch in 3-4 days depending on how she is eating.

The whole egg issue i think its better to be safe then sorry. I keep the glop in the far back of our fridge where it gets slushy.

You know, I heard something recently about the egg issue that surprised me, but I haven't been able to find any confirmation of it ... my sister in law told me that it isn't the inside of the egg that poses the problem, it is the outside, the shell. So, she washes the shells of her eggs before cracking them. I don't know if this is true or not though.

Yeah the outside is open to the air and ( not to mention where it comes from ) so it collects bacteria.. however if there is a small hole in the shell all that can get in.

I don't know if the shell is slightly permiable .. because if you put eggs in a fridge with fish or strong smelling items ... the eggs sort of suck it up .. YUCKY

Today was a good day .. i gave the kittens some glop ( bottle fed) and just a little portion of kitten food on a plate... Very messy but very funny

All bellies are full. They have slept a LOT better today and not been as cranky and meowy.

Keep a close eye on Magi's nipples. If she is looking engorged, red and sore, she may have mastitis and need to see the vet. Keep up with supplementing the kittens, it sounds like they may need it for now.

It is not deep into the flesh .. its right around the edges where their teeth are scraping her skin.. it is rather raw looking .. but no swelling.. other then her mammary glands which goes up and down through out the day like normal. She loves me to just rub her belly so it gives me perfect oppertunties to check her out.

Since they are starting to wander around .. up and out of their tub and short ways close to mom i sat out a small short litter box for them .. and a shallow double bowled dish with water and glopped down wet kitten food. ( Magi LOVED that and ate most of it *lol*)

The kittens are just AMAZING they are growing like little weeds .. their eyes are open and they have went from "crawling" on the ground to walking shakily and playing with each other. Their hearing has greatly improved as well.. when me or my husband talk to them they are coming over to visit and get petted right along with Magi *lol* They are spoiled ROTTEN!!

They sound gorgeous.

They are gorgious...

Tommorrow when my husband isn't sleeping i will try to get pictures of Magi's nipples.

I am going to call the vet and see if i could put something on them .. like some crisco or something that wouldn't hurt the kittens .. but would make them more comfortable KWIM