6 day old kitten won't drink well but seems to want to?

[curacaocatlady]

Hi Everybody,
I live on a small caribbean island calles Curacao and regularly foster kittens. But now I have a problem with one of them and I don't really know how to proceed.

He is part of a litter of 3. They were found on the street without a mommy. They were very very tiny, the smallest one weighing 45 grams and the largest 55 grams. A very tricky situation with little chance of success...
The first two days the two smallest kittens died, they just stopped eating. Not a big surprise, but sad nontheless. The third kitten, who was the biggest to begin with, Is still there. He is at 75 grams now but since yesterday he is not eating well, whereas they days before he was drinking really well. So, another one fading away? Maybe, but he is very eager to suckle on my hand and really seems to be searching a nipple. But when i give him the bottle he just chews on the nipple and does not suckle. The hole is big enough, milk is coming out easily.
So now I have trouble getting enough milk in him and he hasn't grown the last day.

Does anybody have experience with this? Is he just fading or is it something else??

Regards from Curacao!

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

Hi Everybody,
I live on a small caribbean island calles Curacao and regularly foster kittens. But now I have a problem with one of them and I don't really know how to proceed.

He is part of a litter of 3. They were found on the street without a mommy. They were very very tiny, the smallest one weighing 45 grams and the largest 55 grams. A very tricky situation with little chance of success...
The first two days the two smallest kittens died, they just stopped eating. Not a big surprise, but sad nontheless. The third kitten, who was the biggest to begin with, Is still there. He is at 75 grams now but since yesterday he is not eating well, whereas they days before he was drinking really well. So, another one fading away? Maybe, but he is very eager to suckle on my hand and really seems to be searching a nipple. But when i give him the bottle he just chews on the nipple and does not suckle. The hole is big enough, milk is coming out easily.
So now I have trouble getting enough milk in him and he hasn't grown the last day.

Does anybody have experience with this? Is he just fading or is it something else??

Regards from Curacao!

I'm so sorry to hear this sweet angel isn't responding.  

Is the milk warmed a bit.  Also, is the kitty laying on his belly, as if he was up against his mother?

I would say keep trying.  Also, take a warm soft paper towel and rub his bum with it, this may stimulate other senses.

I hope more experienced members are able to give you advice.

Please keep us posted.  Good luck. 

 

[SeventhHeaven]

Do you have a heating pad ? if not make hot water bottles a cold kitten can never be fed plus the food can never be cool or cold.

They need to be warmed up slowly, long term heat resource.

Here we feed KMR milk replacement sold at vets or pet store      

Others will chime in soon,  hopefully you can save this little one 

  

 

[curacaocatlady]

Yes I have a heating pad, the kitten is kept warm 24hrs a day. He has a teddybear he cuddles up to and the choice to move away from the heating pad if he desires.
I feed him KMR prepared as stated on the jar, with a little extra water added so his intestines can get used to it.
Whenever i pick him up, he immediately starts to search my hand and try suckling on it. So he doesn't appear to not want to eat?
I feed him every two hours amd try to get as much as possible in. But before he drank approx 20 - 25 mililiters of milk per day and now it is a struggle to get in 15.

 

[SeventhHeaven]

Sounds like you're on top of it 

   I wouldn't stress if he misses a meal now and again

as long as he's still going to washroom kept warm etc not showing signs of distress.

You can try an eye dropper type dispenser / syringe or bottle changing may help 

I'm not home all the time litter managed fine at 3 or 4 hour intervals here and there.

StefanZ and sarthur2  are the Real experts best advisors for weight/feeding schedules.... 

 

[curacaocatlady]

Thanks!

It's just because his siblings have died and he is so small that you know his chances are slim. So if anything doesn't go as it's supposed to I get nervous…. ;-) 

The shitty thing is that the longer you nurse them, the worse it gets if they eventually die…even though there is not a thing in the world you can do to change that...

 

[SeventhHeaven]

Totally understand 

 

RIP for the little ones that didn't pull through bless you for trying 

Best to quarantine keep this one away from any other pets.

for now.  It's still early 8 20 am on Sunday here and you're around 12:30 pm

Rest up 

  no worries you have lots of support here.

*adding if you can pick up a thermometer

And Welcome to the site 

 

 

[talkingpeanut]

Please do try a needleless syringe. Easier to control what the little one gets. And thank you for caring for him!

 

[StefanZ]

 
Thanks!

It's just because his siblings have died and he is so small that you know his chances are slim. So if anything doesn't go as it's supposed to I get nervous…. ;-) 

The shitty thing is that the longer you nurse them, the worse it gets if they eventually die…even though there is not a thing in the world you can do to change that...

The most important had been said.  Do try instead with a needleless syringe or a dropper. Its a little tricky, but once you get hang on it it works nicely with many weak kittens.   The kitten on the tummy, head up, may be raised up diagonally.  Have the syringe or dropper in the corner of the mouth, and drop by drop, you give so he manages to swallow comfortably.  It may take time and patience, but If he swallows well it goes fairly quickly.  some are even suckling from this dropper.

You may want to wrap the kitten in a towel, to easier hold it.

Another try is to suckle from a little sponge, for example such used in make up.  It works nicely for some.  If the kitten suckles, you hold the syringe in your other hand and drop on the sponge instead.

The milk body warm, not cold and not too hot!   Heater you do have...   Eliminating does works?  Constipated cats often lose appetite...

Massage the kitten with your forefinger.  I mean, not only for elimination, but as an act of sympathy. It too helps to keep things going with overeall health and well being.

Can you by any chance get goats milk?   KMR is excellent, but raw goats milk may be even better. Has an edge in some situations...

 

[curacaocatlady]

Thanks for the support everybody!

Yes he eliminates regularly and well, urine looks good and poop too.
I like the idea with the sponge, that sounds like something that might work easier than a syringe. Because he likes to chew on the nipple and I'm afraid that a syringe will make it rather difficult when he starts struggeling.
Gonna see if I can get my hands on goatmilk