Cookie's pregnancy/kitten questions

[cookie-Dough]

Part 3: Six kittens is a big litter. Does Cookie seem to have 6 working nipples? If not, keep half the kittens warm in a separate box on a blanket with a heat source underneath (heating pad set on low or hot water bottle) with room to move off. Put 3 in with cookie to nurse. Switch off every 1-2 hours.

The runt should cuddle with its litter mates between syringe feedings until it is strong enough to nurse. C cookie-Dough

Do I make 30 mil and warm up before every feeding or do I make 1 ml for each serving. Would be hard to make 1 mil

 

[Sarthur2]

Excellent job on your part!

If the runt got milk, you do not need the glucose unless you think he needs it.

Intervene as necessary to adjust kittens around mom or to nipples.

Make a batch, refrigerate, and warm as needed.

 

[cookie-Dough]

Excellent job on your part!

If the runt got milk, you do not need the glucose unless you think he needs it.

Intervene as necessary to adjust kittens around mom or to nipples.

Make a batch, refrigerate, and warm as needed.

Thank you so much for your help, I'll keep you posted. I try to place the kittens on mum's nipples but they are slippery buggers, keep falling off her.

 

[cookie-Dough]

Thank you so much for your help, I'll keep you posted. I try to place the kittens on mum's nipples but they are slippery buggers, keep falling off her.

I have a strong feeling that none of the kittens are drinking any milk.
Cookie atleast has 6 or more teats that seem so full of milk. The kittens are in the position and trying to find the nipples but they are only sniffing. I really don't think they are eating. Is there any way to upload a video?

 

[Margot Lane]

Hey how’s it going? One of the kitten experts ought to respond soon. Meantime, keep that runt warm. If you have time to browse through the many other kitten threads, I feel positive you will find more information about latching, and also if bottle feeding, what size nipples to use.

 

[cookie-Dough]

Hey how’s it going? One of the kitten experts ought to respond soon. Meantime, keep that runt warm. If you have time to browse through the many other kitten threads, I feel positive you will find more information about latching, and also if bottle feeding, what size nipples to use.

Hey thanks for your reply. I'm keeping the runt warm but I don't think any kitten is feeding. They are just laying down next to her and she's grooming them. They sniff around, get tired and sleep

 

[cookie-Dough]

None of them have been latching, cookie has so much milk that if they don't feed, she'd definitely get mastitis none of them have cleft lip.
I don't know if it's cookie's inexperience or something wrong with the kittens

 

[Sarthur2]

It’s time to syringe feed ALL the kittens so that they get nutrition. Perhaps a couple of feedings and they will begin to latch. Give each kitten glucose sugar, then feed each one as you did before.

Trim the fur around her nipples carefully with scissors if necessary. Apply kitten milk to her nipples and put the kittens to the milky nipples.

How long since the kittens were born? It’s time to get them supplemented and work on latching or the kittens will not make it.

C cookie-Dough

 

[cookie-Dough]

It’s time to syringe feed ALL the kittens so that they get nutrition. Perhaps a couple of feedings and they will begin to latch. Give each kitten glucose sugar, then feed each one as you did before.

Trim the fur around her nipples carefully with scissors if necessary. Apply kitten milk to her nipples and put the kittens to the milky nipples.

How long since the kittens were born? It’s time to get them supplemented and work on latching or the kittens will not make it.

C cookie-Dough

They were born 9 hours ago

 

[cookie-Dough]

It’s time to syringe feed ALL the kittens so that they get nutrition. Perhaps a couple of feedings and they will begin to latch. Give each kitten glucose sugar, then feed each one as you did before.

Trim the fur around her nipples carefully with scissors if necessary. Apply kitten milk to her nipples and put the kittens to the milky nipples.

How long since the kittens were born? It’s time to get them supplemented and work on latching or the kittens will not make it.

C cookie-Dough

Do you think she needs a shave near nipples as they look like this

 

[Sarthur2]

No, she does not need a shave.

Are you supplementing the kittens now? Hopefully they will begin latching soon.

C cookie-Dough

 

[cookie-Dough]

No, she does not need a shave.

Are you supplementing the kittens now? Hopefully they will begin latching soon.

C cookie-Dough

Yes I just gave them all 2ml each, they gulped down happily. Should I continue doing it?

 

[Sarthur2]

Try to get them to latch, but if they will not, continue to syringe feed every 1-2 hours until they will latch. It could be quick for some, or take a day or two for others — not including the runt, who will likely take the longest. You will be tired, but this is the only way with newborns.

C cookie-Dough

 

[cookie-Dough]

Try to get them to latch, but if they will not, continue to syringe feed every 1-2 hours until they will latch. It could be quick for some, or take a day or two for others — not including the runt, who will likely take the longest. You will be tired, but this is the only way with newborns.

C cookie-Dough

I just weighed them, runt is 55 and all the others range from 80-83. They are just very small poor things. Should I continue feeding through the night and would that have any effect on mothers milk?

 

[cookie-Dough]

There's one of the little ones

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh my! Anything under 90 grams is considered premature birth weight.

They all need to gain, so YES, absolutely feed through the night. They will need it. They are clearly too weak to latch yet, but you can continue trying along with supplementing.

Do weigh every 12 hours for now and keep a log. Hopefully they will each gain a few grams a day for now.

C cookie-Dough

 

[cookie-Dough]

Oh my! Anything under 90 grams is considered premature birth weight.

They all need to gain, so YES, absolutely feed through the night. They will need it. They are clearly too weak to latch yet, but you can continue trying along with supplementing.

Do weigh every 12 hours for now and keep a log.

I am keeping notes x wish me luck. I don't know how I'll feed them every hour though

 

[Sarthur2]

You can feed every 2 hours. The every hour was just to start and get their blood sugar up. Their systems need about 2 hours to digest, so feeding every 2 hours is fine. Do wake them if they are sleeping though, and of course put them back with mom each time.

Let me know if / when any begin to latch. I feel like once they do they will be good to go!

C cookie-Dough

 

[cookie-Dough]

You can feed every 2 hours. The every hour was just to start and get their blood sugar up. Their systems need about 2 hours to digest, so feeding every 2 hours is fine. Do wake them if they are sleeping though, and of course put them back with mom each time.

Let me know if / when any begin to latch. I feel like once they do they will be good to go!

C cookie-Dough

Just now 3 were latching quite confidently, 2 were struggling but it was hit and miss. Runt is just getting pushed around. I tried to help him latch, it worked for a couple of minutes

 

[Sarthur2]

Okay, so the “latchers” will likely not need further supplementing. Their weight gains will let you know.

The “hit or miss” latchers need continued supplementing until they are fully latching and gaining.

The runt will need you around the clock for a day or two (every 2 hours) until he gains enough to be strong enough to fully latch.

I’m pleased with the progress so far!

C cookie-Dough

P.S. Keep in mind overnight that I am in Florida, USA, and am 5 hours behind your time. StefanZ may be available when I am not.