Feeding Pregnant Cat

[louann jude]

Thank you so much. I am learning as I go thanks to a great group of people. The advisers and moderators are the best here. 

 

[louann jude]

 
Today's weights

A. 147.41 up 17.01

B. 164.42 up 8.5

C. 178.60 up 19.85

D. 158.75 up 14.17

Should I be worried about kitten B. I am going to weigh them again in 12 hours or so to see if he/she is still gaining a little. 

I am really concerned this morning they all have lost weight.

A, 133.24 down 14.17

B. 144.41 down 17.01

C. 158.75 down 19.85

D. 147.41 down 11.34

What do I do I feed her as much as she will eat her appetite has increased but I have noticed she spends more time outside of the box. When  go in there she is out of the box while they are either piled up asleep or crawling around sniffing.

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh, my word! Are you sure your scale is accurate? Did you read it correctly?

This, if true, is very alarming!

Do they cry from hunger? Are mom's mammary glands full?

Please weigh them again after they've nursed. This does not seem right to me.

 

[louann jude]

I have never had a problem with the scale before it has a brand new battery in it. I will weigh them around one if nothing goes wrong. I am concerned. I checked two of them twice. I had to stop because it was stressing her out. She doesn't like hearing the meow. She starts to scratch me if she does. I have noticed that if she is nursing she will just get up and walk around. 

 

[Sarthur2]

louann jude

Do the kittens seem content? Are their tummies round? Does mom have milk? Are you seeing them latched and nursing?

This is very important to know. If they are losing weight then they are not getting enough to eat and will need supplementing with a syringe and KMR.

Try to assess over the next couple of hours and answer the questions I've posed so a judgement call can be made.

 

[foxxycat]

Maybe start bottle feeding? Or does she get agitated if you handle the babies? Are they crying? you can always start giving the KRM if they are crying..how old are they now?

 

[louann jude]

They are five days old today. 

 

[Sarthur2]

See my Post #145 above.

Kittens with a mom will not take a bottle. We need an assessment first.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Are you using the scale on a floor or hard surface? You can get wonky measurements if it's on a soft surface.

 

[louann jude]

Guys it is not good at all they have lost again. They are trying their best to get some milk but I don't think she is producing. I squeezed 2 teats one barley got some and another non at all. Their belly is really soft and one is laying to the side not even trying to eat. They all have lost one ounce since yesterday at 7 pm. I am going to get some goats milk and start feeding them. I have a few syringes and some honey. The goats milk I have is powdered you mix with water. 

 

[foxxycat]

you can get some new makeup sponges and dip in KMR to let them suckle. She must have been making milk at one point as they have gained prior. Try to take a deep breathe-Do you have the KMR? just make sure its warm liquid. Sorry that this has turned out the way it has..

 

[louann jude]

 
you can get some new makeup sponges and dip in KMR to let them suckle. She must have been making milk at one point as they have gained prior. Try to take a deep breathe-Do you have the KMR? just make sure its warm liquid. Sorry that this has turned out the way it has..

All I have is goats milk. I am sterlizing everything now all I want to do is cry. I don't want to lose them. 

 

[foxxycat]

That's fine-you can only do what you can do-sending you

are the kittens warm enough? They need to be warm prior to feeding-someone mentioned something about a sock full of rice and nuking it in the microwave? for heat source if mom isn't keeping them warm enough...hang in there!

 

[louann jude]

I have a space heater going along with a sock with rice. The fought me with the feeding. I pray I got some in them. Three were happily sleeping when I left and one was crying I kept trying to get him to feed but he fought the most. 

I did try to get more milk from her teats again the one gave a little but the rest nothing. 

 

[handsome kitty]

Take a deep breath and try again.  It takes patience and practice to feed the kittens with a syringe.

 

[Sarthur2]

The goat's milk is fine. Just keep at it every hour. Mom clearly has no milk and they are slowly starving. 1-2 mL's per kitten at a time. They will take to it. You can wrap the kittens in a towel like a burrito to prevent squirming. Tummy down, head up, a drop at a time in the side of the mouth. Allow the kitten to swallow and breathe, and go again. Stay calm. You don't want the kittens to aspirate formula into their lungs. That's deadly. If they seem lethargic, smear honey on their gums. It will feel like force feeding until you, and they, get the hang of it. You can do it! It goes around the clock. You'll be tired, but if they start taking it well they will suck from the syringe themselves eventually, and you can switch to a bottle. The amount of formula will need to increase soon too as they gain weight. Give an update soon!

 

[louann jude]

I have been doing every two hours is that to far apart? After the first time I fed them Mom moved them. I have fed them twice I did notice a little milk come from one nipple after Kitten A sucked for a little while. I have been taking turns with them. As they "suck" I will give one a drop or two and then move to the next one. That keeps them from crying. While I am doing that Mom is cleaning them up. She seems content right now.

Do you think there is a chance she will get milk again? Can I call the vet and ask for something that can stimulate production? If it was just one it wouldn't be so hard. But with four kittens and two toddlers it will be tough. Also my fiance will be going back to work in the morning. He is already complaining that is taking a long time and I have only fed them twice.

 

[louann jude]

I forgot to burp them with that hurt them. I have to be very careful I don't want to stress her out. If they start crying she starts to scratch me. 

 

[Sarthur2]

Mom will realize more and more that you are helping. You can call the vet and ask for a shot of oxytocin. This frequently helps to stimulate milk production.

How much is each kitten getting per feeding? In mL's?

You can also call a rescue group to see if there is a foster person available to take your cat and kittens for 3 weeks to feed them round the clock. I don't see how you can continue this with toddlers. These kittens literally need round the clock feedings!

 

[louann jude]

Mom will realize more and more that you are helping. You can call the vet and ask for a shot of oxytocin. This frequently helps to stimulate milk production.

How much is each kitten getting per feeding? In mL's?

You can also call a rescue group to see if there is a foster person available to take your cat and kittens for 3 weeks to feed them round the clock. I don't see how you can continue this with toddlers. These kittens literally need round the clock feedings!

I will call and find out as long as they wont ask me to sign them over. So far all the ones I have dealt with has asked that. 

I will measure more closely this time I found some one ml syringes.