Five Day Old Kitten Weight Lower Than Birth Weight

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kittymaow

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Just did the morning weights, in the last 24 hours we have:

Boy: +19

Big Girl: +11

Runt: +15

Some great gains! They REALLY hate the supplement feeding though. I mean hate it. I'm still going to do it, obviously, as it works, but I watch the YT videos of kittens peacefully suckling, and I compare it to the screeching, wriggling and frequent requests for a lawyer. Quite a different scene. 
 
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KittyMaow said:
 
Just did the morning weights, in the last 24 hours we have:

Boy: +19

Big Girl: +11

Runt: +15

Some great gains! They REALLY hate the supplement feeding though. I mean hate it. I'm still going to do it, obviously, as it works, but I watch the YT videos of kittens peacefully suckling, and I compare it to the screeching, wriggling and frequent requests for a lawyer. Quite a different scene. 
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They will continue to hate it too, as long as they have a momma which feels natural to them they will fight it.

You would see that they calm and accepting if they were solely fed by you, so it's all the norm :) (unfortunately, I know it's a struggle)
 
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catwoman707 said:
 
They will continue to hate it too, as long as they have a momma which feels natural to them they will fight it.

You would see that they calm and accepting if they were solely fed by you, so it's all the norm :) (unfortunately, I know it's a struggle)
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I've never had a baby, but they seem to have exactly the same angry cry that little babies do, that screeching juvenile rage. It sears its way into your brain.
 
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Quick question re: queen lactation. I've been supplementing all day today, and have noticed that the kittens seem fuller. Physically much rounder. The little one hasn't taken as much and I haven't felt comfortable putting more in her as her little belly has been quite round. 

Is it possible that mum's milk could be coming in better now? Also, I read that giving goat's milk or kitten milk replacer to the mum can help too, is this the case? I would love it if they could just feed from mum. 

Thanks!
 
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KittyMaow said:
 
Quick question re: queen lactation. I've been supplementing all day today, and have noticed that the kittens seem fuller. Physically much rounder. The little one hasn't taken as much and I haven't felt comfortable putting more in her as her little belly has been quite round. 

Is it possible that mum's milk could be coming in better now? Also, I read that giving goat's milk or kitten milk replacer to the mum can help too, is this the case? I would love it if they could just feed from mum. 

Thanks!
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its possible moms milk is coming in later on... yes.   Still, you take the main responsibility, as we noticed it does the trick.    You see by closely following the weighting.   If baby steadily goes up, the crisis is over now, you may experimentate letting baby get more from momma.   AND follow closely the weights...  even every 12 hours.

Yes, giving extra to momma may help, as both goats milk and kmr contains much useful nutrients, calcium and so.   Good idea you got there!
 
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StefanZ said:
 
its possible moms milk is coming in later on... yes.   Still, you take the main responsibility, as we noticed it does the trick.    You see by closely following the weighting.   If baby steadily goes up, the crisis is over now, you may experimentate letting baby get more from momma.   AND follow closely the weights...  even every 12 hours.

Yes, giving extra to momma may help, as both goats milk and kmr contains much useful nutrients, calcium and so.   Good idea you got there!
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Thanks! I will definitely weigh every 12 hours. I have backed off the feeding a little. (Little one has taken about 16ml today, and she took 22 yesterday) but she really has been stuffed. I guess the weight will tell the true story! I have also been supplementing the bigger ones, so she may just be getting more from mum than before as they may be taking less. Tomorrow's morning weigh will be interesting. 
 
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Morning weights :)

Boy + 7

Big Girl + 15

Runt +9

Will get a bit more supplementation into the boy today, no surprise the big girl takes it much better. Other than that, pretty happy as this is the first two days in a row that the runt has had consecutive gains, nobody has stalled or gone backwards. 
 
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Update :D The babies are now two weeks old, the two bigger ones are 300g+, the runt is 200g now, which I'm pretty happy with. She's also starting to put on a good amount of weight on her own! They're all doing around 20 grams per day now, even the little one, and I've been dropping the amount supplemented as she's not wanted it, and her weight has been really good.

I will keep monitoring weight to ensure nobody goes backwards, but did wonder if more experienced kitten rearers could weigh in on whether it's normal to not have to supplement after the second week? 
 
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Momma has apparently got going now.  So even if the total demands per day are bigger,  she manages now nicely.   :)
 
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Yes, once a kitten gets stronger it may need less supplementing. Continue daily weight checks to make sure! [emoji]128522[/emoji]
 
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KittyMaow said:
 
Update :D The babies are now two weeks old, the two bigger ones are 300g+, the runt is 200g now, which I'm pretty happy with. She's also starting to put on a good amount of weight on her own! They're all doing around 20 grams per day now, even the little one, and I've been dropping the amount supplemented as she's not wanted it, and her weight has been really good.

I will keep monitoring weight to ensure nobody goes backwards, but did wonder if more experienced kitten rearers could weigh in on whether it's normal to not have to supplement after the second week? 
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So good to check in and see how things are coming right along perfectly!  


Of course it is thrilling when supplementing can be over with, it's simply a matter of gradually reducing feedings while monitoring weights to be sure nobody slows down too much with daily gains, until you've cut back on number of supplements down to zero! 

This can happen over days not long, but continue weighing daily too.

Great job!
 
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She's getting there - and cute as a button! [emoji]128149[/emoji]
 
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What a big girl to eat solids so young! [emoji]128522[/emoji]
 
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