I came home to this? Is this possible?

[pondwader]

They are adorable kittens, and you and your family are so wonderful for helping these cats and kittens

I worry though about the little kittens mother, was she around anywhere, might she have come back? She may have been sick or hurt, but if not, she may have been out looking for food and now is probably full of milk which could lead to mastitis.
Have you seen any sign of her?

 

[amyscrazy]

Pondwater- I asked my son to go ask the neighbors about any momma cats that might have given birth. They could not find any. There was a pretty black cat that was run over yesterday and burried by a neighbor, I don't know if that was the mom. All of the babies are very light with gray tips. Can I bathe them? The two that are not doing so well are a mess. The two that momma is caring for are nice and clean.

 

[momof3rugratz]

I would use a unscented baby wipe. Urine can cause problems on the kittens. Use the unscented and do not get wet. Also try the karo syrup and warm KMR. Warm is a good key. They are cold the have no energy to eat. Or if the sugar is low.

 

[pondwader]

I would not bathe them, they would chill....
I'm not really sure what to suggest, being a mess is not healthy for them, but unless you were able to keep them under a heat lamp and blow dry them with warm, not hot, air, I wouldn't try it. Even then if they are that weak it is risky. Is there any way you could get them to a vet? It sounds like they are dehydrated and in need of subq fluids.

 

[kluchetta]

be careful they don't actually get wet-they'll get chilled. maybe if you try vanilla on the babies? you know that trick?

 

[goldenkitty45]

I know some may think I'm cruel hearted, but when you have a situation like this with very weak kittens and the fact they are not eating properly or eliminating properly AND most important the mother cats reject them....its usually for a very good reason.

You have to remember "survival of the fittest" and IMO the mother cats know better then us about which kittens should survive. I know a lot of us care very much about every kitten/creature, but sometimes its better to let go and let the mother cat decide what is best. Obviously something is very wrong with the rejected kittens.

We put ourselves thru a lot of pain that could be avoided if we would pay more attention to mother nature. I know one of our barn cats had kittens and one of the kittens had something wrong with it - the mother left this kitten well away from the rest and we couldn't find it for a few days. The rest were fine. When we finally located the crying kitten, it was barely alive and when you picked it up, it had lost all control of bodily functions.

The poor little kitten died quickly and we buried it. But mom knew something was not right and it was rejected. The rest of the kittens were strong and healthy.

I don't know the right answer but sometimes we do the wrong thing by trying to keep a kitten alive.

 

[gayef]

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I know some may think I'm cruel hearted, but when you have a situation like this with very weak kittens and the fact they are not eating properly or eliminating properly AND most important the mother cats reject them....its usually for a very good reason.

I wholeheartedly agree. And while yes, there are those who would find this cruel and uncaring, it is not at all. It is survival of the strongest, the ones who are more apt to make it and while it isn't pretty nor is it pleasant to experience, it is a fact of life.

We put ourselves thru a lot of pain that could be avoided if we would pay more attention to mother nature.

Again, very well said. It is so wonderful for all of us to think of little, cute, snuggly kittens running and romping all over our homes. But the sad truth is that not all litters go smoothly, not all litters are healthy and not all kittens will survive.

I am sorry you are having to go through this. It is never, ever easy. It is heartwrenchingly sad and it doesn't seem at all fair. Please know that you can only do what you can do and then leave the rest up to Nature.

As far as your question about washing them ... they are very weak right now and batheing them might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back. I wouldn't risk it right now.

 

[familytimerags]

Originally Posted by gayef

I wholeheartedly agree. And while yes, there are those who would find this cruel and uncaring, it is not at all. It is survival of the strongest, the ones who are more apt to make it and while it isn't pretty nor is it pleasant to experience, it is a fact of life.



Again, very well said. It is so wonderful for all of us to think of little, cute, snuggly kittens running and romping all over our homes. But the sad truth is that not all litters go smoothly, not all litters are healthy and not all kittens will survive.

I am sorry you are having to go through this. It is never, ever easy. It is heartwrenchingly sad and it doesn't seem at all fair. Please know that you can only do what you can do and then leave the rest up to Nature.

As far as your question about washing them ... they are very weak right now and batheing them might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back. I wouldn't risk it right now.

Everything you and Golden said, rang so true. I remember our first kitten we ever lost, she was only a few days, and just not gaining and nothing we were doing were working. We had taken her to the vet, we learned to tube feed, and it was more stressful and mentally draining than caring for a newborn child. When the kitten passed, I did not take it well. I was tired, frustrated, I had prayed, and had pleaded, and despite all of the care, and all of the prayers, it just didn't seem right to have her pass. It almost made me stop breeding. After much needed rest, and my head clear again. I realized that in our extreme effort to save this kitten, we possibly could have prolonged the suffering of this kitten. It was obvious later, that this baby just wasn't meant to live here with us for very long.
I think there are times that intervention is needed and can make a world of difference, but there are also times that we just need to step back, and think about what is best for the kitten. I don't think anyone can tell you what is right, it needs to be your decision, and what you feel is right.
I do hope that all the kittens are doing great, and that things improve.

 

[kluchetta]

Amy - is there any way that your original kitty would take the two weak kittens? I'm hoping and praying for the best. Are you syringe feeding? I think I've heard that's easier than bottle feeding.

Wow. Are we going to have to put like 100 kitties in your siggy?

 

[charmed654321]

You haven't said if you're hand-feeding them with kmr. They are not her kittens so that could be the reason she is not caring for them, or she feels she has too many, and they might just be starving.

Have you tried kmr with a syringe? They need nutrition to at least see if they can thrive.

karo can only stumulate their appetite. It cannot sustain them.

 

[amyscrazy]

I got up at midnight to feed the weakest two and the smallest (I named her Molly) was dead. I wasn't shocked but I was sad

The other one I named Macy ate really good and eliminated. I put her back in the carrier with a rice sock and a soft blanket. When I got up at 3 am Macy was dead. Before I burried them I cleaned them up. They both had mis-shapen heads

Clearly it wasn't meant to be and at least they are not suffering. The two others are doing great and have almost gained an ounce each. They momma is taking good care of them.

 

[kluchetta]

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I got up at midnight to feed the weakest two and the smallest (I named her Molly) was dead. I wasn't shocked but I was sad

The other one I named Macy ate really good and eliminated. I put her back in the carrier with a rice sock and a soft blanket. When I got up at 3 am Macy was dead. Before I burried them I cleaned them up. They both had mis-shapen heads

Clearly it wasn't meant to be and at least they are not suffering. The two others are doing great and have almost gained an ounce each. They momma is taking good care of them.

So sorry.

Sounds like the others are doing great, though.

 

[beckiboo]

I am so sorry about the loss of Molly and Macy. Although it is just nature running its course, when you are the one holding and caring for the tiny babies, it is your heart breaking. Deepest condolences on their losses.

Thank you for doing your best to care for these tiny angels. May all your other babies continue to thrive and grow!

 

[missymotus]

Sorry for the loss of Macy and Molly.
I hope the remaining 2 continue to do well.

 

[goldenkitty45]

Wow, I thought I might have been crucified for my comments. But at least some of you understood and have been thru the same thing.

My last rex kitten from my female (before she was spayed) was a single kitten (who I believe was chocolate and I wanted a chocolate) only lived a week.

Lily was a good mother before - had 2 other litters with no problems in raising the babies. But something was wrong with this one and she knew it. Didn't have any problems with deliver or initial nursing. However, she would not stay with this kitten and ignored it.

I would take the kitten in bed with me and Lily would lay on the bed - attempt to nurse and then get up and leave. It was not the fact that she was having problems, but the kitten apparently could not nurse properly. I did try to get the kitten to accept a bottle - but it was rejected too. Perhaps the kitten had no sucking reflex or something - looked normal to me. But as hard as it was to do, I had to accept Lily's decision on this kitten and let it go.

 

[amyscrazy]

The two kittens that are doing fine are beautiful. They have light grey fur underneath and wispy white, longer hair on top. The two that passed looked a little odd but I hoped it was because they were a mess. Deep down I knew from the moment I saw them that they were not right. The momma cat moved all the other kittens to the bathroom after I put them in with her. She left them all alone and I knew she was right. She refuses to return to nest there even though the kittens are gone. When I cleaned them up they were clearly deformed and I wouldn't have wanted them to suffer any longer. I had planned on taking them to the vet this afternoon to be put down. Even though I knew it was natures way of taking care of itself I still hoped I could save them and make them well

 

[callista]

I wonder what was wrong with them... something with the brain, maybe?... At any rate they were warm and loved while they were alive; and that's really all you could have given them.

 

[momof3rugratz]

RIP now Molly and marcy

 

[celestialrags]

Originally Posted by Charmed654321

Hmmm...How do you know the 4 kittens she came in with were only 2 weeks old? Since cats can get pregnant very soon after giving birth, is it possible they were older than you thought when you got them, adding two weeks to that, and a few days extra (people will say a cat is 2 weeks old when it really might be 2 weeks and 6 days), the two weeks (or has it been 14 days or a bit more) you've had them, which in some ways could be stretched, and assuming since she's young and in a safe place she might have had these new kittens a bit earlier than normal...

Especially if they were a week and a half or so older than originally thought, and perhaps not grown as well as they should because the mom did not get proper nutrition ...

Assuming all that, if you do the math, allow for an early birth, could she possibly have been in a 2nd pregnancy when you took her in with the babies and that's the litter she gave birth to?

Vets and others can be wrong in aging cats and kittens, it's not an exact science.

Just a thought.

that's what I was I was thinking, she may have just gotten pregnant again after the first litter was born, but before you got her dumped at your house, so they could be a second litter. That seems more possible then them being from the first litter and delivered a month later. Either way congrads, they found a good place to be at, so they can grow and be kittens, and evetually find new homes instead of living a life on the streets. The littlest ones or too cute!

 

[ollyextra05]

Wow, I just read this whole thread, what a rollercoaster!

So sorry to hear about the loss of the two littlest ones. They are at the Rainbow Bridge free of illness, running and playing!

Keep us posted on the progress of your HERD!