I am really sorry you lost two of the kittens. I pray you are able to save the remaining 3. I can understand getting your cat spayed. I could never be a breeder way too much stress and worry. I hope the vet is able to give mamma a shot to help stimulate her milk.
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Just wondering how long after you see babies moving will she have them :-)
- Thread starter selina81
- Start Date
I have only read the last few pages, but it sounds like you were doing your very best for these kittens. I think sarthur2 was a bit harsh considering you have clearly been trying very hard to do right by them. There is "fading kitten syndrome" and sometimes a whole litter will die.
I am wondering what momma is eating? I didn't see anyone talking about this. Perhaps she herself is not getting enough fluids. If she worries about being gone from the babies, leave her kibble right beside her. Also, you should be giving her a good amount of wet food two or three times a day to help her increase her milk production. Find the highest calorie kibble for her as well. Offer her water when you are there so she doesn't have to leave.
I would continue to try and get them into the vet. The vet can give all sub q fluids.
I would also start mixing up an electrolyte solution for both mom and babies. Take 2 cups of warm water, 1 tbsp of sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Then use this to mix the KMR powder.
Good luck and don't forget to take care of yourself! Perhaps someone can relieve you for a few hours so you can get some sleep. <3
I am wondering what momma is eating? I didn't see anyone talking about this. Perhaps she herself is not getting enough fluids. If she worries about being gone from the babies, leave her kibble right beside her. Also, you should be giving her a good amount of wet food two or three times a day to help her increase her milk production. Find the highest calorie kibble for her as well. Offer her water when you are there so she doesn't have to leave.
I would continue to try and get them into the vet. The vet can give all sub q fluids.
I would also start mixing up an electrolyte solution for both mom and babies. Take 2 cups of warm water, 1 tbsp of sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Then use this to mix the KMR powder.
Good luck and don't forget to take care of yourself! Perhaps someone can relieve you for a few hours so you can get some sleep. <3
I am not trying to be harsh. There are many reasons why kittens fail to thrive. I am rooting for these kittens to live, but they must be fed. It seems that the vets she has thus far contacted are not interested in what has been suggested by one of out more experienced cat rescue persons, which is a shot of oxytocin to stimulate mama's milk. Therefore we don't have that option to work with at present. Barring that, newborns who are not fed die. They must be fed a certain amount every hour without fail, and it must be swallowed not inhaled. As I mentioned, this must literally be around the clock for newborns. I hope these kittens make it. The poster appears to be doing her very best to make sure the babies are fed.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #184
Hi Levi
Mama cat is eating about five cans of fancy feast kitten food mixed with kmr powder and adding a little bit of water.she has science diet kitten kibble with she is not eating really and as to water she is not drinking water she was drinking kmr and when she would be almost done I would add some water and I will forsure use that mixture right now for the formula thank you
Mama cat is eating about five cans of fancy feast kitten food mixed with kmr powder and adding a little bit of water.she has science diet kitten kibble with she is not eating really and as to water she is not drinking water she was drinking kmr and when she would be almost done I would add some water and I will forsure use that mixture right now for the formula thank you
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Is mom's milk coming in any better yet? How are the ither kittens doing? Have they gained weight or seen the vet?
I am sorry I was unable to be at my computer last night.
Very sad about the smallest 2 babies
Please don't take it to heart, @sarthur2 wants very much to help get them and you through this, I know I can speak for most if not all of us advisors here, we get very emotionally involved in helping people, over the net or next door, we feel just as much compassion and it truly upsets us too.
So let's continue on so we can save these 3 babies!
I would no longer count on them getting anything at all from mom, so from here on out until mom gets a shot and hopefully starts getting tons of milk, it will be you who is their sole source of food.
We need to make sure that each is getting a full 30 mls per day of formula. You will now start to feed every 2 hours but ON THE HOUR. In other words, no matter how long it takes to get all 3 fed, you will need to feed every 2 hours on the clock, in other words if you feed them at 10am, you are going to feed again at 12, then at 2, 4, 6, and so on.
Even if it takes 30-40 minutes to get them all fed, at the 2nd hour, you will start over again with the same baby first.
Take your time, they are tiny and fragile, but you can do this, you can save them!
Each feeding they will need a MINIMUM of 2 1/2 mls, every time, no less.
Guaranteed this will cause weight gain. They must be started now, 2 1/2, every 2 hours exactly.
We know all too well how tough this is going to be, especially at first. Night time is the worst, but you will be so happy later knowing you saved these babies, watching them grow big and strong, it's the best thing ever.
Remember, not 2 hours after you finish feeding the last baby, but 2 hours on the clock, this means they will each be fed literally every 2 hours, as before, 2 hours after you finished feeding the last time and the last baby, which cuts them short, and now we know they are starving by nursing from mom.
Very sad about the smallest 2 babies
Please don't take it to heart, @sarthur2 wants very much to help get them and you through this, I know I can speak for most if not all of us advisors here, we get very emotionally involved in helping people, over the net or next door, we feel just as much compassion and it truly upsets us too.
So let's continue on so we can save these 3 babies!
I would no longer count on them getting anything at all from mom, so from here on out until mom gets a shot and hopefully starts getting tons of milk, it will be you who is their sole source of food.
We need to make sure that each is getting a full 30 mls per day of formula. You will now start to feed every 2 hours but ON THE HOUR. In other words, no matter how long it takes to get all 3 fed, you will need to feed every 2 hours on the clock, in other words if you feed them at 10am, you are going to feed again at 12, then at 2, 4, 6, and so on.
Even if it takes 30-40 minutes to get them all fed, at the 2nd hour, you will start over again with the same baby first.
Take your time, they are tiny and fragile, but you can do this, you can save them!
Each feeding they will need a MINIMUM of 2 1/2 mls, every time, no less.
Guaranteed this will cause weight gain. They must be started now, 2 1/2, every 2 hours exactly.
We know all too well how tough this is going to be, especially at first. Night time is the worst, but you will be so happy later knowing you saved these babies, watching them grow big and strong, it's the best thing ever.
Remember, not 2 hours after you finish feeding the last baby, but 2 hours on the clock, this means they will each be fed literally every 2 hours, as before, 2 hours after you finished feeding the last time and the last baby, which cuts them short, and now we know they are starving by nursing from mom.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #187
We have found a foster mama and they are getting along so far so good thank you everyone for the help.And yes I do understand everyone get emotionally involved I in reply was just tired and stressed over the babies I apologize for my reply
That is such great news! It didn't even occur to me to suggest a foster mother even though we encourage people whose cats have lost their litters to look for kittens to foster.
Let us know how things progress.
So relieved that you found a foster mom for the kittens.
How is your cat handling her babies not being with her?
Please keep us updated on their progress!
How is your cat handling her babies not being with her?
Please keep us updated on their progress!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #190
She is walking around looking and sniffing some meowing but all in all not to bad I thought it was going to be worse but I will give it a bit to see how she does that was one of my big worries was about her well being And I am ver happy that we found this mama cat we sat there it felt like forever but she took to them instantly it was very heart warming to see that.
I know it is a big relief that she took to them. Did she lose her babies? Or are yours in addition to hers?
Will you be bringing them back to finish raising them when they begin to wean? Your cat can take over from there.
Will you be bringing them back to finish raising them when they begin to wean? Your cat can take over from there.
Where did you find this "surrogate" mom for them? Where are her babies?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #193
Her fur babies are five days older then mine and they are still alive and huge compared to these little ones and yes I will be bringing them back home when they are weaned but I still have hope things will go great :-)
Okay so now this is a problem.
Unless she is only feeding one baby, hers are not going to allow yours to nurse, and will constantly be pushed off of the nipples until they finally give up and go off to nap.
In a matter of a very short time they will begin their downhill spiral, and sorry to say this but your babies are in no condition now to be compromised like that.
I know it's awful for you to hear this from me, it's such an enormous relief to have a mom take over for your mom when she clearly needs it, but this is not going to be your answer.
The ONLY way is rotation, how many does the mom have of her own?
Unless she is only feeding one baby, hers are not going to allow yours to nurse, and will constantly be pushed off of the nipples until they finally give up and go off to nap.
In a matter of a very short time they will begin their downhill spiral, and sorry to say this but your babies are in no condition now to be compromised like that.
I know it's awful for you to hear this from me, it's such an enormous relief to have a mom take over for your mom when she clearly needs it, but this is not going to be your answer.
The ONLY way is rotation, how many does the mom have of her own?
Yes, how many does the mom have?
We have posters on the forum right now whose cats had eight babies and they are having to rotate them AND supplement them with formula. The moms are nursing around the clock and getting sore nipples and suffering exhaustion.
Catwoman is right - the foster mom's babies have already chosen nipples and will not share them unless they are napping and get rotated out. This puts a burden on the cat's human because the rotation has to be done every two hours day and night.
Can you ask a vet to give your cat the oxytocin shot to see if it will help her get milk? I realize the vet may think it unnecessary, but if it works it will solve this problem.
In the meantime can you discuss the rotation with whomever has your kittens right now?
We have posters on the forum right now whose cats had eight babies and they are having to rotate them AND supplement them with formula. The moms are nursing around the clock and getting sore nipples and suffering exhaustion.
Catwoman is right - the foster mom's babies have already chosen nipples and will not share them unless they are napping and get rotated out. This puts a burden on the cat's human because the rotation has to be done every two hours day and night.
Can you ask a vet to give your cat the oxytocin shot to see if it will help her get milk? I realize the vet may think it unnecessary, but if it works it will solve this problem.
In the meantime can you discuss the rotation with whomever has your kittens right now?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #196
Ah, that is good to know. How is the one doing of yours that you felt was struggling?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #198
This is good news. Does your cat miss her babies?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #200
