Kitten weight

[AmeowzingWhiskers]

I have a 3-day-old two kittens at home, and I just noticed that one of them is smaller than the other. So this afternoon, I recently weighted each one of them, and I found out the smaller one was 107 grams, in whom the bigger one was 140 grams. Is 107 grams for a 3-day-old kitten underweight? I'm afraid the smaller one has a malnutrition problem. Both kittens are sleeping, taken care of, and eating with their mama cat.

 

[Antonio65]

I have a 3-day-old two kittens at home, and I just noticed that one of them is smaller than the other. So this afternoon, I recently weighted each one of them, and I found out the smaller one was 107 grams, in whom the bigger one was 140 grams. Is 107 grams for a 3-day-old kitten underweight? I'm afraid the smaller one has a malnutrition problem. Both kittens are sleeping, taken care of, and eating with their mama cat.

Not all kittens are born the same size and weight, and not all of them grow at the same rate.
What you can do, for sure, is to weigh them every day at the same hour, and write down their weights. They should get some 15 grams per day. If you don't see them growing, you need to ask a vet immediately.

 

[AmeowzingWhiskers]

Thank you so much! When and how many times should I weight these kittens? I'm also glad the smaller one still constantly drink milk from their mother. I'm really hoping these two kittens survive, I still can't accept the fact that their other two siblings died due to fading kitten syndrome.

 

[Antonio65]

Thank you so much! When and how many times should I weight these kittens? I'm also glad the smaller one still constantly drink milk from their mother. I'm really hoping these two kittens survive, I still can't accept the fact that their other two siblings died due to fading kitten syndrome.

You could weigh them every morning, or every night, depending on your schedule. If you weigh them every 24 hours or so, you have a precise daily trend.
If you weigh them night and morning, you will only see their progress in 12 hours.
You can also weigh them twice a day, if you wish. Keep a chart for any of them.
Use a kitchen scale, so you can have a more precise reading, down to the gram.

 

[Sarthur2]

The smaller kitten, at 107 grams, is 3.77 ounces. This is perfect — kittens should weigh 4 ounces at one week; 8 ounces at 2 weeks; 12 ounces at 3 weeks; and about 1 pound at one month, then continue to gain about a pound a month for the next few months.

Gaining more is fine too, as I imagine the bigger kitten will gain eat more and gain more. Male kittens tend to be bigger than female kittens.

Your smaller one should gain 6-10 grams minimum daily. I suggest weighing each morning at about the same time. Keep a record. Occasionally there is a plateau day where no weight is gained, then a growth spurt. Always weigh in grams for now.

All sounds well - keep us posted!

 

[AmeowzingWhiskers]

Big gratitude for the help! I weighed each kitten this morning using a kitchen scale as suggested by Antonio65. The kittens are still taken care of and consume milk from mom. However, I haven't seen much progress for the smaller kitten as it only gains 3 grams this morning. But last night, the smaller one impressively gain 10 grams. I'll send a table of their weight track. I was quite fearful about the kitten's weight, as it could either lose weight or didn't even have a chance to gain weight.

As of right now, I'm still not sure why mama cat isn't always at her kitten's place. Sure, she can eat and take a break to gain energy, but she then just relaxes on the floor, and only came back when her kittens' meow. I'm worried about this one, as she can just sleep and forget to feed her kittens.

I've also placed a pink towel in mom's nursing area, but she always keeps on removing the towel (in a 'digging' motion) so the towel is sometimes tucked. Sometimes, the kittens would suckle milk without a towel or just on a chilly floor with mom, so I have to rearrange the towel and avoid the kittens from getting cold. Is this okay?

Will keep an update at night.

 

[StefanZ]

3gr gain in 12 hours is OK, especielly as its 10gr during 24 hours.

Observe the danger. A suckling kittens is sometimes too weak to suckle properly. So it suckles, momma has milk, but baby hardly gets enough. (you see it baby doesnt gain).
So sometimes its necessary to hand support the kitten, with kmr or goats milk... And or a little glucose sugar (say, white caro syrup). After a few days, the kitten gets stronger and manage to again suckle succesfully from momma...

If momma manages, proceed. Because there ARE some dangers with handfeeding. But support feeding is sometimes wise to give, and its often helpful.

The wise one lets momma do her best, but is prepared to support feed...

 

[AmeowzingWhiskers]

I have provided a Royal Canin Baby Cat Milk (though I'm not sure about this brand, would KMR by PetAg be more reasonable?) and a bottle for the kitten to drink. If anyone can give off advice, should it be with a syringe or merely a bottle I bought from an online store? Lots of caregivers provide them with a syringe at an early age. I read in an article that kittens should feed with a syringe if their 2 weeks younger. If a syringe is recommended, I'll find the most suitable and qualified one.

If the smaller kitten isn't completing remarkable progress, I'll attempt to provide milk on a syringe. Also, I would want to know how many milliliters of milk should I provide for the kitten. I'm hoping the smaller one should accumulate some chunks of weight. And if mama's milk isn't helpful, I'll consider creating a consistent chart of its weight and feeding the kitten with the right dose of milk.

 

[AmeowzingWhiskers]

Hello! I've made a little update, and I don't know if this is quite a concerning problem:
The mom could still deliver milk as I checked and gently squeezed her nipple, but she refuses to stay and nurse her kittens. She would only want to assist her babies when they meow for milk. She's also displaying signs of being super active by running around the room, jumping on properties, or just being hyper like not what she used to be when she nursed her kitties.

She didn't come back to her kittens unless they were crying for food. I fed the smaller one and it seems to gain 8 grams this night. Though, I'm concerned the mother rejects the kittens. The mother also only accompanies her babies for a few seconds, then leave them and does other things, but doesn't nurse them.

 

[StefanZ]

PetAgs KMR has excellent reputation, especially the powdered version. Royal Canins should also do. goat milk may be another alternative.
Bottle is more comfortable and safer, but most kittens whom do have experience from momma, doesnt want bottle.
That is why syringe is usually recommended... A little tricky, but once you learned the technique you manage fine.
The so called Miracle nipple, (or even mini Miracle nipple) are often appreciated by users.

Dosage: 8ml fluid / ounce a day... If kittens wants more, give more, but shouldnt be much less.
So, A kitten of say, 120 grammes; gives 4+ ounces, gives 32-35 ml during the whole day...

A weak kitten will perhaps get a couple of ml almost every hour... Other stronger kittens its ok to give every 3 hours. As long as the total amount is the same.

 

[StefanZ]

8 g during the night is good. Everything 10+ grammes a day rise is good. Some add almost 30 grammes a day in spurs, but most add less.

Re the question: but if I give kmr, she wont eat from momma? Dont worry. Its always most pleasant to suckle from momma. So, if momma has any milk to give, baby will get at least some from momma.
IF at all unsure on mommas ability, you take charge, give the daily dose as mentioned above. If momma has any milk to give, baby will anyways suckle some, if there is any to get.

And you control the whole process by weighting daily (if critical, twice a day till you get a sure count). So you know if baby adds properly, or no. If baby doesnt add properly, you begin to worry, and try to give more...