Milk Production

[Frucat]

Hi, I'm fostering a momma cat and her 5 kittens. 4 are doing great but the 5th is decidedly under weight. We've been supplementing the little one, but she's only maintaining, not gaining, and she fights the supplementation. The problem is that momma is only producing milk from 4 nipples and the little one always gets pushed off. Is there anything that can be done to get a fifth nipple to produce milk? I have been sitting with them when I'm home and actively prevent the others from pushing her off so she can get some decent feeds.

 

[abyeb]

I would recommend continuing to encourage the smaller kitten to try to nurse, while supplementing with bottle feeding. What formula are you using? KMR or goat’s milk? Something like “cat sip milk” won’t work for this purpose. When you’re bottle feeding, be sure to feed the kitten belly side down, with her head slightly elevated, like the position she would be in while nursing mom. This article has some more information: Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn's Life

Here’s a thread that has some helpful tips as well: Not gaining weight

See in post #2, one of our advisors, StefanZ, recommended aiming for 8 mL of KMR or goat’s milk, per every 30 grams of a kitten’s bodyweight, and trying to feed every hour or every other hour.

 

[Frucat]

Thanks. I'm using kmr. I'm lucky to get 3 mls down her per feed, she fights both nipple and 1 ml syringe. I have the best luck with her laying on mom. I encourage/supplement feed every 2 hours while I'm home. I weighed before and after a feed and noted a 5 gm gain.

 

[catapault]

I've seen this suggested before. After the four pushy kittens have had their fill and drift off to sleep can you gently shift them away. Then put the fifth kitten to a working nipple, shifting it to another nipple when / if the first one "runs dry."

How old are the kittens?

 

[abyeb]

How much weight is she gaining day-to-day? 8-10 grams per day is the ideal range.

Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives)

 

[Frucat]

They're 11 days old. The larger 4 are between 200 and 230 gm. Lizbeth, the little one is 120gm. She's gained about 4 gm in the last 2 days. She actually lost during the day today when no one was home to supplement. I just got 3.5 mls down her. She is feisty.

 

[abyeb]

It’s actually kind of a good sign that she’s acting feisty. It means that she has some strength in her. Using the 8mL/ 30g rule, Lizbeth should be getting about 32 mL of KMR daily. I think that sounds do-able, if you try 3ish mL, 10 times per day. Can you try wrapping her in a blanket or towel, like a burrito? That might make the feeding easier, since she won’t be able to wiggle as much.

 

[Frucat]

It’s actually kind of a good sign that she’s acting feisty. It means that she has some strength in her. Using the 8mL/ 30g rule, Lizbeth should be getting about 32 mL of KMR daily. I think that sounds do-able, if you try 3ish mL, 10 times per day. Can you try wrapping her in a blanket or towel, like a burrito? That might make the feeding easier, since she won’t be able to wiggle as much.

I've tried to burrito her...it just pisses her off! This last time I snuggled her up on my chest and that worked okay for stringing. I've tried the smallest nipple that came in the kit but I think it's still to big.

 

[Frucat]

I've tried to burrito her...it just pisses her off! This last time I snuggled her up on my chest and that worked okay for stringing. I've tried the smallest nipple that came in the kit but I think it's still to big.

Syringe feeding....not stringing

 

[StefanZ]

Use also more actively this with rotating. Ie let her come to momma while the others are sleeping.

 

[Frucat]

Good news. Her weight is up. She's taking 3 ml every 2(ish) hours, then usually latches for a while. She's a bit stronger and more able to fend of her siblings. Right now she's settled in my lap

 

[golondrina]

Congratulations Frucat, keep it up Thank you for the photos.

 

[Frucat]

Another update. Elizabeth has gained 10 grams since 730 without supplementation. She's gained enough strength that she can hold her position. She's still anywhere between 50 and 100 grams smaller than her siblings but is growing okay. I'll keep monitoring.

 

[golondrina]

Thanks for these wonderful news. You are doing a fine job, I'm so happy for you. New photos when you can.

 

[Frucat]

2 weeks old today. You can see the size difference!

 

[talkingpeanut]

I would take the collars off. They look quite restrictive.

 

[Frucat]

They're not. I can easily get two fingers under them. I need them in the boys to be able to track them as they're almost identical .

 

[talkingpeanut]

I mean restrictive for the kittens. The collars are very wide and it's difficult for them to move their necks around as it is when they're so young. In addition, collars can get caught on things, even another kitten's leg, and they can be seriously injured.

Put a drop of nail polish or sharpie on the tip of a tail. It's much safer.

 

[Frucat]

Oh, I understand. I thought you meant they were too tight.

 

[Frucat]

Update: kittens are doing great! We still need to supplement Lizzie around 4 times a day, plus she does nurse some. She's gaining well. But I have a new litterbox issue with mom. She's taken to sleeping in the big litterbox with the kittens. She's pooping either in the shallow box that's out for the kittens or in her food bowl! How do I stop this behavior and why is she doing it? For the moment I put the big box up on the counter in hopes that it will deter her from taking the kittens there and get her back to normal use, but it worries me that she'll take them up there and they'll escape the box and fall off the counter! Suggestions please!