My cat delivered over night!!!

[LunasMom_3]

My Luna girl had 6 beautiful babies,while everyone was sleeping, we heard the cries from my closet in the morning. We knew she was due anyday now. When we checked the closet I saw her nursing her babies while there was one baby in the corner, cold,hard, but alive, I immediately picked the baby up and she was still attached to the placenta, the mom ate the placenta when I was showing her the baby. I got the baby warmed up and she is moving but I think she is definitely the runt of the litter. I tried putting her on a nipple but she's not latching, what should I do? Supplement feed? Or just leave her with mom ughhh

 

[white shadow]

Hi L LunasMom_3 and a very warm welcome to the forum !


Do you have an eyedropper or a small syringe ?

The runt might be tempted by single droplets of milk.....that might get them started, perhaps. Even dip a piece of cloth/paper towel in the milk and wet their lips/mouth, squeeze for droplets. Emphasis on droplets....NO FLOW of milk with these!

People also use Karo syrup or similar as a 'jump starter'......just applied onto the lips, though.

That little one needs some immediate intervention!

 

[LunasMom_3]

Thanks so much! I'm here getting a syringe from the store right now

 

[fionasmom]

Kitten Care - Home — Kitten Lady
Premature Kittens: The Comprehensive Guide To Care - TheCatSite
Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives) - TheCatSite

Congratulations on the birth of the kittens! The sources above will give you a great deal of information.
These are the specific sections of The Kitten Lady's site that should help, just to save you time.
Supplies — Kitten Lady
Bottle Feeding — Kitten Lady
Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady
Stimulating Kittens — Kitten Lady

Caring for Neonatal Kittens

 

[Sarthur2]

Syringe feed right away! Use the link above for a “how-to” syringe feed by Kitten Lady. Use powdered KMR (never Heinz brand) — and NEVER cow’s milk. Feed hourly and through the night for now.

If you have no kitten formula, use honey water to revive the kitten until you can get a can of formula today. If you cannot get formula today, let us know.

Let us know how it goes! L LunasMom_3

 

[di and bob]

A cold kitten will not eat at all. What may haev happened is the mom was too exhausted to help the kitten when it was born, after so many. Make SURE the baby is receiving lots of warmth. If you don't have honey, mix eqaul aprts of sugar and water, make sure it is warm and take your finger dip it in, and wipe it around and in the kittens lips. Do this every 15-30 minutes or so and see if it gives the kitten some energy to latch on. Get that syringe and put a drop of KMR in the cheek as often as you can. Hopefully with a little warmth, energy and food the kitten will be able to suckle.

 

[StefanZ]

Thanks so much! I'm here getting a syringe from the store right now

You got excellent advices.
How is it going? Did you got the little one warm?

Its true, if they are cold, they must be warmed up actively. Massage and warmth. An IR warming lamp is useful if you have.

You cant give any kmr or goats milk till the kitten is warm, because the digestion doesnt works properly.
But you can give some glucose sugar / white caro syrup or even sugar water on the gum, inside of the lips....
Gives some energhy.... The glucose sugar there goes straight into blood already from the mouth, no digestion is necessary.

 

[StefanZ]

Re emergency foods, if you cant get a good kmr.

Goats milk is almost always useful.
Human milk is useful, try to dilute less; shall be more concentrated.

One desperate forumite used nutrient fluid for baby birds.... The kitten did made it. Not my suggestion, but I wont quarrell with success.

In a dire need people had used evaporated milk as a base for homemade kmr.

RAW cow milk is possibly usable, at least I know farmers use this sometimes for their found kittens. But never ever pasteurized cow milk.

 

[LunasMom_3]

THANK YOU ALL SOOO SOOOO MUCH!! YOU ALL MADE ME FEEL NOT ALONE!!! I ONLY COULD FIND BIGGER SYRINGES & A BOTTLE, I ORDERED MIRACLE NIPPLES THEY WON'T COME IN UNTIL 2 DAYS I GOT KMR TOO!! WHEN I RETURNED HOME MY FAMILY TOLD ME THEY KEPT HER WARM AND PUT HER ON A NIPPLE, AND SHE LATCHED!!!!!! SHOULD I STILL SUPPLEMENT FEED? I WAS ABLE TO WEIGH ONLY 3 KITTENS, MAMA KEPT LEAVING THE NEST TRYING TO GET HER BABIES BACK. KITTEN 1- 100 G, KITTEN 2- 99 G KITTEN 3- 101 G, And also I can't tell 4 out of the 6 apart. I saw you guys commenting on another post about dying the hair or painting a nail, what is safe to use they're so small I'm scared to use kitten collars on them

 

[Sarthur2]

Did you get to weigh the runt? It’s important to know if this kitten is gaining. That is what will let you know if supplementing is needed.

Mark the tips of the tails with different color Sharpies of the 4 you cannot tell apart. Refresh the colors as needed.

Weigh the kittens in front of mom. Hopefully she will mind less tomorrow.

Wonderful to hear that you’ve obtained supplies and that the runt is latching!

Do keep us posted!

 

[LunasMom_3]

Trying to get better pictures, this is from earlier! Thanks again! Will keep updated!

 

[Sarthur2]

Do you have weights now on all the kittens? In particular the runt? Please post weights if so and keep a daily log.

 

[LunasMom_3]

Yes they all got weighed. The sweet runt was only 70 GS last night, this morning 66 GS I tried syringe feeding a couple of drops she was not having it, I warmed it put her on heated blanket, she did lick the little drops around her mouth a couple times. I keep putting her on moms nipples I would hear little suckling and then she would just fall asleep/unlatch? She has a fierce cry when I pick her up. Ugh this is sooo hard I'm waiting for the miracle nipples to come in maybe that will help? Send good wishes

 

[IndyJones]

Could she have a cleft plate or something stopping her from physicaly nursing?

An eyedropper might be the best way to go at this point.

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh dear, she is preemie sized birth weight and losing. She really needs supplementing until she is bigger and strong enough to pull enough milk to thrive.

Have you watched this?
Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

You absolutely must supplement her. Burrito wrap her with only her head out. Hold her on your lap or in front of you on a table (whichever way works best for you), and put your hand over her head and upper body, and then put formula drop by drop in the side of her mouth. Let her swallow and breathe between drops.

Once she realizes it’s good stuff, she should begin to accept it more readily, even suckling from the syringe or miracle nipple on her own. However, for now, you must get 1-2mLs in her every 2 hours. At her present weight she needs 18-20mLs each 24 hours.

If she’s losing, she’s not getting enough nutrition. It’s not her choice to refuse. It’s up to you to give her that nutrition.

How are the weights of the other kittens?

L LunasMom_3

 

[IndyJones]

Oh dear, she is preemie sized birth weight and losing. She really needs supplementing until she is bigger and strong enough to pull enough milk to thrive.

Have you watched this?
Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

You absolutely must supplement her. Burrito wrap her with only her head out. Hold her on your lap or in front of you on a table (whichever way works best for you), and put your hand over her head and upper body, and then put formula drop by drop in the side of her mouth. Let her swallow and breathe between drops.

Once she realizes it’s good stuff, she should begin to accept it more readily, even suckling from the syringe or miracle nipple on her own. However, for now, you must get 1-2mLs in her every 2 hours. At her present weight she needs 18-20mLs each 24 hours.

If she’s losing, she’s not getting enough nutrition. It’s not her choice to refuse. It’s up to you to give her that nutrition.

How are the weights of the other kittens?

L LunasMom_3

Time is of the essence for the little mite. She needs someone watching around the clock or she could crash if she isn't watched.

 

[Sarthur2]

How are things going with the kitten? I am hoping she has gained. Have the Miracle Nipples arrived? Is she taking to it?

L LunasMom_3