Nala and her kittens

[handsome kitty]

.5 ounces is fine.  the minimum weight gain is .2 - .4.  Obviously you want to see more as the kitten grows.  Have you tried putting this kitten on a nipple with mom when the larger kittens are napping?

 

[nalasmomma]

Yes I actually did it last night and she latched right on but as soon as I left mom got up and followed me[emoji]128528[/emoji] so she didn't get much. Also she keeps trying to move one of them. And it's the same one everytime. I just put it back with the others. The thing is she puts it right in front of the door so when we go to go in we can't open the door cause the poor thing is right there!!

 

[nalasmomma]

How many times can I supplement a day?

 

[Sarthur2]

You should supplement in front of mom so she can see you. You can supplement as often as necessary, usually often enough to produce weight gain, which is every 2-3 hours. If baby latches to mom while the others are sleeping, try to stay for a few minutes until it gets its fill.

Your cat is moving a baby to the door because she wants to move her babies to a new place. In order to keep her from moving just one baby away like that, you need to let her move them all. Open the door and watch her to see where she moves them. It is normal for a cat to move her kittens 2 or 3 times. She needs to move them to feel they are safe and to stop isolating one kitten!

How are the weights today?

You've asked about supplementing - have you tried yet?

 

[nalasmomma]

I haven't tried yet. Trying to get a hole in the nipple is a challenge. I don't want to let her out of the room with the kittens cause of our male cat. Everytime she comes out he tryst to get her. I know she wants to move the kittens to my kids room but I feel the closet is the safest, warmest and best place for them[emoji]128533[/emoji]

 

[Sarthur2]

The kittens will not take a nipple since they have a mom. You would need to use a 1 or 2 mL syringe to supplement.

How are the weights today?

 

[nalasmomma]

20160222_104029.jpg

• nalasmomma
• Feb 22, 2016

 

[nalasmomma]

Ok good to know. I don't weigh them till 12:30.

 

[nalasmomma]

One kitten only gained .2 and one .3 and the others up to .5 I only have 10 ml syringes

 

[talkingpeanut]

I haven't tried yet. Trying to get a hole in the nipple is a challenge. I don't want to let her out of the room with the kittens cause of our male cat. Everytime she comes out he tryst to get her. I know she wants to move the kittens to my kids room but I feel the closet is the safest, warmest and best place for them[emoji]128533[/emoji]

This is a good idea. She can already get pregnant again. You are getting him fixed, right? I believe you said earlier in the thread.

 

[nalasmomma]

This is a good idea. She can already get pregnant again. You are getting him fixed, right? I believe you said earlier in the thread.

Oh yes we are getting him fixed as soon as we have the extra money!

 

[Sarthur2]

You'll want to pick up a 1 or 2 mL syringe at a pharmacy. Are you weighing in grams or ounces? Either way, the two gaining the least are not gaining enough, which means they are not eating enough. You really need to supplement those two.

How much do they weigh in total today?

 

[nalasmomma]

I just tried the supplement feeding and they didn't take it well.. Why have they been gaining so much and then now aren't? They range from 7.5 to 8.7 oz. I weigh them in ounces. They don't cry though only when I tried to feed them.

 

[Willowy]

Honestly, as long as they're gaining something, and don't seem lethargic or whiny, I wouldn't recommend supplementing them. When a human feeds a kitten, there's always the risk of aspiration, so it's not something you want to do unless it's strictly necessary. Some days they aren't going to gain as much, that's normal. You want it to be an average not an every day thing. So, really, as long as they aren't losing weight, just let mama handle it. There wouldn't be so many cats in the world if raising kittens was so hard .

ETA: if a kitten is really in need of supplementing, then the owner shouldn't hesitate to supplement for fear of aspiration. But these kittens are well over the minimum healthy weight (if born on the 13th, they're only 9 days old. If they gained an average of .5 oz a day, they'd only weigh 4.5 ounces. But they're almost twice that! I don't think these kittens are in any trouble at all)

 

[nalasmomma]

Great point!! Thanks so much. I'll continue to weigh them everyday. And unless I see a drastic change or losing weight then I'll intervene. They defiantly aren't lethargic and u don't even know they are there they are so quiet!

 

[nalasmomma]

I just weighed the one that was 8.2 oz at 12:30 pm and already is up to 8.3 in 3 hours[emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[zed xyzed]

I just weighed the one that was 8.2 oz at 12:30 pm and already is up to 8.3 in 3 hours[emoji]128522[/emoji]

great work !!!!!!

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh, my goodness! The overall weights are terrific for 9 days old! No need to worry about supplementing! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[nalasmomma]

The 2 that gained the least today still fight over a nipple! The others seem to know which one they like. They are starting to open there eyes now too...and the first born was purring today! So exciting[emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[nalasmomma]

Weights today are 9.0 oz gained .4, 8.0 oz gained .4 oz, 8.7 oz gained .3 oz, 8.8 gained .5 and 8.9 oz gained .4