New Foster Kneading Constantly

[Bratcat31]

Okay. So, still no eating but sliiiiightly less weight loss today. I need some help though. Turns out she didnt get the meds they thought she had earlier this week. So I ran back up to the clinic today and got the Marquis paste and Panacur to give her tonight as well as another dose of mirtazapine.

She doesn't look like she feels well at all. Anyone have any idea how long thise meds will take to kick in? The girl REALLY needs to eat something.

 

[Sarthur2]

I am wondering if she needs anti-nausea meds. The not eating may simply be that she frequently feels nauseous. Please ask about this. She really needs to eat.

The meds could take a few days. Why is she getting mirtazapine? That’s an anti-depressant.

B Bratcat31

 

[Bratcat31]

I am wondering if she needs anti-nausea meds. The not eating may simply be that she frequently feels nauseous. Please ask about this. She really needs to eat.

The meds could take a few days. Why is she getting mirtazapine? That’s an anti-depressant.

B Bratcat31

From what I understand mirtazapine is an anti-depressant in humans (and I think maybe chills cats out some) but for cats it's more commonly used as an appetite stimulant and anti-emetic as well.

Ugh. Couple days huh? Well, Ill be back in touch with the clinic tomorrow and am talking with the mentors already. She's been pacing quite a bit tonight so I'm holding off on syringe feeding while she settles. But that'll start tomorrow morning if she hasn't turned a corner by then.

 

[Sarthur2]

Cats can develop liver problems very quickly from not eating.

Good you’re planning to talk to the clinic again tomorrow.

Please keep us posted. This is very concerning!

 

[Bratcat31]

Cats can develop liver problems very quickly from not eating.

Good you’re planning to talk to the clinic again tomorrow.

Please keep us posted. This is very concerning!

Yes! Fortunately she was just seen yesterday by the vet and fluids given. And she has eaten teeny tiny amounts since then. Im hoping a good nights rest and the new meds will do the trick.

 

[Bratcat31]

Clinic did not want me to bring her in since she is so close to giving birth but they did prescribe some meds for a URI and confirmed that syringe feeding was the only next step for now if she didn't start eating.

I do have cautiously optimistic news today though. She has eaten quite a few times, all on her own, with success at actually consuming more than 6 pieces of kibble at one time. Plus, she did not lose weight! She didn't gain a ton, ‍ but she did gain some!

Now she just needs to keep it up.

 

[Bratcat31]

She gained almost an entire ounce overnight!!! Go momma girl!! Go!!

 

[Bratcat31]

So, momma gave birth this AM to 4 healthy and full term babies. She now looks positively emaciated (ugh) but she's nursing and being a great mom after a little help. She only ate 1 placenta but did eat a few bites between baby 3 and 4. The babies were born at decent weights (80-100g each), but all lost 2 grams from this morning.

Should I be worried? Or just give it another day? I have nutrical on the way and will have hubby put down some KMR for her as well.

 

[ArchyCat]

Congratulations! The KMR Will be good for mom cat! Fat, protein and calcium, all needed for a lactating mom!

 

[Sarthur2]

Good it all went well!

Hopefully mama will regain her appetite now that the pregnancy is over. She must have calcium for nursing or she can have seizures, so make sure she gets the KMR twice daily.

The babies are on the light side; in fact, under 90 grams is considered premature birth weight, but hopefully they will begin to gain well too. As long as they nurse well they should be fine.

Give things a day or two to settle in and keep us posted.

 

[catsknowme]

Congratulations on a successful delivery!! I will be following this thread for updates.....and thank you for the pictures - here at TCS, we love them!!

Prayers that Heaven blesses mama kitty and family and their entire rescue team

 

[Bratcat31]

So, it's been a STRESSFUL couple days. Weight gain has been poor, some losses here and there, momma is still skin and bones and I'm still out of state so can basically just watch and instruct. But, I feel like we have started to turn a corner. In the last 12 hours 3 of the 4 had great gains and the 4th is active and yowling so I think she'll be okay and settle in soon. She was also one of my only ones to gain yesterday so she's holding steady OK.

Momma has also started to sort things out with mothering. She's been cleaning them better and is laying better for them to nurse (she was laying ON her nipples for awhile in an attempt to encircle the babies completely). So, hopefully another 24 hours and we will be rocking and rolling. I really really hope.

It's interesting because she is my oldest foster to date but is obviously a first time mom. She had her first baby in the litterbox, didn't chew through the cords for 3 or 4, tried to hide from the kittens in the bathroom cabinet, and tried to walk around after giving birth to number 4. Problem with that is that baby 4 was still attached to the placenta and the plactena was still inside momma....so so glad I was there and awake to help her.

Fingers toes and paws crossed that future updates are all great gains and sweet pictures!

 

[Sarthur2]

When do you return home?

 

[Bratcat31]

When do you return home?

Tomorrow!! Late morning/early afternoon. Very excited about that. And she has really been very well cared for by my husband and parents (my parents went to my house 4x a day just to feed her while my husband was at work). I just really want to be there. They just don't have quite the same experience I do and I'm quite the control freak!

 

[Bratcat31]

Update: Momma is now eating pretty well, and putting on weight but is wheezing/noisy breathing. Kittens are mostly gaining weight but one of the babies has now started sneezing (not surprising, momma was sneezing all over them) so he's lost a bit overnight (up overall for the day though). I'll be keeping an even extra watchful eye on him. All the babies are on Azithromycin now too and thankfully I'm home!

Momma lost her mind a bit after a vet visit and panicked when she got back. She started dropping kittens in random locations around the bathroom, and "chewing" on them a bit. But she seems to have regained her mind and put them all back into the bathtub. Oy, I'm hoping this all calms down soon.

 

[Sarthur2]

The vet visit put a scare in her, poor thing. She’ll calm down again. Is she on meds too? It sounds like she needs meds for the wheezing.

 

[Bratcat31]

The vet visit put a scare in her, poor thing. She’ll calm down again. Is she on meds too? It sounds like she needs meds for the wheezing.

Yeah, I think the car ride and then the shot and the car ride back and seeing the real world again (Shes in my quarantine bathroom which sadly doesn't have a window) freaked her out a bit. I also changed her sheet when I took her back upstairs so the smell may have been a little off too.

Bless her little heart. Fortunately, (knock on wood) she has left them (and herself) in the bathtub since she put them all back in there. She has a covered box in there if she wants to move them to something covered, but its not a great size for her and them, and she didnt even put them in there. She put herslef in there at one point. But not any of the kittens LOL! Goofy goofy girl. I'll move her into the foster room if she freaks again. She'll have a lot more room and I can set up a couple bigger spots. Trying to hold off though because my foster room is WAAAAAY harder to disinfect than my quarantine room and she and the kittens are still very sneezy.

She has finished a 5 day course of Azithromycin too and is on it every 3rd day for 3 doses now. I do have another email into the clinic for the wheezing but haven't heard back yet. I'd try a nice hot shower but she lives in the bathtub and I think she needs peace more than chaos right now.

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like you’ve got it all under control!

Good on the email about the wheezing. She may need a dose of cortisone. If so, hopefully you can pick up tablets rather than have to take her back in.

 

[Bratcat31]

Unfortunately I think I'm losing one of the babies. I came in for the 5 PM feeding and the one that was sneezing and coughing wasn't doing well at all. Working to get him stabilized but he's not bouncing back yet.

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh no!

Prayers for this kitten.