Newborn abandoned kitten. Help!

[Dana R]

Lots of drama yesterday. Went to our barn and a very young kitten was laying in the middle of the floor. So I put it in a basket with towels and started looking around. New first time Momma (mostly feral) hid her kittens in the loft. We found 2 that fell out of an open side near the inside edge and they were on a shelf behind a storage. I’m thinking that kept them from falling farther. One had its leg caught a bit but didn’t appear injured. 2 more babies go in the basket.

I climb up into the loft over storage tubbies and find the Momna with 2 more babies very near the same edge where the others had fallen so I brought them down and put them in the basket. Then I brought Mom food and water into the barn near the basket and left for a bit. She had taken and hidden 2 by evening and another 3 were gone this morning.
One baby was left and she never came back all day so I went and got kitten formula. Eyes are not open and ears are still folded so the baby is very young. I have fed her twice based on her weight. 1 tsp 3 hours apart. I have her in a towel lined basket. She moves around alot and is very vocal. What else do I need to do?

 

[silent meowlook]

Go to this website. Look around there. There is a ton of information.

Bottle Feeding — Kitten Lady

 

[Dana R]

Ok I’m reading and guessing she is 3-4 days old as the umbilical cord is not present.

 

[Dana R]

Go to this website. Look around there. There is a ton of information.

Bottle Feeding — Kitten Lady

Thank you. I’m reading reading reading now. I have figured out that she is 3-4 days old based on the unbelievable cord being gone.

 

[silent meowlook]

Kittens this age are a ton of work. Yes, looks very young.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn's Life - TheCatSite

 

[StefanZ]

A healthy orphan is easier to take care of than a sickly little kitten. Still, lotsa to do.

If its not warm there, kitten needs some additional heat source. Towels arent enough, it cant produce its own heat in 100%.

You are keeping it at home, or still in the barn, hoping momma will fetch it anyway??

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you seen the mother cat again? Where might the other kittens be?

 

[Dana R]

I looked a bit and have boot seen her. I checked the loft to make sure that they were not back in that dangerous spot where they could fall and they are not there. I also do not hear them in the barn. I have also spoken with my vet and it was agreed that I did the correct thing as she hadn’t been fed by Momma for about 18 hours or longer. She didn’t poop even with stimulation for almost 24 hours because (as my vet said) she was SO SO empty and starving. Poor thing.

 

[Dana R]

A healthy orphan is easier to take care of than a sickly little kitten. Still, lotsa to do.

If its not warm there, kitten needs some additional heat source. Towels arent enough, it cant produce its own heat in 100%.

You are keeping it at home, or still in the barn, hoping momma will fetch it anyway??

Yes I did tons of research and she is in our rec room which is a separate building in a basket with the heat cranked high. She is doing well. Poor thing was SO SO hungry that she didn’t poop for almost 24 hours even with stimulation. I was taking her to the vet in the morning if she still had not gone. The vet said that she was SO SO very empty that it took her that long to go. Poor baby.

 

[Dana R]

Lots of drama yesterday. Went to our barn and a very young kitten was laying in the middle of the floor. So I put it in a basket with towels and started looking around. New first time Momma (mostly feral) hid her kittens in the loft. We found 2 that fell out of an open side near the inside edge and they were on a shelf behind a storage. I’m thinking that kept them from falling farther. One had its leg caught a bit but didn’t appear injured. 2 more babies go in the basket.

I climb up into the loft over storage tubbies and find the Momna with 2 more babies very near the same edge where the others had fallen so I brought them down and put them in the basket. Then I brought Mom food and water into the barn near the basket and left for a bit. She had taken and hidden 2 by evening and another 3 were gone this morning.
One baby was left and she never came back all day so I went and got kitten formula. Eyes are not open and ears are still folded so the baby is very young. I have fed her twice based on her weight. 1 tsp 3 hours apart. I have her in a towel lined basket. She moves around alot and is very vocal. What else do I need to do?

Kitten update: doing well thanks to your help.

 

[Dana R]

Kitten update: doing well thanks to your help.

Here is my next question:
I have been heeding her ever 1 1/2 hours and she started to not be very hungry overnight. This morning I took my dog for shots and it was closer to 2 hours and she drank it right down. So, should I start doing 1 2’3/4 tj 2 hours now?

 

[StefanZ]

healthy kuttens dont need the same tigh schedule as weak ones…. as long she goes steadily up 10+ gramnes m a day its good