Newborn Abandoned Kitten, Trouble Nursing/Syringe Feeding

[Sarthur2]

How much formula does he get in a 24-hour period? How many mLs per feeding and how often?

If he’s not gaining or losing, he’s getting enough to maintain but not gain. He probably needs more formula or more feedings, or both.

Tell me his weight and I’ll tell you how much he should be getting minimum per each 24 hours.

 

[Umerwhat]

Luckily he did go up to 99g before the last feeding. It's really hard to guess, but this morning I figured he was getting about 35-36ml a day. He's been eating the whole 3ml syringe most feedings now, which are about every 1.25-2 hours. I do worry he gets so frantic over feeding time that he wastes extra energy.

 

[Sarthur2]

He clearly needs more per feeding. He’s hungry. Get a 5mL syringe from a pharmacy and see if he’ll take that. If not, re-fill the 3mL syringe and go again with him because he’s clearly hungry, wants to feed, and needs more.

It’s difficult to over-feed kittens. They are constantly growing and hungry. Feed as much as he wants every 2 hours and he should begin to gain more weight. If he’s frantic, he’s hungry. A kitten who is not overly hungry or who is satiated from enough food will calm down and not be frantic. Frantic means feed more.

He just needs more food at each feeding and you should log his feeding times and how much he eats at each feeding instead of guessing. It must be precise while he is little and dependent upon feeding.

U Umerwhat

 

[Umerwhat]

Previously when we've tried feeding him after the 3ml, he would act content/sluggish. The last couple feedings he has been glued to the syringe afterwards, so I'll have to give him more of a chance with the second round. I was considering logging his feed times/amounts. I can do so, but I don't think my mom would remember to.

I finally got around to weighing the 5 week olds kittens. They're in the mid 400s, which is the same as the 3 week old kittens. The 5 week old kittens were outside until a couple days ago, while the 3 week olds have been indoors the whole time. Should I be concerned? We can take them to the local shelter to get checked out. They would be due to get their first set of shots next week, but we can take them sooner. So far I've noticed 1 with runny poo. Is that normal as it transitions to formula/wet food?

Thanks again for all the info.

 

[Sarthur2]

The 3 week old kittens are very healthy and ahead of where they need to be because they are indoors and getting good care.

The 5-week-olds are actually about where they should be for five weeks — not behind but not ahead. They are NOT due for vaccines until they are 8 weeks old, despite what you may have been told. Kittens are NOT vaccinated before 8 weeks, and then only if they are healthy enough to get vaccines. Vaccines can make kittens sick for a few days to a week or more, so hold off for now. These kittens should be a full 8 weeks or more before getting vaccinated since they are coming from behind.

The runny poo may be from their food. Are the 5-week-olds still getting formula, or are they only being offered soft wet food?

Give them formula to drink from a dish, and soften dry kitten food with formula for them like a bowl of cereal. Also put down soft wet food like chicken pate — no chunks or shreds — to see if they are ready.

Most kittens at 5 weeks are still nursing and not weaned, so the diarrhea does not concern me at this point. What concerns me is your giving the different age kittens what they need at the appropriate times.

See that your mom logs whom she feeds, how much, and at what times.

 

[Umerwhat]

It's possible I misunderstood what the shelter meant and the 6 week thing is just a checkup/deworming appointment. I've been alternating between a dish of kmr and a dish of kmr/pate mixed for the 5 week olds. Their interest in the straight kmr seems to be waning. The 3 week olds are purely on their mom for now.

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you tried mixing the pate or dry kitten chow with formula for the 5-week-olds? They may do better with a mushy food for now. Will they eat it?

 

[Umerwhat]

I am giving them a kmr/pate mix. I was thinking of waiting a couple days on the kitten chow figuring their stomachs are already adjusting to the pate. Or will it not matter much?

 

[Umerwhat]

Do Miracle Nipples fit 5ml syringes?

 

[Sarthur2]

Offer both. I have had kittens who ate one or the other. Some preferred the dry food softened with kitten formula and some who preferred the pate mushed up with milk. See who eats what. Their tastes may also change over the next 2 weeks as they mature.

 

[Sarthur2]

I’m not sure if Miracle Nipples fit larger syringes. If the kitten is suckling from a Miracle Nipple, then continue with that set-up. Just re-load and feed. Or prepare a second syringe and be ready to go.

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you seen this video?

Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

 

[Umerwhat]

I rewatched the video. The Kitten Lady makes it look too easy. The kitten she demonstrates with is so chill T_T. The newborn is still pretty uppity. I've been trying to offer a second feeding, but he kind of just lazily sucks at the syringe, which doesn't amount to more than a few drops before he goes into sloth mode. I'll weigh him later to see how he's doing. He does look like he's filling out in his arms and torso a little.

You were right about the soaked kitten chow. The 5 week olds sucked it down. Now that I think about it, the neighbor had been leaving out cat chow soaked in wet food, so maybe they had been eating some already. Thanks again for keeping up with this thread. It means a lot to get some reassurance on all the little things.

 

[Umerwhat]

We're trying not to get our hopes up, but the kitten is up to 120g! He ate approximately 43ml in the past 24 hours. He gradually started eating more. Most meals he's around 4ml now. We've spaced his feedings closer to every 2 hours. He's only slightly less fussy now.

 

[Umerwhat]

So last night the kitten was up to 134g before feeding. He even had one feeding where he ate 6ml. But we noticed since this morning that he's been eating more around 2-3ml. My mom also noticed ones of his eyes is starting to peek open, but the other is firmly shut. She did put a warm compress on its eye. No smuck forming around the eye. I still suspect he could be starting with an eye infection, which would hopefully explain the mediocre appetite.

I do have a couple eye drops left I could use, but I assume you don't force a younger kitten's eyes open, right? We do have some Enroflox left too if that would help. Additionally I'm heading to the shelter tomorrow morning to get another cat neutered. Any suggestion on how to treat his eye or what I should pick up at the shelter would be great. Thanks!

 

[Sarthur2]

NEVER force a kitten’s eyes open. Continue with the warm wet compress, and ask the shelter about terramycin ointment for his eyes.

He’s not sick; kitten’s appetites vary. Small fluctuations are normal.

 

[Umerwhat]

Okay, will ask the shelter about terramycin. He's starting his 6th day and he's up to 152g. He did have a somewhat runny poo after weighing. He ate 35ml in the last 24 hours, which is down from his previous of 43ml. Should we be concerned?

 

[Sarthur2]

I think not — he’s already 5+ ounces at 6 days and he only needs to be 4 ounces at 7 days — so he seems to be doing well. His appetite will vary from day to day. Some days he will be super hungry as he gets a growth spurt and other days not so much. The fluctuations seem normal to me as long as he gains 6-10 grams a day most days.

 

[Umerwhat]

Day 7, 160g. I'm relieved he's gained as the diarrhea has continued. My mom accidentally got the measuring spoons mixed up and overdiluted the formula for a few feedings too. His poor rear is inflamed from the diarrhea. I cleaned it and put a small dab of triple antibiotic ointment on (the shelter had me doing this for the older ones, so hopefully it won't harm him). Is there anything else I should be doing for the diarrhea? The shelter thought he was too young for any kind of treatment at the moment. They were also worried that using Pedialyte would agitate his stomach more as it's something new to his system. I'm a bit worried as every kitten we've received from this neighbor has needed Albon, but I would think he's still too young for the full effects of Coccidiosis.

His one eye has opened half way. For the infected eye, we did put ointment on the lid that the shelter gave us. Should I wait for the healthy eye to open more before trying to slowly force open the other one for eye drops?

Otherwise his appetite seems good and I have to trap him in a knit blanket so he doesn't crawl off my lap while preping. Any advice for the above would be greatly appreciated as always. Thanks

 

[Sarthur2]

Again, NEVER force an eye open. Smear the terramycin on the shut eye, use the compress, and WAIT for the eye to open. Eyes open by 14 days. What is the rush?

Use coconut oil on the sore bottom.

If the diarrhea is that bad, by all means give Albon. The kitten is not too young.

Make sure the formula is mixed at the proper strength, and do not add anything to it like oil. You can mix it with clear unflavored pedialyte instead of water if you wish.

I hope today is a good day!