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The gray one seems to be a fighter, always latched on no matter which way mama rolls and uses her paws to keep the others off that nipples.
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Pregnant Mama doesn't want to be confined!
- Thread starter sewingdervish
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When we had our kittens I couldn't tell them apart for the first few days so I read a tip on here, get different coloured sharpie pens and mark a colour under the armpit of the front paw, use each colour on a chart when weighing them, soon you will recognise little differences in each one but the colours really helped me out at first. I weighed every day, it really helped me have confidence they were all gaining and also let me spot when my smallest kitten was gaining slowly so I could up her feed frequency, the sharpie pens are such a genius idea I would have never thought of it!
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Just wanted to post an update since everyone here was so patient and helpful. All the kittens seem to be doing great! The gray kitten is the biggest, defends his nipple from all interlopers and nurses all the time. At birth he was 4.5 oz and is now 5.5 oz. The other kittens we still can't tell apart, they are all so black! But the weights on birthday were 3-4.5 o and today the weights are 4-5 oz so I think everyone is growing. Mama cat seems to know exactly what is going on and I suspect that it isn't her first Rodeo but it will be her last. Everyone is happy!
Sounds good. Keep the updates coming.
I'm glad you are weighing even though you cannot tell them apart. It's always a good idea. The gains are good. They should double their birth weights by the end of the first week, so look for that. It sounds like they and mom are doing well, and delighted to hear this will be mom's last rodeo 
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So I have been weighing the kittens daily and the weights are 8 oz, 7.5 oz, 7 oz, 6.5 oz, 6 ox and 4.75 oz. The little one has been gaining yesterday he was 4.5 and on Monday 4 but he is so much smaller than the biggest kitten. should I be worried about him?
Yes, he needs supplementing! He is not getting enough milk.
Do you have KMR and a syringe? You need to begin feeding him 3-5 mL every 3 hours starting now. He needs to gain 6-10 grams per day.
This is what happens when there are six babies. Someone always gets rooted out.
Do you have KMR and a syringe? You need to begin feeding him 3-5 mL every 3 hours starting now. He needs to gain 6-10 grams per day.
This is what happens when there are six babies. Someone always gets rooted out.
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Thank you everyone for all of your help. I supplemented the little fellow for about 5 days, before her refused to take any more and everyone seems to be growing and gaining consistently now.
The kittens are 3 weeks old now and we can finally tell who is who!
We have one kitten who does not like to be handled. She yelps and cries the entire time that we hold her. I don't want to distress her but I also want her to be used to human interaction and not afraid of us. I don't really know what to do. The other kittens all seem to be fine being held. We don't hold them for long, a minute at the most.
The kittens are 3 weeks old now and we can finally tell who is who!
We have one kitten who does not like to be handled. She yelps and cries the entire time that we hold her. I don't want to distress her but I also want her to be used to human interaction and not afraid of us. I don't really know what to do. The other kittens all seem to be fine being held. We don't hold them for long, a minute at the most.
Do you think the kitten could be in pain? It sounds odd that the kitten cries when you hold it.
How about some pictures.
How about some pictures.
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No, it seems more like she is scared.
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I don't think the kitten is necessarily ill, though that might be worth looking into. Presuming it's not ill and is just frightened --
I had a kitten for whom I was 'midwife' and who squealed very vigorously when I handled her, while her sister did not. I just kept handling her consistently and gently, for short periods of time, and speaking to her softly. (I had to handle her every day to weigh her on the kitchen scale anyway.) While she was still in the nest handling always ended with her being placed back on her mother or whichever adult cat she had been snuggling with. When she got older I started following handling immediately with positive things, mainly food and treats (I would pick her up and place her in front of her food bowl) or toys (I would pick her up and then put her down and toss a toy). By the time she was 10 weeks she was sleeping on my lap. I think the key is consistency, gentleness, steadiness (don't startle them, unless in play), and reward. I always handled slowly and carefully, not making fast movements and being careful to support either her bum or the bottoms of her feet (I think this is a biggie -- in my experience cats are more likely to struggle if I'm not supporting their bum or feet) so that she would more likely feel comfortable and secure. Teach the kitten that you are predictably good and that nice things happen when you handle it, and hopefully it will come around.
Good luck. My boy who started out skittish and frightened has become the most loving and loyal cat in my home, and the most strongly bonded to me. As I result I'm biased towards skittish youngsters.
I had a kitten for whom I was 'midwife' and who squealed very vigorously when I handled her, while her sister did not. I just kept handling her consistently and gently, for short periods of time, and speaking to her softly. (I had to handle her every day to weigh her on the kitchen scale anyway.) While she was still in the nest handling always ended with her being placed back on her mother or whichever adult cat she had been snuggling with. When she got older I started following handling immediately with positive things, mainly food and treats (I would pick her up and place her in front of her food bowl) or toys (I would pick her up and then put her down and toss a toy). By the time she was 10 weeks she was sleeping on my lap. I think the key is consistency, gentleness, steadiness (don't startle them, unless in play), and reward. I always handled slowly and carefully, not making fast movements and being careful to support either her bum or the bottoms of her feet (I think this is a biggie -- in my experience cats are more likely to struggle if I'm not supporting their bum or feet) so that she would more likely feel comfortable and secure. Teach the kitten that you are predictably good and that nice things happen when you handle it, and hopefully it will come around.
Good luck. My boy who started out skittish and frightened has become the most loving and loyal cat in my home, and the most strongly bonded to me. As I result I'm biased towards skittish youngsters.
As long as it's not seemingly sick or in pain, I wouldn't worry too much. Some kittens take a little longer and are more shy than others. Just make sure to continue handling her, but on a more relaxing way. Maybe start with letting her smell your hand and let her "walk" on it herself. Try stroking her instead of lifting her op. When that goes well, lift her up a little (a few cm from the ground) and return her. Don't let her "fly" up high; that might be scary. Eventually she'll get used to being handled and will enjoy it more too. Just don't give up ^^
