Question about feral cats abandoning their kittens..

[commanderscott]

It said Lucy weight 9.7 and Hercules weighed 10.7. I guess as long as their bathroom functions are going they're okay?

Herc made more hard poops this morning. And he's back to peeing regularly. I think he's working through all that compacted stuff. I didn't have to work on his little body too hard to make him go either. Just started to go after I tried to make him pee. So he's getting better. And no more gas!

 

[Sarthur2]

I agree that he's getting all the hard stuff out. He'll be pooping softer poops soon. And peeing better too now. They shouldn't have gas on this formula.

Aren't they 3 weeks old now?

 

[commanderscott]

The "official" date will be tomorrow but I believe they hit three weeks yesterday or today. They're playing and walking around very shakily -- but way more steady than when we first found them.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Does your scale weigh in grams too, by any chance? It can be a bit easier to track that way.

 

[Sarthur2]

C commanderscott

Well, 3-week old kittens should weigh about 12 ounces, so yours are still behind. In another week, at 4 weeks, the goal weight is 16 ounces. Then, they need to gain one pound a month every month thereafter until they are 6 months old at least.

So they will need lots and lots of formula. Make sure you do not run out of powder!

 

[commanderscott]

We will definitely stock up on powder. They LOVE this stuff. How much should I be feeding them every day? I read 80 ounces per day at 3 weeks but they still eat 90/day. And I'm conservative with how much Herc eats because I don't want to compact his bowels again while he's working through all this. Is 15 mL six times a day still good to do while Herc recovers?

 

[talkingpeanut]

Don't restrict what Herc is eating. He needs to keep eating to keep popping and keep everything moving. He also needs as much nutrition as possible to grow.

 

[Sarthur2]

The rule of thumb is 8mLs for every ounce of body weight, but this is a minimum to grow on. So you are feeding enough, but if they are hungry and having growth spurts, they can eat more. And I always round up.

It's hard to overfeed a growing kitten! I see appetite as a good thing in kittens! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[commanderscott]

Okay. I won't restrict him then. I'll just go extra slow with him to make sure he's not full and still eating. I just don't want their little tummies to burst. Natural fear I guess since they're so tiny. XD

 

[commanderscott]

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• commanderscott
• Aug 3, 2016

Also look whose point marks are showing up, as predicted!

 

[Sarthur2]

I see a kitten who is going to be gorgeous! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

 

[commanderscott]

They're both going to be super gorgeous. Herc is going to be huge. He's already enormous and fuzzy.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes! He's so darn cute right now! Males tend to get very big sometimes. Mine are huge now - 15-pounders!

 

[commanderscott]

Do kittens normally nurse on lips? Hercules keeps nursing on my lower lip and it's so cute I don't have the heart to stop him.

 

[commanderscott]

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• commanderscott
• Aug 3, 2016

It's his favorite thing. And I don't know what to make of it. Every time I pull him away he climbs right back up and starts again.

 

[commanderscott]

And no matter how careful I am with Lucille, she keeps aspirating her formula. I don't know what to do anymore to make this easier for her. It doesn't matter how slowly we go or how often I wipe her mouth. I know if she keeps doing it she will die. I'm really worried. This is the worst feeding so far. She didn't just sneeze -- she choked.

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh dear!

What is happening that she is choking? How are you feeding her?

 

[commanderscott]

I'm feeding her the same way I feed her brother -- belly down, head forward. I let her suck the fluid from the syringe at her own pace. I've tried filling it up to 2.5 mL at a time and letting her have a go at that to give her enough time to eat properly but she ends up sneezing anyway.

 

[Sarthur2]

I don't know what to tell you. I thought once you slowed her down she was doing better. Just be careful!

You can give them a soft cloth with the corner soaked in formula to suckle on. Some kittens love this!

 

[commanderscott]

She was for a bit. I don't know what's wrong.

I'll try that. I've heard clean makeup sponges work well too.