Thin Kittens

[gzo]

A pregnant cat that we sort of adopted gave birth to 7 kittens 2 days ago. When she gave birth to the kittens only 2 kittens weren't tangled up while the others were all tangled, it was really messy and it took 14 hours to untangle all of them because she kept transferring and dragging the others who have been tangled. 2 kittens have already died due to infection and the 5 other kittens may be in critical condition. the vet was able to remove the excess puss from one of the kittens and I bought replacement milk (I'm in a province in the Philippines and the vet here takes 3 hours to reach from the city)

We weren't able to bring the mama cat and the problem is I don't know if her milk has gone sour because some of the kittens still drink from her but 2 won't. They also have runny yellowish poop? coming out. I'm treating the kitten with an infected tummy with the medicine the doctor gave me and have separated it from the rest.

But do I just give all the kittens replacement milk? because they all seem really thin but from what I've seen they have been drinking milk from the mama cat and the mama cat still has milk.

Please help I really want to save these kittens before I leave.

 

[Sarthur2]

Do you have access to any antibiotics? It sounds like the mom and/or kittens may have infections. If so, which ones?

Yes, feed the kittens 1-2mLs each with kitten formula or goats milk using a syringe. Feed every 1-2 hours. Feed kittens drop by drop in the side of the mouth while they are on the tummy.

Is mom eating cat food?

In the future, pinch off cords about one inch from the naval if tangled. When mom dragged them it pulled on the cords and injured the kittens.

Thank you for helping!

 

[gzo]

The mama cat seems very healthy/isn't showing any signs of illness or weakness. But a neighbour here said that the cat has given birth so many times already, her last batch aren't even fully grown yet. could that be a possible factor?

I've begun feeding them 30mins ago, all of the kittens. Should I just stick to syringe feeding all of them?

 

[StefanZ]

Its good they nurse but count on. You will give the maior part of their food. In a kitten of 75 grammes its about 20 ml a day. Give momma calcium rich food. Yoghurt - plain full fat, cheese, goats milk, egg shells from hard boiled eggs crrushed into fine dust. Give also the egg itself - much proteins and good fats

 

[gzo]

Its good they nurse but count on. You will give the maior part of their food. In a kitten of 75 grammes its about 20 ml a day. Give momma calcium rich food. Yoghurt - plain full fat, cheese, goats milk, egg shells from hard boiled eggs crrushed into fine dust. Give also the egg itself - much proteins and good fats

How do I go about balancing the feeding? It's already night time here 8PM. They were able to nurse except for 2 kittens, the weak kitten with a tummy infection and another one that won't stop crying and is very thin. I've given the 2 kittens the replacement milk as well as the other kittens (but less than the 2 weaker kittens since they wouldn't accept anymore milk from the syringe) I will feed the one with a tummy infection in another hour should I do same for the others?

 

[StefanZ]

Its apparently most important with the weakest ones - with them you may go down to every hour feeding, if you manage. With the others its mostly a filling up. Every two hours perhaps? OR a little every hhours. Its in part also how YOU do manage it - its a lot of work! Healthy orphans are easier, but weak sickly kittes are almost always difficult, and their margins are thin..

They usually always prefer momma, if momma has milk, so its no real dilemma. They will always get from momma if momma has and they are strong enough to nurse and suckle.

The weak ones need the most help, at least in the beginning. They may also be too weak to suckle, even if they pretend to nurse.

Weighing them every day is a big help - this way you KNOW they get enough. A healthy kitten adds typically 10+ grammes a day.
Cats in Phillippines tends to be rather lean, rahter slender by nature, so they prob wont add so much more a day than these 10grammes.


In the critical phase, you may even want to weigh them weakest every 12 hours.

 

[gzo]

I'm starting to lose hope on the one with a tummy infection. I've given it milk via syringe and I've tried letting it suckle on the mama cat but it doesn't want to. I've placed it beside the mama cat wrapped in a blanket but the body of the kitten isn't getting warmer

 

[StefanZ]

writing - stand by

 

[StefanZ]

First, you must give it some active heat source. A heating pad.

Best is, if you can get an IR-heating lamp, such as rheumatic persons use. Or persons having lizards or hatching chickens. Otherwise you can use common rice, fill a sock with it, have it in micro full heat 5 minutes. It keeps warmth several hours. Just wrap in a towel, so its not too heat.

Or find other solution to give active warming up.

Second, give it "glucose sugar / dextrose". This gives quick energy alreday from the mouth, it doesnt need to be digested, and you can give it also to a kitten whom is too cold for normal feeding. Or a comatose dying kitten...

If you cant get glucose sugar (easy to find in Sweden bud difficult in USA!) - you can use honey. Honey contains much glucose sugar.

How? Make sweet water with this glucose sugar or honey, and smear on its lips AND gums. IF you use it instead of food, its enough with barely sweet + add a little salts. Say, a coffee cup water, 2 teaspoons honey, a trifle salt

Similiar receipt is IF they get diarrhea, cats or humans.

 

[StefanZ]

Also, if it looks as badly as you describe, the probability is high his digestation has shut off. It does in deeply comatose or the dying. At this moment its no point any longer with normal feeding.

"but we must continue to give nutrients for him to have any chance at all!"

What still works is this glucose water I wrote above ("=pedialyte"). Its no remedy: if he is dying for real so he is dying for real. But it may buy him time for recovery processes to get going. For example, antibiotica get working.

And it cant hurt.

G gzo

 

[StefanZ]

How is it going? Is the sick pne still alive?

 

[Sarthur2]

You did not answer my question of whether you can get antibiotics. Antibiotics will help to save the kittens.