two week old kittens

[zeety]

Thank you guys. The support of this community is what has always been what's keeping the babies alive. Ya'll don't see what is going on behind the scenes with PMs and e-mails from everyone wanting to help me help them. It's really amazing how perfect strangers reach out to offer assistance just because they care about some anonymous person with a cat. I can never say how grateful I am to all of you.

I'm just really tired, my brain is in zombie mode and I don't have much to offer in the way of sharing an update today. Hopefully me and the babies will feel better later this weekend.

 

[momofmany]

I know I've been out of the loop for a bit, and have just caught up now.

My last orphaned litter consisted of 3 boys and a girl. The boys were always fighting to get to the bottle first, then fighting with the kitten who had the bottle. They were a complete mess after every feeding. The girl on the other hand, was prim, waited for the others and only got messy if the boys rubbed their messy bodies by hers. I wonder if what you are seeing and what I saw is a gender difference in very young kittens. Demanding little boys and clean prissy girls. I always struggled with cleaning the formula off the boys.

I'm so happy that things are going so smoothly for you (in spite of the lack of sleep). Get sleep when you can for now and keep reminding yourself that in just a few short weeks, you'll be back to a full nights sleep.

In about a week, you will want to get a litter pan and start stimulating them to go while they are in that pan. Do not use clumping litter with kittens. They start to go on their own at about 3-4 weeks old, starting with pooping on their own first then eventually peeing on their own. Stimulating them while in the litter box teaches them that this is the right place to do it. And you may need to hold their tails up and away from them for the first few times - one of my orphans wrapped his tail under himself when he went the first few times on his own. Not something you want to clean up if you can help it. And teach them how to cover up their mess. When they are done, scoop litter on top of their mess (I bucked up and used my finger and washed it afterwards). Litter habits are formed at this age and as their meowmy, you are the only one that can teach them to do it right.

 

[rafm]

Great advice on the litter training. One thing I do a bit different is that instead of me covering it, I take their paw and do it....hand over hand technique basically. That way, they don't expect someone else to always do it for them....kitties, mainly boys, IME, can be a bit lazy with the covering thing.

 

[zeety]

They're three weeks old today and doing well, although they don't particularly like all the changes. This transitioning from goat's milk to KMR has been upsetting them and me a bit, but they are finally on 100% KMR and that is a good thing, they need those nutrients to help build their immune systems.

They have been so grumpy I finally just started letting them sleep with me. I really didn't want to do that because I was afraid I might roll over and suffocate them, or they would jump off the bed and get too cold on the floor. But I wake up in the exact position I fell in asleep in, and they just cuddle up together on my chest.

And Larry has stopped trying to nurse on Mo's bottom since he's had a bottle and a Binky to placate his needs. I'm so glad they can now play with each other without me having to supervise them all the time. They really need each other.

Mo tried to attack my mouth last night as I was sleeping...LOL I have pock marks around my lips where she tried to nurse on me...and all my pajamas smell like cat pee. It's not easy being an easy meowmy

 

[zeety]

Sleeping in a cardboard box is no way to go through life, son.

 

[zeety]

They are doing great!!! They are now on 100% KMR and their little stools look good, no worms or diarrhea at all.

I bought a food scale yesterday and weighed them, they are 95 grams!!!

I'm so happy they are healthy and thriving. We have to move on to litter training and solid food next week.

Wish us luck!

 

[mbjerkness]

Happy to hear they are doing well. Such little cuties

 

[Primula]

zeety, great photo. As another poster  put it, their lifelong bond with you is going to be so enormous. Poor little things have grown up without their furry mommy, but what they have is even better - you!

 

[zeety]

zeety, great photo. As another poster  put it, their lifelong bond with you is going to be so enormous. Poor little things have grown up without their furry mommy, but what they have is even better - you!

To be quite honest I have been afraid I will lose them, they really are fragile little critters. I was reluctant to get an emotional bond and get attached to them at first, but I'm meomy now and in for the full deal. It's mostly because of you guys helping me out that the babies have made it. We just lub you

 

[ldg]

Oh they're just SO adorable! :heart3: I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd checked into the thread. But you are doing GREAT! And I am so happy they can be together now - such a great solution! :lol3:

You'll have to keep us posted on the weaning and the litter box training. :cross:

 

[zeety]

They're pooping on their own now and more frequently since the pumpkin was added to their formula. I set up the litter box in a closet that was only used for storing miscellaneous junk that won't absorb any odors, but I still need to arrange it right so it is safe for them to hang out in without supervision. Plus, I don't have a heat source in there and it's a little chilly. They'll be in the cardboard box nest for the next week at least, I imagine.

I bought a couple cans of wet food, one each of beef and chicken just to have on hand when the time comes. I plan on mixing a little with formula and putting it in a jar lid and just dabbing a little on my finger and letting them nibble, just to give them the idea. But I'm still not sure what they will like so I'm not buying it in quantity yet.

I'm pretty much just maintaining the same routine of feeding them every 3 - 4 hours depending on how they behave, with the exception that my goal is to get them 80 ml of formula each day. That's quite a lot...they really don't seem to want that much. I'm sticking with the policy it's better to slightly underfeed them than give too much.

I'm having trouble getting Mo to begin sucking on the bottle lately. What I do to get her started is squeeze the bottle slightly to get a little formula on the tip of the nipple, and then insert it in her mouth so she can taste it. I know she's hungry but instead of sucking she just turns her head and tries to gum it and finally just pushes it away. It's almost as if she's teething and just wants to chew on something. But she can't be teething this soon.

I think I might be getting it too warm. What I do is heat the formula by placing the bottle in a bowl of hot tap water, then test it on my wrist and when it feels about the same as my body temperature I feed them. Larry is fine with this, but Mo seems to like it a little cooler. So she always has to wait for me to finish feeding Larry while the bottle cools down. Feeding time is a lot of activity because I'm not just heating the formula, I'm preparing a bowl of warm water and a wash cloth for a bath, and also another bowl with a sponge to clean up the mess we always make from pooping and peeing. And it all has to be sanitized.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing so adorable as holding these little babies in my hand and feeling and hearing them purr as they suck on that bottle. They also love the little baths, I do try to emulate meowmy's toungue cleaning them up after each feeding. The work that goes in to their care is well worth the rewards. I'm just getting a little bitchy

 

[feralvr]

YAY for pooping all on their own. I just love reading about your daily routine with these babies. YES - so much work goes into their care but the reward's and the love they shower on you make it so worth it. I would just be SOOOOO in love too - how could you not. I am just so relieved that they are doing so well and that is all because of YOU!!!

 

[ldg]

YAY for pooping all on their own. I just love reading about your daily routine with these babies. YES - so much work goes into their care but the reward's and the love they shower on you make it so worth it. I would just be SOOOOO in love too - how could you not. I am just so relieved that they are doing so well and that is all because of YOU!!!

I've never dealt with bottle babies, our youngest was a kitty that was just transitioning to eating on her own. And THAT was plenty of work and a lot of mess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I totally get it - you love the babies, but there's plenty of work that comes with it, and that's what TCS is for too... feel free to bitch, we're here with hugs and encouragement! We LOVE our little TCS mascots and their OH so special mommies (and daddies)!! :bigthumb:

 

[zeety]

I don't want anyone to get the idea that raising bottle babies is easy by any means, it's not. Some people might be tempted to read through my posts and think they can pick all this learning up overnight.

Well you can't. They need constant attention, as much as any human baby.

I know that because of experience and from what MA and others share with me. I can't stress enough how much the folks here at TCS and affiliates have contributed.

 

[zeety]

How big are they now? About 100 grams...that's slightly more than four ounces for you guys who don"t live on the metric system.

 

[frankthetank]

Oh I remember the weighing days!! I had never tried raising bottle fed kittens and only really fell into it back in June~mainly because I had an acquaintance whose apt complex owner started trapping cats to get them away from the complex and these baby kittens were left without a momma cat. So they were found after almost 2 days of constant mewing was heard, and the person who found them had no clue how to raise baby kittens and no time to dedicate to them. Since I work from home (not that running a daycare from home is by any means easy either) I had more time then most to dedicate to feeding/caring for babies round the clock so we took in three little kittens that were around 1.5wks old ~eyes were 1/2 open but not fully and they were wobbly little fluff balls. We went out and bought a food scale so we could weigh them daily to make sure they were getting enough nutrients from what they were eating and it was always so exciting to see them and gain weight!

It definitely is a hard time, raising babies. Like you, I had one pass and it was a very devastating day. I couldn't help but get attached to the little babies and bawled when we lost one at 5 wks. The other two are happy & healthy...we have so many other cats we hadn't planned on keeping any of the three once they were ready for forever homes~however letting one of them go to their new home was so hard on us that when the person who wanted the other kitten backed out, we decided to keep him. Zoe is the kitten that went to a new home and I get updates about her often & see pictures. Keaton is the one we kept and he is just the sweetest thing...loviest cat ever, my husband-who has had many cats in his lifetime & one of our cats is one he bottle fed a few years back-said he has never seen a cat as loving as Keaton. At night he sleeps on my pillow or curled up next to me, which I have never had a young kitten actually sleep w/ me most the night, and during the day he spend over half his time following me around, then when my husband gets home he will curl up w/ him awhile too. He seems to always want to be near us!

I love hearing your updates about your babies, it brings back memories of my early summer w/ the kittens.....remember even on the hardest days, you are doing something great for these kitties and the reward you will get is their everlasting love!

How big are they now? About 100 grams...that's slightly more than four ounces for you guys who don"t live on the metric system.

 

[feralvr]

OHHHH They are just still so tiny and so cute!! I just love them both :heart3: WOW 4 ounces - way to go!!! :bigthumb:

Keep eating and growing little ones so meowmy can get a good night's sleep soon

 

[ldg]

I'll say it again! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW..............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lovegrin2 :lovegrin2 :lovegrin2

And I'll share Lauren's vibes LOL. Keep eating and growing little ones, so meowmy can get a good night's sleep soon!

 

[zeety]

Oh I remember the weighing days!! I had never tried raising bottle fed kittens and only really fell into it back in June~mainly because I had an acquaintance whose apt complex owner started trapping cats to get them away from the complex and these baby kittens were left without a momma cat. So they were found after almost 2 days of constant mewing was heard, and the person who found them had no clue how to raise baby kittens and no time to dedicate to them. Since I work from home (not that running a daycare from home is by any means easy either) I had more time then most to dedicate to feeding/caring for babies round the clock so we took in three little kittens that were around 1.5wks old ~eyes were 1/2 open but not fully and they were wobbly little fluff balls. We went out and bought a food scale so we could weigh them daily to make sure they were getting enough nutrients from what they were eating and it was always so exciting to see them and gain weight!

It definitely is a hard time, raising babies. Like you, I had one pass and it was a very devastating day. I couldn't help but get attached to the little babies and bawled when we lost one at 5 wks. The other two are happy & healthy...we have so many other cats we hadn't planned on keeping any of the three once they were ready for forever homes~however letting one of them go to their new home was so hard on us that when the person who wanted the other kitten backed out, we decided to keep him. Zoe is the kitten that went to a new home and I get updates about her often & see pictures. Keaton is the one we kept and he is just the sweetest thing...loviest cat ever, my husband-who has had many cats in his lifetime & one of our cats is one he bottle fed a few years back-said he has never seen a cat as loving as Keaton. At night he sleeps on my pillow or curled up next to me, which I have never had a young kitten actually sleep w/ me most the night, and during the day he spend over half his time following me around, then when my husband gets home he will curl up w/ him awhile too. He seems to always want to be near us!

I love hearing your updates about your babies, it brings back memories of my early summer w/ the kittens.....remember even on the hardest days, you are doing something great for these kitties and the reward you will get is their everlasting love!

That's a great story, thank you for sharing!!! It sounds a lot like my experience in that I had heard the mews for a couple days but didn't immediately recognize the sound as kittens. We have a bit of a rodent problem and, frankly, I only went looking for the source because I was going to put them out of their misery. It's not at all unusual to come upon little mice who are half dead from getting into the poison traps my landlord sets out. Which brings up a whole other set of problems for my babies I need to address before letting them roam around much. What if they kill a mouse that has ingested some of that poison? That really scares me.

And it's a real qaundary for me because, on one hand I don't like the idea of killing every disgusting creature attempting to share my abode. As long as they aren't doing me harm I try to live with them...some of them actually do good. Spiders are really creepy looking...but I don't kill them off because they kill other bugs I can't stand. I'm no Buddhist, but you don't have to practice a far-eastern religion, or hold a Ph.D to know that harmony with your environment beats running around with a can of Raid all day. My mom once got so freaked out about ants she sprayed poison all over the floor and our cat's babies all died from licking it.

On the other hand, you can't totally innoculate them from all bacteria by sanitizing the environment, that would prevent their little immune systems from building the anti-bodies needed to fight off infections later in life. It's a damn precarious balance.

 

[zeety]

Mo hasn't wanted to feed on the bottle at all the last couple days despite everything I try; big nipple, little nipple, large opening, small opening...or whatever. While Larry was just sucking the bottle dry to the point he collapsed it with the suction. They are not supposed to be this far advanced at 3 1/2 weeks!

Again, boy was I wrong. They already have teeth and they want to chew on something. As much as I tried Mo would not take any milk out of the bottle today. I really didn't think it was time for solid food yet, but I went ahead and mashed up some wet food with formula, warmed it up in a dish and stuck her face in it.

She licked the whole plate nearly clean!!!

LOL - she'll probably get the runs from an over-dose of protein...we'll see.

I would have given Larry the same thing if he hadn't just gorged on a bottle of milk.

I'm really glad because they have been clawing my hands incessantly trying to nurse on the bottle, it made it really painful to feed them. At the same time I'm glad they are ready to be weaned and move on to the next stage...even though I will miss the suckling every few hours on the bottles.

No more bottles!