Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Purrs

1. 

   This morning someone had posted on Craigslist that they had a litter of newborn kittens and a mother that couldn't produce milk. They said they didn't have the time to hand raise the kittens and asked someone to come take them, so I wrote and said I would.

   When I got there I was able to find out a little more about what was going on. The mother was a feral cat, and she had come in through a window to give birth two days ago. There were six kittens. One was stillborn. Another died last night. By the time I arrived around noon, there were four left. They hadn't eaten since they were born, two days ago.

   I fed them kitten formula immediately, and warmed them up, but two died on the car ride home. The other two have made it these last 12 hours, which frankly surprised me. I've been keeping them in a box with a heating pad on low under a towel, and feeding them every two hours. I'm a bit scared I might be feeding them too much, but it's impossible to measure because they were/still are very weak and let a lot of liquid dribble out of their mouths. Is there a way to tell if I'm feeding them too much? They are so underweight, I definitely don't want to feed them too little. One is 69 grams, the other is 73. From what I can tell, they should be putting on approximately 10 grams a day for the next week.

   The littler one seems to be dehydrated. I tried pinching the skin at the back of his neck, and it does return to normal, but seems to take longer than it would ideally. I'm not even sure where to find Pedialyte at this hour, but I want to give him some as soon as I can get it. I read some other threads about people in a similar situation, but I don't think their kittens were so severely underweight, so the suggestion was to forget about kitten formula for a day and just focus on rehydrating it. Obviously I can't do that with this kitten, so I'm wondering if I should mix the powdered formula into the Pedialyte, or if I should give it the Pedialyte as a separate, additional thing.

   For those of you who would suggest taking them to the vet, I realize that is the ideal solution, but unfortunately I don't have limitless finances. I know that sounds horrible, and I feel bad about it, but if I hadn't taken these kittens they wouldn't have even lasted this long, so I'm just doing my best and keeping my fingers crossed.

   Thank you in advance for your help.

   Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

2. 

   Mixing the formula with Pedialyte works well. Since they are so small and haven't eaten enough since birth, I would not eliminate the formula. But you might dilute it a little more than the directions say and feed them more often for a day or so.

   There are many things to worry about with kittens that small and malnourished. One is that they can't eat if they are too hungry. If their blood sugar drops too much you'll need to smear a little bit of light Karo syrup on their gums so they can get enough strength to eat. The other thing that will prevent them from eating is if they are too cold. Kittens can't regulate their body temps. Make sure that the heating pad is only under one side of their bed. That way they can move off it if it's too hot. The best way to keep them at the right temperature at this age would be to fashion some sort of sling and actually carry them around next to your body, but that's not always practical.

   Make sure you are feeding them with their tummies down, like they would be if they were nursing. If you hold them like a human baby (on their backs) they could aspirate the milk which could kill them.

   So far as the vet is concerned, you could call around and find out if there are any in your area who would do an initial exam without charging you. Maybe if you explain what you've told us about their unfortunate start in life, the vet might be willing to see them once without charging you.

   Posted 8 months ago by CheetahBoysmommy #

3. 

   You can make pedialyte at home with boiled, cooled water, sugar, salt and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). Here is the recipe:

   Pedialyte recipe (from World Health Organization)...no preservatives so short life-span
   * 1 cup water (boiled then cooled)
   * 2 tsp sugar
   * 1/8 tsp salt
   * 1/8 tsp baking soda
   * (this Pedialyte formula gives needed electrolytes & some sugar for energy)

   Combine all ingredients and warm slightly.
   Make new after 24 hours.

   What I would do is make up the KMR formula with pedialyte instead of water. When the shops open, if you can get hold of a nutritional high-calorie supplement called Nutrical -- it's a paste -- that will also help. I'll also give you the kitten-raising sites we give all foster mums to help:
   http://www.messybeast.com/handrear.htm
   http://feral-kitten-rescue.blogspot.com/2008/10/feral-kitten-how-to-story.html
   http://www.kittenrescue.org/pages.php?pageid=15
   http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/orphans.shtml
   http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

   Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

4. 

   They need feeding little and often at this stage, as their tummies can't hold much (and make sure you are feeding them feet to the floor, not on their backs like a human baby or they may aspirate the milk). At least every two hours. Kittens this age would feed on demand from their mum and just be latched on all the time, falling asleep and waking to feed again. The last site I gave you has a feeding chart but basically kittens need approximately 8 cc's/8 ml of formula per ounce of body weight per day. Burp them after you've fed them and you'll need to stimulate them to wee and poop too but the sites will explain all about that. Good luck!

   Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

5. 

   Thank you both for your quick replies. I will begin working on the Pedialyte right away.

   I have been feeding them with a syringe, and the larger one has started to show quite an appetite but the little one doesn't swallow as easily. I'm also worried that he doesn't have enough strength to get away from the heating pad if it gets too warm, so I've been checking him every 15 minutes or so (I would check more frequently, but I also want to avoid disturbing his sleep too often).

   I actually wanted to carry them in some sort of sling but then worried that my body temperature wouldn't be warm enough for them. If you think it would help them, I would be glad to.

   I will try to get my hands on some Karo syrup. I feel silly for not having written sooner since at 2 am it's hard to get anything here, especially since my husband is working the graveyard shift and has the car. Would homemade simple syrup work? I keep some in my fridge because I like to cook.

   I will also try calling local vets, but I'm not feeling too hopeful. I know the woman who I got the kittens from already tried, without much luck.

   I'll look for the Nutrical in the morning.

   Thank you again for all your help. I appreciate the advice!

   Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

6. 

   Oh, I just saw your second reply, Jcat.

   Somewhere I read that I should feed them every 2 hours but not more often, so I'm glad you told me I could feed them more often. That makes more sense to me, but I was scared it would hurt them somehow.

   At the moment, I really have no way of telling how much food they've had, because so much dribbles out of their mouths. I've been feeding them very slowly and helping them pee (no poo yet) before and after every meal. I've managed to keep the little one at 68 grams but the bigger one lost a gram. If I continue to feed them small meals very slowly, and keep an eye on their weight, how much risk to I run of overfeeding them?

   Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

7. 

   I think the main risk is malnutririon at the moment so I would just feed them a little and often, as much as they will take at one time. Don't let them choke, though, obviously. They probably won't poo much for a while because they're so tiny and they will need to absorb most of the nutrients to grow on. Try to keep a track of their weight and as long as they're putting it on, not staying the same or losing it, week to week, you're winning.

   If you don't have karo syrup, honey would also work (as long as it's not by its use-by date) or just sugared water stroked on the tongue or the roof of their mouths. But the pedialyte also has sugar in it so that's more important.

   I don't know what simple syrup is, I'm afraid (I'm in New Zealand). You basically want a simple sugar that will keep their blood sugar level from crashing and is easy to digest.

   Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

8. 

   The simple syrup I have is just boiled down sugar water. I'll try to give them some of that, while I work on making the Pedialyte (since it needs the water to be boiled, then cooled.

   It's almost meal time again, so I'm going to be away from the computer for a while.

   Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

9. 

   That sounds fine. You're doing a terrific job!

   Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

10. 

    Goat's milk (canned is fine, doesn't need to be fresh) is a good replacement for cat milk; in the states, it's usually available in the grocery store, near evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, etc.

    If you take about 1/4 cup of goat milk, warm it gently, and add about 1/2 tsp of sugar, and a pinch of salt, that might help the kittens recover. It would need to be made up each time you feed, but would be fairly quick to warm up.

    Good luck!

    Posted 8 months ago by anncetera2 #

11. 

    Thank you again for the wealth of advice. It may just be wishful thinking, but I feel like the little one is already dong a better job of swallowing.

    Also, thank you for the words of encouragement. It was hard losing two of the kittens right from the start, and sometimes I feel like the little one is slipping away while I watch. Under the circumstances, it can be easy to lose hope. So thank you, again!

    Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

12. 

    Moonshain, you can't do better than Anncetera's advice, she has saved heaps of young ones! But they are hard to save, especially if the rest of the litter has not made it, we don't know what might be wrong with them or what might have gone wrong during the pregnancy or birth. You are doing all you can and you are doing a marvellous job and we hear many miracle stories on here but there are also times when you do everything humanly possible and the little ones don't make it. They are extremely fragile at this age. So don't lose hope but also remember that sometimes there are things beyond our control. But no one could be giving them a better chance, and these little ones sound like fighters.

    Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

13. 

    Blessings to you, Moonshain, for taking care of these little lives! You have already given them more life and comfort than they would have had.

    Posted 8 months ago by LadyKat of IA #

14. 

    Just wanted to say welcome to TDK and thanks for helping these little ones. We're rooting for them. Please let us know how they progress.

    Posted 8 months ago by ecbrown #

15. 

    I'm sorry not to have written sooner. I've spent every moment of the last 20 hours trying to help these babies survive.

    Sadly the littler one passed away this afternoon. He had been losing weight all night, and at several points this morning I thought he was too far gone. I had called my vet to see what it would cost to have them tube feed him, but they said they wouldn't even want to do it on a kitten his size because it would be too invasive and risky. Then my husband came home with the car and I ran out and got him the Nutrical, as well as real Karo syrup and Pedialyte just in case my homemade versions weren't as effective, and he actually seemed to be improving (he even managed to poop, which I thought was a good sign), which made it all the more heartbreaking when we lost him. I can't say exactly what went wrong. My husband was caring for them since I had to stop by the office, and he said the little one had done a very good job of eating his food, and that he'd put them in the nest for a nap and that they were doing well just half an hour before I got home. I tried everything I could, but he was already gone.

    It's been a tough evening because I was very fond of that kitten. When I went to pick up the kittens, he was in the worst shape of all four, but he fought the hardest. The one which seemed liveliest was the first to pass away, and the fact that he lasted 28 hours longer is a testament to how hard he and I both struggled to keep him alive. I had been thinking of keeping him if he made it, even though we already have several pets. Then when the first two died, I knew that if he and his brother made it I would keep them together.

    But I don't want to focus too much on his loss because we still have the last kitten, and I am putting all my energy into keeping him alive. He also has lost some weight (He slowly dropped from 73 grams to 64 or so), but I've gotten him back up to 68 grams, and I have hopes that he might make it. I'm afraid that I panicked a bit this morning when they seemed to be doing so much worse, and so I haven't kept track of exactly what I've been giving him, but basically I just keep trying different combinations of the Pedialyte, KMR, and Nutrical, sometimes with a drop of Karo syrup before feeding, sometimes not, depending on how he seems to be doing. The Nutrical is a bit thick for him so I've tried mixing it in with the formula, or delivering it to him different ways. If something seems to be working, I keep doing it. Though he's clearly nowhere near out of the woods, I'm trying to focus on the positive since losing his brother was such a rough blow (and came a bit unexpectedly - that is to say, when I thought he was finally improving). So here's the positive: He's still eating well, he's put on a bit of weight, he also pooped, and this morning when I tested to see if he was dehydrated, his skin tented quite badly, but now it's actually regained a great deal of elasticity, the best I've seen so far.

    Thank you all again for your advice and support. I will try to get him some goat's milk when I can, but unfortunately I wasn't able to check this thread until just now, and it's too late to get to the stores again :(

    Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

16. 

    I'm so sorry, Moonshain. But the little one didn't die alone, he knew what it was to be loved and treasured, and to have you fighting for him. You gave him the best chance he could possibly have had. Bless you for loving and rescuing this little one and giving him every chance.

    Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

17. 

    Thank you! I hope that we were able to give him some comfort while he was with us.

    The remaining kitten is managing to put on a little bit of weight, so as long as I can keep that up through the night, I'm allowing myself to hope.

    I should mention, I had named them (since I'm sure it must be confusing to keep saying "he" or "the kitten"). The one we lost was Constantine, the one we still have is Leonidas. It's silly, but I thought it would be good luck to name them after great warriors.

    I'll keep everyone updates on how things are going.

    Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

18. 

    I'm sorry for your loss. I'm glad little Constantine had you loving on him for his short life. Hoping Leonidas keeps fighting!

    Posted 8 months ago by ecbrown #

19. 

    Oh no, I'm so sorry you lost Constantine!!
    Prayers that Leonidas will continue and win his fight.

    Posted 8 months ago by GD #

20. 

    Nothing silly about naming the kittens after warriors...Leonidas is a good name! Like everyone else has said, all the kitties are lucky to have gotten some love in this world and a chance at life they wouldn't had had otherwise. I hope Leonidas becomes a fat little boy.

    Posted 8 months ago by blackbeltTrekcat #

21. 

    This is difficult to write. Leonidas took a turn for the worse in the night, and he didn't make it. A couple feedings ago, he simply stopped making an effort to eat. I tried to feed him anyway, and though I was very cautious, I'm scared that I might have caused him to aspirate the formula. I'm not sure what else I could have done, because he was dropping weight rapidly and wouldn't have made it through the night without food anyway. It's sad no matter what.

    I just want to thank everyone for their support and advice through this. Because of your suggestions, I know that I tried everything I possibly could.

    Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

22. 

    Yes you did everything humanly possible. Because of you they all had a fighting chance. It just wasn't to be. Know that they knew love, warmth, and comfort in their short lives. Mama Kitty will love taking over their care from your hands as they awaken to the Meadow under the Wolf's benevolent gaze. Be at peace, Moonshain.

    Posted 8 months ago by paulajeanne #

23. 

    Thank you. In times like this we all look for some comfort, and mine is that they all were warm with full bellies when they passed away. I'd like to think they were at peace.

    Posted 8 months ago by Moonshain #

24. 

    You did everything you could. It's a bad sign when the mother doesn't feed them, it usually means there is something seriously wrong with the kittens. We've all had our hearts broken trying to save them. God Bless you for caring.

    Posted 8 months ago by Sheba's Mom in Raleigh, NC #

25. 

    I am so sorry, Moonshain. I love that they were all loved and warm and fed. You took wonderful care of them and loved them. Many blessings to you and your babies in the meadow.

    Posted 8 months ago by Dee #

26. 

    I'm so sorry. Bless you for trying so hard.

    Posted 8 months ago by ecbrown #

27. 

    I'm so sorry Moonshain,you took excellent care of them but they probably had something wrong with them since the mama cat wouldn't feed them.Thanks so much for trying so hard. Sometimes there are seeming miracles for saving the tiny ones and I was hoping that for yours. {{{{{Hugs}}}}
    It doesn't take long before they grab a piece of your heart does it? Maybe later if you feel up to it the Humane Society is always looking for good foster homes for young litters who need care before they can be adopted. They are usually in much better shape. Maybe think about it? ♥

    Posted 8 months ago by Buttercup #

28. 

    I'm so sorry about Leo. {{{HUGS}}}

    Posted 8 months ago by jcat #

29. 

    I'm so sorry moonshain. You did a really lovely thing by taking them in and trying to save them.

    Posted 8 months ago by linda #

30. 

    I am sorry for your losses, but so grateful that these little ones came into your hands and your heart, otherwise they would have never known what it is to be loved. I am glad you came to TDK (although sorry for the circumstances that brought you here!) and I hope you stay and become part of our "family".

    Posted 8 months ago by Shelley #

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