worried about week old kittens

[laureng738]

About a month ago we brought home two abandoned cats that were extremely malnourished, a girl and a boy. The girl ate a ton when we brought her home and started feeding her, and within a week began showing signs of pregnancy. Last week, her kittens were born. She had two, a black and a black and white one who she did not eat the placenta from so we had to cut it off. When they were born, she wouldn’t feed them, clean them, or even stay in the same room as them. Eventually, she came in and took them from the box we had set up for the kittens and moved them under a bed where she began to take care of them. Throughout the night, she had four more kittens. They all looked healthy, and were nursing good. Every day, they would gain weight and grow. Then suddenly one died about four days ago. There was nothing visibly wrong with it- it had been nursing, growing, and gaining weight like it should’ve. The other five were fine, and still behaving normally, getting proper care, and growing as they should. Then today, another one died. Same as the last one, it seemed healthy aside from the fact that it was crying a lot and distancing itself from the other kittens the night that it died.

Does anyone know why this could’ve happened, and how to prevent this with the remaining four? Should I be worried about the others?

 

[Kris107]

Have they seen a vet? I would be a bit concerned for the other kittens. Kittens can often turn on a dime, but the fact that they haven't seemed sick at all and then just up and die is concerning.

 

[fionasmom]

Fading Kitten Syndrome - 11 Things You Need To Know - TheCatSite

You are very kind to have helped the adult cats get to a safe place, especially with one expecting a litter. The above article is one explanation for the sudden passing of young kittens.

While you don't have a clear picture of the entire pregnancy, do you think that the kittens were premature? Do the mom and other adult seem healthy as far as you can tell? Has the mom shown any other signs of rejecting them?

The kittens are a week old, if I am reading this correctly, and I would definitely refer this to a vet.

 

[StefanZ]

Aside of possible internal problems - which MAY happen esp if the cats were from a milieu where inbreeding was common.

There are two fairly common causes: pneumonia, which takes many a otherwise healthy born kittens. Or if you want; the most common cause perfectly healthy kittens dies off.
All fine in the evening, dead and cold in the morning, or when you come back from work...
Kittens having moms arent supposed to get pneumonia, yet apparently it happens - I know breeders whose kittens died this way.

wrong blood group I dont know much about

Faulty mother milk: Seen as typically, the strongest kittens dies first; because, being big and strong, they eat the most...
The trick in such cases if discovered in time; is to handfeed them with kmr or goats milk... OR possibly have another mom cat willing to share.


Side note: wise to have home glucose sugar / dextrose, or another source of glucose sugar. In USA its typically white caro syrup.
A kitten whom becomes lethargic and seems to be on way downhill, its often "just" lack of sugar in the blood... And thus, a trifle of glucose sugar on the gums helps to stop many a cases of fading kitten syndrome...

If you have access to a good vet knowleable on small kittens, please do contact and discuss.


Tx for helping these strays in need of help!


L laureng738

 

[laureng738]

Fading Kitten Syndrome - 11 Things You Need To Know - TheCatSite

You are very kind to have helped the adult cats get to a safe place, especially with one expecting a litter. The above article is one explanation for the sudden passing of young kittens.

While you don't have a clear picture of the entire pregnancy, do you think that the kittens were premature? Do the mom and other adult seem healthy as far as you can tell? Has the mom shown any other signs of rejecting them?

The kittens are a week old, if I am reading this correctly, and I would definitely refer this to a vet.

We have no clue whether or not the kittens had been born premature or not. The strays were incredibly malnourished, we couldn’t even tell the expecting mother was pregnant at first, but she showed very clear signs of pregnancy almost immediately after she began eating properly again about a week into having them. The strays we took in are healthy, however they are young (about 6 months as approximated by the vet) and this may be her first litter, if that has anything to do with it. Aside from the first two that she didn’t take care of right away, we haven’t seen signs of rejection. She takes proper care of them as far as we can see.

We are looking to get a vet to see them asap.