Pregnant stray help?

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

I haven't been weighing them because I still haven't gotten a scale. I've been handling them every day though to be sure I feel the weight. He does get a milk belly but it feels like he's gaining much slower than the other two.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

I got a neighbor to lent my her scale. My tiniest one, the 'piggy' is .6 lbs so 9.6 ounces according to google. The next one is 0.8 or 12 ounces and the big boy is just shy of a pound!

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

The tiny one is the most active one though. He likes to zip back and forth across the room and explore. He plays with momma a lot too although she favors fighting with big boy right now since he's easier to grab. lol I just don't know if I should worry about his size.

Sarthur2 · Apr 20, 2017

I'm glad you borrowed a scale and weighed them. They were born on March 26th, which means they will be 4 weeks old on Sunday.

Kittens should weigh 16 ounces (one pound) at 4 weeks, so only one of the kittens is hitting the milestone.

You may want to supplement the smallest one ("piggy") because he is a good week behind, even with all of his nursing.

Is mom nursing them frequently? Is she eating a good diet of kitten chow and wet food?

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

How would I supplement? Getting the kitten milk? Mom is nursing a lot but in short bursts. Like she gets impatient. She eats a lot of dry by I got her wet food now too.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

Big boy was born big though. He was already huge compared to the rest of them so could they be small because they were born small?

Sarthur2 · Apr 20, 2017

Yes, you would need to get kitten formula. Even when born small kittens who are getting enough milk can grow quickly and catch up.

The kittens will need wet food too when they start weaning in a couple of weeks.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

I'll get kitten milk tomorrow when I have a ride. Is there anything I should know before feeding it to him? Like are there rules for nursing with the mom and the bottle?

I figured they'd be begin the weaning next week wouldn't they? Isn't it four weeks when you start offering wet food? I got the same brand of wet food as the dry so it's all the same.

Sarthur2 · Apr 20, 2017

You can try food with them, but many kittens don't begin to eat until 5 or 6 weeks.

You can offer the 2 smaller kittens the bottle anytime between their feedings with mom. If they won't take the bottle, they will be able to lap it from a dish as they wean. Mom can drink it too.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

Is it possible to over feed them and would I have to burp them?

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

I offered the wet food to the babies today before I passed it on to momma but they avoided it like the plague. I put a little on their lips and they licked it up but they were not going to pursue it.

Sarthur2 · Apr 20, 2017

They are not going to be ready to eat solids quite yet. It's almost impossible to overfeed kittens. They need plenty of food to grow on.

No need to burp the kittens at this age.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

Okay. I've got a ride for tomorrow to get the milk. And I'd need a bottle, not a syringe, right, since they're older?

Sarthur2 · Apr 20, 2017

Yes, a bottle will be easier at this stage. Get PetAg powdered in the can. It's $10/can at Walmart. Or pet stores carry it but it costs more.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

Little bit is the striped black and white. Big boy is the white one and middle man is black and white

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 20, 2017

Can I post video? It won't let me.

Sarthur2 · Apr 21, 2017

How sweet!

Video has to be uploaded to YouTube first, then put the link to that here.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 21, 2017

I got the powder and bottle. Both petAg and I got little bit to nurse for a second then momma shoved her way in. Ugh lol

So he's 9 ounces and the milk says the one tbl milk and two tablespoons feeds a 4 ounce a day so I should give him two bottles a day right? Does it matter what time I do that?

Sarthur2 · Apr 21, 2017

He needs 72mLs of formula a day, but he also nurses mom, so he may drink less than that.

You can feed him anytime between his feeds from mom. You should try to feed him every 2-3 hours. You may want to take him in another room away from mom to feed him so she does not interfere.

I hope he takes it well so he can begin to gain more weight.

xlastpetalfalls · Apr 22, 2017

I can't do the 2-3 hours because I have tiny human attached during the day. I offer him the milk during the day and at night with her but small child has no patience for every few hours lol I do it when I can. He has gained a bit so it's helping. The other kittens have no interested in the milk whatsoever. In the bottle or a dish!

Pregnant stray help?

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