1 of 2 Newborns Won't Suckle

[SftWrmRain]

Hi everyone - I came home from work yesterday to find 2 newborns. I thought all was well but I have yet to see one of them suckle. I have placed the kitten to the nipple, squeezed out a little milk to inspire but she just won't latch. She cries, I assume out of hunger but once she's tucked in with the 2nd kitten near mom she stops crying while the other kitten continuously nurses. They are in a small room with a space heater for continuous warmth.

I know typical advice would be to get supplies and bottle feed. I hesitate because I work 8-10 hours a day and could never provide the kind of feedings I know are necessary to support a young life. I have checked the kitten for cleft palate and see no signs of such.

It may be an unnecessary side note but both kittens are colorpoint and likely inbred (mom a stray from a colony I know contains a lot of the same genes). The kitten nursing well is solid white as I know he should be, and the non-suckling baby is far more cream/peach colored when compared to her sibling.

I should already be heading to work but if there is anything I can do to help this kit understand how to suckle it could save her life today. Thank you for any help or advice. P.S. You think putting a little sugar water on mom's nipples would help?

 

[StefanZ]

Reading, write soon. Stand by

 

[StefanZ]

It cant hurt to put some sugar water on moms nipple. And if you dont have kmr or goats milk at home, begin with let her lick off sugar water from your fingers.
If she sucks from your fingers, she will perhaps suck from momma later on? Smear mommas milk or such sugar water (or white caro sirup with a little water) on your finger... It will give some energhy if nothing else, and buy you time.

So, yes you will almost surely need to handfeed her. By bottle or by a little needleless syringe / dropper. If you cant do it while at work, so you cant. Do it the more often the rest of the time.... In nature momma must often go away to find food for herself, so such long pauses, although not optimal, shouldnt be deadly in a healthy kitten.

But you must start as soon you can...

Can you get raw goats milk? Its probably the best. But there are good kmr too, KMR in powder made by PetAg among the best.

 

[Sarthur2]

Sometimes a newborn has low blood sugar and is weak, but only needs drops of formula in the mouth a few times to get the strength to suckle. Put honey on the kitten’s gums, then slowly syringe drops of formula into the side of the mouth. A few drops every 15-30 minutes will help. Try to get 1-2 mLs into the kitten every 1-2 hours.

Your goal should be to get this kitten nursing mom ASAP, but it may take your attention for a couple of mornings and evenings. The kitten will die from dehydration if it is not fed.

Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

Please update!

SftWrmRain

 

[StefanZ]

Ps, re the coloring; it shouldnt matter here.

The white one will surely turn into a point carrying the same base color as momma.
The slightly more colored is perhaps a tabby, and will get more colors over the whole body. OR may even have a burmese point gene combed with the far more common siamese point gene. Such kittens do darken up on body already as kittens.

 

[SftWrmRain]

It cant hurt to put some sugar water on moms nipple. And if you dont have kmr or goats milk at home, begin with let her lick off sugar water from your fingers.
If she sucks from your fingers, she will perhaps suck from momma later on? Smear mommas milk or such sugar water (or white caro sirup with a little water) on your finger... It will give some energhy if nothing else, and buy you time.

So, yes you will almost surely need to handfeed her. By bottle or by a little needleless syringe / dropper. If you cant do it while at work, so you cant. Do it the more often the rest of the time.... In nature momma must often go away to find food for herself, so such long pauses, although not optimal, shouldnt be deadly in a healthy kitten.

But you must start as soon you can...

Can you get raw goats milk? Its probably the best. But there are good kmr too, KMR in powder made by PetAg among the best.

Thank you for your reply! Sorry for the delay in my response - I've been really busy trying to do what I can for the kittens.

I really don't know what to think or whether or not to allow myself to be optimistic about the little female's future. She's still going and even seems relatively close in size/weight to her brother. I'm going to attach some pictures. Relative, yes. I realize at this age even a small difference in size or weight could mean death for one and life for another. BUT, I think she's doing okay. She DOES cry more than he does but hopefully that's about to change. I'd love it if she started feeding from mom once she's a little stronger but I'm baffled why the perfect food is being put in her face yet she won't take it now, despite my continuous efforts.

I am able to get about 3ml each time I offer food, which is more than every 2 hours when I'm home (except overnight). I have KMR and a miracle nipple arriving tomorrow and thank goodness it's the weekend and I'll be able to feed every 2 hours as she probably needs. Today I'm going to come home at lunch too. I've been using a medicine dropper to offer (I hesitate to say here!) baby bird formula until the KMR arrives tomorrow. I used to raise baby birds and I had it on hand. Since it's designed to be packed with nutrients and I didn't see anything in the ingredients list that should be difficult for the kitten I decided to go with it until the formula gets here.

Okay - attaching the pictures! Thanks again for your input!

 

[SftWrmRain]

Ps, re the coloring; it shouldnt matter here.

The white one will surely turn into a point carrying the same base color as momma.
The slightly more colored is perhaps a tabby, and will get more colors over the whole body. OR may even have a burmese point gene combed with the far more common siamese point gene. Such kittens do darken up on body already as kittens.

Mom is a red tabby with white spotting, carrying point. I do find it interesting how the female is creamy but the male is white. I've only seen one other brand new colorpoint - a male who was also solid white like my lil guy. I thought maybe the female was darker because she wasn't staying as warm as the male from ingesting the warm mama milk so continuously. You can see their color difference in the first picture above.

 

[SftWrmRain]

Sometimes a newborn has low blood sugar and is weak, but only needs drops of formula in the mouth a few times to get the strength to suckle. Put honey on the kitten’s gums, then slowly syringe drops of formula into the side of the mouth. A few drops every 15-30 minutes will help. Try to get 1-2 mLs into the kitten every 1-2 hours.

Your goal should be to get this kitten nursing mom ASAP, but it may take your attention for a couple of mornings and evenings. The kitten will die from dehydration if it is not fed.

Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

Please update!

SftWrmRain

Thank you for the help!! The video was a really good one and that's why I ordered what she's using! I really appreciate the experience I know this board offers!

 

[SftWrmRain]

Ps, re the coloring; it shouldnt matter here.

The white one will surely turn into a point carrying the same base color as momma.
The slightly more colored is perhaps a tabby, and will get more colors over the whole body. OR may even have a burmese point gene combed with the far more common siamese point gene. Such kittens do darken up on body already as kittens.

Oh - I also considered the possibility that the white one is dilute and the creamy one isn't. I forgot to add that the mom is dilute as well as a red tabby carrying point. I call her pale girl. I'll see if I can find a picture of her. Ok I found one although it's not the greatest of her color or pattern. AND it was a long time ago, too. But you get the idea. She's itty bitty - a really small adult.

 

[StefanZ]

Thank you for your reply! Sorry for the delay in my response - I've been really busy trying to do what I can for the kittens.

I really don't know what to think or whether or not to allow myself to be optimistic about the little female's future. She's still going and even seems relatively close in size/weight to her brother. I'm going to attach some pictures. Relative, yes. I realize at this age even a small difference in size or weight could mean death for one and life for another. BUT, I think she's doing okay. She DOES cry more than he does but hopefully that's about to change. I'd love it if she started feeding from mom once she's a little stronger but I'm baffled why the perfect food is being put in her face yet she won't take it now, despite my continuous efforts.

I am able to get about 3ml each time I offer food, which is more than every 2 hours when I'm home (except overnight). I have KMR and a miracle nipple arriving tomorrow and thank goodness it's the weekend and I'll be able to feed every 2 hours as she probably needs. Today I'm going to come home at lunch too. I've been using a medicine dropper to offer (I hesitate to say here!) baby bird formula until the KMR arrives tomorrow. I used to raise baby birds and I had it on hand. Since it's designed to be packed with nutrients and I didn't see anything in the ingredients list that should be difficult for the kitten I decided to go with it until the formula gets here.

Okay - attaching the pictures! Thanks again for your input!

Ah, baby bird formula? That is creative and ingenious. I have never heard about it, nor used if for kittens. But if it works so it works. Whom am I to argue with a success story, esp if its a dire emergency??

Good you have real KMR oncoming, as it contains nutrients necessary for kittens... Goats milk is another OK alternative.

As said, I dont know nothing about baby bird formula. For kmr or goats milk its about 25ml for a 90 grammes kitten every day. Or 30ml for every 100 gram... Which is about what a typical newborn kitten weights.

And you divide it on the times the kitten feeds. With weak kittens whom manage just a few drops at a time, it may be even every hour. For most kittens every 2 is good. More seldom if you must sleep or go to work... Still, the daily totale is the same.

Observe the receipts on the label of kmr are often too seldom. They are perhaps written for people whom do work or even - sleep?

Anyway, you get the idea how much to give when you are there. (yes it may be lotsa of work, but people has done so successfully, sometimes even with a whole litter. The record I know of are 17 small kittens and a sick momma, the other momma died at delivery. All did survived).


If she manages to take 3ml at one time, its not bad. Apparently she isnt weak... And thus, it gives her good practical hopes, as long as you work on.

Weak sucklers are often bad at taking bottle, so a dropper or a little syringe will be easier... You can have this miracle nipple on the syringe!

And if she learns to take from momma? Dont worry, momma is always nicest to feed from. IF she just manages, she will always get some from momma too, even if you take the charge with handfeeding.

Do weigh them every day, so you monitor closely the adding of weights. A healthy kittens adds 10+ grammes a day.

If its much less you may perhaps manage to give more, say by more often, as its usually the remedy.

 

[Sarthur2]

The pictures are adorable! It is good that you have KMR and miracle nipples on the way, are coming home at lunch today, and will be feeding all weekend. I hope she begins to thrive as I have been worried!

What does she weigh?

When feeding, allow time for swallowing, and try to get the minimum amount in, but if the kitten wants more, that is fine too! If she refuses the nipple, continue with the dropper for now. Is Mama Kitty licking her bottom? If not, you may need to stimulate her to poop.

I am rooting for this precious kitten to make it!

 

[ArchyCat]

SftWrmRain Updates! Please! Both kittens doing well?

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, I am wondering too!

 

[Furballsmom]

How are things?

 

[Akittytoy]

How are the kittens?