Abandoned Kitten

[lockiedox]

Hi guys. I currently have a foster who had a litter of 5 on tuesday.

The last 2 mornings i have woken up to one kitten under the bed screeching and the rest tucked up in the nesting box with mammy.

At first i assumed she was moving the litter and didnt interfere but after a long time of screeching i got the kitten and placed it back with mammy. She seemed happy enough and let it suckle. Then this morning the same kitten had been cast out again. Assuming she is trying to remove him ive taken to hand rearing this little guy. Mam seems happy in the nesting box with her other kitties even with him howling.

My issue is he wont feed for me. I have kitten replacement formula two different shape bottles and a syringe and nothing works he just screeches and pulls away. Vet said he looks healthy may have just been too big a litter for her to produce milk for and to continue to hand rear but i can barely get 0.5ml into him. Is there anything else i can try and how much milk would be the minimum i need to get him to drink every 2 hours?

 

[StefanZ]

Kittens used to momma are seldom happy with bottle. So the syringe will be your way to go. And yeah, it may take some time for you and the kitten to be comfortable with this. May be quite frustrating!

The rule of thumb for dosage is; 8ml / 30 grammes a day.
A kitten of say, 120 grammes will nedd 4(30) x 8 = 32-35 ml kmr or goats mil a day (averaging upwards). Given every two hours about 3 ml each time...

Be sure the kitten is warm enough.

If the kitten becomes weak, smear its lips and gums with water with some honey in... Glucose sugar in honey gives quick energhy.

 

[lockiedox]

Thank you.
He is 100 gramms today but dont want to give him to little as he is one of the bigger kittens in the litter and quite healthy.

Thanks for your advice its very much appreciated

 

[Willowy]

If she's willing to allow him to nurse, I'd just do supervised nursing for a while, and keep him in a heated nest away from the others when he isn't nursing. Mother's milk is best, and there's always a risk of aspiration when handfeeding kittens. When he gets a little older, or if she stops letting him nurse, you can reevaluate that. But for now, just put him on her every hour or so and watch to make sure she lets him finish.

 

[ArchyCat]

You might want to eve mom cat a saucer or two of KMR everyday as long as she is nursing the kittens. The extra calcium, fat, and protein will I've her additional nutrients to produce milk.

 

[StefanZ]

And continue to monitor the weigh. If he adds say 10+ grammes a day you know he gets enough.
If not you prob need to supplement.

 

[lockiedox]

Thanks everyone. She nursed him all night last night and put him out this morning so i think supervised nursing may be best. He lost 2grammes yesterday but put them back up overnight with mum so certainly the best option

 

[golondrina]

If mom weighs the "abandoned kitten" all night what about the other kittens. Are you weighing ALL the kittens?

Is mom still removing the "abandoned kitten" from the nest?