Any Guesses How Old These Babies Are?

[3LittleKittens]

Long story, but yesterday I acquired 3 newborn kittens. I'm guessing 4-7 days old? Their eyes are not open and they have folded ears but i think(?) they have lost their umbilical cords. There is still a teeny little dot but nothing like I normally seen on 1-5 day old babies. Their mama(and 12 other females) were trapped and brought in for a spay. Upon spaying, they realized a few females were likely nursing kittens. The owner of the land where the cats are went looking for the babies and found 5 kittens in a compressor. Unfortunately, 2 had already passed away. They released the mama(They think it was the right one, looked to have been the most recent to have given birth) and she immediately bolted. They set up game cams and watched for hours. 24 hours later and still nothing. Kittens were hungry and it is 105 outside yesterday evening a few hours before they came here. The owner of the land got worried if they didn't starve, they would over heat. I have a large herd of dairy goats and have successfully raised a number kittens on bottles for rescues so she contacted me. I really should have said no. I am picking up my new puppy in 10 days as if that wasn't going to have me busy enough! I couldn't resist though. They posted on Facebook, craigslist, local shelters and feral cat programs and no one will take newborn kitten just because of the amount of work and time needed to care for them. So, here I am. Lol. They are doing really well though. Took to the bottle almost instantly. They were a little cold and lethargic at first but my "queen simulator" got them warmed and they are active and happy. The poor little grey baby was completely covered in fly eggs! Thank goodness I caught it before they hatched. I used a flea comb and got about 98% of them off him/her and slowly but surely picking off the rest. Here are the happy 3. Not the best pictures but it's all I can get before they went back into their cozy little nest for the next couple of hours.

Little grey baby sucking on his/her imaginary bottle, and climbing up to get to the tabby baby

Little tabby baby

And last is this little one. Not sure what colors (s)he is but I think he is a dark tabby?

Any guesses on their age? They are at least 3 days old. I know it's hard to get an exact guess but any guesses are helpful. Right now I am feeding them every 2 hours to 2:30. They take about 3mls each and are doing well. Once I run and get new batteries for my scale i'll be able to get a much better weight and feed them the perfect amount but for now, everything is working out great.

 

[jefferd18]

Awfully cute, thank you for taking them in.


Do they still have the umbilical cord stump? If so, they are likely three days old. If not, they are between 4-7 days old. As early as 7 days a kitten may open it's eyes.

 

[catapault]

No guess as to age of these very young kittens but wanted to say that you are a champion, an exemplar of kindness.

 

[3LittleKittens]

Awfully cute, thank you for taking them in.


Do they still have the umbilical cord stump? If so, they are likely three days old. If not, they are between 4-7 days old. As early as 7 days a kitten may open it's eyes.

They do, yes. That would make the most sense. I have had them for 24hrs now and the people who found them knew about them for 12hrs(already dry when they were found), and then another 24hrs while waiting to see if mama came back.

I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't take them in. Theywould have likely been put down, as 2 other kittens(around 6wks old and sick) had been the day before. The owner of the land didn't have the time and she had posted looking for help everywhere she could and nobody found anyone with time to raise them. I always have bottles, my modified incubator, and just happened to have colostrum, and loads of goats producing milk. Plus, I have taken 3 months off of work so I can spend time with my pup, and I guess now, kittens! With everything in play like that, I know I would have felt incredibly guilty not doing anything.

 

[jefferd18]

They do, yes. That would make the most sense. I have had them for 24hrs now and the people who found them knew about them for 12hrs(already dry when they were found), and then another 24hrs while waiting to see if mama came back.

I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't take them in. Theywould have likely been put down, as 2 other kittens(around 6wks old and sick) had been the day before. The owner of the land didn't have the time and she had posted looking for help everywhere she could and nobody found anyone with time to raise them. I always have bottles, my modified incubator, and just happened to have colostrum, and loads of goats producing milk. Plus, I have taken 3 months off of work so I can spend time with my pup, and I guess now, kittens! With everything in play like that, I know I would have felt incredibly guilty not doing anything.

Oh wow, I feel so bad about those 6 week old. kittens, life is hard on little feline critters, especially in the summer time when so many are being born.

You are such a wonderful person for helping out and taking these little guys in. By the time you get your puppy the kittens should be more independent and then it won't be so overwhelming. Every little bit helps when you have your hands full with fur babies.