Can you towel wrap a (very) pregnant cat?

Sarthur2

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She definitely needs more room to maneuver. Hopefully she will agree to a move to a larger nest. The heating pad needs to be on one side and under a blanket and set on low only. Mom and babies need to have room to move off the heating pad area if they get too warm.

It does sometimes take a day or so for mom’s hormones to settle down and the full maternal instinct to kick in.

I’m sorry about the one who did not make it.

Do you have formula on hand in case you need it? The kittens should gain a minimum of 6-10 grams each per day. More than that is fine too!
 
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Bratcat31

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She definitely needs more room to maneuver. Hopefully she will agree to a move to a larger nest. The heating pad needs to be on one side and under a blanket and set on low only. Mom and babies need to have room to move off the heating pad area if they get too warm.

It does sometimes take a day or so for mom’s hormones to settle down and the full maternal instinct to kick in.

I’m sorry about the one who did not make it.

Do you have formula on hand in case you need it? The kittens should gain a minimum of 6-10 grams each per day. More than that is fine too!
She aint moving. LOL. I have tried 4x to get her into a different spot and every time we move the first one she immediately starts guarding the other two babies by sitting ON them, and if/when we are able to move them over too she immediately moves the babies back, sits on all three of them and glares at us. It isn't even a matter of her waiting until we leave. It's instant. Since we need to be able to pick up her babies without her trying to bite us we can't keep trying at this point. So, she'll have to figure it out for now. Unfortunately it's like trying to force a child to sleep. You can do your best to set the stage, set the routine, hope for the best, but you cannot physically force a child to sleep.

I did move a heating pad into the other half of her "box" (It's a 34x12 inch bottom of a toy organizer) though. She hates it. LOL. Won't lay on it, and won't let the babies over there. She has now taken to sleeping IN one of the cubbies of the organizer when she needs a break from the kittens versus next to it where the heating pad wasn't prior. Honestly, she has never once laid on any of the heating pads I have in there. I think she may run hot or something.

I have formula and nipples, and about 30 different syringes (ranging from .05-30mls) as well as a couple different heatable snugglers I can put them on while they are eating. I am also going to head out to the store today to grab a couple of bottles. These 3 seemed to be VERY hungry this morning and latched well to the nipple but seem to be pretty weak so struggled a bit to get the milk out of the syringe as the syringes tend to get a little stuck and I don't like to apply any pressure to clear them. So, though I have never actually supplemented with a bottle, I am wondering if a bottle might work better for them.

Hopefully the supplementing will just be for a couple of days and they and momma can figure out this whole "gotta eat to grow" thing themselves.
 

Furballsmom

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In case it's of any help, I've read that the corner of a clean makeup remover sponge dipped in milk, or use the syringe to drip the milk onto the sponge, and that can be used for them to suckle from :)
 
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Bratcat31

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In case it's of any help, I've read that the corner of a clean makeup remover sponge dipped in milk, or use the syringe to drip the milk onto the sponge, and that can be used for them to suckle from :)
I read that on here! Seems like an intriguing idea. I have no idea how you'd get a baby to even suck on it but I'll have to go find a video on that for sure.
 

Sarthur2

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Tiny kittens usually do better with a syringe. How much and how often are you supplementing? It sounds like they need it.
 
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Bratcat31

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Tiny kittens usually do better with a syringe. How much and how often are you supplementing? It sounds like they need it.
Better how? Less likely to choke/aspirate? My last premie was fed exclusively on a syringe as were my last two supplement litters. None of them actually latched and sucked on the nipple and a syringe was far safer and easier.

I ask, because though I normally only do syringe these three, so far, latch and suck like crazy. It seems like they would have an easier time getting milk out with a bottle versus fighting the pressure on a syringe.

I'm currently supplementing twice a day per protocol but have asked if I should increase that as they are all very small and are losing weight.
 

Sarthur2

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Better as in many tiny kittens are unable to suckle a bottle. If yours are suckling on the syringe they may take to a bottle. Do you have miracle nipples?

If the kittens are losing weight then they are starving! You need to feed them every 2 hours starting now and including overnight. They must gain weight or they will not survive.

How many mLs do they drink when you feed?

B Bratcat31
 
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Bratcat31

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Sarthur2 Sarthur2 I do have miracle nipples, only kind I use. I tested out a bottle today (without a kitten at the other end) and it was SUPER unreliable with the speed of delivery depending on the angle so I didn't use it. Back to the syringes!

I give them around 3 mls per feeding (give or take an ml) depending on pre and post weight. They get weighed immediately before supplementing and are supplemented up 5% of their body weight. The protocols are defined specifically for supplementing kittens who have a momma so I follow those. I sent pre/post and last 12 hour weights to the rescue group tonight and they think overall they are looking pretty good. Everyone was up overall for the last 12 hours after supplementing tonight so thats good but they did say to keep a close eye and add in an extra feeding if needed.

I actually think 1 of the 3 would sort it out well enough if momma was better at this. She's VERY attentive but VERY clueless and she still absolutely refuses to move where there is more room. I tried again tonight as I was swapping out kittens. The second and third I'm still pretty worried about. I may top the littlest up tonight before bed as I supplemented her pretty early today because she was looking like she needed a bit of nourishment.

I really have my fingers crossed it'll all work out. We've managed to pull through two other preemies (59g and 71g at birth though the 59g got down to 53 at her lowest) but these little ones are definitely different. My little 59g baby came out SCREAMING and fighting and never stopped. It was insane. Made feeding her an absolute nightmare. Particularly as I had never done it before. These little ones are very calm and very quiet. Makes me nervous for a whole different reason than with my last two.
 

Sarthur2

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That is worrisome, as most kittens cry when hungry. Let’s hope it is just their sweet personalities. Keep us posted!
 
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