Irishmammy, congratulations!
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Elsa's babies
- Thread starter irishmammy
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- #182
Thank you!
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- #183
Today's weights....amount in (brackets) is gain since last weigh-in (13 hours ago). Amount in [brackets] is 24 hour gain.
#1 - 100g (+0) [+7]
#2 - 109g (+9) [+12]
#3 - 121g (+5) [+12]
#4 - 73g (+3) [+4]
#5 - 120g (+10) [+8]
#6 - 103g (+7) [+11]
All the 24 hour gains are within normal range except my tiny #4, who has been named Pippin. She's the only one with a name so far! I'll keep going with her krm.
#1 - 100g (+0) [+7]
#2 - 109g (+9) [+12]
#3 - 121g (+5) [+12]
#4 - 73g (+3) [+4]
#5 - 120g (+10) [+8]
#6 - 103g (+7) [+11]
All the 24 hour gains are within normal range except my tiny #4, who has been named Pippin. She's the only one with a name so far! I'll keep going with her krm.
Weight gains are excellent, except for #4, as you noted. It's very important that you continue the KMR for Pippen.
Are you rotating the kittens in two groups?
And how is mama kitty doing?
You're doing a great job yourself!
Are you rotating the kittens in two groups?
And how is mama kitty doing?
You're doing a great job yourself!
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- #185
Funnily enough, mama seems to be naturally rotating as she's feeding in sets of 3!
She's resting loads with them and looks more settled. The krm seems to have helped her too so I'll keep going with that as well. She's eating loads (to be expected!) And has done her first poop since having the babies and all is well in that department.
I'm still really struggling to determine the sex of the kittens this time. I think most of them are boys but I'm not sure! Which is why we don't have names yet.
She's resting loads with them and looks more settled. The krm seems to have helped her too so I'll keep going with that as well. She's eating loads (to be expected!) And has done her first poop since having the babies and all is well in that department.
I'm still really struggling to determine the sex of the kittens this time. I think most of them are boys but I'm not sure! Which is why we don't have names yet.
There's no rush to determine gender or name them. I held off on both for 3-4 weeks. It's so much easier to see the male anatomy when the kittens are bigger, and they won't learn their names for awhile. Right now they need to stay with mom and eat and sleep except for weighing.- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #187
This morning's weights and 24 hour gains are
#1 - 112g [+12]
#2 - 119g [+10]
#3 - 139g [+18]
#4 - 73g [+0]
#5 - 139g [+19]
#6 - 123g [+20]
#4 has settled on a particular nipple and will only feed from that one, which unfortunately is the one that one of her biggest brothers also wants. She's getting pushed off. I've started removing him while she gets a chance to feed.
I'm also going to increase the number of feeds I give her today.
I've noticed Silky doesn't roll back far enough to expose the bottom row of nipples. Some of the kittens will burrow to find them but others just squawk because there aren't enough nipples available.
Is there something I can do to help her roll back?
I've also noticed Silky getting irritable with the babies and "scolding" them by biting the backs of their neck. They let out a cry when she does this and then she looks startled. Is this just young mum inexperience?
#1 - 112g [+12]
#2 - 119g [+10]
#3 - 139g [+18]
#4 - 73g [+0]
#5 - 139g [+19]
#6 - 123g [+20]
#4 has settled on a particular nipple and will only feed from that one, which unfortunately is the one that one of her biggest brothers also wants. She's getting pushed off. I've started removing him while she gets a chance to feed.
I'm also going to increase the number of feeds I give her today.
I've noticed Silky doesn't roll back far enough to expose the bottom row of nipples. Some of the kittens will burrow to find them but others just squawk because there aren't enough nipples available.
Is there something I can do to help her roll back?
I've also noticed Silky getting irritable with the babies and "scolding" them by biting the backs of their neck. They let out a cry when she does this and then she looks startled. Is this just young mum inexperience?
Weights are excellent except for #4. He needs supplementing all day long every 2 hours. It's critical that he gain weight!
You can attempt to help mom roll over enough to expose her bottom nipples, but clearly the kittens are reaching them because they've all gained weight, except #4, who is getting bullied badly. You need to take over until he's well over 100 grams.
The scolding is what moms do. As long as she is not really hurting them it's normal.
You can attempt to help mom roll over enough to expose her bottom nipples, but clearly the kittens are reaching them because they've all gained weight, except #4, who is getting bullied badly. You need to take over until he's well over 100 grams.
The scolding is what moms do. As long as she is not really hurting them it's normal.
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- #189
That's a good point (that they are getting to the nipples). I had to leave them to go visit my in-laws for Easter but I fed #4 just before I left and I will be leaving as soon as I can.
The rest of my family are going away overnight but I'm staying with the babies!
I feel so sorry for them when mammy scolds them. She sits on them and expects them to just move out of the way!
^^^ I had typed and tried to post this bit from my in-laws but they have terrible phone signal.
I'm back home and weighed Pippin (#4) before her latest feed. She's 77g (and that's 8 hours since this morning's weigh-in.) If she can manage another 2g today, I'll be happy. I'm aiming for the minimum 6g as she's so tiny that'd be like a 12g increase for her brother.
The rest of my family are going away overnight but I'm staying with the babies!
I feel so sorry for them when mammy scolds them. She sits on them and expects them to just move out of the way!
^^^ I had typed and tried to post this bit from my in-laws but they have terrible phone signal.
I'm back home and weighed Pippin (#4) before her latest feed. She's 77g (and that's 8 hours since this morning's weigh-in.) If she can manage another 2g today, I'll be happy. I'm aiming for the minimum 6g as she's so tiny that'd be like a 12g increase for her brother.
I agree that much would be a nice gain for #4.
Thank you for your vigilance!
Thank you for your vigilance!
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- #191
Thank you for your encouragement. I would never have handled Silky's difficult birth and subsequent feeding of Pippin without the advice I've got on this site.
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- #192
I feel I'm neglecting these guys with all the talk of the newbies!
This is where Elsa's babies hide when I turn on the shower! I don't know why they are afraid of it....i can flush the toilet right beside them and they don't bat an eyelid. Turn on the shower and they can't get in here fast enough!
This is where Elsa's babies hide when I turn on the shower! I don't know why they are afraid of it....i can flush the toilet right beside them and they don't bat an eyelid. Turn on the shower and they can't get in here fast enough!
Cats are funny that way. Mine liked to actually get between the outside curtain and the liner with the shower running. Go figure! 
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- #194
Guess that's like living on the edge....taking a shower without getting your fur wet!Cats are funny that way. Mine liked to actually get between the outside curtain and the liner with the shower running. Go figure!
What really made me giggle is I cleaned the bathroom yesterday - put the kittens out in the hall to play and left the door open so Elsa could join them - Elsa decide to enjoy some kid-free time and stayed behind.
Till I turned on the hoover and she managed to squish herself under the cupboard and up into it like the kittens to to their safe place. It was very impressive! Lol!
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- #195
Day 4 weights.
#1 - 128g [+16]
#2 - 142g [+23]
#3 - 153g [+14]
#4 - 86g [+13] <-
#5 - 158g [+19]
#6 - 142g [+19]
How great did our little Pippin do!!! Yay!
#1 - 128g [+16]
#2 - 142g [+23]
#3 - 153g [+14]
#4 - 86g [+13] <-
#5 - 158g [+19]
#6 - 142g [+19]
How great did our little Pippin do!!! Yay!
Yay Pippin! I had to get caught up on this thread, I lost it with the upgrade lol. Everyone is so cute! I understand feeling bad about *neglecting* one litter of kittens! We have multiple litters in our house now!
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- #197
Hi ashade1...great to see you back!
Now, I am wondering can anyone suggest how long I'll need to be feeding Pippin round the clock? The reason I'm wondering is I have to go away overnight next Saturday so will be gone from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning.
What options do I have? My husband and one of my sons (11 year old) will be here from Saturday evening onwards. I don't know if my son would manage the feeding and my husband has no interest.
Would it be a bad idea to bring Pippin with me? Would it cause problems with mama when she returns? It'd be less than 24 hours.
I'm guessing moving the whole family to another foster carer would be highly stressful.
Is it possible she won't need me by then or will her brother keep bullying her?
Now, I am wondering can anyone suggest how long I'll need to be feeding Pippin round the clock? The reason I'm wondering is I have to go away overnight next Saturday so will be gone from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning.
What options do I have? My husband and one of my sons (11 year old) will be here from Saturday evening onwards. I don't know if my son would manage the feeding and my husband has no interest.
Would it be a bad idea to bring Pippin with me? Would it cause problems with mama when she returns? It'd be less than 24 hours.
I'm guessing moving the whole family to another foster carer would be highly stressful.
Is it possible she won't need me by then or will her brother keep bullying her?
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- #198
Oh...Ive just seen something amazing. I went upstairs to give Pippin a feed but she was feeding from mama and not only that, she was fighting with a brother for the nipple...and winning!! She's just had a really good feed from mama.
I took him out of the way so she'd have some peace but this is really good progress as up to now she would have lost out every time.
I took him out of the way so she'd have some peace but this is really good progress as up to now she would have lost out every time.
Fantastic weight check, and WOW on Pippin! You did a super job supplementing and Pippin obviously ate like a champ! You will be able to go away overnight and leave Pippin with his mama and he will be fine. My guess is you will no longer be supplementing by then if these gains continue.
Right now the goal is for Pippin to break 100 grams. After that, we'll set a new goal.
I'm so thrilled with this today!
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- #200
Me too, I'm so thrilled with the little fighter!
I'm supplementing every second feed today to see how she gets on feeding from mama as she did so well fighting her corner earlier. I'm keeping an eye on her weight at more regular intervals to make sure she's not dropping.
I'm supervising the feeds from mama and making sure she gets alone time on the nipple. The last feed I gave her she took 4.2ml and then went back for a feed with Silky as the boys were finished then.
She's really amazing me.
I'm supplementing every second feed today to see how she gets on feeding from mama as she did so well fighting her corner earlier. I'm keeping an eye on her weight at more regular intervals to make sure she's not dropping.
I'm supervising the feeds from mama and making sure she gets alone time on the nipple. The last feed I gave her she took 4.2ml and then went back for a feed with Silky as the boys were finished then.
She's really amazing me.
