How Accurate are X-Rays for Determining Cat Pregnancy?

hteft · Sep 5, 2015

No kittens yet, Kenzi has been nesting a lot today. I noticed she is having a bit of discharge as well. Nothing like the mucus she passed though. Her tummy feels hard then soft. i am thinking she is getting there.

Overall the supplementing is going great. I have been able to get a full 2 ml into the smallest kitten each time. The second smallest one still starts spitting it out after 1 1/2 ml. The one challenge I have been facing is the timing of the supplemental feedings. Sometimes it goes longer than 2 hours between the supplemental feedings. Mostly because Indipoo nursing them and I know they need that milk from her. When that happens, I have basically let her finish and then fed them. I have noticed when the three bigger ones are done and fall asleep, she continues to let the three smallest eat.

And they only got one supplemental feeding in the night, which was my fault. When I got up to feed them and turned off the alarm, I forgot to reset it. When I got up, she was feeding them and I supplemented them when she finished. I will post everyone's weights when I weigh them in a bit. Hopefully we will be seeing some good gains here.

hteft · Sep 5, 2015

Here are today's weights The tiniest 2 did gain, but not as much as I was hoping they would. Still that is progress, and an hour ago when I supplemented them, the tiniest one ate a bit more than the 2 ml. The other tiny one is eating almost the full 2 ml. before starting to spit it out.

Kitten 9/4 9/5

Black/white 3.8 oz 4.4 oz

Red 4.4 oz 4.9 oz

Green 4.3 oz 4.9 oz

Tiniest 2.4 oz 2.6 oz

Tiny 2 2.7 oz 2.9 oz

Orange 4.3 oz 5.0 oz

Should I try to increase the amount I am supplementing them?

I see a lot on here about goat's milk, would they gain more with goat's milk instead?

Sarthur2 · Sep 5, 2015

At their little weights, 2 mL every 2 hours is the correct amount, but if they will drink more, by all means give it! Just be careful they do not choke or aspirate formula.

The others appear to be gaining well for now. The tiny ones concern me, but gaining is gaining.

Any progress with Kenzi's labor?

hteft · Sep 5, 2015

Their weights concern me too. I have been sitting right there when she is feeding everyone because I noticed the three smallest get pushed away but the three biggest. Plus getting her to feed them alone as well.

Part of the challenge is that I am supplementing them around her nursing them. I meant to ask above, do you think it would be beneficial to them if the two hours between supplemental feedings comes up and they are nursing to go ahead and supplement them anyway?

Kenzi is very uncomfortable right now. She is acting the way Indipoo did the last few days before her kittens came. Tummy hard then soft, drinking a lot, not eating as good. She isn't in any distress, she just is having a hard time getting comfortable.

Sarthur2 · Sep 5, 2015

If they are actively latched and nursing do not pull them away. Feed them when they are getting pushed away. Consider a decent latched nursing as a feeding. I know it's tricky but you'll have to figure it out. Mom is good for them too but they need the supplementing.

Poor Kenzi. The hard/soft tummy is contractions. It's stage one labor. I'm thinking you should have more kittens sometime this weekend.

Hang in there!

hteft · Sep 5, 2015

That is what I will do then with the supplementing. Kenzi seems more prepared this week than she did last week. I wonder now if her being so frantic and agitated had anything to do with an inner knowing that her kitten's weren't ready to be born. In any case, I fully plan to make sure I am right there this time to help her stay calm.

Sarthur2 · Sep 5, 2015

It's quite possible. I think you'll see healthy kittens this time.

And I'll be looking for some weight gains tomorrow from Indipoo's 2 tiny ones

.

hteft · Sep 5, 2015

I sure do hope so on both!!

LotsOfFur · Sep 5, 2015

Sending hugs and support... You've got your hands full but are handling it beautifully

hteft · Sep 6, 2015

@LotsofFur - thank you that means a lot to me

See my next post

hteft · Sep 6, 2015

Good news! Kenzi had her babies an hour ago. Although you can't tell from the picture, both are torti's and girls. Both weigh in at 3.1 oz.

Kenzi did GREAT! She stayed calm and let me help her. Kitten 1 came out foot first and was stuck, I applied what I learned on here and guided it out. She did really GOOD and is a very happy Mama right now. Very grateful for that!

20150906_062734.jpg

hteft
Sep 6, 2015

And, when I supplemented the 2 tiny's a bit ago, the tiniest one was sucking the syringe and on his own without prompting, at 3 1/2 ml of kmr! I think I need a bigger syringe. The other tiny one at 2 1/2 ml also on his own. That is the first time they have tried to latch onto the syringe.

Sarthur2 · Sep 6, 2015

Congrats on Kenzi! I know you are relieved that the babies are here and healthy weights. I'm sure she'll be a great mom.

So happy to hear that the tinies are beginning to latch to the syringe - they are hungry and have figured it out! Glad they are drinking loads too. Ready to grow!

You can try the bottle now if you want. Let us know their weights this morning when you can. Busy night at your house!

LotsOfFur · Sep 6, 2015

Woo Hoo! Kenzi's babies have arrived! She looks so sweet with them and the torti sisters look healthy! Great job!

handsome kitty · Sep 6, 2015

I'm so happy to hear Kenzi's babies are fine! she looks very content.

hteft · Sep 6, 2015

Thank you! Yes she seems very content and really is being a good Mom. Cuddles them all the time. The funniest thing happened earlier. So far the girls have separate nests, but they keep checking out each others nest and kittens. They were sitting together in the doorway and Kenzi got up to go out of the room. Indipoo did this long drawn out hiss. Kenzi looks at her, turns around and goes back into her nest. It was as though Indipoo told her the babies needed her. I went and checked and they were in fact awake, but quiet.

hteft · Sep 6, 2015

Here are today's weights:

Indipoo's Kittens:

Kitten 9/5 9/6

Black/white 4.4 oz 5.0 oz.

Red 4.9 oz 5.0 oz

Green 4.9 oz 5.3 oz.

Tiniest 2.6 oz 2.9 oz

Tiny 2 2.9 oz 3.1 oz.

Orange 5.0 oz 5.4 oz

Kenzi's Kittens:

Torti 3.1 oz (birth wt) 3.6 oz (14 hours later)

Torti/Tabby 3.1 oz (birth wt) 3.6 oz (14 hours later)

Everyone gained today. The tiny's thankfully gained more over the past 24 hour than the day before. They are eating great. Do these weights look ok? I can't believe the older ones will be a week old tomorrow.

Sarthur2 · Sep 7, 2015

H hteft

The weights are good overall. The tinies are still tiny, and Red gained very little.

Kenzi's two are bigger than the tinies. Do you think she might nurse the tinies? That would put four kittens on each mom, if so, which would be a better distribution. Perhaps the tinies would gain faster.

hteft · Sep 7, 2015

@sarthur2 The tiny's have a much better weight gain today! So did the red. I thought about that, putting the two tiny's in with Kenzi to nurse. I am unsure how Indipoo would react. I am hoping the two will combine nests. I am going to give it a day or two to see if they move their babies together, then go from there.

The two tiny's are doing great with me giving them extra food. All day yesterday and today both are taking in around 4 ml each feeding. They won't take the bottle, so I bought a bigger syringe that they suck like it is a nipple. I can see them getting padding as well.

Here are today's weights. Since Indipoo's kittens are a week old today, I included their birth weight too.

Indipoo's Kittens:

Kitten 9/6 9/7 Birth Weight

Black/white 5.0 oz 5.3 oz. 2.7 oz

Red 5.0 oz 5.5 oz 3.3 oz

Green 5.3 oz 5.6 oz. 3.1 oz

Tiniest 2.9 oz 3.3 oz 2.7 oz

Tiny 2 3.1 oz 3.6 oz. 2.8 oz

Orange 5.4 oz 6.0 oz 3.1 oz.

Kenzi's Kittens:

Kitten 9/6 9/7

Torti 3.6 oz 4.1 oz

Torti/Tabby 3.6 oz 3.9 oz

Sarthur2 · Sep 7, 2015

Much better weight gains! I'm glad the tinys and red gained better, and that the tinys are drinking well from the syringe.

Honestly, I wouldn't put them all together at this point. Kenzi's are doing fine, and I think Indipoo is struggling to make enough milk for her six. If you do anything, I'd put the tinies on Kenzi.

How many feedings are you giving them? They really need to grow more.

hteft · Sep 7, 2015

@sarthur2
I wouldn't put the two litters together, I was waiting to see if they would do that on their own.

I am feeding them every 2 to 4 hours depending on whether or not Indipoo is feeding them. If they are latched on and eating, I wait. She gets upset if I try to take anyone while they are feeding, but if I wait until they are done and she doesn't mind.

I have been wondering about her milk. When she feeds them, she is in there longer before everyone is satisfied and the past day it seems as though she is back in there within an hour and a half feeding them again.

Question, how would I go about putting the two tinys on Kenzi without upsetting Indipoo?

How Accurate are X-Rays for Determining Cat Pregnancy?

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What greater gift than the love of a cat.

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What greater gift than the love of a cat.

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