I Voluntered To Hand Rear Two 3 Days Old Kittens Rejected By Their Momma

[Lyzzie]

Hi gals and guys,
Here's the story :
My neighbor just told me that her friend's colleague just had a litter of 8 (because she wanted a kitten, I know, I'm furious too, let's not dwell on that). Momma cat rejected 2 kittens. The friend is willing to adopt them, but she knows nothing about hand rearing, and is in need of help. So my neighbor asked me, and even if I already have 4 cats in the house, there is no way I'm going to say no to that.

So, I'm also in need of help, I never took care of newborns before.

I don't have any details yet, I should get the kittens later today. Their age is a "guesstimation", I don't have their weight, nothing.

Here's what I do have in term of supplies :
- Needle-less syringes
- Kitchen scale
- Bottled water and honey to make homemade pedialyte

I don't have KMR, and it's Sunday so everything is closed.

I'm getting kind of panicky, do I need anything else? I still have some time before the kittens arrive, so I can ask for stuff I really need with people I've worked with before.

I read the kittens articles about hand rearing and Fading Kitten Syndrome.

 

[Sarthur2]

Lyzzie

You really need kitten formula. They cannot live on honey water. They will need to be fed formula every 2 hours around the clock.

I see you are in France. Are there no stores open anywhere?

 

[Azalea]

I'm not sure where Lyzzie lives in France but typically 99% of stores are closed on Sundays, and the ones that open often only open in the mornings. There might be an emergency vet open, or a few rare stores (I know a Botanic that opens on Sundays until 19h and on their website they say they have KMR, or lait maternisé). In an emergency, for KMR, maybe you could try contacting an animal rescue organization, they might be able to help, the small 'associations' are typically more flexible and easier to contact on weekends. The ones I know are all in Lyon though (if that's where you are I could give you contacts, otherwise maybe searching on Facebook would work, that's how I got started).

 

[Sarthur2]

If you are unable to get KMR at all today, I can give you a recipe for a homemade kitten glop.

 

[Lyzzie]

Azalea is right, not a lot of stores open on Sunday, and the only one near me doesn't have any KMR. I'm in La Rochelle btw!

I'm going to call the association I've worked with last year and see if someone can give me some KMR.

Sarthur2 I'll take you on the offer, just in case, thanks!

I'm worried about the temperature in my apartment. The only room I can close is the bathroom, and it's cooler than the rest of the place.

 

[Sarthur2]

Here is the recipe:

image.jpg

• Sarthur2
• Mar 15, 2017

Hopefully they will have formula. If you lack an ingredient in the recipe, you may make it without. It will get them through.

 

[Lyzzie]

I'm missing too much ingredients... I'll try and get KMR.

 

[Sarthur2]

Lyzzie

As far as temperature, if the bathroom is cool, add a heat source to the nest, such as a heating pad set on low under the blanket, a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel, or a rice sock microwaved and wrapped in a towel.

The kittens must stay warm, and the formula must be warm when fed. Kittens cannot regulate their own temperature for 3 weeks, and they cannot digest unless they are warm.

You must keep your cats separate from the kittens.

 

[Lyzzie]

Sarthur2 my microwave died last month, and I don't have a heating pad. But I can do warm water bottle wrapped in a towel, I have a kettle. I'm guessing I can also use the kettle to warm the water before adding the KMR to it?

Would it be better if they were in a small cardboard box? I also have a carrier.
Towels are not going to be a problem, and the bathroom can be kept closed at all times, so keeping my cats separated from the kittens is not a problem.

All my cats are vaccinated, spay/neutered, and they just got their flea and worms medication.

 

[Sarthur2]

Lyzzie

Carrier or box would be fine.

Yes, boil the water for the hot water bottle, then wrap the bottle in a towel and place it near the kittens. They will move away if they get too warm.

Formula water needs to be lukewarm.

The separating is so the adult cats do not try to play with the kittens or pick them up in their mouths.

Any luck getting formula? When do you get the kittens?

 

[Lyzzie]

Okay I just got off the phone with a person at the association, and she's bringing me KMR right now! I explained the situation to her, and she thinks they won't make it, that it would be more humane to get them to the vet tomorrow and get them euthanized. I told her that I'm going to do what I can for them tonight, and go from there. I'm not getting the to the vet unless I'm sure I can't do anything more for them.

What do you think the odds are for these kittens?

 

[Lyzzie]

Sarthur2 The friend get off work in 1 and 1/2 hour, and then she needs to track down her colleague. I think I should have them in three hours max. It's frustrating.

 

[Sarthur2]

Lyzzie

It depends on their size and whether they have been getting fed every 1-2 hours. Or if they have birth defects or are severely premature.

We'll know more when you get them. It is frustrating to wait and not know!

Who has been caring for them until now?

 

[Azalea]

I hope everything will be ok for you and that the kittens will be fine! I can't help at this point, so I'm just wishing you good luck for this!

 

[Lyzzie]

I got KMR! Bathroom is ready for the kittens.

Sarthur2 I'm not sure, all the information I have are from my neighbor, who gets them from her friend, who gets them from the infamous colleague.
Apparently, they are 3 days old from this morning my time. I don't know if the colleague was able to make them latch on Momma a bit, or if she gave them KMR, or anything. I hope she has tried at least something, it's too cruel to let these 2 kittens die of starvation.

Azalea Thank you. I'll take everything I can get!

The friend get off work in half an hour, hopefully things go quickly after that.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, I am concerned that they may be starving. I hope not.

As soon as you get them, weigh them.

Then, make sure they are warm. Have a warm blanket ready.

Go ahead and make up some KMR and have it ready to go too.

Kittens are fed tummy down, head up, drop by drop in the side of the mouth. Allow kitten to swallow and breathe in between. Try for 1/2 to 1mL each per hour initially.

They will need the genitals stimulated for pee and poop, gently with a warm, damp wash cloth.

I hope you can save them!

 

[Lyzzie]

Thanks, I hope so too. 10 minutes to go.

 

[Sarthur2]

Good luck! I'm standing by.

 

[ginny]

Omgosh this is exciting! Good luck Lizzie we are pulling for you! How kind of you to take these kittens in! And I'm so glad sarthur is helping you. She is a great resource.

 

[Lyzzie]

Thanks so much everyone! I wouldn't even try if it weren't for you and this forum. I'm still waiting on news. I'm running out of nails to bite...