Keeping Newborn Kitten Warm

Ariess2113

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Hi all I'm new here and am hoping you cat lovers can help me,about 2 or 3 months ago I started feeding a stray cat we stared socializing her she's such a sweet girl it did not take long for her to trust us.We started bringing her in the house for a bit a few times so she had a safe place to go. We noticed she was getting pretty round but thought it was just her finally gaining weight 2 or 3 weeks ago we felt kittens moving around in there so we stoped letting her out started giving her kitten chow and doing all I could for her.Well today she gave birth to 7 kittens all were still born except one poor mama but my question is with out her siblings to keep her warm do I need to help the baby stay warm and if so what should I do?
 

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If momma is caretaking it should be enough. Its summer too.

If you have access to an IR heating lamp they are useful.

Otgerwise a heating pad. May be made of rice in a sock, heated in micro.

Monitor the weigh raises every day!
 
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Ariess2113

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Thank you for your reply I put a heating pad on low under the blanket on one side of her box mama seems to be doing a good job keeping baby warm shes nursing well and won't leave the baby I have to bring her food and water I took mama out of the box and reminded her to eat and drink (the food is a few feet away)And she just went right back to baby. However other than feeding and keeping baby warm mama is not interacting with baby I have not seen her clean the baby or anything do I need to worry? Should I start cleaning babies bum to stimulate mom?
 

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Moms generally do not leave the nest the first day or so except to use the litter pan. If she ate the placentas she may not be hungry right away. Just leave her be while she is settling in. She will clean and stimulate the baby in due time.
 
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Ariess2113

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Thank you I'm just so worried after losing the other 6 babies I just want to make sure I do all I can to make sure this baby survives is there anything I should look out for other than weight gain?
 

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Weigh the baby daily using a kitchen scale that shows grams. Make sure the baby is gaining 6-10 grams daily from nursing, or more.

Were the others full-term? Did mom break the sacs open and lick them? Were they born breech after a long labor?
 
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Ariess2113

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Weigh the baby daily using a kitchen scale that shows grams. Make sure the baby is gaining 6-10 grams daily from nursing, or more.

Were the others full-term? Did mom break the sacs open and lick them? Were they born breech after a long labor?
I really don't know if they were full term as she was a stray, I do belive the first one was born breech but it was not in a sac. The second one witch was the only liveing one was not breech and she broke open the back and cleaned it. The other 5 I don't know if they were breech she popped them out so fast but she did Chew the cords and brake open all the sacks. I think there is a good chance they were premature because they all seemed so small but i have never dealt with kittens before
 

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I’m sorry about the other babies, but at least mom has this one. If the baby is not gaining weight, you can supplement, but with no competition she should have no problem with finding a nipple.
 
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Ariess2113

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It was very disheartening haveing stillborn after stillborn and it just made me even more upset that someone could just abandon this sweet baby but I have done what i can for her she and baby are safe inside warm dry and fed
 
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Ariess2113

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Will the kitten be lonely with no siblings?how will it learn to play and "be a cat"?
 
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Ariess2113

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One week old today and mama is doing a great job being mama,this afternoon I noticed baby was breathing fast and shallow no coughing or sneezing or runny nose shes going to the vet at 730 am tomorrow I'm just wondering if there's anything I can do to help baby be more comfortable tonight?
 

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Does the baby sound stuffed up? She may need an antibiotic. Let us know what the vet says. Is she still nursing well?
 

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One week old today and mama is doing a great job being mama,this afternoon I noticed baby was breathing fast and shallow no coughing or sneezing or runny nose shes going to the vet at 730 am tomorrow I'm just wondering if there's anything I can do to help baby be more comfortable tonight?
I fear the worst. Good you are going to vet, to see what it is, and if necessary, to give the last help.
Hopefully its just a hot summer - if so, chill her off! By airing, or...

But if there was an internal fault, its possible the little one has grown into the limit, say the heart too little, and its the end coming. We see this collapse now and then....

Poor mama, whom is a good mama.
 
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Ariess2113

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Does the baby sound stuffed up? She may need an antibiotic. Let us know what the vet says. Is she still nursing well?
got checked at the vet this morning and evrything looks and sounds great,no fever good heart beat and clear lungs. Vet says could be baby is a fast breather or could be a little warm with the summer heat still gotta keep an eye on him make sure he keeps eating and be on the look out for coughing and or sneezing but right now all seems good
 

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got checked at the vet this morning and evrything looks and sounds great,no fever good heart beat and clear lungs. Vet says could be baby is a fast breather or could be a little warm with the summer heat still gotta keep an eye on him make sure he keeps eating and be on the look out for coughing and or sneezing but right now all seems good
Wonderful! So it was prob the heat after all! So, make sure they are more chilled off than they are. And be sure they both momma and baby, gets much liquids...
 
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Ariess2113

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Unfortunately Beans kitten died the other day at just under 3 weeks old we put Bean with baby to let her mourn she moved the kitten to our bedroom door (her bed wad in the bedroom but we closed the door so she could not hide baby),she bathed her baby and seemed to come to terms with the death we gave her about 30 minutes or so. She laid down next to the baby and started vibrating? Like shivering. Now it's been 3 days and when bean is relaxing or sleeping she starts shivering or vibrating. She has no fever and is otherwise just the same ol bean although she has gotten a little aggressive with the other cats, has anyone had a vibrating cat?
 

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You did your best. Never had a vibrating cat. Could you provide more detail, please?
 
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Ariess2113

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I'm honestly not sure what details I can offer when she is lying down relaxing or if she is sleeping if I rest my hand on her it feels like she is shivering when she breathes in sometimes when she dose it her paw curls in or she gets a little tense. I've read it could be caused from stress,hypoglycemia from not eating,infection or fever, but shes eating and has no fever so maybe she's stressed forme the loss of her baby? Or maybe she is chilly I really was just wondering if anyone else has ever seen or rather felt this in their kitty
 
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