Our Beautiful Mia Having 3-5 Kittens In 1-2 Weeks !!

[DeweytheLion]

You're doing just fine! I would suggest only feeding no5 as she or he is the only one not gaining weight.
The umbilical cord doesn't hurt anything if it stays attached for a period of time.
If the kitten was stuck and couldn't breathe or was being strangled by the birth canal then there's a possibility brain cells have been damaged
But mostly, I wouldnt worry too much! Everything sounds fine except for no5. Start supplementing every 2 hours as much as the baby will take. If he or she is resistant, try for a little bit every hour until you both get adjusted. The proper math for feeding is 8mLs for every ounce per day, separated into several different periods.
Kittens at this age don't do much more than suckle and sleep. No5 could just not be able to compete with the others. Even with 6 nipples for 4 kittens!
You got this! Let me know how the vets visit goes, and how else I can help

 

[Sarthur2]

sunshineclare

I would focus on the fourth kitten first, but would supplement all of them.

Try for 1mL every 2 hours today.

Tummy down, head up, drops in the side of the mouth. Let kitten swallow and breathe in between. Burrito wrap kitten in a towel if squirmy.

You just want to get them strong enough to suckle mama more vigorously soon.

Please update after seeing the vet.

 

[sunshineclare]

Hi all,

Poor Mia was so stressed going to the vet. We are near central london and our vet has about 6 branches all within a few miles of us, so the Sunday opening one is the furthest away sadly, still only about 5 miles, about 25 mins in hot dirty london traffic.

Poor girl was panting - she always does this in the car - we had windows wide open but no AC in the car as didn't want to risk kittens getting cold, she was dribbling as well and licking kittens and herself, poor thing, she's always stressed in the car. She seems to know on the way home that she's going home so it wasn't so bad.

So. Vet said momma seems fine, he took her temp and examined her and said he didn't think anything was left inside her, eyes were fine, he was worried how stressed she was from the car but she calmed down once there and he wasn't worried.

She's got 6 nipples and he showed us the 4 best ones; he said 2 weren't producing much but kittens would latch for 20 mins or so anyway so maybe that's why they've not put on as much. He tried to show us how to guide a kitten to a nipple but it didn't seem interested - maybe as it had fed on the way there or maybe as kitten knew momma was a bit stressed being away from her home and nest... So he told us important to make sure all kittens get the best nipples and we have a photo of which ones to avoid so that should help.

He didn't think they were dehydrated and said its such early days it's too early for any fluids anyway. Our thermometer in their area also measures humidity which is around 60% right now - is this ok?

We have one of those essential oil diffusers where you mix the drops of oil with the water, we were thinking of putting one of those near their area, minus the essential oils just the water... Do you think this is a good idea or no?? And also thought maybe getting a small fan to help move the air around as we don't have any AC in the flat... Not pointed directly at them but nearby, what do you think?

She seems content now she's settled back into being home and they are all nursing - not checked who is on which nipple just yet as don't want to disturb her but we will do later. Just tidying the flat up a bit first

 

[Sarthur2]

I still think the lowest weight baby needs supplementing.

 

[sunshineclare]

Sure, yes agreed sarthur2 - and Dewey - thank you we did try earlier as Mia didn't seem interested in them for a short time, just after we got back from the vets... they were all piled in a heap in the nest - it's so sweet they seem to take comfort in being piled against each other!!! - and she was drinking from a water fountain in the hall... One of the ginger ones started mewling so when she didn't come, we made some KMR, the 1ml syringes now seem pretty small but drop by drop and I guess feeding every 2hrs it's fine...

Wow... It's hard!! I was so worried about putting it in its mouth rather than waiting for it to lick a drop off!! Couldn't get a drop to just wait on the end...! It was either in or out! One drop landed on his head!!

Oh and a brief digression - vet told us it's super early days so can't be definite but thinks the 2 oranges are boys, we think sweet soul poor no4 was a boy too RIP... And the 2 tabby and whites are girls! They look black but we can tell they will be tabbies

So no5 was just suckling really well from a nipple we know is producing lots of milk... So a question... If we see this do we stop her and try to supplement or do we wait for her to finish feeding and then try? Definitely going to need the towel purrito system, little orange boy was wriggling all over the place!!

Just checked since writing this momma has gone for another break they are all sleeping peacefully.. So do we wake up no5 if she's sleeping to supplement every 2 hrs no matter what? Or do we wait and keep trying with momma on a good nipple first??

Going to watch a kitten lady video on YouTube as she shows you really well how to do it! It's much harder than it sounds. Vet said we should get a neonatal bottle, they didn't have any and the store open to get them from today was too far and wanted to get mia and babies home ASAP so will order on Amazon prime for tmrw delivery ASAP. He said put a small nick in the teat and it's better for them than the syringe as they're used to mommas nipples... I'd read on here when they are super young they struggled with teat bottles... So will get a couple and try them...

Thank you so much for all the advice xxx

 

[sunshineclare]

The not so good nipples from the vet!

 

[sunshineclare]

I still can't get over the "where's the milk and momma" little squeaky miaow! They are so tiny and sweet. Please pray for our little family to grow big and strong xxxx

 

[sunshineclare]

Our little family just now. We've named no5 (on the right) survivor as we had to rub her to life a couple of times... Shes suckling well on a good nipple so leaving her to it... Her sister the darker tabby to her left is also on a good nipple.

Lol sometimes it looks like they stop suckling and just fall asleep with their mouths round the nipple!! So not sure if they're always suckling or not?! Sometimes you can clearly see their mouths moving other times not so much and then you do again.. Guess they can self regulate how much they need...

Vet said its great they're all fighting for nipples...shows they're strong and have energy... So really want to keep it that way... Please help me know best times to supplement Survivor... After suckling a nipple, a while after, after she wakes up or wake her up on time, every 2 hrs?? Do we try to supplement no matter whether we see her suckling from a good nipple or not?? Thanks xxx

 

[sunshineclare]

Oh and the last orange one is hidden under mias front leg!!

 

[sunshineclare]

Here's Survivor suckling on a good nipple! She seems to be doing great... Shall we just make sure she does this as much as possible? This is surely better than anything we could do ourselves?? And vet checked nipples for milk so we know this is a good one. His words were "4 are going gangbusters!" So this is one of those with Survivor on it?

 

[Sarthur2]

Get a weight on Survivor that is 12 hours from the last weight. If there is no weight gain, begin supplementing after the kitten nurses mom. Try for 1mL. It's really just topping the kitten off.

Did you get the Miracle Nipples? These work best for tiny kitens.


Orange kittens are always male unless mama is orange and the dad cat is also orange.

 

[sunshineclare]

hi Sarthur2 thank you so much for the advice xx do kittens choose their favourite nipples?? As the black other female was really going for it on the middle too nipple and nobody was pushing her off!! I ordered this: is this ok? Xx

 

[sunshineclare]

I weighed them a few hrs ago when momma had gone for a break and the bigger ones had put on a little but no change for Survivor... It was 11am when I weighed them properly earlier which is 3hrs time; I'll weigh then and post weights xx will try supplementing Survivor in the meantime xxx

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, kittens choose their favorite nipple and stay with it.

Your link takes me to a frying pan.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL...that's where it took me, too! I don't think that will do the trick!

Supplement Survivor. The rest seem to be doing well. Just go by weight. If they are gaining consistently, they are fine. If not, supplement.

Yep, they choose a favorite nipple and tend to stick with it. The stronger ones, of course, get the best nipples. That's why the runts do so very badly. They end up with the nipples that produce the least.

 

[sunshineclare]

Thanks both!! Mamanyt1953 yay finally tried tagging you! And Sarthur2 lol no I didn't order a frying pan haha!! It was one of those larger bottles with maybe 30-50ccs in with a regular teat

Just watched cat lady's video how to supplement a newborn kitten with a syringe; she has a miracle nipple though so doesn't help us not having one. Went to order from Amazon US but right at the last minute after saying we'd get it on June 20th it said June 30th - July 6th - Ebay and an animal rescue place both sold out over here
Do we want the mini miracle nipples or the regular like the link? I'll try to look for an actual syringe video to make sure we are doing it right. So nervous we might give her too much or it goes in the wrong place...

 

[sunshineclare]

Should kittens gain 6-10g per day right from the first day every day? As its been nearly 2 days and they've not even gained 6g each over the 2 days... Am I worrying unnecessarily? They're warm and all seem feisty!! They are fighting each other for nipples, seem to be feeding well... Just not gaining too much... Yet... We are still so sad about losing no4 we don't want to risk anything more.. Will call around tmrw for the miracle nipples - please let me know what size... And do the fit over ANY syringe or do you need to get special syringes?? Thank you both xxx

 

[DeweytheLion]

The first couple days will be a little off You'll start seeing some regulation with in the next few days, I'm sure.
Miracle nipple fit on any syringes, even bottles, and I suggest buying the smaller one!

 

[sunshineclare]

Ok thanks Dewey xx for the sake of a day I'll call around a few places first thing tmrw and try to get something in the U.K.; if not I'll order from the us! Hopefully it's just the first couple of days then ! Each time I come to check on them they're all feeding including survivor! So I'll weigh in a couple of hours and post weights and go from there. Survivors on a great milky nipple right now so won't take her off to try to supplement xxx fingers crossed! Will post again ASAP xx thank you so much for the advice everyone xxxx

 

[Sarthur2]

sunshineclare

I agree, buy small ones. Your kittens need to gain at least 6 grams a day. If not, they need supplementing starting now.