Rescue Momma and Kittens... Advice Needed Please!

[Mamanyt1953]

Olivia is gorgeous.

The situation with the babies is worrisome. SIGH...hanging in to see what advice the vet has. Just keep on trying to feed them as best you can until then.

With Blake not cleaning them, and being such a mess herself, I'm wondering if she just doesn't know how to "cat." Perhaps she was removed from mama way too young and then started having kittens way too young herself. What a frustrating situation for you, but you are handling it as well as anyone could, Darlin.

 

[ashade1]

I am at work now, a nervous mess. I hope he is able to get any formula into them. And I hope that Blake is still nursing them a little bit to at least hold them over the night. I am a little more positive because everyone had gained about 5 grams since this morning. Everyone is still screaming though and she is still wanting to put everyone in the litter box- which I would rather her not.
On a brighter note: The older kittens have all had solid poops today!

 

[ashade1]

I have left them with her because since I am barely able to get feedings into them because they literally never stop screaming when I pick them up. I am thinking that they have to be getting something from her because whenever they are able to latch on they quiet down so I think leaving them with her for now is best and just doing round the clock feedings with them and seeing what the vet says tomorrow!

 

[Sarthur2]

I agree. I know you'll be exhausted when you get home, but try to weigh them, feed them, and clean them immediately if you can - depending on what Kyle gets in them.

If it gets worse while you are gone, I would say to have Kyle take them to Olivia for now anyway. He would need to sit with them though, due to Olivia's own 5 kittens being there.

 

[kashmir64]

On a brighter note: The older kittens have all had solid poops today!

Hurray for solid poops. When I saw a tiny solid poop from one of my kittens after weeks of diarrhea I was jumping for joy. Never been that exited about poop before.

 

[ashade1]

I know. I am really trying to be positive about all of this. It is so incredibly frustrating being exhausted and trying to feed a kitten that absolutely wants nothing to do with it.
Do you think if the older kittens poops stay solid I should just continue the Albon for a couple more days and then stop? Or do the whole 10 days? (I am not sure I have enough to continue everyone on it for that long really)

 

[kashmir64]

Mine were only on it for 5 days, when nothing changed they switched from Coccidia to Giardia and treated that instead. So I really don't know.
I wish I was closer to you. I would be happy to feed and clean the little ones while you worked...or slept.

 

[ashade1]

I was thinking I would keep them on it for 2 more days (so a total of 5) as long as nothing changed. I know when I had Winnifred's kittens and they all had coccidia they were on it for 10 days so I wasn't sure!
Thank you! I appreciate that!

 

[kashmir64]

Mine were supposed to be on it for 10 days. But after 5 with no improvement, the shelter decided they were treating the wrong parasite. If there is any way you can get more Albon, and you know it's Coccidia, you should do the full 10 days.
Is the awful, olfactory violation, foul smell gone from the poop?

 

[Sarthur2]

Minimum 5 days, but really should be at least 7, a full week. I'm so glad it's working!

Would your vet give you another bottle if you explain the situation? Ideally they would take it for 10 days since it's working and since they had runny poops for so long.

Stopping as soon as symptoms disappear is not advised.

 

[ashade1]

Well it never really smelled bad- which is why Sarthur2 and I were thinking it wasn't coccidia but maybe a different bacterial thing. It was just diarrhea! Depending on which vet I am seeing tomorrow (there are two at my clinic) I may be able to get more. One of the vet's is better about giving me extra medication to treat a whole litter of kittens for one thing. The other is a little more strict about it.

 

[Sarthur2]

How did the kittens do overnight? I really think mama needs antibiotics at this point.

 

[ashade1]

Some good news, some bad.
We have some gains, but also some losses
black 175 +2
orange1 217 +17
orange 2 182 +7
b/w 1 140 -4
b/w 2 160 -12
The two who lost have been consistently losing the last couple of days.
A little better news is that most of them have (sort of) accepted the syringe. They ate more this morning than they ever have! So hopefully with lots and lots of feeding today they gain more, especially the black and white ones

 

[Sarthur2]

You might want to put the 2 who lost with Olivia for a few hours, until time to go to the vet - if she will have them.

B/W 1 is quite small, and B/W 2 lost quite a bit.

 

[ashade1]

Olivia won't take them- she growled at them. We are back to fighting with the syringe. What is the amount of mLs that I am aiming to get into them every two hours? It takes so long to get it into them that the next alarm comes so quick.
So new question... Blake has not been in the nesting box with the kittens all morning when I have been in there. She has been in the litter box. She had them all in there (the litter box) this morning and then she left everyone in the nesting box after I fed them the first time but B/W 2 I think because he cries the loudest. When I came in to feed the second time he was in the litter box with her nursing... should I remove and try to feed? Or do you think I can leave him alone with her and he might benefit since its only him in there eating? He fights me the most on syringe feedings.

 

[Sarthur2]

ashade1

Let him nurse mom in the litter box.

B/W 1 needs 5 mLs every 3 hours

B/W 2 needs 9 mLs every 3 hours

How many days old are they now?

 

[ashade1]

They are 9 days old now

 

[ashade1]

I am so unbelievably frustrated. I just weighed them again and the two b/w ones have both lost a couple of grams. I don't know what I should be doing. I have literally woke up every other hour and fed them as much as they will take. They literally will not stop screaming at me the entire time I am trying to feed them. They hate every second of it. I feel like they are going to inhale it and get pnemonia because I am trying to feed in between the screams. I don't know what else I can do.

 

[kittens mom]

Toad was a nightmare. I found a video online that showed putting the kits front paws on a rolled towel, getting them by the scruff and putting the formula in the side of their mouth. She never once latched onto the bottle the whole time though it did become less of a struggle and she more or less learned to lap the formula as I put it in her mouth. She was the first to drink and the first to eat solids and after that totally refused the bottle to the point of fits. There was a lot more than one youtube showing scruffing as a way of getting formula into a battling kit. Pointed out well was it was this or they would die.

I wanted to add that Toad did not nurse well on Tera either and she had to constantly put him up to the nipple.

 

[kashmir64]

Is there any way you could try the bottle again? Use the smallest nipple you can find. One of mine refused the bottle and after a few feedings of prying her mouth open and shoving the nipple in, she decided "hey, there's milk in here". I know you've tried before, but they are older now and used to being handled.
You sound exhausted. Try to get some sleep.