I really wish Olivia would accept those 2. The weight loss is scary.
I hope the vet can shed some light on this.
I hope the vet can shed some light on this.
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Rescue Momma and Kittens... Advice Needed Please!
- Thread starter ashade1
- Start Date
Gentle scruffing may be a big part of your answer. And the kittens instinctively recognize it as a "mama" thing. Thinking of you. No good advice, just thinking of you and your little ones.
Eating is not an option and neither is missing a meal. Once I had a routine with Toad things went pretty smooth and she sure never resented me for it.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,044
Just got back from the vet with Blake and the kittens! Dr Kenney said that there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with Blake other than she might just be an overwhelmed, inexperienced momma. She is still lactating and everything looks good except for her not grooming herself. She tried to get the smallest kitten to syringe feed with no success and then tried a bottle and also couldn't get her to either. She eventually got her to latch on to momma and the other kittens latched on and nursed. We are going to continue supplementing them where we can (they strongly fight it) we also discovered that Blake will lay down and let them nurse when she is in this carrier and can't run away so we are going to try putting them in here a couple of times a day as well. Fingers crossed everyone starts gaining soon!
Yes, fingers crossed! 
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,046
So she has eaten two of the small Fancy Feast cans since coming home from the vet and every time that I have come in she was in the carrier with them and they were nursing, so maybe she just didn't feel comfortable in the other nesting box? I guess we will see how everyone's weights are in the morning!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,049
I am hoping that they gain or at least stay the same (since I know they had lost during the morning yesterday morning). I am just at a loss at what else to do since supplementing seems impossible. She does seem to be nursing them more since I replaced the nesting box with the carrier. Tomorrow I might start taking the big ones out and letting the little ones stay in with her for a bit to get better nursing times. They are all surprisingly spunky given how much weight they have lost the last couple of days.
Any update on the weights? It's good to hear that mom is eating better now!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,051
So sorry! We have been busy today! So the weights this morning were sad. But everyone has been nursing WONDERFULLY today. Momma in turn has eaten a lot! I reweighed them at 5pm and the weights were up! My smallest only gained a few grams and is still a pitiful weight but she is still nursing so I am hopeful...
Here are the weights as of today at 5...
Black 192
Orange 1 225
Orange 2 183
b/w1 131
b/w2 160
The two b/w ones I am hoping now that they are nursing improve. I am removing everyone for a little bit and letting them nurse by themselves a couple of times.
Here are the weights as of today at 5...
Black 192
Orange 1 225
Orange 2 183
b/w1 131
b/w2 160
The two b/w ones I am hoping now that they are nursing improve. I am removing everyone for a little bit and letting them nurse by themselves a couple of times.
Maybe mama is getting the hang of it.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,053
I guess she just wanted a smaller and closed in nesting box? I don't know what we are going to do when the kittens are older. Here is to hoping that tomorrow morning the two b/w ones have gained!
I am especially concerned for b/w1. Are they all still crying all the time?
Will the b/w's still not take supplementing?
Will the b/w's still not take supplementing?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,055
The only one who accepted supplementing was the black one. They are no longer crying all of the time because now when they start crying she goes in and starts nursing them! I know I am so worried about him/her too, I think things are going to start turning around now though. b/w1 was under 130 this morning
I hope b/w1 shows more weight gain by tomorrow. Something's got to give here. At least mom is calmer and nursing them better.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,057
I know. I am really surprised that b/w1 has hung on this long. She has lost so much already.
She won't let you syringe her?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,059
She absolutely will not take the syringe or bottle. My vet tried yesterday too, she said she has been bottle feeding kittens for 20 years and she was unable to get them to take anything :/
