Struggling 36 Hour Old Runt

[Lspads]

My cat gave birth to four kittens one Sunday night around 6 PM. I got home from work, and noticed that she had had them. She had three very healthy, vigourous kittens that were licked clean when I got there. She had one much smaller kitten that she had only licked his body clean. He was very cold. I’ve been warming up socks full of rice to try and keep him warm. For the first 12 hours I held him to her nipple to nurse, but he’s very weak, and could only find a latch sometimes. I got kitten formula and I’ve been feeding him from a dropper, as well as holding him to her nipple as much as possible. He wanders away from the heat sometimes and I’ll find him in the middle of the bed.
She is not rejecting him, as she will clean him, and she will let him nurse off her, but he is not strong enough to do it on his own.
I’m very concerned, as he cannot keep his body heat up on his own. Do I just keep doing what I’m doing? Does anyone have any advice for me? And at what point will he be out of the woods?

 

[Kieka]

Sounds like you are doing a good job already. I would continue to feed him but do so as often as possible, at least every two hours, to ensure he is eating enough. While Mom is best, if he iisn' latching well it would be better to fill him up on formula or goat's milk to keep his energy up and let him supplement with Mom when he will latch. Basically, treat him as if Mom isn't caring for him at all or she is more of a part time nanny but try to get him as much Mom time as possible. Make sure you keep a warming element in the nest (away from Mom so the kittens near her don't overheat) but check as often as possible moving him back to Mom when needed. He won't be out of the woods really until he is weaned and eating on his own. That could be as early as 4 weeks or as later as 8 weeks depending on him.

These articles may help,
Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives)
Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn's Life

Additionally check out, Feeding Kittens she has some YouTube videos that may help.

 

[talkingpeanut]

The advice above is great. Weighing the kittens each day will help you to determine how much intervention they need. They must gain at least 6-10g per day.

Also, can you be sure to keep mom 100% inside and away from intact males?

 

[StefanZ]

Excellent advices.

An heating IR lamp is often useful with the very weak. So he wont get chilled of while you handfeed.
And yes as very weak he is prob a weak suckler, so count you must handfeed the majority of his food needs. This way its enough he manages to swallow.

What kmr do you have avcess to?

Can you get raw goats milk?

 

[Lspads]

I now have a heating pad under just him, with a blanket between him and the pad. I got 21st century essential pet formula. I weighed him this morning and he’s 67 g, and the three healthy ones are 86 g, 107 g and 117 g.
He just took about two mils of formula, but that seems to be the most he will take at one time. Is every two hours enough or should I go to every hour?

And no, momma cat will not be going outside at all.

 

[Kieka]

Given his age and size that isn't a bad amount. You can try every hour and a half until he takes more per feeding.

 

[Lspads]

Thank you for your advice, I just really want the little guy to survive. Seems 67 g 36 hours after birth is a pretty low birth weight

 

[Kieka]

Anytime.

Please keep us updated on how he is doing and let us know if there are any other questions.

 

[StefanZ]

This kmr is ok but if you can get raw goats milk its even better.

You can mix them if you wish.

Yes with weak ones its often necessary to feed more often.

His needs ar this momemt is about 20 ml a day.
So taking 2 ml at once is good.

 

[Lspads]

This is him. He’s got his mouth open constantly moving it around.

 

[Lspads]

He is really struggling now, very listless.
I can barely get him to eat at all.

 

[StefanZ]

Ouch. He may be going downhill.

If so cease with kmr, use instead water with some honey and a shade salt.

In the dying digeststion has stopped but glucose sugar in honey goes directly into blood.

This may buy you some time.

He is really struggling now, very listless.
I can barely get him to eat at all.

 

[Lspads]

I took him to the vet yesterday, because he was twitching a lot and his mouth was open. His blood sugar was low, so I gave him a little bit of corn syrup.

The vet told me to feed him half a ml 15 times a day, every hour and a half during the day and every two hours at night. I started with that and he perked up around four in the morning, and now he’s taking two mls per feeding like a champ, suckling on the syringe. Doing soooo much better!

 

[ileen]

He's a fighter - maybe call him Rocky or Apollo or Creed.

 

[Sarthur2]

How is the little guy doing today? Has he gained any weight?