Unplanned Sick Kittens

[richo1]

Bad situation, some weeks ago I took on a cat that was doing suicide runs across a very busy road to steal my aunts dog food she has now given birth to kittens one dead the mother cat is currently licking the fur off it, others blowing bubbles through nose and lethargic The mother limps but the vet can't find a problem she also had a spitting fit when I put her in a basket so I not sure about taking kittens to vet on their own. Even if the kittens survive I cannot cope with any more cats

Just to make matters worse the house is a building site and my internet isn't working I'm using a friends frustratingly slow wifi from six doors away (with permission)

 

[Norachan]

Are the kittens new born? Is the mother cleaning and nursing them? If new born you need to make sure the sacs are off and their airways are clear.

You can take them to the vet without their mother, but you need to keep them warm. Get a cotton (not man-made fiber) sock, fill it with uncooked rice and pop it in the microwave to warm for a minute. Wrap the kittens in a towel or blanket and put them in the basket with the rice sock next to, but not directly touching them.

Let's worry about how to cope with more cats later, but for now please get the kittens to a vet. If they can't be saved at least they can be helped to pass without suffering too much

 

[richo1]

The emergency vet said the reason they are sick is because they are premature
Kitten (1) 75g
Kitten (2) 70g
Kitten (3) 65g
Kitten (4) 60g deceased
Kitten (5) 55g deceased
Kitten (6) DOA
I was given some Beaphar Lactol kitten complete milk replacement to supplement and told to keep them warm.
At the moment the mother cat is doing the business with kitten 1 & 2 but doesn’t have much interest in kitten 3 however it feeds on the bottle also the mother cat has hidden the dead kitten (6) in the room somewhere

 

[richo1]

i think she is having another one how is this possible?

 

[StefanZ]

Be sure they are warm. A heating lamp is very good when handraising as you do with nr 3.

This beaphar is good. Do you have by any chance possibility to get raw goats milk?

 

[richo1]

yes there is another

Be sure they are warm. A heating lamp is very good when handraising as you do with nr 3.

This beaphar is good. Do you have by any chance possibility to get raw goats milk?

No goats milk until Tuesday because its a bank holiday in the UK. Shes now had a seventh kitten but only has 6 nipples there must be something wrong here

 

[white shadow]

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Where in the UK are you located?
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[golondrina]

yes there is another

No goats milk until Tuesday because its a bank holiday in the UK. Shes now had a seventh kitten but only has 6 nipples there must be something wrong here

Cats almost always have an even amount of nipples but cats have been known to have odd amounts as well. As for the number, cats can have as little as 4, but as many as 10! The average numbers being 6. This includes male cats as well! Some kittens from the same litter may have different amounts. You can have 2 kittens with 6 nipples and 4 kittens with 8 nipples. Sex doesn’t change the number, but purely genetics.

The 6 nipples of your mom cat are sufficient since 3 kittens are dead. Have you tried to help kitten 3 to latch on and see if mom will accept him now? Sometimes a queen rejects a kitten because there is something wrong with him.

Have you found the dead kitten hid by mom? Hopefully he will not rot in a hidden spot in the room.

 

[richo1]

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Where in the UK are you located?
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The kittens are located at a property in Dartford just outside London

 

[richo1]

Cats almost always have an even amount of nipples but cats have been known to have odd amounts as well. As for the number, cats can have as little as 4, but as many as 10! The average numbers being 6. This includes male cats as well! Some kittens from the same litter may have different amounts. You can have 2 kittens with 6 nipples and 4 kittens with 8 nipples. Sex doesn’t change the number, but purely genetics.

The 6 nipples of your mom cat are sufficient since 2 kittens are dead. What is the matter with kitten 6? Have you tried to help kitten 3 to latch on and see if mom will accept him now? Sometimes a queen rejects a kitten because there is something wrong with him.

Have you found the dead kitten hid by mom? Hopefully he will not rot in a hidden spot in the room.

I have not found the dead kitten and there is not a lot of stuff in the room I have even gone througt the litter box to see if she buried it. I shall put her and the kittens in a different room tomorrow and take everything out the room where she hid it. The mother cat still doesn't want to know about kitten 3 but you can sneak him in there from time to time

 

[white shadow]

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I've sent you a msg
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[StefanZ]

She could have eaten the dead one. If so you wont find anything perhaps just a wet spot.

 

[Kflowers]

And it's okay that she ate it if she did. It's the way she protects the nest from predators and the other kittens from infection. Do not be disturbed by her doing this, do not hold it against her. She is being a good mom.

 

[Norachan]

It is quite common for mother cats to eat dead kittens. As Kflowers said, she's just trying to protect the living kittens from disease and predators.

Keep them warm, make sure you give the mum some of the KMR as well. She will need the extra nutrition.

Mother cats often lose a few kittens from a large litter. You're doing your best, please don't feel bad about the ones who didn't make it.

 

[abyeb]

You’ve gotten a lot of great advice already, but I’d like to direct you toward a helpful article: Premature Kittens

The important things are to make sure that the kittens stay warm and that they’re eating. You’ll also need to stimulate them to go to the bathroom if mom isn’t doing that.

Thanks for caring!

 

[richo1]

she had yet another small kitten last night they all make such a noise it frightens the mother she was on my shoulders spitting at them this morning but she's ok with them now

 

[richo1]

She could have eaten the dead one. If so you wont find anything perhaps just a wet spot.

I think she's eaten it or I was hallucinating and the kitten never existed.

 

[Kflowers]

That's okay. Have you gotten any sleep? If you can't let yourself sleep regular hours can you nap two hours at a time? would you be more comfortable sleeping in the room with the nest? You might want to put them in a high sided box that the kittens can roll out of while you sleep next to it. Set your alarm so you can be sure they are warm. Since mom is a little afraid, be ready with rice in a sock warmed in the microwave, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel.

 

[richo1]

this is so so sad Number 7 has disappeared now so that leaves 4 out of eight kittens now, I wish she had left it so I could have confirmed its status before eating it.
I have assessed my financial outgoings and have decided i can keep one of the kittens providing one survives

 

[golondrina]

I'm sorry to hear about N° 7. Is she taking care of Number 3 now? Perhaps she is the one you are planning to keep?