weight fluctuation in young kittens/feeding questions

[MillieJ]

I've been trying to do that, but I don't want to upset mum to much.

How long have you had mum? And is she comfortable around you and with you handling the kits?

Weights this am : 209g, 240g, 245g, 253g and 246g. So everyone gained at least 9-10g, including the runt. The biggest is only up 9g but still everyone except the tiny one is gaining weight and hit their 8 oz mark at 13 days.

I'm very happy with these weights As long as they keep gaining like this, they should be a okay!

 

[laccueildeschats]

How long have you had mum? And is she comfortable around you and with you handling the kits

I've had her for one 3 weeks. She got here a week before having her babies. She is comfortable and friendly with us. Loves cuddles and pets but she doesn't like it too much when I touch the kittens (at the weigh in). She lets me do it but I'm supervised and I have to show her everything I'm doing. If the kittens are whining she will chirp at me. I do bribe her and give her treats and pets when she lets me handle them.

 

[MillieJ]

I've had her for one 3 weeks. She got here a week before having her babies. She is comfortable and friendly with us. Loves cuddles and pets but she doesn't like it too much when I touch the kittens (at the weigh in). She lets me do it but I'm supervised and I have to show her everything I'm doing. If the kittens are whining she will chirp at me. I do bribe her and give her treats and pets when she lets me handle them.

Yeah that's fair enough. Keep doing what you're doing as the kittens are getting enough. If they start to gain less then it might be time to supplement and supervise eating but at the moment what you're doing seems to be working

 

[laccueildeschats]

Hello all, we lost power and internet has been spotty. Kittens are warm, safe and snuggling, and happy to say the runt gained another 9g since yesterday. Mum was very brave during the storm, staying close to her kittens despite the wind noises and scary rain.

 

[laccueildeschats]

I got another question. Is like to transition the kittens to a playpen as they are getting more active and caught a couple last night trying to climb out of the nest box. How do you make the playpen accessible to mum at the same time as impossible to breakout of the kittens?

 

[laccueildeschats]

So my little one is gaining weight but not a great amount. Like last night there was not weight gain from t She gets a couple of extra feedings from mum apart from the others. She is absolutely not interested in the bottle or syringe.
I see that she is sucking well, looking for mum, but I notice she falls asleep after five MNS of ravenous suckling. Other than that her eyes are open and clear, she only whines when she's actively for the nipples, sleeps well and I've noticed that her and siblings have been playing / been more active.

 

[laccueildeschats]

230g this am!!

 

[laccueildeschats]

And 242g this am, with everyone gaining at least another 10g. She is still the smallest but everyone seems happy and healthy for now, crossing my fingers it's keeps and I guess I'm just a worry hog. Here is the tiny nugget.

They have been exploring a lot and trying to climb out of their nest. I tried transfering them to a playpen but mum was not having it and started moving them back to the nest. It's just that they are more active so I want them to be able to explore safely and have more space for walking/wobbling. As well this is where they will be until they are big enough to explore the room safely.
any tips on transferring the kittens without upsetting mum?

 

[Sarthur2]

What a little sweetheart! Excellent gains!

Once they are ready to leave the nest there’s no stopping them. It makes mama cat very nervous at first, but she soon accepts it. I gave mine the full kitten-proofed extra bedroom to explore and play with toys. It was several weeks before they were allowed downstairs.

I’m not a fan of tents and playpens, as the kittens learn to get out of them quickly and generally need more stimulus.

 

[IndyJones]

Tents in particular are more a pta than they are worth. Hard to clean if theres an accident, and not claw/chew proof. The steel dog playpens are alright though. But anything fabric is a pain.

 

[laccueildeschats]

So now the runt is gaining weight, but my biggest girl, although close to 300gr, developed a dry sneeze. Meaning she has a sneezing fit, but no mucus, goop, diarrhea, no lethargy etc and seem to still be gaining weight, no one else, including my personal pets have symptoms (and my pets stay at the door of the room away from the kittens) The only thing I could see is a bit of dried crust on the side of the nose. I use a heating pad on low, under blankets, and there's also a space heater in the other corner of the room. Could it be just the dry air? I am in contact with the rescue about this and expect they will answer in the am but beside cleaning her nose and eyes with a warm soft cloth is there anything I can do?

 

[IndyJones]

Those paws, shes going to be big.

a humidifire might help if the issue is just dry air. If its a kitty kennel cough type virus then a medication could give releif but it will have to run its course (antiboitics dont affect viruses)

 

[IndyJones]

Also be careful with spaceheaters and keep them out of reach of the kittens, could start a fire if tipped over or burn them. Theres good reason for the expression "curiosity killed the cat".

 

[laccueildeschats]

Those paws, shes going to be big.

a humidifire might help if the issue is just dry air. If its a kitty kennel cough type virus then a medication could give releif but it will have to run its course (antiboitics dont affect viruses)

She is so big. The pic doesn't do justice to the roundness of her head, she looks like a cartoon. Mum is pretty tall with big paws too.

The heater is on the other side of the room away from the nest and has safety features, it's actually really annoying, if I walk too hard it will wobble and stop. I stopped it for the night anyway. I'll try the humidifier and maybe bringing her in the bathroom for some warm steam if she will let me. Hoping it's nothing bad and maybe just dry air/dust issue.

 

[laccueildeschats]

I do wonder... i use wood pellets for mums litter box, provided by the rescue. it's away from the nest behind a cozy chair but I feel like she started sneezing when I changed out the litter Monday night.

 

[IndyJones]

Could be dust or an alergic reaction. I'm not sure if you could try yesterday's news or walnut based litter. Non clumping

 

[IndyJones]

Re: spaceheaters,

I maybe a bit paranoied about spaceheaters since I had a Microfurnace catch a mini fire right in front of me. It stayed contained within the heater which died in a fizzle of smoke but still it was scary enough to make me a bit paranoied around them.

I replaced it with a Honeywell turboforce digital heater. It shuts off after a few hours if I forget to turn it off.

 

[Sarthur2]

She may be sneezing from the litter.

 

[laccueildeschats]

Ok so sneezy has been seen by a vet, her eyes, lungs are clear. Just a bit a dehydrated so she go some fluids in her and she's on meds for the next 3 days but otherwise she is healthy.

 

[laccueildeschats]

Sneezy still sneezing a bit, no green/yellow discharge. She isn't gaining much weight but is eating.
Mum is trying to move her babes to our bedroom. She's done it a few times. Wondering if she associates the nest with sneezing or if I bugged her too much (vet asked that I check that the sick one got her fill because little one is refusing to take the bottle). I really need to work on giving rhe bottle but despite watching videos I can't. She wiggles out of the purrito, she screams and panics. If anyone as any suggestions let me know.