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Five New Arrivals!
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wouldn't recommend any vitafit or other milk-if you want to give her milk, give her baby cat formula from the vet.keep in mind in nature they don't get milk-water is perfectly fine. :-).And yes, the kits are really big for such young ones , she's doing a fab job...looking forward to more pictures!!!:D
Ah ok. I had her on Beaphar kitty milk, the formula (as the RC was out of stock) and it seemed to give her diarrhoea
Might try the RC one the weekend. 0 -
thats a big kitten indeed.It's a healthy litter. also, one thing, sometimes there is one kitten smaller because it's conceived later. Female cats will mate repeatedly and it's very common that a litter has 2 or 3 different fathers. hence the difference in weight as once the birth sets in, it's ' EVERYBODY OUT'.:D
Thats probably the reason behind the large differences in starting weight- and it's totally normal..they all catch up.
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thats a big kitten indeed.It's a healthy litter. also, one thing, sometimes there is one kitten smaller because it's conceived later. Female cats will mate repeatedly and it's very common that a litter has 2 or 3 different fathers. hence the difference in weight as once the birth sets in, it's ' EVERYBODY OUT'.:D
Thats probably the reason behind the large differences in starting weight- and it's totally normal..they all catch up.
That's mad! I knew there could be more than one dad but didn't realise some would have a shorter gestation time. Ah God love her. I was most worried about her as she seemed so tiny, but I suppose the ginger one made them all look small. They are all feeding very well now and I notice that the feeding is not as frantic now. Before it was "lets all jump on mom!!" and there'd be a crush that a rugby team would envy. Now they seem to almost stagger their feeds so there might be 2 sleeping and 3 eating anf then vice versa. I suppose they will be leaving gaps between feeds as they get older. Mom is so calm and patient with them. She's a great little mother. I wish I could let her out for a break but we worry that something might happen to her and we'd be left with orphans and also that she'll come into heat again. Will be getting her neutered whenever she is ready and then she can look forward to a nice, kitten-free life with us :P0 -
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I'm very worried. One of the babies (the smallest) hasn't gained any weight for 3 days now. She is still 175g Spent most of last night taking the others away for an hour to get her to feed, then back for an hour etc. She really doesn't seem to be thriving at all. Mom hasn't got a huge amount of interest in her either. She will sit there cleaning herself while the little one tries to feed, yet she's obsessive about the other, bigger ones. It's so unfair and I can feel myself getting annoyed with her. Hello look after your baby! I can't stand listening to her crying for food while mom just sits there and washes herself. ffs
She was feeding ok this morning, even with the others there, though I suspect she is maybe a slow eater and is getting pushed out by the others. I am thinking that it's probably not a congenital problem or an issue with low birth weight as she thrived for the first 10 days. I dont have a birth weight but day 4 was 125, day 7 was 150 and day 10 was 175. So I suspect she is just being pushed out.
Is it time to go to formula?
If she pulls through she is staying with me!0 -
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A quick call to the vet might be in order.
Other than that, personally I would try and give the kitty an extra feed with formula. Otherwise, what seemed to have worked for Finbarr -see other thread- was to give him some sugary water to give him enough strength to feed. See: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=91782308&postcount=58
Unfortunately for mother cats/dogs/etc it's survival of the fittest... if they don't think one or more of her offsprings stands a chance, they just leave them behind, sometimes they even push them away from the others
Let us know, and please give them all a cuddle.0 -
A quick call to the vet might be in order.
Other than that, personally I would try and give the kitty an extra feed with formula. Otherwise, what seemed to have worked for Finbarr -see other thread- was to give him some sugary water to give him enough strength to feed. See: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=91782308&postcount=58
Unfortunately for mother cats/dogs/etc it's survival of the fittest... if they don't think one or more of her offsprings stands a chance, they just leave them behind, sometimes they even push them away from the others
Let us know, and please give them all a cuddle.
Will the vet be able to do anything with a kitten so small? She is eating alright, but just doesn't seem to have the same strength as the others. There doesnt seem to be any issue with her being left out, she is not apart from them. Maybe mom just seems more interested in the others because they tend to shriek when they are lifted and she reacts to that. I'll start with the formula this evening. Will have a look at the sugar and water thing, seems like a good idea. One thing I did notice this morning is that she didnt seem dehydrated like last night, as the skin on the back of her neck was looser. Perhaps she just needs time alone with mum a few times a day. Hard to believe she is falling behind. First born, first to open eyes etc 0 -
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I agree with New Home in that giving the kitten a little feed all by herself would be a good place to start, it doesn't sound like she's off her food, it's more a matter of access. If she takes it for you easily enough then that's probably all there is to it, give her the extra nourishment for a few days and see how she comes on. If there's no improvement or she appears to be deteriorating in any way, then I'd say maybe it's time for the vet. You have taken on so much there and have so many of them to mind, looking into Blue Cross might be an option for you, a little help anyway. Reading "she's staying with me" made me laugh out loud.........you remind me so much of myself........big softies!!!!!!!!!!
Going to call parents now for an update. They said they'd give her an horu to herself and see how she is feeding. I mean, if they were all like her I wouldnt be worried. It's just that the others are so big and boisterous that they make her look tiny and quiet Thanks for the info I really appreciate it 
Hope she takes a feed tonight. Fingers x'd 0 -
OldNotWIse wrote: »Going to call parents now for an update. They said they'd give her an horu to herself and see how she is feeding. I mean, if they were all like her I wouldnt be worried. It's just that the others are so big and boisterous that they make her look tiny and quiet Thanks for the info I really appreciate it Hope she takes a feed tonight. Fingers x'd
Ok. sorry i've been away, had internet troubles.:mad:
Can you get your hands on rice flower also called rice powder?
They are about 2 weeks now i guess.If you can get it, mix half a sandwich knife into the kitten formula., just enough to make it a bit thicker than the milk, but not so thick that it won't flow through.It's what is given to human babies when they don't gain weight.It's extremely light but it will give her the extra boost she needs to catch up with the others.Done it many times, always worked IF there is nothing else wrong.0 -
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Spoke to my parents just now. My Dad has been onto the vet and he said to put the small one feeding at the back. Apparently this is where all the nutrition is, and rightly enough this is where the ginger whopper has been ensconced since he was born. We had a re-location over the phone:
Mam: Your father is moving her now. No the back one! Wait....the ginger one is boxing her...
Me: ok there is a box there with a blanket, you can put the ginger one in that for an hour and leave it in my bedroom
Mam: ok! Take the ginger one out! The ginger yeah, just take him...no you wont drop it...oh here....Yeah the orange one!
Pause...scuffle....clatter (wtf are they doing to my kittens?!)
Mam: ok he's in the box. The little one is at the back now. She is moving around grand
Me: I dont need to know if she is moving around, I need to know if she is feeding
Mam: wait hang on I cant see. I'll get your father to kneel down and see. What? Your knees are grand ouwa that, can you bend down and check? Is she feeding? What do you mean you can't see? .... are you there? She's feeding, yeah she's feeding. 0 -
All five still doing well. The little one seems to be feeding ok, although she needs a nudge every so often. I have found that taking away the other four doesn't work that well - she tends to just sit there. But, if i take away the two bigger ones and leave her and the other two smallies, the three feed well together. Perhaps she needs those two to be feeding also and then thinks, hang on, I might do that! I can't think of any other reason why she feeds better with two than alone or with four
Anyway whatever works is good. Her weight is still 175 though. I tried her with the Royal Canin and she was having none of it. Didn't want to force her due to risk of aspiration etc and if we can get her feeding from mom it's much better. The ginger monster loved the bottle of course, and was punching the sides to get more milk out
Good thing about leaving the ginger one out is that I have to keep him with me for half an hour or whatever amount of time she needs to feed. Love this time with him. Last night I sat on the bed with him and he lay on his back in my hands (in the last two days he has outgrown one hand), staring up at me as I spoke to him. Then (grab the tissues) he purred! Couldn't believe such a tiny guy could purr already. He did a super cute stretch and yawn and then when I tickled his belly he tried to hit me with his front paws *in love*
...but I still want to keep the little black one. I am really praying she pulls through. Is it a concern that she has not gained weight yet? The vet my dad spoke to said they sometimes increase in spurts, and perhaps she is just a small cat.
Weights as of last night:
Ginger: 230g
Large black: 220g
Like Mom: 190g
Stripe: 190
Small black: 175g0 -
OldNotWIse wrote: »All five still doing well. The little one seems to be feeding ok, although she needs a nudge every so often. I have found that taking away the other four doesn't work that well - she tends to just sit there. But, if i take away the two bigger ones and leave her and the other two smallies, the three feed well together. Perhaps she needs those two to be feeding also and then thinks, hang on, I might do that! I can't think of any other reason why she feeds better with two than alone or with four Anyway whatever works is good. Her weight is still 175 though. I tried her with the Royal Canin and she was having none of it. Didn't want to force her due to risk of aspiration etc and if we can get her feeding from mom it's much better. The ginger monster loved the bottle of course, and was punching the sides to get more milk out
Good thing about leaving the ginger one out is that I have to keep him with me for half an hour or whatever amount of time she needs to feed. Love this time with him. Last night I sat on the bed with him and he lay on his back in my hands (in the last two days he has outgrown one hand), staring up at me as I spoke to him. Then (grab the tissues) he purred! Couldn't believe such a tiny guy could purr already. He did a super cute stretch and yawn and then when I tickled his belly he tried to hit me with his front paws *in love*
...but I still want to keep the little black one. I am really praying she pulls through. Is it a concern that she has not gained weight yet? The vet my dad spoke to said they sometimes increase in spurts, and perhaps she is just a small cat.
Weights as of last night:
Ginger: 230g
Large black: 220g
Like Mom: 190g
Stripe: 190
Small black: 175g
Good work. Now, i need you to check if she is dehydrating. That means she might be runny and thats why she's not gaining weight. it's fairly easy to do.
Take the big ginger first and carefully pull up the tiny lips to look at the colour of his gums-they should be nice n pink.. Than take the ikkle one and look at hers-look at ginger so you have an idea what pink gums should look like. If she's pale, there's something else. You can also (gently) pull the scruff of the kitten lightly and see if it slips back easy.Letting the 3 little ones feed together is an excellent idea.0 -
Good work. Now, i need you to check if she is dehydrating. That means she might be runny and thats why she's not gaining weight. it's fairly easy to do.
Take the big ginger first and carefully pull up the tiny lips to look at the colour of his gums-they should be nice n pink.. Than take the ikkle one and look at hers-look at ginger so you have an idea what pink gums should look like. If she's pale, there's something else. You can also (gently) pull the scruff of the kitten lightly and see if it slips back easy.Letting the 3 little ones feed together is an excellent idea.
thanks! I am at work but I will call home with these instructions. I didnt know about the gum test but I knew about the scruff one, and I had noticed on Sunday that her skin wasn't as loose as the others but on Monday and yesterday that had rectified itself. They are two weeks today. I thought we would be out of the woods by now 0 -
That's such a lovely update, and I laughed out loud at your parents conversation! Isn't it funny how cats, no matter what age they are, can bend us to their will, their wish is our command!!!
If the little one is still feeding with Mum, even in little sessions, I wouldn't worry too much. There's usually a kitten or puppy that's much smaller than the rest and with all the care you're giving her, she's likely to make it just fine. She may very well turn out to be a small cat but if she's anything like my tiny Molly, she'll have an attitude that more than makes up for it. I saw Molly giving an adult fox a serious run for his money in the garden one day and he's the one who admitted defeat in the end. Small cats don't impact the solar plexus in quite the same way as bigger ones.........when they land on you in the middle of the night for example!
Looking forward to more news as things develop. 0 -
If it has rectified itself I'd say it's probably fine and she just needs to catch up..don't worry i'd say it's good just doublecheck. You'd be in bigger trouble if she would be loosing weight and she isn't.OldNotWIse wrote: »thanks! I am at work but I will call home with these instructions. I didnt know about the gum test but I knew about the scruff one, and I had noticed on Sunday that her skin wasn't as loose as the others but on Monday and yesterday that had rectified itself. They are two weeks today. I thought we would be out of the woods by now 0 -
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OldNotWIse wrote: »Called mum, she checked the big one and the little one - "both pink" (and lots of shrieking!)
onwards and upwards than..keep doing what your doing and Ruby Tuesday will be fine.:D0 -
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OldNotWIse wrote: »This is Ginger. He's now 200g, although here he is only one day old, and coming in at around 110g.
Remember this one? Well now he's hit 260g 0 -
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All still doing very well, thank God Four weeks tomorrow and I promise I will put up pics for their 4 week anniversary! The ginger lad has such an amazing personality. He already prefers human company to being with the others. Last night I held him in my arms and he rolled onto his back and gazed up at me with his giant blue eyes. He started batting my nose when I told him he is the most beautiful boy, and I even got little kisses from him (probably looking for food I know!). He is lapping a little now, although there is some confusion regarding the saucer - he walked in it last night and then had a temper tantrum because his paws were wet so invarviably needed more cuddles to recover from that!
My little black one is a bit behind the others walking, she can't quite do it yet but she runs and stumbles, runs and stumbles etc. I was a bit paranoid for a while thinking she might have a neurological problem but she seems to be improving. Just a bit more wobbly than the rest. She has beautiful almond shaped eyes and although she has gained weight, is quite petite and will be a little beauty.
The one with the mohwak and the one that's like mum are both quite outgoing and are already showing a preference for being up in my arms. When they see me they start to shout at me and when I pick them up they settle in ok. Beautiful green/blue eyes. They also like to lie on their backs in the den and play boxing with each other. Would be great to home them together!
The big black one is the teddybear of the litter. Jet black, not a white patch anywhere, even has little black pads on his paws. He is fat and fluffy and has a huge head. He's just a furball really, and very shy and quiet, hence why he is the teddy bear I will try to home him with people who perhaps don't have kids or other animals, I think he will be very quiet.
Neighbour coming in tonight to help sex them. I would love if she took one. She loves animals even more than I do, and has one cat (the other died last year). I am praying she takes the little black one as my heart is breaking thinking of never seeing her again, but I am also aware that I hardly have time for my own cats, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her
The Ginger is going to a couple that I know who have just bought a house (in Santry). Had a mild panic attack when I heard that in case of road accidents etc but I guess they are hardly living on the santry bypass Great that we can still see him from time to time.
Only 3 can feed at the same time now, it's weird how fast they grow. Also funny when you walk past and you feel five pairs of eyes watching you. They're like, "ooooooom'gawd man....there's like another world out here!"
Mom is doing very well. Never stops eating but she's working hard and seems to be in good health. Hasn't lost any weight (aside from the belly).Super patient with them and very relaxed. She is booked in for spaying when the guys are 8 weeks.
Photos soon I promise.0 -
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delighted with the update..and don't worry about the ikkle one..she was probably conceived last and is just a tad behind. She'll be fine, frickin well done...(and you should keep her)
I'd love to but I already have...(stops to count)...9 others! :eek: They all seem to have different dietary and medical needs, plus they get on/don't get on with each other in various combinations so I am constantly running between them all with tablets, eye drops, different food and making sure 1 and 2 are inside while 3,4 &5 are out and vice versa. Then at night, 6 & 7 in bedroom, make sure 8 has been fed (he's an elderly farmer neighbour's cat who shows up for grub at the same time each night) etc....Oh no wait, 8 is mom...argh :pac: I'm in danger of becoming a hoarder
4 weeks later....
"Hi I'm here to re-home a kitten"
"Oh yes, um...here you go"
"Er this is a fat, old cat?"
"Oh no no, he's just very big for his age!"
Next person
"Here's that kitten you wanted"
"Um..this is a 15 year old cat with one functioning eye and the tips of both ears missing"
"I know.....she's a beaut isn't she? - the pride of the litter she is!" 0 -
hahahaha...ah well..I've 25....:rolleyes:OldNotWIse wrote: »I'd love to but I already have...(stops to count)...9 others! :eek: They all seem to have different dietary and medical needs, plus they get on/don't get on with each other in various combinations so I am constantly running between them all with tablets, eye drops, different food and making sure 1 and 2 are inside while 3,4 &5 are out and vice versa. Then at night, 6 & 7 in bedroom, make sure 8 has been fed (he's an elderly farmer neighbour's cat who shows up for grub at the same time each night) etc....Oh no wait, 8 is mom...argh :pac: I'm in danger of becoming a hoarder
4 weeks later....
"Hi I'm here to re-home a kitten"
"Oh yes, um...here you go"
"Er this is a fat, old cat?"
"Oh no no, he's just very big for his age!"
Next person
"Here's that kitten you wanted"
"Um..this is a 15 year old cat with one functioning eye and the tips of both ears missing"
"I know.....she's a beaut isn't she? - the pride of the litter she is!"0 -
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