Or Register for FREE!


Welcome to our Cat Forums!
Welcome to our CatForums!
You are seeing this message because you are viewing our cat forums as a guest.

You can continue to browse our many cat related areas as a guest but you are more than welcome to register and join our friendly community of Cat Lovers! ... And for free!

Doing so will also remove this message and some of the ads, such as the one on the left.

Please click here to register.

Reply

smudgley's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 3 cats
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wall Heath.West Midlands.UK
Posts: 7,877
28-04-2007, 04:38 PM   #1

feeding newborn kittens....


Ok the new cat that's just arrived today is frightened stiff.
She may be feral / semi-feral I don't know. She's certainly unhandleable at the moment & growling very loud.

As far as I know she gave birth yesterday.

The 4 kittens are in good condition & are well fed & fat (thankfully) and they were found at 1pm today & taken away from the nest, then she was trapped, she's been in a pen with them for the past hour and a half & hasn't moved from the floor area, I've put the kittens in a basket right by her, but she won't get in the bed. They are fine at the mo, but will need food soon (very soon). Obviously they should be feeding every 2 hours at this age. It's been at least 3 and a half since they were fed. The more I handle them, the less she'll want them.... Any suggestions?

No I don't have any suitable moms who can foster.



Reply With Quote


dinahsmum's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 moggie boys; 1 grey 1 red striped
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SW England
Posts: 12,761
28-04-2007, 04:42 PM   #2

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


Put them in the dark/silence?
Put them in the dark outside?
Feliway?
Rescue Remedy? (can work if put/rubbed in to their ears, apparently)
Feed the kittens wearing a clean apron and gloves?

Sorry if any sound stupid - I'm just trying to 'think inside and outside the box'



Reply With Quote


dinahsmum's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 moggie boys; 1 grey 1 red striped
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SW England
Posts: 12,761
28-04-2007, 04:45 PM   #3

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


........... and could they have one or two 'feeds' of just water or glucose water? Might that help with rejection (I believe the 'me' smell comes from the mother, through the milk, through the babies and out in their poo - so artificial feed would make them even more alien. ) So water wouldn't. It'll keep them alive but keep them hungry and shouting. That should get Mum's hormones working and the lactating zooming ahead



Reply With Quote


smudgley's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 3 cats
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wall Heath.West Midlands.UK
Posts: 7,877
28-04-2007, 04:48 PM   #4

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


good thinking.

they are in a quiet place, not dark but can't really darken the place as she's outdoors, she won't go inside the pen.

Don't have Feliway here at the mo. Only dog equivalent..

My rescue remedy is probably at work.

At least I have cat milk to hand..

Gloves & pinnies I have... I really don't want to go down the route of feeding them but I'm going to have to soon. they'll be so hungry.

Why does everything end up so complicated, she was perfectly happy feeding them on her own in her little nest under the bush.

Anybody want to hand rear a bambino?



Reply With Quote


Jac Jac is offline
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Raggie and BSH
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 11,575
28-04-2007, 04:48 PM   #5

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


So sorry to read that she's so afraid. Poor poor wee soul. Sorry cant help with the kittens unless you want to send them to me (trying to lighten the mood)
If she wont feed them, then it looks like your going to have to. With the minimum amount of "smell" coming from you I would think.
If she's like us then her boobs are going to hurt soon. She'll want to feed them. (I would think)
I hope she does soon. Sorry I cant be of any real help.



Reply With Quote


smudgley's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 3 cats
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wall Heath.West Midlands.UK
Posts: 7,877
28-04-2007, 04:49 PM   #6

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


Quote:
Originally Posted by dinahsmum
........... and could they have one or two 'feeds' of just water or glucose water? Might that help with rejection (I believe the 'me' smell comes from the mother, through the milk, through the babies and out in their poo - so artificial feed would make them even more alien. ) So water wouldn't. It'll keep them alive but keep them hungry and shouting. That should get Mum's hormones working and the lactating zooming ahead
Now that's an idea.. I have lectade.



Reply With Quote


dinahsmum's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 moggie boys; 1 grey 1 red striped
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SW England
Posts: 12,761
28-04-2007, 04:49 PM   #7

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


I'd love to Smudgley but I'm not close enough to you.
Do you have specialist orphan kitten fosterers?



Reply With Quote


Jac Jac is offline
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Raggie and BSH
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 11,575
28-04-2007, 04:50 PM   #8

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


Ps I would take them for you to foster in a split second if only I was nearer.



Reply With Quote


smudgley's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 3 cats
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wall Heath.West Midlands.UK
Posts: 7,877
28-04-2007, 04:50 PM   #9

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


Jac - that sounds funny "with the minimum amount of smell coming from you" .....
I know what you mean, but it sounds like I smell!



Reply With Quote


dinahsmum's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 moggie boys; 1 grey 1 red striped
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SW England
Posts: 12,761
28-04-2007, 04:51 PM   #10

Re: feeding newborn kittens....


Lectade - fab. Hydrate them and let nature take it's course overnight. A good night together might just do the trick. If not, you know what you'll be doing tomorrow



Reply With Quote

Reply