I'm having kittens......! UPDATE New Pics!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Oh bless them    They look rather bedraggled!  But glad the little grey one is taking in food.

[**TINA**]

Awww bless them, well done x x x

[madkittyrescue]

I've just caught up with this thread Gillian - well done it is really hard work but so worth it in the end to see them thrive.

I have a stockpile of the RC Bottles so let me know if you want me to send you down some - no problem at all xx

[Gillian Harvey]

Are their eyes not open yet, Gillian, or is it just that they are asleep? 

Yep, eyes fully open, they were just sleeping like babies after their exhausting trip to the vets!

Hard work? aint that the truth! 

I'll try and get a better pic - Gill, the grey one has got its little paws resting on the black one whose head is to the left - doesnt help that they are on black and grey vetbed LOL! 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Are their eyes not open yet, Gillian, or is it just that they are asleep? 

I know only full well what hard work they are so I'm sending big hugs to you. 

[maryas]

You're a cheeky ones.... taking them to the vet for a wash and blow dry 

They are so tiny and cute - keep up the good work.

Mary

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Every time I see the title of this it makes me smile 

You are doing so well and hope they will be OK, I can see the grey one but not sure if all that black is the other 

Keep up the good work 

[Leanne]

  what cuties

[Gillian Harvey]

Been to vet this morning, we had to wait for her to come back from the other branch - when we finally got in there - black kitten had pooped and grey kitten was smothered from head to tail, ewwww  . Vet and I donned gloves and holding at arms length LOL! - washed both kittens off, then got the hairdryer on them - kittens loved that!

Anyway she was pleased with how the grey one was doing although she thought he/she was still a bit bloated - gotta go back tomorrow for another antibiotic jab just in case, plus he's got sore eyes - so eye ointment too.

They were a bit chilly after all that, so got them home, gave them a feed - grey one took 10ml straight off, no fuss, yay! fresh clean bedding (again  ), hot water bottle, halogen heater on in their room as its a bit cooler here today, and finally - sleeping babies.....

Anyway, sorry, rubbish photo - and excuse the state of them, little bedraggled things, especially grey one, (looks like a little mouse!) we cleaned them up best we could.....

[Teresa Pawcats]

Sounds like your doing a great job there, look forward to todays update.

[LesleyW]

PM me your address Gillian and I'll get them in the post to you tomorrow.

[Gillian Harvey]

Well the early evening feed went much better - he just latched onto the syringe straight away - and was even pulling the plunger down himself as he sucked, got quite a bit into him - but the later feed wasnt so good initially, but did manage to get him to take a good amount I think. Thanks for the offer of the teats Lesley,  yes please, I've not been able to get to PAH what with one thing and another!

I've got to take him back to the vet again tomorrow morning to get him checked over.

I've got a piece of rolled up fur (synthetic) in with them - I cut it off an old coat LOL! Typically, after I put the hot water bottle in, they cuddled up to it - the next time I looked, they'd moved away from it!

btw think vet means hypo not hyper

Yep, thats the one! 

[LesleyW]

I agree with Teresa, only split them up as a last resort if you can't control the suckling, they should always do better together.  You could try a small teddy bear or something and he may suckle that instead of his sibling, as long as he can't suck the fur off.
 
Did you get any of the little teats I mentioned to go on the end of a syringe.  I am sure I've got some I could send you if you want to try them.
 
I would think the hot water bottle will help keep them comfortable as well, I always give heat source to orphaned babies, they cannot regular their own heat so cold can be dangerous.
 
Good luck, you're doing a wonderful job.

[maryas]

Aaw Gillian   

You're doing greta.  I took Bonnie for her annual booster today and there were lots of people with kittens so I was stroking all of them and listenning to all the stories about them - they are so hard to look after when so young.

You and everyone else who takes care of them deserve a medal. 

Mary

[Teresa Pawcats]

Welcome to the poop club     little one will feel much better now its out and hopefully feed better. The Lectade is excellent stuff for calming tums.I should try to avoid splitting them, just keeping pulling little one off when you spot him.
Good Luck.

btw think vet means hypo not hyper

[Gillian Harvey]

Thanks 

I took them to the vets this morning as worried about the grey one. Vet thought he may be a bit hyperglyceamic (sp?) through not feeding enough and may be colicy making him uncomfortable. Also, she thought there was a bit of infection possibly from the mum, so he's had an antibiotic, and she's given me some Fortiflora probiotic and Lectade, which he took some of when we got home. He did the most horrible runny poo when we got back too  couldnt believe how much poo from such a tiny kitten   

They are 15 days old now, black one weighs 210 g and grey one weighs 150g - and yes, they now have a hot water bottle in the carrier - I was told initially they wouldnt need heat but vet reckons they do.

As Lesley has said beware of him suckling litter mate, be especially wary they do try and suckle genitals which can be dangerous.
Have you tried a Royal Canin bottle, they are brilliant.

Yes, thats what the grey one is doing - I should split them up then really?

No havent got the RC bottle - am using the Catac (banana shape) bottle, which is working fine for the black one. Vet recommeneded syringe for the grey one, but he is so difficult, just moves his head about to get away from it  I'll have a go with the teaspoon as well. They are being fed every 4 hours or so now.

[Teresa Pawcats]

Have you tried a Royal Canin bottle, they are brilliant.

You're another one that can use one of those maddening bottles, Madkittyrescue recommends them, but I can't get them to work - what is the secret with the 1, 2 and 3 on them?

The numbers are to do with speed of flow and match kittens age ie. No 1 up to 1 week, No 2 up to 2 weeks and so on.My eyesight has been so bad I havent spotted those numbers in ages. I really would give them a go again, so much simpler. Difficult to see tiny amounts gone when feeding newborns but I managed fine with Mac recently, they are also unliked by kittens who have had the luxury of a real milk bar but a bit of milk on teat and away you go with hungry one.

[LesleyW]

Unscented baby wipes are brilliant for cleaning tiny ones.
As Lesley has said beware of him suckling litter mate, be especially wary they do try and suckle genitals which can be dangerous.
Have you tried a Royal Canin bottle, they are brilliant.

Yes, I also use unscented babywipes, Asda 50p for a pack of 80.
 
You're another one that can use one of those maddening bottles, Madkittyrescue recommends them, but I can't get them to work - what is the secret with the 1, 2 and 3 on them?

[Teresa Pawcats]

Unscented baby wipes are brilliant for cleaning tiny ones.
As Lesley has said beware of him suckling litter mate, be especially wary they do try and suckle genitals which can be dangerous.
Have you tried a Royal Canin bottle, they are brilliant.

[Angiew]

How old are they now?
If nothing else is working you could try trickling it into his mouth via a small teaspoon. I hate using syringes as I always find them hard to regulate the flow, but a small teaspoon or egg spoon may be an easier option.

[LesleyW]

Just be careful if he is suckling the other one, they can damage each others skin if they suckle too much.  If it continues to excess in a specific place on one kitten, it may be necessary to separate them.
 
It is sooo hard when you have one that is not easy to feed.  How often are you feeding them now Gillian? and how old are they now.  Do you have a heat source for them when they are in their "nest"?

[Gillian Harvey]

Not going so well today, little grey kitten not feeding very well, he's hungry, keeps suckling the other kitten's bottom  and generally suckling anything - other than the flippin teat! He was difficult to get started with the suckling right from the start, but once he'd latched on he was generally ok, but not drinking nearly as much as the other one - but today each feed has been a struggle, he's not taking enough I'm sure, although he has actually put on weight, albeit a tiny amount. He looks so different from the other one who is twice his size anyway - that one looks like a proper kitten now, the grey one looks like a little weasel  - it didnt help that I had to clean up his face and head and now his fur is all slicked back.

They are both looking a bit bedraggled - I'm cleaning them just with warm water (faces and bottoms) after each feed but I'm a poor substitute for a mum's tongue 

Any tips would be gratefully received! 

[maryas]

Batteries charged for your camera yet    Can't wait 

Mary

[Leanne]

Hope its all going well?

Can't wait to see pics.

[Gillian Harvey]

Ah, ok thanks    that sounds like it might suit the little grey one. I'll see if I can get to PAH tomoz. 

[LesleyW]

I get a one or two ml syringe and then buy Mikki Mothering kits (I think you can get them from PAH).  I ditch the bit that looks like a pill giver (and I am sure that what it is  ) but attach the teat bits to the syringes and use that - easier to get it into the kittens mouth.

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/digestive-supplements-early-pet-care-c-5_270/mikki-mothering-kit-p-2559

[Gillian Harvey]

Phew! Just come up for air! LOL!

They are actually about 10 days old, one black with some white bits and one grey with some white. I picked them up yesterday lunchtime - the fosterer who had them temporarily demonstrated the feeding etc with the little grey one, then I had a go with the black one. The black one is easy to feed, starts sucking straight away, but the grey one doesnt really get the sucking idea! very difficult to get enough into him - I was warned that that one isnt feeding as well as the black one, and boy does it squeal!

Fosterer gave me some Climacat plus a little feeder - its a clear plastic sort of dropper with a bulbous bit that you squeeze at the end - is that the best thing to use? It seems to be fine for the black one, but I'm wondering if there might be something different I could try for the grey one to see if that helps him/her feed better.

The black one's eyes are opening already, grey one is a bit behind I think - their little ears move when they are sucking, so cute 

No pics yet, camera batteries are recharging - later....

[Desley (booktigger)]

Good luck - the rescue are certainly keeping you busy!!

[purrdy1]

  good luck and lots of love xxx

[Shirley]

Good luck Gillian!    Hope poor mum recovers     RIP little ones 

[Dawn F]

best of luck Gillian, I'm sure you will do a great job!

[Shiroi-Neko]

Best of luck!  It's is very tiring  but so rewarding!

[Rosella moggy]

  Gillian.  Sending you very best wishes and the two little uns.  Eager to hear how things go .... if you get time 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

I had to bottle feed Issey's kittens as she had terrible Mastitis -

Its hard work and very tiring but also very enjoyable

You'll do fine Gillian, good luck xxxxxx

[LesleyW]

Good luck Gillian, you'll be great -but tired. 

[Janeyk]

  Best of luck! look forward to updates 

[Kirst]

Good luck Gillian , I'm sure you will be fantastic!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Loads of luck Gillian 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Gillian - I'm sure you'll do a grand job... look forward to the pics! 

[maryas]

OMG Gillian - 2  7day old kitties - I've a feeling the camera will be getting some action - yipppeeeeee 

Good luck - a shame about mum and the other kitties.

Mary