Hand rearing kitten

[Garcia10]

My cat gave birth to two kittens on Wednesday. She had also given birth to a dead kitten about 12 hours before. She is really poorly and is currently in the animal hospital where they think she has a lung infection.

We are hand rearing the kittens but one died earlier today for no apparent reason. He seemed the healthiest of the two and we are devastated. On his last feed he was obviously distressed and was trying to cry but no sound was coming out. We were feeding regularly with powdered kitten milk and keeping him warm with a hot water bottle.

Now we really want to keep his sister alive. Has anyone got any tips for hand rearing kittens? Any advice gratefully received. Can't bear to think we may lose all of them.

How did the little one do through the night? I fear that if Mum is ill and two babies are already dead, the babies might have been congenitally weak for some reason so I wouldn't get your hopes up too much. Were the babies definitely even full term?

Feed her very often (about every two hours) and keep her warm and (preferably) close by you to feel a heart beating and a big warm body next to yours is all I can recommend. (As well as keeping her clean and dry, particularly in the nether regions.)

I'd also be having Mum neutered as soon as she's up to the op.

Try & keep her on your chest (bare skin) as much as possible otherwise try & make a little nest with a hot water bottle

Are you helping them eliminate? I'm sure you know this but you need to stimulate them to go to the toilet or they can't go, they also sometimes need to be burped

Are you feeding them upright? It's so easy to get milk into their lungs and that can be fatal

Good luck with your remaining kitty, I'm so sorry about the others

Thanks to you all for the advice. After a a couple of hard days I'm pleased to say that the mother cat is now home and well. She took to the remaining kitten straightaway and hasn't left her for the past 6 hours. She is nursing well and is cleaning her.

Fingers crossed that the little one survives. She has a much greater chance now.

Oh good - that's the little one's best chance. Is Mum eating and drinking well herself?

Not yet. She hasn't left the kitten at all. I think she is just so pleased to be reunited. She is near to her food, water and litter tray. We'll keep an eye on them both and move the kitten if necessary to make Mum eat and drink.

If she would be happy with you close by, I'd actually mix some wet food with a little warm water and put it right next to her to see if she's hungry. She must surely be at least thirsty if she's nursing so just in case she's a little anxious with the separation and is being sacrificing. (If you put a bowl in a little towel nest, it shouldn't spill.)