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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Please help: Newborn kitten can't/won't suck - is it doomed?

45 replies

HenriettaBarnet · 12/04/2015 08:41

My cat had kittens on Friday night. One is much smaller than the others and doesn't feed from its mum at all. even if we put her to the nipple she doesn't know what to do.

On the advice of the vet we've bought some kitten milk and are trying to drop milk into her with a pipette (she won't/can't suck from a bottle either). We're also trying to keep her warm and have tried to get honey into her gums.

I'm wondering if she's doomed because she can't suckle? We've been up all night with her (in shifts) trying to keep her warm/fed. but she's very pitiful - often left on her own away from mum and clueless about feeding.

Vet said the odds are stacked against her, so I'm wondering whether all this effort (no sleep!) is worth it. Sorry that sounds heartless - I really want to keep kitty alive, but if it's a losing battle, I'm wondering whether to just leave her to her devices. Also need to prepare the dc for the worst.

She did seem to put on weight after yesterday's efforts.

OP posts:

Original poster

HenriettaBarnet · 13/04/2015 16:52

I fed little kitty every 2 hours all night, but I think it is fading fast

my au pair is spending the day holding it (I am looking after the children!) as the cat and other kittens pretty much ignore it.

cat is now taking one kitten off at a time and leaving the rest! I'm wondering whether she's stressed or running out of milk.

oh I tried Cat protection league but they don't have any spare cats or fosterers - they said I'm doing the right thing but were pretty pessimistic - again I was told that it's likely that there is something wrong with the kitten that it was abandoned straight away.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 13/04/2015 17:10

Is mother cat getting plenty of good food and liquid?

ArseForElbow · 13/04/2015 17:16

You can see a cleft palette if you open it's mouth.

I used to keep the little kittens down my bra to keep them warm, when feeding them myself.

ArseForElbow · 13/04/2015 17:17

Unfortunately for some kittens it just isn't meant to be. I'm sure you're doing your very best.

Original poster

HenriettaBarnet · 13/04/2015 17:21

my au pair has taken him to the vet. I think he doesn't have any chance at home, so we'll see what they can do. We're taking advice on mummy cat and what she's up to too. She's eating and drinking loads and doesn't seem very thin yet, but the vet said they can give some medicine to increase her milk supply.

I read some forums which suggest its quite normal for mummy cat to keep taking kittens off on their own. It's very stressful this kitten lark!

OP posts:

ArseForElbow · 13/04/2015 17:23

It is very stressful I used to breed pedigrees and lost a few.

Ratfinkandbobo · 13/04/2015 17:46

Keeping fingers crossed for kitten

Original poster

HenriettaBarnet · 14/04/2015 04:50

it didn't survive

I'm now worried about the rest - mum is taking one off at a time and keeping that one and leaving the others on their own. She's done 3 now but there are 2 that haven't been fed at all (the 2 smallest ones) since yesterday sometime. I'm not sure how long they can survive without food.

they're in my room (she gave birth under my bed) so I'm awake now worrying about them.

the vet yesterday suggested this was normal behaviour for a cat on her first litter who may be worried about her milk supply. She's feeding (herself) loads and looking very glossy, but I'm worried about the little ones.

will phone the vet first thing

OP posts:

sashh · 14/04/2015 05:31

Henritta

Sorry you lost him.

And sorry I can't be any help.

Springtimemama · 14/04/2015 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Springtimemama · 14/04/2015 08:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ratfinkandbobo · 14/04/2015 09:07

I hand reared 2 kittens after being rejected and they're 10, can you try and pipette milk feed the 2 under the bed before they get too weak? Good luck

cozietoesie · 14/04/2015 09:09

I'm sorry about the little one. It's heartbreaking even if it wasn't completely unexpected after what you had said.

It sounds as if Mum isn't that good at it - not all are and sometimes instinct goes a bit woogly for a cat. Can you supplement feed the other two yourselves and keep them warm and toileted? It can be done although it's hard going and their chances aren't so good as if Mum was doing it all herself. (My own Darling Oneago was abandoned by his Mum, along with his litter brother, pretty well at birth and their breeder managed to raise them OK - although her language about the process was fairly colourful.)

There are people posting here who have experience with this sort of thing if you need advice and you have no alternate fosters.

cozietoesie · 14/04/2015 09:15

By the way - if Mum is feeding loads, going off by herself and looking glossy it sounds as if you might just have a party girl on your hands. Remember to have her into your vet for spaying as soon as it's practical. It's perfectly possible for her to get pregnant again while she still has kittens around.

frostyfingers · 14/04/2015 09:41

It's exhausting isn't it? Our cat had a litter of 6 and lost all but 1 of them - that 1 is a feisty opinionated so and so and a fab cat but it's heartbreaking.

Original poster

HenriettaBarnet · 14/04/2015 11:07

she took one deep under the bed and left the other ones, but then I moved them to her and lay them down next to her and she started feeding them. they're still there now 5 hours later which is nice.

She's very affectionate to me and comes to me whenever I come into the room and feeds and purrs and rubs against me, so I'm making sure I get her out for food regularly. I've banned all children from the room to reduce her stress and have also gone to the vet (without cats) to get some advice and different milk this morning.

I'll keep an eye on her.

I'll get her speyed (sp?) at 8 weeks. I'll keep any kittens we can't find good homes for (and we'll keep one anyway) but seem to have a lot of people wanting them at the moment.

I do find it very stressful - I remember when we had guinea pigs, I was always worried I'd find them dead, and this is 100 times worst.

My ds was very upset about the kitten dying yesterday - sobbing and asking lots of questions (way more upset than when his granddad died actually).

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 14/04/2015 11:47

Sounds better then - maybe she needed that extra bit of help and support from you.

How is DS doing today? How old is he?

cozietoesie · 14/04/2015 11:50

PS - this may be a useful read. I haven't had to use the services myself but other posters have recommended the leaflet if this is the first time you've had a death.

ArseForElbow · 14/04/2015 14:17

Sorry the little one didn't survive. Sadly its very common.

Can you get a box and put it beside your bed and try get her and remaining kittens into the box, she may well feel more secure if they are all together in a safe place and stop missing out on feeding some of them.

isadorable · 14/04/2015 15:08

I bred Birmans in the past. I'm sure you did your best for the tiny one. You do need to watch their mum and try and keep track of their weights. My cat didn't do too well at carrying them around and bit a hole in one of her kittens while carrying her around (!). I second the idea of making a nest in a box for them. One thing that is very important is to make sure she's keeping them clean. Hope it going well now? It gets easier after about 10 days.

i would actually take all of them to a vet for a check-up asap. They can help you anticipate problems.

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