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My cat had kittens yesterday morning (her first litter). She had 4, but one was born stillborn. There was a little complication with delivery after the stillborn and the vet had to give her oxytocin to induce more labor as one was still inside the birth canal. This one kitten is the one I'm concerned about. It is much smaller than the other 3 and is having a hard time latching on to a nipple and consuming much food. I have been monitoring them for proper feedings (mother is doing well and being quite attentive), but this one kitten seems to always need intervention as the other 2 push this one out for food and this kitten will not latch on very easily or fight for a nipple, even though we put the kitten right on one.

Question - is now a good time to supplement with KMR or equivalent? This kitten is much smaller than the other two and is becoming more and more lethargic than it's energy it showed yesterday and throughout the day after being born.

Thank you.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Status: Closed Value: $8

It may be this kitten didn't have a good enough placental placement to fully develop.
You can try supplementing but make sure the kitten is properly warm before giving it any formula. A chilled kitten (or puppy) can't digest food.
If mom will put up with you doing it you can also milk her into a small glass and use some of her milk for the baby. Warm it up before feeding - I usually hold the milk near a light bulb to warm it before feeding if using an eyedropper or animal nurser.
But you may find no matter what you do this kitten cannot thrive. This happens in litters and is one of the hard thing about breeding animals.
Here is more info on 'fading kittens'
http://www.fabcats.org/fading_kittens.html
http://www.cyberpet.com/cats/articles/health/losekitn.htm
Hope this helps you and good luck with the kitten!

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Relist: I still need help.
Thank you for your help, but I really need to know what I can do immediately to help this little thing along. I needed to know what kind of intervention I could or should be taking. Even though the kitten is now only 2 days old, I was wondering if I should be intervening with supplemental feedings, etc.

It's hard to read something that basically is telling you - prepare for the worst (even though I'm really "prepare for the worst" kind of person. I want to give it every fighting chance.

Something you said triggered something. How do you know a kitten is chilled? What are the signs? (I notice that this kitten prefers to burrow under the momma or it's siblings.)

I have noticed that the other two kittens (one in particular) fight for one or two particular teats and literally will shoo this poor thing away and it will basically "give up" and go without. I have enlisted my children who are taking turns with me (me - I've been taking the night shifts through the night) to make sure this kitten is getting some nourishment and trying to forceably keep the dominant kittens at bay while this one eats (since they both basically refuse to take any other teats than either of the last two near the mamma cat's hind quarters) so this small thing can nurse off momma.

Yesterday, at the advice of my vet, he sent me to get bottles and KMR formula to supplement what it's lacking because it was becoming so weak in comparison to the first 12-18 hours or so and having a hard time keeping it's head up to suck without flopping over. Of the late night feedings, I was told to cup my hands around the small kitten's head to help support it while it would suck and encourage it to eat more often. The vet said, if need be, the other two will need to be kept aside while this one eats as momma kitty seems to not have as much milk right now towards the front (those teats are obviously smaller) and the other two kick and fight.

The KMR feedings have been very difficult as the kitten's so small (I have it wrapped up in a small hand towel/washcloth) to pry it's mouth open and get it to suck. It's been a challenge trying to get the nipple slit open just enough to let the milk out and not choke the poor thing. (Also, how far should the nipple go in it's mouth? The nipple is so long!!)

Last night it was so weak that it would only suck for 15-20 seconds and flop while on the queen. Today, it's getting a little more time in on it's own, but I know we're still not out of the woods. This little thing is about 1/2 the size of the largest one and about 1/3 smaller than the other. But it certainly doesn't have much on it's bones by comparison!

Whatever the outcome, I want to know that I have done everything I could.

I'm curious how many have experienced this with any newborn kitten from their litters and what the course of action and outcome was.

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on July 20 2006 at 4:31 PM

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Reply to nholmes's Post: I can't get milk to aspirate - maybe I'm doing it wrong? (Sorry, when I expressed my own milk when nursing my children, I used a battery operated model that expressed for me, so as I've been manipulating her, I barely get drops! It would take less time than for me to hold the kitten's head on a teat until it was satisfied.) I agree that the momma's milk would be superior, either way.

As to the chilled kitten, I am wondering how much was playing into it. I had it wrapped up in a towel with it's head exposed and using this bottle with the formula warmed up (just warm enough). Maybe I should try the eye dropper just to make sure it's not having difficulty with the nipple.

Thank you, again.

Its hard to milk a cat for sure particularly when greedy bigger kittens are helping. I've done it using a shot glass as a 'bucket' but its not quick unless mom is really full of milk. You could try giving her some goats milk to make her milk come in heavier www.meyenberg.com could help you find a place to buy it fresh or try a can. I hand raise babies on that usually instead of formula along with a daily dose of liquid vitamins.
It can take a bit to get enough milk out of mom but it can help the kitten.
Cold kittens will be rejected by mom and can't eat well so warming the kitten can help with vigor.
Read here to see about hand raising and how much formula each weight kitten would need so you can figure out how much the little one needs per feeding
http://www.kittenrescue.org/handbook.htm

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