URGENT ADVICE NEEDED! Ashes and her kittens. UPDATE in post #50

[Reachoutrescue]

I meant to post Ashes up last week when we pulled her from a local pound, but so much has been going on. Ashes came to us very pregnant.



Ashes started going in to labor this morning around 11am. She had her first kitten at about 10:45 pm. The lil' guy was stuck, so I had to help. The second came very shortly after, the same issue. Ashes did not do a great job cleaning them and is sort of ignoring them. I have helped deliver kittens several times before, but never had this issue. They have not started to nurse and she barely cleaned them. I cleaned them with a dry towel and got them to breathe. Their breathing is a bit labored. They are very small as well. I am not sure if they are early and I really can't tell if Ashes even has milk. Like I said, I have assisted in birth before, but everytime the mama took care of her babies. Does anybody have any insight on this?

Ashes decided to get up and eat. Now she is laying down and I put the kittens by her to see if they would try to nurse, and they are not really doing anything but what seems to be resting. I am very worried about them and am not sure what to do for them or for her. I know she has about 2 more kittens, but she has not had any contractions since the second kitten. Could they have been early?

First baby


They are alive, but their breathing is very labored. They move, but barely.

[Reachoutrescue]

I looked up some info online:

Occasionally kittens will be born prematurely. They will be small, thin, and have little or no hair. These kittens require intensive nursing care. Premature kittens often fail to nurse, and often need to be fed with a syringe, bottle or stomach tube. They also need to be kept warm if the queen rejects them.

I offered the kittens some formula from a syringe. They refused at first, but then I got them to take about .4cc each. Better than nothing. I also was able to stimulate them to urinate. I have them in the cage with Ashes on a blanket with a heating pad underneath. I plan to feed them every hour or so until I can call my vet in the morning. I just hope I can save them.

Ashes is still resting comfortably. I found this online as well:

So-called interrupted labor is sufficiently common in the cat to be considered a normal occurrence. In this case the queen ceases straining, rests happily, suckles those kittens already born and accepts food, despite still having more kittens to deliver. This resting stage may last up to 24 or even 36 hours, after which straining recommences and the remainder of the litter is born normally.

This seems to be what is going on with her right now. I will call the vet when they open at 9am. Will keep you all posted. Any suggestions or advice well appreciated. You think after almost 5 yrs doing rescue that this would not be new to me....but I have NEVER seen this type of delivery before and just am so worried now.

[G535]

Sounds like you're doing all you can now, hope they thrive until you can see the vet.

[Reachoutrescue]

Thank you. The first kitten has passed away, the second is still fighting to live, but I don't think he'll make it.

Ashes has not gone back into labor yet. Is it possible to go to term with the remaining kittens?

I'm going to try to get some sleep. I'll update soon.

[Medusa]

I experienced this w/my tortie, Pigeon. When I rescued her she was ready to deliver. Her kittens were premature, did not try to nurse and she kept trying to suffocate them. I finally had to remove them from her. She had three kittens, one born dead, another died shortly thereafter. I bottle fed the third one but it died w/in a couple of hours. Your vet may be able to give you some good advice. I did everything that my vet told me to do but the kittens just couldn't make it and Pigeon wasn't the least interested in them. She must have known that there was something wrong.

I'm sorry that this is happening and I do hope that you're able to save the surviving kittens but either way, know that you did your best w/them. It will be a round the clock issue to keep them alive until they're able to on their own with or without Ashes' help.

[smokey the elder]

I had a foster, Silver. Her five kittens were born preemie on Halloween; they looked much like Ashes' kittens. She didn't know what to do with them, and we lost the whole litter.