Mother cat issues, please help

[AliMaxwell]

My cat just recently had kittens and is acting quite strangely. She had 1, and then had the other the next day. So she's bonded with the first one and doesnt seem to care much about the 2nd one. She seems to take it and leave it about 10 feet away from her and the other kitten, and nurse the other quite a bit. I fear that the 2nd kitten will die if it doesnt get to feed as much as it should. It seems like it feeds only when it happens to find the mother when the other one is feeding, and now it doesnt really get to often. Its much smaller and weaker then the other, should i step in to make sure this baby kitten is getting adequate nutrition. My cat wont let me hold her down for very long so the weaker one can nurse either, ive tried twice and she just seems to freak out trying to get to her favorite baby. Thanks alot ~Ali~

[Catty1]

Talk to your vet about getting formula to feed the weaker kitten with, and also what might make the mother take to it. I heard somewhere that rubbing it with a bit of the momcat's milk might help.

You may have to hand-raise the kitten yourself...its age will determine how often you have to feed it. Again, talk to your vet...and a lot of way more experienced folks here will have great ideas.

hugs
Catty1

[moosmom]

Go to the pet store and get some KMR liquid. Also get a nursing bottle (they should be near the KMR). That poor baby needs nourishment NOW! Heat a sewing needle and put hole in the nipple so the milk will flow. Test it to see if it does. Babies that young need to be fed every 2 hours. They also need to be stimulated to go pee and poo (that's what the Mama does when she grooms them). If you have a heating pad, put it in a box with the baby, set on low. Babies also need warmth, and since Mama is pushing it aside, a heating pad will do. It could be that there is something wrong with the kitten that maybe isn't quite visible, but Mama knows. I'd definitely call the vet. He'd be the best one to give advice on such a small baby. Good luck.

[AliMaxwell]

Hi again,
Thank you so much for the replies. I went to the store and bought the kitten forumula, however they ran out of bottle feeders. I just used a dropper, but the kitten didnt seem to like it, it drank a little but squirmed and cried most of the time. The mother cat came in to investigate what was going on, and just took it away from me. This to me is a sign of her protection instincts, and she has moved the kittens to a new hiding spot. Do you think i should leave it alone now? Or keep trying? Thank you all so much ~Ali~

[moosmom]

Ali,

Since the mama has taken the baby with her, it COULD be that she's going to start doing her job caring for it. I would keep an eye on the little one and the mama to see if she will nurse it. Don't wait too long, as kittens can become dehydrated quickly.

Try to get a nursing bottle. There are other places to buy them, feed stores, even Wal-Mart might have them. Sounds like baby is very hungry so it would be worth it to search for a bottle.

You're doing a good job there, girl. Keep up the good work!!!

[AliMaxwell]

The baby kitten IS starving! When mama goes outside, i take the baby and feed her. The first time she cried and really wiggled and had no idea what was going on, but i continued to just put small drops in her mouth and she quickly got the hang of it. She was crying non stop from hunger pangs before. So after i fed her she went right to sleep. She woke again a few minutes later and wanted more, so i gave her a little bit more, then she went back to sleep again. I always put the baby back before mama comes home, so she doesnt completely abandon her, ide prefer the mother to do her job!
She really likes the nourishment and is doing much better already! I havent picked up a bottle yet, wal-mart was completely sold out, K-mart doesnt carry them at all, and i havent tried the feed store yet. She does okay with the dropper, but i think the bottle would do better. Thanks alot ~Ali~

[BitsyNaceyDog]

When you feed her be sure to hold her so her feet are towards the floor. A lot of people have a tendency to hold them upside down while feeding them, but that can (and most likely will) kill them. She will have to be fed throughout the night too.

If you have a heating pad, put it in a box with the baby, set on low. Babies also need warmth, and since Mama is pushing it aside, a heating pad will do.

Be sure to put a blanket over the heating pad, even on low it's generally too hot. Be sure she's away from any drafts too. Also keep an eye on the baby as the heating pad can dehydrate her. That shouldn't be too much of a worry as long as she being fed every couple hours and getting enough to eat each time. To check for dehydration gently pinch the skin on her back, if it stays up then she is dehydrated, if it retracts back to normal she's fine.

Best of Luck!

[moosmom]

To check for dehydration gently pinch the skin on her back, if it stays up then she is dehydrated, if it retracts back to normal she's fine.

Thanks Kari, I forgot to tell her that.

You're doing a great job Ali. Keep up the good work. I don't think the baby has brain damage. She's probably the runt of the litter and is a little slow in learning. Once she gets a little stronger, she'll probably lock on a teat and fill her belly. Mama cats have this sixth sense when it comes to their kids. If they sense that one of them is not well, or will not survive, they will abandon it. That's the way nature works.

If you need anything or have any other questions, please let us know. There are TONS of knowledgeable people here that are more than willing to help.

And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE keep mama indoors!!!!

[Killer Kitten]

<<The baby seems to have brain damage or something tho, because its not the mom, its the baby. She will root around for food for a few minutes and then she gets lost and wanders off. We have even put her on a nipple, and she just sort of turns away and wanders off. The mom meows and seems to take care of it the best she can. Ive really been paying attention lately. So i feed her the forumula when she complains and i leave the rest up to Skittles since she is taking care of her as she is suppose to. I had no idea cats had issues with babies, i thought they just had kittens and she kept them hidden till they got a bit bigger. This is rouph! >>

Remember that it's a bottle feeder kitten. They're remarkably dumb. Even the ones that grow up to be Einsteins are notoriously difficult when it comes to keeping them focused on that food source. I've found using a 3cc luer slip medical syringe works best - ask your veterinarian for a few. That way you can measure amounts and the slip end is very easy for kitten to get his mouth around.

Don't forget stimulating the little guy to go to the bathroom, that's a vital part of the process. Food in the top, waste products out the bottom, keep the whole warm, dry and clean. Repeat every couple hours until you're too exhausted to see straight.