Newborn kittens

I have 3 kittens that are about 2 weeks old and have no mother. One of
the cats is not gaining weight. We can find no substiture mother and
have been feeding them carnation milk with karo syrup. Any other
suggestions on how we can nurse them to health?

I have 3 kittens that are about 2 weeks
old and have no mother. One of the cats
is not gaining weight. We can find no
substiture mother and have been feeding
them carnation milk with karo syrup. Any
other suggestions on how we can nurse
them to health?

You need to get these kittens on an appropriate diet NOW. You can buy
kitten formula at Petsmart and Petco and I think Walmart has it too. You
also need to help them eliminate as at this age they can't do it by
themselves. Here is an excellent guide that will show you how to do that
and help you help these kittens:
http://kittenrescue.org/handbook.htm

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

Pam wrote:
I have 3 kittens that are about 2 weeks old and have no mother. One
of the cats is not gaining weight. We can find no substiture mother
and have been feeding them carnation milk with karo syrup. Any other
suggestions on how we can nurse them to health?

Have they been seen by a vet? If one is not feasable (money wise), have you
been to a pet store and bought some KMR (kitten milk replacer). As far as I
can tell, you are in the US, and KMR is sold at both pet and grocery stores
here. I bought a different brand but basically the same from my vet when I
had an abandoned kitten to raise - and boy did he love that stuff. Can't
remember the name of it now. Or maybe there is someone locally who can
help.

--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

On 3 May 2005 15:36:46 -0700, "Pam"
wrote:

I have 3 kittens that are about 2 weeks old and have no mother. One of
the cats is not gaining weight. We can find no substiture mother and
have been feeding them carnation milk with karo syrup. Any other
suggestions on how we can nurse them to health?
Buy kitten formula! $25.00 should be all he needs until he's weaned.
The stuff is cheap.
It has to be kitten formula, which contains all the trace elements and
proteins.

"Pam" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have 3 kittens that are about 2 weeks old and have no mother. One of
the cats is not gaining weight. We can find no substiture mother and
have been feeding them carnation milk with karo syrup. Any other
suggestions on how we can nurse them to health?

Have to imagine the help you are in search of is just a phone call away.

Why not pick up the phone and call a veterinarian?

If you tell a vet that you are rescuing these kittens (I'm guessing you
found them as strays?) they may give u a free check-up.....Hope this helps

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

"Pam" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have 3 kittens that are about 2 weeks old and have no mother. One of
the cats is not gaining weight. We can find no substiture mother and
have been feeding them carnation milk with karo syrup. Any other
suggestions on how we can nurse them to health?

The *first* thing- warm the kittens up; kittens can't digest food very well
when they're cold. Kittens less than three weeks old can't regulate their
body temperature or retain heat because they can't constrict the blood
vessels in their skin to hold in heat. .

Put the kittens in a box and put a heating pad (set on low) on one side of
the bottom of the box covered with a few layers of towels. Make sure
there's enough room in the box so the kittens can get away from the heating
pad if they become too warm. The ambient temperature in the box should be
80-85F. Stick a indoor thermometer in the box so you can monitor the
temperature. I usually turn a box on its side so the top opening is facing
out instead of up. This position holds the heat in better and I can curve
the heating pad up the back (bottom) of the box.

The kittens aren't growing because they're not getting enough protein.
Carnation milk doesn't contain enough energy, protein, and fat to sustain a
kitten at that age. Also, the lactose level and the calcium-phosphorus
ratio are too high.

Get a few cans of KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement)-- Heat the KMR to about
97-100F. Two-week old kittens should weigh about 6-7 ounces and need about
60 cc/day divided into 4 feedings. Don't feed the kittens too much because
their stomachs are still small and kidneys and liver aren't fully
developed-- they'll develop diarrhea if you overfeed them.

Hold the kittens upright when feeding so they don't aspirate the formula
(inhale into the lungs) . If the formula doesn't slowly flow out of the
nipple, make the hole a little bigger. *Don't squeeze the bottle*!!!--
Squeezing the bottle can force formula into the lungs and cause aspiration
pneumonia and death! After feeding, gently rub their anogenital area with
a warm, damp cotton ball to stimulate elimination. The number of stools per
day is usually the same as the number of feedings a day.

If they're not gaining weight, increase the caloric density of the formula
and *not the volume*-- otherwise you'll overload their digestive system--
This is why I like to mix the powered KMR myself rather than buy the cans of
liquid-- I can easily increase or decrease the caloric density as necessary.
You can buy a feeding kit that contains everything you need- all you'll have
to buy is more KMR and some extra nipples.
http://www.maxshouse.com/Illustratio...eeding_kit.jpg

In about a week, you can start teaching them to drink formula from a dish
and the week after that, you can start adding small amounts of canned kitten
food to the formula.

This is just a basic outline. I think you should take the kittens to a vet
ASAP for an exam to make sure they don't need special treatment.

Best of luck and congratulations!

Phil

Phil, Thanks for the advice we saved the babies we found them on the
side of the road someone had put them there I am sure to just die, we
love animals my daughter brings every stray animal home to me, however
I am a single Mom of two and cannot afford to take them to a vet we
have asked a few if they could take them on but all say the same we
have contacted a few pet stores but had no luck there so we are trying
I have not been the greateset Mom since I work and kids are at school
We feed them 7am 4pm and 10pm, they are looking pretty healthy all but
the one, also how do I bath them we change there bed evey night I wipe
them off with a warm wash cloth
They have there eyes open and now use the bathroom on there own we put
them in my daughters room since she has a water bed her room stays hot
but I also have 5 little dogs in my home that are curious so I can't
turn the box to the side.

We feed them 7am 4pm and 10pm

This is not nearly enough in terms of feeding. You need to feed them at
least every 2-3 hours. It's no wonder one of them isn't thriving and if
you continue this way you'll end up with dead kittens.

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

On Wed 04 May 2005 09:10:36p, wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav
):

We feed them 7am 4pm and 10pm

This is not nearly enough in terms of feeding. You need to feed
them at least every 2-3 hours. It's no wonder one of them isn't
thriving and if you continue this way you'll end up with dead
kittens.

Megan

Megan, what can she do if she can't be around for 2 hour feedings,
and can't find a rescue group to take them?

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields