# Fading Kitten



## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

We have a little of 6 kittens who are 8 days old. There is one tiny kitten (75g at birth) and all the reast are much larger so we monitored her closely and she gained weight well, seemed to manage to feed without problem and although smaller gained weight at the same percentage as the others for 4 days, about 8g per 24 hours. For the last 4 days this just stopped. She is still feeding and we are supervising feedings every 2 hours where possible to make sure she is not being pushed out and to make sure she is feeding, not just latching on and falling asleep and she certainly seems to suckle as the others do for about 15 minutes a time but she is not gaining any weight! She has been 104g for 3-4 days now. She is not dehydrated, still active and noisy and the scales are working. I will start supplementing her with lactol but does anybody have any other ideas why this is happening?


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## Lucy1012 (May 23, 2010)

sadly it just sometimes does, what breed are they?


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_fingers crossed she puts on weight and catches up with her litter mates,xxxx_


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

BSH. The last one I hand fed had really bad diarrhoea and was very poorly on the lactol so I've been reluctant to start as she never lost weight but she can't continue not gaining for much longer so going to have to start I think. It seems so strange to me that she is feeding, seems so well but just no weight gain!


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## danniandnala (Aug 31, 2012)

no advice sorry but hoping she catches up soon...fingers crossed xx


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

It's very frustrating when you can't 'see' what the actual problem is but that's so often the case with newborns, isn't it. I don't think it could hurt to ask your vet to give her an antibiotic shot; there's a chance she has an infection, enough just to be holding her back at the moment and in my experience an antibiotic shot, given much sooner rather than later - i.e. before spending several days giving top up feed and *then* finding it's still not making any difference.

As she was a lower birth weight than her littermates I don't think you can rule out some internal 'defect' that might be preventing her from thriving but there's nothing that can be done in that case so I think the a/b's, if your vet will agree, is the best course of action.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Agree with the ab's as suggested above, though I use a crushed tablet in water (kept on hand so no vet visit) and syringe the dose in twice daily.

good luck, hope she pulls through.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks for this. Would an infection show in a raised temperature?


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## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

Sadly this does happen but if this kitten was mine i would get an antibiotic injection then syringe feed "top up" with either RC baby milk or Cimicat. I would also use Nutridrops aswell.

Wishing you well and paws crossed for this little one. xx


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Are RC milk and Cimicat better than Lactol?


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## lisajjl1 (Jun 23, 2010)

flosskins said:


> Are RC milk and Cimicat better than Lactol?


I would certainly say yes - havent ever used Lactol myself or considered it, and always use Cimicat apart from occasionally when have used RC but have not had any problems with either of these causing tummy upsets and if a kitten was meant to be they have responded well on both.

I believe Cimicat and RC are a lot closer to queens milk in constitution and easier for kittens to digest. If kittens are too cold they cannot actually digest food so worth keeping this baby warm too.

Think the advice about AB's should be taken without delay to give kitten best chance along with Cimicat/RC and with careful nursing and warmth you will know you have done everything possible.

Good luck with the baby...keeping fingers crossed for you.


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

No advice I just want to say that I really Hope your little one pulls through.
I think the advice given by jskinner123 and catcoonz and Lissajj1 are very good.


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## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

I prefer RC milk as it comes with a bottle to hand rear plus ive never had any kittens with poorly tummies with this.

Cimicat is good aswell but ive found some kittens dont like it.


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## sharonbee (Aug 3, 2011)

Really hope your little one pulls through, that is a small weight for a BSH, fingers crossed for you, we have used cimicat when we had to take over Mias last litter but they were much older at three weeks old. Although we wore more than they drank it did help them.
Thinking of you and sending some positive vibes. Let us know how your kitten goes.


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## chloe1975 (Mar 17, 2013)

catcoonz said:


> I prefer RC milk as it comes with a bottle to hand rear plus ive never had any kittens with poorly tummies with this.
> 
> Cimicat is good aswell but ive found some kittens dont like it.


I prefer the RC babycat too and haven't had any poorly tummies.

Hopefully the kitten will pick up soon. I have recently helped out a friend with her litter of kittens who were a week premature. One of those was really tiny around 50gms. And for about 3 or 4 days she didn't put on any weight (well 3gms!) but she seemed lively enough just wasn't growing unlike her bigger brothers. They are now 11 days old and yesterday the little one was 115gms and has almost caught up with the others. So it is not always doom and gloom. I only weigh my kittens a couple of times a week although others weigh every day. Good luck x


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

If I feel a kitten really needs help then I feed KMR. It seems richer than the others somehow.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

This is what I always use, and so far, so good.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Antibiotic injection given, cimicat purchased and 0.25ml administered every 2 hours over night. All we can do is keep going and hope now but she is certainly a fighter! I'm at work now so waiting for a weight update from OH!


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Shouldn't she be having more than quarter of a ml at feeding time?


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

sorry 0.25 of the syringe we are using!


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Phew! For a minute there, I thought "No wonder she's fading!"


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## lisajjl1 (Jun 23, 2010)

flosskins said:


> sorry 0.25 of the syringe we are using!


Hi Flosskins, still have fingers crossed for your baby but just wanted to ask what is total ml for syringe and have you checked and are following the feeding guide on the replacement milk for age of kitten/weight of kitten so that you are about on right lines.

Sorry to be a fusspot, just all my syringes are 1ml's or 2mls as I find these easy to use and ensure I am getting the right amount of food to the kitten, for prepared liquid feeding quantities my Cimicat says the following....

1-3 days - 20-25ml over a 24 hour period (every 2 hours)
4-7 days - 30-35ml over a 24 hour period (10 to 12 feeds)
8-10 days - 35-40ml over a 24 hour period (10 times daily)

I adjust according to weight so with a tiny kitten 10 days old but only at the average weight of a normal 3 day old I would feed the 3 day old quantities if this makes sense.

Hope this helps.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Yes as she's only 103g and still feeding a little from mum we are giving her about 20-25ml per 24 hours.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Well she's taking the milk but still not gaining weight!! Nothing more we can do but keep trying I suppose?


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

You could try giving her a little more milk. How big is the syringe you are using?


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

We've got a few different sizes - 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 10ml...... lol!
Thanks I might, I'm reluctant to overfeed her as she's having the recommended amount for her weight but if she's not gaining then I suppose it's not going to do any harm


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

If she still as keen to take the syringe feeds or does her enthusiasm seem to have waned a bit?

25ml over a 24 hour period for a kitten who is still (it seems) feeding from her mum I'd personally judge to be more than adequate.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

It's what I judged about right so we'll carry on and hope. She's a strong little mite at least! If at any feed she wants any more she can have it but I'm not going to force it as I don't want to upset her tummy.


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

flosskins said:


> It's what I judged about right so we'll carry on and hope. She's a strong little mite at least! If at any feed she wants any more she can have it but I'm not going to force it as I don't want to upset her tummy.


I agree. I think it's all too easy to overdo it... as I know from bitter, past experience 

Good luck with her, will keep everything crossed for you and her.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

That's the approach I always take too. I don't really look at feeding recs, but but give them milk until they've had enough.


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## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

carly87 said:


> That's the approach I always take too. I don't really look at feeding recs, but but give them milk until they've had enough.


That is what I - as a total layman - was thinking.
Babies let you know then they have had enough, sao I suppose kittens would do, too. If she still accepts more food than the recommended amountnnad seems to want it, I doubt if you would be overfeeding her. Not like you were forcing her to drink more than she wants.....

By the way, is she always feeding from the same nipple? Maybe the mother does not produce enough milk in some, and she seems to be drinking more than she actually does.

Just a random thought.....


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Big improvement, up 15 grams since the antibiotic injection  so relieved, not out of the woods yet but looking more positive, She only wants about 1.5 ml per feed though so think she must still be getting a bit from Mum.


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## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

Thats better news, glad the kitten has perked up, keep us updated. x


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Glad things are looking up, hope it keeps up


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Big improvement - kitten (now christened Chive) is up to 140g and having about 3ml every 2 hours as well as feeding from mum 
All the others have opened their eyes but she hasn't yet, they are just starting to come open in the corners though so won't be long!


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## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

Wonderful news, you are doing a great job. xxxx


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## we love bsh's (Mar 28, 2011)

Well flosskins ..you know the golden rule,pics!


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Sadly it's starting to look like Chive was never meant to make it, at 11 weeks she still only weighs 400g, is badly constipated and not really gaining weight. The vet has her on antibiotics and laxatives and is starting to talk about a liver shunt  but is not sure she can diagnose it accurately as the best diagnosis is an ultrasound but with her so small it sounds tricky. She picked up really well for a few weeks so she is reserved, going to have to ring her new family tonight and explain the situation


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

On that's so sad ... I have no advice really but didnt want to read and run.. X


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_oh no !!!!!! thats so sad, i thought she was going to be fine,  sending you a hug.xxxx_


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## wicket (Aug 22, 2012)

So sorry to read the sad update about Chive - you have done everything possible, sometimes life is cruel - sending big hugs xx


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

How sad, will be very hard telling the new family.

I've found with the few I've lost they do pick up before they fall, it's cruel really.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Hugs - a difficult time for you.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

For all of you that followed Chive's story I felt I should update you. She finally picked up well and seemed healthy. She never made it above 1kg but went to live with a lovely man who was well aware of all her previous problems but loved her anyway. She had a lovely few months being thoroughly spoilt, she was always tiny and had a fluffy baby coat, it never got past the fluff stage and she had a grumpy little face so she looked like a cross ball of wool. Sadly a month ago she contracted FIP and had to be put down. It makes you wonder if she should ever have made it, she must have felt unwell a lot as a kitten, then a few nice months and that was it for the poor mite. I want to thank you all for the excellent advice I received, and have added a few pictures of her. One with the rest of her litter, she's the lilac so you can see how little she was. Then her when she started to get better when she was still with me taking over the dog's bed! And finally at her 'mature' stage with her new family  Throughout it all she was a little darling, always purring and wanting to be with you!


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_thank you for updating us, what a gorgeous little girl she was, 
R I P little darling xxxx_


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Such a sad update 
RIP little Chive  you were so loved during your short life


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## aria2013 (Feb 23, 2014)

R.I.P little one


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## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

RIP Beautiful Baby xxxx

Hugs to you at this sad time xx


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## Polly G (Apr 30, 2013)

Poor little baby. So sad x


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## dagny0823 (Oct 20, 2009)

What a sad update, but I think it's happy that she knew unconditional love in her short life. Perhaps that's why she continued on--she was just meant to at least have a bit of happiness. She was a pretty little thing and I love the description "cross ball of wool". 

RIP little Chive. You'll live on in many hearts who have been touched by your story and now you can chase butterflies at the Bridge, free from any discomfort and illness.


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## MinkyMadam (Apr 12, 2014)

So sad. Thanks for sharing the pics. Thankfully she knew a lot of love in her too short life. Rest in peace little cherub.


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