3 orphan kitties won't stop crying,can't poop well and eat way too much! Help!!

Home The Daily Kitten Cat Chat Forum Cats & Kittens 3 orphan kitties won't stop crying,can't poop well and eat way too much! Help!!

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  • #857452
    Cheshirekitty
    Participant

    So Im taking care of 3 kittens with their eyes closed and umbilical chord attached. I started feeding them with a nipple and a siringe. They all started at 2ml. Now they are at 5-7ml after 3 days and they will not stop crying! I don’t know what is wrong. They do have problems pooping. I switched from kmr to goat milk and so far only one of them really pooped a few times. But not by me stimulating(he won’t go no matter what I do) he pooped on his own after I put him away to sleep! Another kitty pooped about 1cm of a hard poop after stimulating but nothing after that. And the third one just hasn’t gone at all. Feeding them takes 30min each cause I try to feed them less but they just keep crying and crying until I feed them 7-8ml.. which is too much for a week old kitten. They are definitely not cold I keep them warm with a sock filled with rice that I microwave. What am I doing wrong??

    #857454
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Elizabeth,

    Welcome to TDKland. We’re the furriest forum around. Thanks for rescuing these wee abandoned kits. Without you, they had no chance.

    Kits cry for three basic reasons; they’re hungry, they’re cold, they hurt. They first two you can address in this manner:

    Kittens cannot regulate their body temperature so they must be kept warm. Kittens cannot digest food if they’re cold. If you haven’t already, make a nest for them. I think the best way is to place a heating pad, on LOW, covered by a towel and a soft blanket. Also, put a soft shirt of yours in their nest so the know your smell. Be sure to provide a “cool” spot for the kittens to crawl if they get too warm. Keep the kittens together so they can snuggle.

    Here in TDKland, we recommend Goats’ milk for kittens. Cats are lactose intolerant and can’t digest cows milk. Goats’ milk is full of nutrients, probiotics and gentler on their tummies. This can also regulate their poop. If you are using the Goats’ milk concentrate, mix it with pedialyte. Pedialyte gives an extra the extra boost. Keep in mind if they seem lethargic put a dab of Karo syrup or honey in their mouth. Sometimes this is all they need to give them the added energy boost to get them eating. A smidgen of mineral oil in their formula can usually help them poop. Here are some links with good information on caring for your wee kits. They may not always need you to stimulate them to poop.

    http://messybeast.com/handrear.htm
    http://askdoc.whiskerdocs.com/kitten-weight-chart.html

    Good Luck
    PG

    #857515
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Cheshirekitty,

    Are your kits doing better?

    PG

    #857540
    Cheshirekitty
    Participant

    Hi! Thank you so much for your help I added some mineral oil and all the plumbing seems to be working now. I’ve found several poops in their nest. For some reason they won’t poop when I stimulate them, only pee but they seem to be going number two all by themselves. They are something else. All three are very energetic and strong. I still have an issue with feeding because they seem to never have enough. I’m trying to not overfeed them right now. They will cry for a bit after every feeding but then they fall asleep so I think I’m doing it right.. they definitely like the goats milk way better and they are really growing fast. I’ll keep you posted on how they are doing. Thank you again!!

    #857541
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    It great to hear your kits are getting stronger. You don’t have worry about over feeding. Unless you forcing the milk into them (which you aren’t) they will eat as much as they need.

    When they’re about 5-6 weeks old you can put the stool in the box and then put them in the with it. They should figure out what to do next.

    #857563
    Cheshirekitty
    Participant

    Hi PG,
    One of three will stop at a healthy amount but the other two will eat then stop then cry and eat away again like they weren’t fed! I bought a special syringe with a natural shaped nipple so it’s easier for them to latch and now they seem to be wanting even more. I looked up the amounts they should be eating as they grow and it said the second week up to 10ml. They are now estimated 8 days old(their eyes are still closed) and the other two will eat the full 10ml and have tight swollen tummies from eating so much.. ive been cutting them off at 8-9ml just because I feel like they are overeating.. when I put them back in the nest they will meow for a bit but they do go to sleep and stay asleep. I feel like I should wait a few days before letting them eat a full 10ml. What do you think? Your expert advice is very much appreciated!

    #857592
    Cheshirekitty
    Participant

    Very happy to share that two out of three are no longer constipated. 😀
    And one of them briefly opened his eye! He looks like a cute little pirate. <3 (at least I think it’s a he. Haha)

    #857595
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    If they’re OK with 8-9 ml then keep it at that amount for a couple more days. I love the milk tummies when they’re done. Too cute!

    What’s up with the third kits’ constipation?

    I appreciate the compliment but I’m no expert. Many TDKers have been where you are and we share our lessons.

    #857598
    Cheshirekitty
    Participant

    I don’t know he seems to be developing a bit slower than the other two now. He still eats well and it’s the one that opened his eye. I will keep a close watch. You have helped me more than the vets here I called a few and got the same answer: they’re too young we aren’t equipped to deal with them. If he doesn’t go in the next few days I will try and find a vet who will help him.

    #857602
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I don’t like the idea of an enema for a kitten so you might give him a bit more mineral oil. Of course, if he needs it…

    Since he seems a bit slower put a dab of Karo syrup or honey on his lips. That will give him an energy boost. You can give him that as needed and hopefully, he’ll get to move about some more.

    Sometimes, parasites are hard on a kittens’ body. Check with vet. about when you can de-worm them.

    Now this is a sad but, important, topic. Fading Kitten Syndrome (FKS) is not a disease. It is a collection of symptoms, the very first of which might be the unexplained death of a very young kitten. It has been compared to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in human babies. It’s also called failure to thrive. It’s something that usually happens within the first two weeks of life. It can come from environmental factors, such as maternal neglect, or it can be physical, such as congenital birth defects, low birth weight, and anemia. Various infections also can play a role. FKS happens to the best caregivers.

    #857619
    Cheshirekitty
    Participant

    Hey PG so I’m really sad cause the little guy has an eye infection. ): At first it seemed like he just had the other eye shut and it was normal but then I noticed a crust and when I gently cleaned it all this green goo came oozing out. I cleaned it off until it stopped oozing but it’s still shut. He’s been sneezing now too I think he’s sickies. ): The good thing is he has his energy back and he’s eating well still but I’m so worried. He’s still constipated too. Any tips on how to deal with the infection? I added some Pedialyte to his milk to give him a boost.

    #857624
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    L-lysine is an over the counter med for humans but is great for sneezes and eyes. You grind it up and sprinkle it on their food. It helps boost their immune system. BUT, it sounds like this kitten needs to see the vet first as a lot of times the eyes can’t be cured without a good medication that is put into the eye, and maybe an antibiotic for whatever is causing his sneezes. If you get his eye seen the earlier the better. Sometimes if you let it go, they can lose the eye.

    The constipation can be remedied if you feed goat’s milk instead of formula, and add some olive oil to his food.

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