Update with pics on Post 12 - Anyone have experience with supplement feeding a newborn kitten?

[Piglet]

Our Momma cat had 5 kittens a week and 1/2 ago. 1 passed 2 days after and one is so much smaller (her name is Poppy) than the rest. Last night I took the 3 bigger ones out of the box and let Momma feed Poppy by herself for as long as she would stay on, in case she was getting pushed out when the others feed. I plan on doing that a few times a day as I can but I work during the day. She doesn't seem sick, just very small. She moves around and is actually the loudest of the bunch and Momma does lick and clean her. Would it hurt to supplement with KRM? I don't want to make it worse and have Momma reject her (though she doesn't mind us being around them). Everything I have found and read about using replacement milk is geared towards orphaned kittens. Any thoughts or advice??

 

[firefly_ris]

I would definitely call and ask the vet. Especially if one has already passed. You're going to get too many conflicting opinions on replacement milk online and there could be something completely different going on anyway, not just not eating enough...

 

[morgan98]

Have they been to the vet yet? Even for just a quick check? There are "runts" of the litter. Our male cat is a prime example. He also has a leg deformity that prevents him from jumping.

I would say that if the cat is eating and developing fine in other ways supplementing may not be necessary. It may just be nice to have an opinion as to general health.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

You can get some KMR formula and see if that helps. But if the kitten is developing fine, and is just small, I'd leave it.

 

[Colleen27]

If she appears healthy and momma cat hasn't rejected her, I'd tend to leave well enough alone. We've used KMR with orphaned kittens and kittens that mom rejected, which happens sometimes with the runt of a litter, but it really is a last resort and not something I'd do if it seemed like the kitten was feeding from mom. I think what you're doing is a good idea, to make sure she is getting the nutrition she needs, but unless she starts appearing weak or sick I wouldn't go to a supplement. And even then, I'd have a vet check first to make sure it was a nutritional issue and not some other problem.

 

[nancygirl1]

I have seen this before and what has happened is that once the kitten started to be fed the supplemental milk, they refused to eat from mom anymore. It became an issue when we may have been able to avoid it if we had just worked a bit more trying to keep baby with mom.

I think a call to the vet would be a good idea.

 

[cobright]

Unless told otherwise by your vet, so long as she nurses on mommy cat, adding replacement milk may confuse her. But, get a scale and weigh the thing. She should be gaining at least a quarter ounce every day. If she's not then consult your vet (of course) and see if a high calorie version of FeloVite or Nutri-Cal is appropriate.

 

[low-key]

I have done it from time to time, more died then lived, but some made it

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I supplement fed a kitten. I had a mum cat with 3 kittens that were 9 days old when I got them. Then 3 days later got a 3 day old kitten. So the others were close on 2 weeks by the time he arrived. He would constantly get pushed out of the way because he was just so much smaller. I would often sit with them when they fed so that I could make sure he latched on and whilst he fed, they would kick him off unintentionally. I found that he was always looking for foo so maybe once a day I would give him a bit extra. It wasn't a problem with him, but I also think it would depend on Mum. Mine was a very relaxed girl. The kitten was named Neil and ended up the most confident of the kittens with the most amazing personality.

 

[Piglet]

Update: So far little Poppy is doing well. Still very small but the one is so much bigger, I think it just makes her look so tiny. I am taking the other kittens and letting her eat some by herself with Momma. She is very active and quite loud with her little meows.

 

[BrianL]

Update: So far little Poppy is doing well. Still very small but the one is so much bigger, I think it just makes her look so tiny. I am taking the other kittens and letting her eat some by herself with Momma. She is very active and quite loud with her little meows.

I am glad the kittens are doing well. The DIS demands pics of these little cuties!

 

[Piglet]

Updating with Pics - Kittens are 4 weeks old now. Poppy is still tiny, but growing (about 1/2 the size as the biggest one). She is the first pic and the second is the biggest kitten. They are all running all over and in and out of their box. They started eating some canned food mixed with added water over the weekend and are still eating from Momma Cat. I ended up giving Poppy some KMR just a couple times in a dropper, but mostly letting her alone with Momma Cat to eat without fighting so much and letting Momma drink the KMR for added nutrients for her. She is as active as the rest of them, so hopefully she'll be ok.

 

[Lynne G]

Cute kittens. Sometimes the runt is much smaller, but does not mean there is anything wrong with being smaller. My friend had a runt named Nina, that was the smallest cat I have ever seen, she was all of 5 pounds when grown.

 

[QueenIsabella]

IMHO, she looks quite healthy--active, bright eyes, nice coat. (Note: I'm not a vet, or have any kind of training, but I've raised many, many kittens and cats through the years).

The muted calico looks MASSIVE! Not in a bad way, just...big. It may be making the little one look that much smaller.

As an aside, we adopted two kittens from the same litter. We think they had different fathers--one was black, the other was orange and white. The orange one was HUGE. Seriously! And it wasn't just that he weighed 17 pounds--he had big ears, a big body structure, long tail--he was just a big cat. Meanwhile, his littermate was average--weighs 11 pounds, and has a much smaller frame. Even as adult cats, it looks like the orange one could eat the black one for lunch. We suspect the orange one has some Maine Coon in him. They're not a separate species, but they run very large--as much as 25-30 pounds for an adult male.

Just keep on doing what you're doing--the kittens seem to be thriving. And they're just adorable! I'm sure they're not a moment's trouble...

 

[Piglet]

IMHO, she looks quite healthy--active, bright eyes, nice coat. (Note: I'm not a vet, or have any kind of training, but I've raised many, many kittens and cats through the years).

The muted calico looks MASSIVE! Not in a bad way, just...big. It may be making the little one look that much smaller.

As an aside, we adopted two kittens from the same litter. We think they had different fathers--one was black, the other was orange and white. The orange one was HUGE. Seriously! And it wasn't just that he weighed 17 pounds--he had big ears, a big body structure, long tail--he was just a big cat. Meanwhile, his littermate was average--weighs 11 pounds, and has a much smaller frame. Even as adult cats, it looks like the orange one could eat the black one for lunch. We suspect the orange one has some Maine Coon in him. They're not a separate species, but they run very large--as much as 25-30 pounds for an adult male.

Just keep on doing what you're doing--the kittens seem to be thriving. And they're just adorable! I'm sure they're not a moment's trouble...

The muted Calico (I call her Piggy, LOL). She is huge and does make Poppy look so small. I'm wondering if she wasn't over due and the little one was early, as I've read that the Momma cats can conceive several times over 7 days or so. Piggy has been the first to do everything - eats the canned food like crazy. more steady on her feet, eyes opened first. What do you think?

 

[QueenIsabella]

The muted Calico (I call her Piggy, LOL). She is huge and does make Poppy look so small. I'm wondering if she wasn't over due and the little one was early, as I've read that the Momma cats can conceive several times over 7 days or so. Piggy has been the first to do everything - eats the canned food like crazy. more steady on her feet, eyes opened first. What do you think?

That'a possible--I've had litters where the kittens varied in size and developmental milestones. Not quite as obvious as Poppy and Piggy, though! Females will mate with anything going, too, which why it's common to have multiple fathers--that's probably true, too, since Poppy and Piggy don't really look like siblings.

They all look great, though. Believe me, I've had many a long night, caring for tiny kittens, and I know it's not easy. But truly, they look like they're doing great. I would let Piggy have as much canned food as she likes--leaves more of Mom's milk for Poppy. BTW, I can't say enough good things about Iams wet kitten food (technically, it's in plastic). We feed it twice daily to our 15yo dying cat. He has brain cancer and is super skinny (half Siamese--was pretty lean to start with). We give him kitten food because he needs the calories, and he just loves it. Note: This is NOT the 17 lb. cat I mentioned earlier. This one is down to 6 lb. Vet says he has weeks to live. It's sad, but seeing your adorable kittens really cheers me up--I know there will be other kitties in our lives.

 

[Piglet]

That'a possible--I've had litters where the kittens varied in size and developmental milestones. Not quite as obvious as Poppy and Piggy, though! Females will mate with anything going, too, which why it's common to have multiple fathers--that's probably true, too, since Poppy and Piggy don't really look like siblings.

They all look great, though. Believe me, I've had many a long night, caring for tiny kittens, and I know it's not easy. But truly, they look like they're doing great. I would let Piggy have as much canned food as she likes--leaves more of Mom's milk for Poppy. BTW, I can't say enough good things about Iams wet kitten food (technically, it's in plastic). We feed it twice daily to our 15yo dying cat. He has brain cancer and is super skinny (half Siamese--was pretty lean to start with). We give him kitten food because he needs the calories, and he just loves it. Note: This is NOT the 17 lb. cat I mentioned earlier. This one is down to 6 lb. Vet says he has weeks to live. It's sad, but seeing your adorable kittens really cheers me up--I know there will be other kitties in our lives.

Awwww...so sorry about your kitty and thanks for the advice and encouragement. I had never been much of a cat person - but these babies make it hard not to fall in love.

 

[mom2rtk]

I want them all!

 

[BrianL]

Updating with Pics - Kittens are 4 weeks old now. Poppy is still tiny, but growing (about 1/2 the size as the biggest one). She is the first pic and the second is the biggest kitten. They are all running all over and in and out of their box. They started eating some canned food mixed with added water over the weekend and are still eating from Momma Cat. I ended up giving Poppy some KMR just a couple times in a dropper, but mostly letting her alone with Momma Cat to eat without fighting so much and letting Momma drink the KMR for added nutrients for her. She is as active as the rest of them, so hopefully she'll be ok.

Ohh, they're so cute! Good job taking care of them.

 

[holden]

Cute little fluffballs!