animal rescuers - resources - support

[suebee]

Anybody have any suggestions how to encourage kittens to suckle? Have four new charges, two weeks old - mother died this morning. They really aren't showing much of a suckling instinct. Maybe it's just the rubber nipple on the bottle, but haven't had this much trouble actually getting kittens to suck before. Suggestions? Resources?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Sue

[FeminineAllure]

Originally Posted by suebee

Anybody have any suggestions how to encourage kittens to suckle? Have four new charges, two weeks old - mother died this morning. They really aren't showing much of a suckling instinct. Maybe it's just the rubber nipple on the bottle, but haven't had this much trouble actually getting kittens to suck before. Suggestions? Resources?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Sue

Hi Sue.

I hope this helps some.
http://www.hdw-inc.com/tinykitten.htm

http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

First try finding a foster feline mother; breeders, veterinarians and animal shelters may know of nursing cats in your area. Try calling any "cat people" that you know for leads as well. Cats will very often feed kittens other than their own.

[suebee]

Originally Posted by FeminineAllure

Hi Sue.

I hope this helps some.
http://www.hdw-inc.com/tinykitten.htm

http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

First try finding a foster feline mother; breeders, veterinarians and animal shelters may know of nursing cats in your area. Try calling any "cat people" that you know for leads as well. Cats will very often feed kittens other than their own.

Thanks for answering F.I.! Actually I guess I AM the cat person! lol Me and my partner and one of our closest friends. I raise kittens for both area shelters and my partner works at the vet clinic, so I guess I'm in touch with all the local expertise. The woman who has the other half of this litter is having a hard time getting them to suck too, and she's raised well over 300 kittens in the time she's been at this. So we're feeding them by syringe for now and will see if they take to the bottle tomorrow. Thanks for the links. I'll take a look at them tomorrow. For now - it's bed, cause that 4 AM feeding isn't far away. No need to set an alarm clock. Two of my dogs let me know when the babies are crying! Canine kitty-sitters, they are!

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by suebee

Thanks for answering F.I.! Actually I guess I AM the cat person! lol Me and my partner and one of our closest friends. I raise kittens for both area shelters and my partner works at the vet clinic, so I guess I'm in touch with all the local expertise. The woman who has the other half of this litter is having a hard time getting them to suck too, and she's raised well over 300 kittens in the time she's been at this. So we're feeding them by syringe for now and will see if they take to the bottle tomorrow. Thanks for the links. I'll take a look at them tomorrow. For now - it's bed, cause that 4 AM feeding isn't far away. No need to set an alarm clock. Two of my dogs let me know when the babies are crying! Canine kitty-sitters, they are!

I was just going to say syringe...until they get nourshed better. poor babies.
Best wishes

[Tommi]

subee how are babies doing?

Cleaned out linen cabinet to get rid of unlikeable towels and sheets this weekend. They are needed at Animal Shelter for the winter cold.

Cleaned out the kitty toy box so PeachesBoi and Tigger could donate some of their many unused toys.

Plus, Pillows I hate and two bags of stuff into my car to drop off at the shelter on way home tonight.

Now remebering I have throw rugs in the garage to get rid of. Will wash first then take them over.

[suebee]

Originally Posted by Tommi

subee how are babies doing?

Cleaned out linen cabinet to get rid of unlikeable towels and sheets this weekend. They are needed at Animal Shelter for the winter cold.

Cleaned out the kitty toy box so PeachesBoi and Tigger could donate some of their many unused toys.

Plus, Pillows I hate and two bags of stuff into my car to drop off at the shelter on way home tonight.

Now remebering I have throw rugs in the garage to get rid of. Will wash first then take them over.

They're doing okay. They must have had a really good mother, because they're in great shape to start with, which gives us a little time for them to adjust. We've decided they are younger than we were told - probably one week instead of two. They suck some, but then I have to squeeze the bottle to finish off the feeding. So far, so good. I've fostered enough kittens to not say that they're out of the woods, but for now they're doing fine. Thanks for asking Tommi!

[suebee]

Originally Posted by suebee

They're doing okay. They must have had a really good mother, because they're in great shape to start with, which gives us a little time for them to adjust. We've decided they are younger than we were told - probably one week instead of two. They suck some, but then I have to squeeze the bottle to finish off the feeding. So far, so good. I've fostered enough kittens to not say that they're out of the woods, but for now they're doing fine. Thanks for asking Tommi!

Belle made me think of this thread again. Of the seven kittens in the litter, five have been adopted to really good homes. One went back to the original owner, and four went - in pairs! We were really happy about that. My partner is still fostering the two remaining boys, because we were afraid that they'd get stepped on by my dogs when they were really small. They are just little love bugs! Even when they play they like to do so right beside one of us. We're still making an "effort" to find them a home, but - uhhhhh - wouldn't it be a shame if they had to stay with us?