Hello

I have just had a man drop off 4 one day old kittens , infortunatly mum died , Jane did all the handrearing and i have absolutely no idea what to give them , so i need some help please , left a message on vets answerphone , and am waiting for a call back , but i could do with some advice now.

I have a couple of syringes and some cotton wool balls at hand and im ready to go , so i just need some help please , i do have some Whelpi , is this okay ? i guess not ?

What do i need to give them? forgive me for not really knowing , it must be a bloke thing
Dean

Hi Dean

It's just a long-shot, but try Donpipique whelping and hand rearing, tel. 01945 450440/450820.

They deal with puppies, but they may be able to help with your kittens, or suggest some organisation that could help.

Good Luck

liberty

OK Dean - talk about being thrown in at the deep end!!! At one day old, you might not be very successful, but I would try the local Cat Protection League/RSPCA (if you can bear to talk to them) and see if anyone knows of a cat who has JUST had kittens - at 1 day old they need colostrum if at all possible.

It's a bit late in the evening now, but if you can find someone who can let you have some Collate, that would be better than Whelpi. Otherwise, make up the Whelpi as directed on the tin, and using a tiny syrnge, try and get just a couple of ml into each one. Then, its warm wet cotton wool on bums! Its much the same as looking after puppies - but on a much smaller scale - and obviously you've got to feed every couple of hours for the first few days.

A foster cat would be the best bet - let us know how you get on - maybe try local radio to appeal for one?

All the best
Margotxx

Hello

I have tried calling Cat Protection and keep getting the answer phone , left a message though hopefully they will call back sometime tonight.
I will do my best with them and see what i can do for them , i dont know anyone who has kittens at the moment , i have been racking my brains trying to think of someone , anyone , as obviously a foster mum would be best for them.
I will try another emergency vet in a moment , i know hes good and if hes not at the surgery , i know Jane did have his home number incase of emergencies will have to try and find his number.
Will let you know how i get on.
Dean

Hi Dean,
You need Cimicat for handrearing kittens, I have handreared two feral kittens on this and supplemented others when I used to foster. Most good petshops will sell it, but obviously won't be open tonight.
If you can get any evaporated milk, mix it half and half with boiled water and this should hopefully keep them going until you can get Cimicat. You can also buy teats to go on the end of the syringe for feeding. Don't push the milk into them too quickly- if it starts coming out of their nose, it's too quick. If they are suckling well, you will know when they are full, as they will let go of the teat, from memory I think a newborn kitten will take about 2mls. You'll need to feed them every 2 hours.
You'll need to wipe their bits with moistened cotton wool to get them to go to the toilet.
At only a day old, they'll need to be kept warm, so if you've got a heat pad or hot water bottle, wrap it in a towel, in the bottom of a smallish box and put the kittens on top.
Hope this helps, it would be worth contacting the CPL, Blue Cross and other rescues to see if they have a mum with kittens they could go to.
I have an (accidental!) litter of kittens due this weekend, I don't know where abouts you live, but if she doesn't have too many and copes OK, I'd be willing to have a couple, as long as you know that the mum was a pet and unlikely to be carrying cat flu or anything!
Please let us know how you get on.
Liz

Hello

Thanks for that Liz , i was told mum was a house cat who has accidently got out and hit by a car , they are beautiful kittens all pure whites , which is another reason why i need to get them seen by a vet asap i know it might be too early too tell but i do know about potential deafness with them , i have made them go to the toilet i knew how to do that , but handrearing to me was a different ball game , Jane did all that.
Have got some nestle evaporated milk in the cupboard luckily as that the only stuff i can take in coffee ,
they are all in a cat carrier at the moment huddled between cuddly toys , and a hot water bottle , had to do that for the moment as they being here are sending one of my bulldogs crazy SHE keeps trying to get at them to lick their bits , i live in Northamptonshire , will get some Cimicat in the morning and will let you all know how they have got on through the night and the next few days.
Dean.

Worry about their possible deafness later, Dean, because they can't be tested for that for several weeks. You'll have done extremely well to get them to that stage. Good luck.

You're not too far away then, I live about 10 mins from Brackley!
It really depends on how Violet does, she's a first time mum and seems quite big to me!
Typical isn't it- she's a Birman who I had planned to breed from, had all blood tests done before mating, costing about £40, paid stud fee of £100 for a Grand Champion stud, mated no problem, except no kittens.
Then, showing no signs of being in season, I caught her out in the front garden- yes the FRONT! with the tabby tom from down the road, and 9 weeks later, several buns in oven!
I should have learned my lesson by now, exactly the same happened to my other Birman, who had 3 beautiful ginger boys- she's now spayed!
I can't wait to see what colours we get though- and I've got at least 4 homes lined up already!
Keep in touch,
Liz

Dean

How did the kittens do through the night? All well I hope.

Juliet :)

Hello

They are still all with us , and i have just finished feeding them and toileting them and its hard work ! Hopefully they will all make it and can be found nice homes , have not heard back from cat protection yet , and my the vet is supposed to be calling me later , to see if her has located a foster mother for these babies.

Good for you Dean - you obviously have the touch! But please - don't run yourelf ragged - take as much help as possible - and learn to say NO to somethings - you have yourself & Paige to think about as well....

Margot

Hi Dean,
How are the kittens doing?
snoopy :)