how do you know if your newborn kitten is getting enough?

Question

i have a 6 day old kitten and his mother seems like she doesnt want anything to do with him,he cry's and cry's..and im getting worried,the mothers nipples have wht looks like blood blisters on them. is that normal?this is my first litter of kittens,ive tryed giving him kitten formula but he fights me and i can hardly get any in to him...PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

A cat will refuse to feed a kitten if she senses there's something wrong with it. Since the kitten won't feed when you try, either, I'd suspect something's amiss with the kitten itself. That being said, the mother could just be one of those cats that doesn't take to mothering. Call a vet SOON. It won't take long for that kitten to deteriorate past the point of no return if he's not properly cared for.

And I highly recommend getting your adult cat spayed as soon as possible. There are already way too many cats in this world.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I know it might seem hard but you'll just have to keep trying with the kitten. The good news with this though if the kitten is fighting it means it's got energy so you're doing something right! Keep your chin up!

Try putting the kitten formula on your finger to warm it up to body temperature before putting into the kitten's mouth (obviously make sure your fingers are clean first). If this doesn't work try a small syringe (use very little pressure!) or an eye dropper, anything that might be a similar size but can be sterelized.

First time 'mother' cats are anxious, this is normal and very common but understandably not nice at all. After a few days though the milk should start to be absorbed back into the mother so the swelling should go down if she still doesn't want to feed the kitten.

The only thing you can really do with the cat is keep trying to put it with the kitten and show her the kitten. If you have a cage try caging them together but keep an eye that the mother doesn't try moving the kitten or banging it against the cage.

Other things that can affect the cat is if the surrounding is unfamiliar (not in its favourite room), not warm enough or too much background noise.

I've included a few helpful links too:

http://www.catclub.net/index.cfm/area/information/page/kitten%20newborns

http://www.cat77.org.uk/articles/rearing.htm <--- this article is mainly for hand rearing kittens, this one would probably help the most.

Hope i've helped, keep up the good work too

Answer 3

I'd call your local vet's and describe the symptoms. They may be able to help. Also, if this is the cat's first kitten, this may be normal. New mothers can sometimes be overwhelmed and reject the baby simply because they are unaware of what is required from them. You can tell that it is feeding because it's stomach will be round and warm. But if it isn't feeding, a vet is a priority. The kittens need the mother's milk, or a good milk replacement, to survive into healthy adulthood.

Answer 4

the best way to tell if they are getting enough is thier bellies should be plump. are the blisters in a circle around the nipple? if the are then thats normal but if not you should take her to the vet they could be pimples from irritation from nursing. if hes not wanting the kitten formula try warming it up a bit it might be a little cold (it should be just slightly warm kind of the same temp you would feed a human baby). if he fights try to rub his belly while you feed him.
have a good day

Answer 5

You can try to bottle feed him when ever he cries.

Answer 6

Check out www.kittenrescue.org/handbook.htm and/or www.kittencare.com -- hope this helps!