I need newborn kitten help!

[Tiamat]

I rescued 5 baby kittens today at my patiens house that were about to be dinner for a very hungry oppossum. All the pet stores are closed so I can't get the small nipple bottles or the pet milk for them. Am syringe feeding them with some of the fibersource I feed me tube feeding patient. Didn't know what else to do. Syringe isn't working that well any suggestions on nipple rigging for the night? Yes, and I know there's only about 20 million jokes to have off of that one but really any suggestions. One looks very weak and I'm not very comfortable about his chances, and I don't want them to die. So help!

[SlowwHand]

Dropper is the best, or you could call the animal shelter, at least for ideas. Pet hospital.

[Tiamat]

Yup just thought of that one. My nursing skills are pretty much limited to the human element. I'm a bit out of range here. But I must say gosh are they just so cute!

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'd imagine a walmart may have some small nipple bottles... or are those still too big?

[snoopy369]

Dropper for sure. Check out the bottom of this page, it talks about newborn kittens extensively. It also talks about how to use a syringe if needed

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/howto10.html

Definitely take them to a vet or a shelter, at least for advice, as soon as you can.

[Tiamat]

Nope baby bottles are to big. Tried that we have some here at the house. The pet stores have these little teeny tiny ones thattttttttttttt wait.....walmart has a pet section but I would bet that those small bottles are specialised at a pet store. I'm sure wally world just has the basics.

[Tiamat]

Thanks Snoopy. I am I'm just concerned in getting them through the night. If I take them to the emergency vet it's going to cost an arm and a leg. I don't want to take them to our shelter they're a kill shelter and I can't do that. I may be out of the woods and ok with the syringe. I fed them as best as I could and they are all asleep now. I put a stuffed cat that we had in the box with them. So maybe they'll be alright.

[snoopy369]

Walmart doesn't show anything online, but who knows what's in the store. They might at least have milk replacement (the special milk that kittens need) or the powder - they list that online.

Since you're a nurse type, do you have anything that you could make into a nipple, something latex and sterile? It has to be completely sterile or as close as you can get, because kittens have not much of an immune system...

[snoopy369]

Kittens are fortunately fairly easy to get adopted (adult cats aren't, but kittens are nearly always adopted) if it comes down to that.

If the shelter is open right now (i'd assume not) they could perhaps give you advice at least...

[Tiamat]

Ok now, I'm not licking their butts to get them to poo But I didn't know you had to stimulate them to poo so that was a good tip to learn. Thank you Snoopy. Their eyes are all open so I'm assuming about 3 to 4 weeks. The mother wasn't very maternal.

Yup I've got pleanty of gloves I wonder if I could use that and slit the finger to act like a nipple. The food I brought home has lots of vitamins etc... so for one night I think it will work. I could make a make shift utter I guess.

[snoopy369]

My GF's suggestions:
* If they don't have kitten formula (and she thinks Walmart will), get Goat's milk, or if you can't get that, Lactose free milk (Lactaid etc.) Kittens can't have lactose, but they will enjoy non-lactose milk. Goat's is best.
* Doll's bottles (Sterilized of course by boiling or whatever) often are an effective bottle for kittens (you may need to cut a hole in them, don't use a needle but actually cut a hole, like that website i linked said, 1/8 inch or so at least)
*If you can't do a bottle of any sort, try dipping a (sterilized) rag in the milk, they will suck on that probably.

[Wezil]

Just leave them outside.

<------- I'll come get them later.

[Tiamat]

You're the man Snoop! Thanks. And Stevie, Sparky, Puss, And, Boots thank you

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by Wezil
Just leave them outside.

<------- I'll come get them later.

Oh your just awful Wezil. I'm have a hard enough time keeping Gizmo our Chiiiiiwaaawaaa away from them.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Tiamat
You're the man Snoop! Thanks. And Stevie, Sparky, Puss, And, Boots thank you

I think it's more my GF being the woman but anyway, you're welcome