Advice please

[dandysmom]

Maisey is certainly a good mum! But enough is enough, hope the kits get the hang of the milk and food quickly.

[kado]

I am trying to hard i am wondering. If i feed Maisey i always try the kittens with food. They would rather play then eat or drink. Should i try them before Maisey feeds them. One of them did drink water but again is the largest. They seem so freightened of the dishes and run backwards. I have left a dish of mushed up food for them and keeping an eye on them as the others like eating it.

[calismum]

Try getting them drinking first - that's easier for them. Then add a little kitten food to make it as runny as poss, gradually increasing the amount. They will get the hang of it. Gently dip their nose to it and sometimes the action of licking their nose will give the idea. Or try getting them to lick food off your finger. It is the smell that will get them going as well as the texture.

Try to keep mum away for a wee while then do a trial feed when they're hungry.

Have fun!!!!

[kado]

I usualy have to shut the others in the living room so the kittens can run around without me worrying about the others hurting them, they dont its just me that panicks. Maisey hates being shut aways from her babies she crys. I am having fun, my fingers are always smelling of cat food at the moment.

[angieh]

What sort of dishes are you using Jane? I think kittens find a plate or saucer easier than a bowl.

[kado]

They have a saucer and also a plastic picnic plate. The bowl that one of them drank water out of is about 2 inches high. At the moment 2 are fast asleep behind the settee and Maisey is washing the other ones

[angieh]

Just keep calm when you're trying to feed them! Don't worry if it doesn't work, just keep at it gently and calmly. It's good that they have taken to the Lactol. I wouldn't worry about Maisey being in the room with the kittens while you are trying to feed them unless she gets upset by it. I would also try to feed them before she does, then they'll be hungrier. Good luck!

[incy]

Originally Posted by kado

Maisey is a realy brilliant mum. She feeds them when they want too. There 5 wks on Friday but are not interested in food at all. I think Maisey has had enough or getting to the end of feeding them. Is there anything i can give her a boost with or should i be supplementing there milk with a kitten replacement one. They know where the litter tray is and i have to stop them eating it. i use catsan

Gosh, you must start weening these kittens asap Giving them lactol is only going to delay this even more imo you should not be using this. For theirs and their mothers health, you must try harder, heating the kitten food should help (they are used to mothers milk being warm). Please listen to the good advise you got from others on your first thread on this topic. The two smaller ones really need to be weened as a matter of urgency, they are clearly getting less milk from mummy cat and you could loss them. Kittens go down quick if not getting enough calories. Good luck!

[trick]

what kind of food are you feeding?
if your deperate try sone gently cooked chiken or chicken liver Most kittens fall for this although only use this as a starter as it can spoil them.
also start mixing the milk replacer in to the mushed up cat food

[kado]

They have smalled itbut thats it. They arnt that little but the biggest has always been the biggest. When they got weighed at the vets las wednesday the heaviest weighed 1lb 3oz and the smallest 1lb. The smallest was the last to be born