Does my new kitten have a chance of surviving?

Question

my cat just had kittens last night (her first litter), she had a total of five. but the fifth kitten was a runt and was rejected into the corner of the closet by my cat. she wasnt cleaned or eating. so i fed her milk and then kitten formula when i got it, through a dropper. i rubbed her with a wet/warm flannel cloth. after a few hours, the kitten looked so much better. she was fluffy and dry and it was great! im suprised we didnt loose her! when i put her next to my cat. my cat began to l**k her for the first time, and she started nursing! i was so happy. is their still chance of her dying because she was/is a runt? and if so, what percentage does she have of living? and do you have any suggestions on what i should do to keep her safe? thanks so much!! ps. idk if this changes anything, but shes a calico(sp?) cat.

Answer 1

as long as the mother keeps taking care of her she'll be fine, so just kinda keep an eye out, great job taking care of the kitten! she should be fine as long as there are no under lying medical problems, i would call your vet and ask him but if the mothers taking care of her she should be fine

Answer 2

You did everything just right. Especially rubbing her to get her warm. I think she has a great chance of survival all thanks to you!!! Just keep an eye on her to make sure she gets as much milk from mommy as everyone else. If not, just feed her from a bottle. Good job on quick thinking!! :]

Answer 3

The mother rejected her because she thought that the kitten would not survive. After your care, the mother accepted the kitten and hopefully will continue. Watch mom reaction around the kitten as much as possible. If you find the kitten alone again or to the side of the box and not huddled with the others, do what you did before.

Just remember that if you need to do this, the kitten will need to be fed every 2 hours around the clock and kept warm. Congratulations and thank you for giving this kitten a second chance.

Answer 4

Aww! Can I have one :)

It's wonderful you took care of her immediately.

I suggest calling your vet, just to talk over the phone, but it seems to me she'll live (:

Answer 5

i think shell be perfect and healthy! congrats!

Answer 6

Well what has the VET said?  Are you really going to rely on the advice of strangers when it comes to life or death for a pet?  

But then again, if you were a responsible pet owner you wouldn't have allowed your cat to get pregnant in the first place.  These five kittens means five cats or kittens at your local shelter will be PUT TO DEATH because your kittens will take homes from them.  Please get these kittens spayed and neutered BEFORE you adopt them out - they can be fixed as early as eight weeks old.  It's bad enough you're killing five cats or kittens but if you adopt out these animals unfixed you could end up being responsible for THOUSANDS more unwanted animals if these kittens - and their kittens - continue to breed.

Answer 7

i'd say your cat has a pretty solid chance of making it if the mother stopped rejecting her.  still though, i would get in touch with a vet and see if there are any additional things you can do (vitamins, special foods after she's been weaned, etc..) to help the kitten grow to be a healthy cat.

Answer 8

Hi Victoria(:

It's wonderful that you were right there, DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS for that lucky little runt.  The fact that she improved under your care is a GOOD sign.  And it's even better, now that her mother is starting to give her some care and attention, because the MOST IMPORTANT THING for your little runt right now is for her to nurse.

For the first three weeks her kittens nurse, they're getting not just milk, but something called "colostrum" ~ which is extremely important for the kittens' health by providing them with the antibodies they need to build up their immune systems with what they need to protect them from infection and disease, to help keep them healthy now and for the rest of their lives.

So CONGRATULATIONS!  YOU did the first important steps to get your little runt on the road to recovery, and now her mama is doing the rest by giving her the nourishment she'll need to grow and colostrum she'll need to stay healthy.

To be honest with you, and to answer your last questions, yes, it is still possible you could lose her.  If they don't get proper care, runts can fail to thrive and die.  But with her mama feeding her, and with you watching over her as a second "mama", she has a good chance!

Here are my suggestions:

(1)

If she stops nursing, or the mama cat stops letting her nurse, go to a major pet store chain and buy what is called "Mother's Milk Replacer with Colostrum".  The most popular brands are KMR or Esbilac, and should have everything your kitten will need.

(2)

Pay close attention to your sweet calico runt's behavior.  If she acts like the other kittens in the litter, meaning if she moves around their bed as much as the others, nurses, and sleeps peacefully, then she is doing well.  But if you see her slow down and get quiet (lethargic), not move around much or sleep well, then she might be getting weak from not enough nutrition, or she might be getting sick, because runts can often come down with olds or bronchitis, because their lungs might not have matured as much as their littermates' lungs did before they were born.  If this happens, you need to take her to the vet right away.  If you do, she still has an EXCELLENT chance of survival, because the doctor can find out what is wrong and either give her medicine or tell you what she needs, like maybe a mother's milk supplement.

(3)

In any case, it is always a good idea to have runts checked out by the vet.  It is always easier to help a runt to live a healthy life if you find out as soon as possible if they need something extra like mother's milk colostrum or supplement, and your veterinarian is the best person to determine what she needs.

But KUDOS, Victoria!  Your sweet little calico runt has the best possible chance of survival with you and her mama watching out for her!

Answer 9

Wow! I admire your dedication to your little companions!  If the mother has accepted the little one back with out any protestation you all should be fine.  Was this her first litter?  Many times cats and other animals can be a bit irresponsible with their first litters.  Your biggest concern should be to watch over the "runt".  It may have problems nursing due to the excitment of the other little buggers!  You might consider periodic feeding of the littlest one to help boost its nutritional intake; with time it may even grow back into proportion to its siblings!!!!   Oh yeah I guess I could have said she the whole time since she is calico!  She should be fine, more then fine with your love.  Good luck!!!

Answer 10

  YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB...and am proud of you for doing so.......Now that the mother cat is taking care of her,, i am sure it will be ok,,,mommy may have got frightened,, some times they do seeing that it was her first litter..if something should change and she stops then continue what you are doing  feeding her  with a eyedropper...... the mothers milk formula  also you can lso feed it jars of baby food....STRAINED  MEAT ONLY  LIKE CHICHEN IN THE LITTLE BABY JARS  WHEN SHE GETS TO BE A FEW WEEKS OLDER  RIGHT NOW SHE NEEDS THE KITTEN FORMULA IF MOM DOES NOT CONTINUE TO CARE FOR HER...I AM SURE SHE WILL MAKE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB TAKING CARE OF HER........GOD LUCK  AND GOD BLESS YOU NEW BAIES...KEEP UP THE GOOD  WORK