# Well, I'm a "Grandma..."



## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Cookie had her kittens last night (and one more late this morning). A total of five, all look to be shorthaired, a couple of gray tabbies and three that look like they'll be black or b/w (hard to tell yet).

Sadly, I don't think the outlook is too good. Cookie developed a raging URI the day before she had the kittens (which is never good), and it's really obvious that this is her first litter...she had no clue what to do with the kittens when they came out (the staff had to clean them up and get them nursing), and if anyone goes near her cage, she jumps up, with kittens hanging off her, and goes to be patted...usually stepping on one or more kittens in the process and forgetting they're there.

So, needless to say, I didn't stay long to visit or take pictures because I was afraid she'd tromp all over the kittens trying to get attention. As soon as she gets a bit more used to motherhood, I'll have another go at it.


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## PrincessClaire (Jan 16, 2004)

It's good that the kittens arrived safely I'm sure her maternal instincts will kick in sooner or later please keep us up to date with her progress


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Well, it doesn't look very good for the kittens. Cookie is completely clueless, isn't a good momcat; she doesn't seem to notice the kittens, and is always stepping on them or lying on top of them. They're all severely undersized and not nursing well, even when mom is around and willing. Worse, Cookie has stopped eating because she feels so lousy from the URI. Not even Fancy Feast smelled enough to be desirable (and she's already extremely emaciated as it is). On the other hand, the kittens wouldn't have even lasted this long outside, and I suspected this would happen, but it's still very sad. We don't even think they'd survive being hand-raised, they are that small and weak.

<sigh>


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## Feral Fan (Feb 9, 2005)

Poor babies, not much more you can do, there is a point where it is either meant to be or not and there is nothing more you can do unfortunately. I really hope that these babies make it though. We had a little girl like this at our rescue org. Completely ignored her baby and the kitten (Cubby) was being hand raised for a while, then it just struck momma cat that she was a mom and she started taking care of her again. I will keep my fingers crossed that Cookie realizes this too. 

Hopefully we will hear a better update from you soon, you have done a wonderful thing for little Cookie!


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Bad to worse. Four of the five kittens have died (did I mention that one of them- the runt -only had 3 legs?), the fifth is weak, and Cookie is getting much worse. The cat manager is going to examine her this afternoon for signs of pyometra, because she is acting MUCH sicker than you would expect from a URI. Also, she only has one functioning nipple and poor milk quantity (not a real good sign, either  ). If she has pyometra, it'll be an emergency vet run...wouldn't surprise me in the least at this point.

So, if that's the case, I guess I'll be taking the last kitten to hand-raise (provided it lives that long)...there's one more cat who's in labor right now, and if her litter is small, there's a _chance_ that we may be able to add the black kitten in with her kids (though she's starting to look like she has a URI as well).

So, I'm taking a crash course in hand-raising kittens and forewarning my vet just in case I get a phone call later telling me to come get a 4-day old kitten. :? I may have to use that KMR emergency pack after all....


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Cookie had a full vet exam today and no pyo. She is just emaciated, weak, exhausted, and her immune system is down from stress and kittening, so the URI is really taking it out of her. She's doing better, was up and eating this morning, getting subQ fluids and some meds, and looking a little better. Black kitten is still hanging in there, we're hoping that she can sustain just the one kitten. We think they've turned a corner and might improve from here. <crossing fingers>

The momcat we were hoping to foster the black kitten to died during an emergency c-section last night, so we have five orhpans now; we have a momcat who's already fostered another litter almost to weaning, but she still has some milk and raging mommy hormones, so there's a possibility that she might be able to nurse the strongest of that litter, at least for a week or two (for a cat who was surrendered as a neutered male, she is the BEST momcat we've seen in ages...she lost her own litter, but has been a real winner of a foster mom).

And it's just the beginning of kitten season.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Do you have tube feeding equipment--just in case the little one needs a boost?

I'm glad Cookie is doing better.


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

There is tube feeding equipment in the shelter, though the black kitten nurses well (when mom lets him) and would probably do okay with a bottle. If I should have to bring him here, I'd be bottle-feeding, as I don't trust my ability to tube a kitten safely. I have enough basic equipment to do it, and my vet said to draw on them for anything unusual I might need.

Honestly, I think that'll only happen if there's a serious sign that he's a viable, strong kitten and Cookie becomes completely unavailable; so far he seems to be a little fighter, but his situation is still pretty precarious (still under 3 ounces and not gaining much), and if he starts to fade, I don't think heroic efforts will be made to keep him alive against the odds. At least one of Cookie's other kittens was deformed, we have no idea if the others carried less visible deformities, and the same could well be true of this kitten. 

Sad, but it's really survival of the fittest for shelter-born kittens at this time of year. I was told (in _no_ uncertain terms...the cat manager is very matter-of-fact) early on that I should prepare myself to be grateful if Cookie survived, and that the litter would probably be lost because of her poor condition. I feel bad, but it wouldn't have been any better for her having those kittens outdoors...she probably wouldn't have gotten the URI, but that wouldn't have made her a better mother or made the kittens stronger and bigger...I don't think the eventual outcome would have been any different. 

At least that's what I keep telling myself. :?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

There must be a lot of heartbreak at the shelter, but much joy too. You're a brave person to face it. Many blessings being sent your way.


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## Feral Fan (Feb 9, 2005)

I hope everything works out for Cookie and the little one, I'm wishing them all the best, hopefully he starts putting on the weight he really sounds like a fighter. 

I am so fortunate in that I work with a shelter that does extreme measures for every animal that comes in and we lose very few cats and kittens all around. Even in that environment you do have to realize that sometimes things just don't turn out. I remember the first time I had to deal with this... usually all of our mothers and kittens are in foster homes but one very pregnant female came in and before the foster home was ready for her she gave birth in the bathroom over night. One of the ladies in charge asked for my help moving mom and babies into a carrier to go to foster, when we got in there we found three pretty little ones and one tiny orange kitten under mom that had died. It's very sad, but always good to keep in mind that you have done your best and everything possible, sometimes it just isn't meant to be.

I hope in Cookie's case (and the baby) it IS meant to be, such a pretty little girl.


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Well, the black kitten is still with us, and looking stronger. He's being hand-raised by the cat manager (who swore up and down she wouldn't be able to do any hand-raising this season :wink: ). He's being rasied along with the one remaining orphan kitten from the mom who died during c-section (and black kitten is the stronger of the two). Both kittens have seemed to give up suckling; we tried to place them with a foster yesterday, but neither wanted to nurse. We might try them with our amazing foster mom, as she might be able to get them straightened out and nursing properly...but we'll see.

Cookie still doesn't have much of any milk, but meds and sub-q's seem to be helping her; she's moving around some, she ate a bit of canned food this morning just after her fluids, and she was strong enough to stand up for almost 10 minutes for me. But she has no interest in the kitten or where it might have gone. I had some serious Cookie snuggle time this morning, and she just curled right up in my arms and purred me a song.


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## Jockette (Feb 2, 2005)

must be real tough, I couldn't imagine =S When funds are a little more stable (and my stress level too), I hope to get into the fostering program with our local humane society... although I've never had the experience of dealing with underaged kittens/litters

It's really good to read that she's eating and purring. Hope the little guy pulls through


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Good news, all the way around! I love to be "purred on!"


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

SHe never, ever stops purring, and never gets sick of patting and cuddling. She's totally people-oriented. But sooooo skinny; I'd guess around 4.5 pounds. She feels like Moonshadow did toward the end of her life...but I am assured that we'll put some weight back on her yet....

I am hatching a plan to get her released to me as a foster once she's spayed, so that I can feed her properly (read as: using MY methods) and get her health back up. I'm already planning to rearrange my spare bedroom (my husband installed an electric heater in anticipation of hand-raising kittens)...and gee, I couldn't help it if an introduction process accidentally started while she was here, could I??


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I'm sure! Won't that heater come in handy, though?


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## Hippyhart (Jul 4, 2004)

Ohhh, good luck Gudewife! I hope it all works out, and you are able to take Cookie home with you!


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## Feral Fan (Feb 9, 2005)

Oh Cookie is a lucky girl to look forward to foster time with you! Exciting! And you never know what might happen... maybe Assumpta will decide that TWO princess cats might just be what is needed to control those humans once and for all. :wink: I can't wait to see more pictures of Cookie!


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Well, the initial conversation went a little like this:

Me: Y'know, I bet Cookie would do really wekk with a few weeks of foster care after she's spayed, just to get some meat back on her and get her coat fixed back up....

Cat Manager: Yeah, she probably...<sideways glance at me> Oooohhhhh, No! You are NOT taking that cat to foster, no way! I know what you're thinking, and what's gonna happen is your cat will hate her, you won't be able to keep her, and you're gonna bring her back here all broken-hearted, and we end up with another burnt-out volunteer AND the cat to place. No way in $(&(% are you taking that cat home with you, lady, over my dead body!

I think that was a pretty positive reaction. :lol: (in all fairness, she's probably right...she almost always is)

I'll just have to wait and see. Assumpta's been sick, and we're still trying to figure out what's wrong with her...so bringing a foster home might not be something that I can do now. We'll see what happens, and how Cookie's doing tomorrow when I go in to see her.


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