# Kitten only gained 2.8 grams in 24 hours ... Please reply



## rachael (Dec 17, 2009)

Eli has only gained a tenth of an ounce (or 2.8 grams) in the past 24 hours.

Should I be concerned? I already am concerned after Dexter passing away.. But Dexter lost weight.. 

The kitten is 7 days old and he weighs 7.4 ounces (or 209.786 grams)

Here's his weight chart-
day 1 - 4.5 oz or 127.572 g
day 2 - 4.8 oz or 136.077 g
day 3 - 5.6 oz or 158.757 g
day 4 - 6.0 oz or 170.097 g
day 5 - 6.5 oz or 184.271 g
day 6 - 7.3 oz or 206.951 g
day 7 - 7.4 oz or 209.786 g

All of the other kittens have gained at least .4 ounces (or 11.3398 grams) in the past 24 hours.


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## Donaldjr1969 (Feb 8, 2005)

You should be ok. My kittens grew in spurts. If I may ask, do you weigh them prior to feedings or after? If it is after, you are not getting a 100% accurate idea of growth because one kitten could take in more milk one day as well as compared to the littermates.

What kind of scale are you using? Also, how is his suckling? Is he nursing well enough and do you know if momma cat is producing enough milk and/or not rejecting Eli? If you are concerned, feed him some of the KMR as a supplement to mother's milk. You may even want to start tonight just to be safe.


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## rachael (Dec 17, 2009)

Thank you for your reply.. I kind of weigh them at a different time each day.. I don't know whether or not it's before or after they've eaten.

The scale I use is a USB scale that I plug into my computer. It is used to weigh packages that are to be shipped, so I'm very sure that it's accurate.

She is not rejecting him. I'm very sure she's producing enough milk because the other babies all gained more than him. I just moved them all to the mommy so he'd nurse with them and he's still nursing now and the others finished a while ago.. He's been suckling for about 30 minutes. 

His skin also looks pink which is comforting.. The day before Dexter died his skin looked pale and almost grey.


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## rachael (Dec 17, 2009)

Today he weighed 8.1 ounces or 229.631 grams




I guess he just didn't eat as much as the others yesterday?


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## Donaldjr1969 (Feb 8, 2005)

rachael said:


> Today he weighed 8.1 ounces or 229.631 grams
> 
> I guess he just didn't eat as much as the others yesterday?


First off, PHEW!!! I am happy to hear that. When I saw there was a new reply, I feared the worst.

Yes, it is very possible that he ate more. Also, could you have compared his last weight of 7.4 with an empty belly and after elimination to the one before at 7.3 with a full belly before elimination? In a way, that was the one easier thing about bottle feeding orphans. You can always guarantee that you are weighing them before any feedings.


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## Jack&Harley (Nov 2, 2008)

I had days when kittens wouldn't gain. I was always told you should only worry when they go 2 days without gaining. Because there is always the chance that that day they don't nurse as much etc.

However I really encourage you weigh them at the same time each day...otherwise your numbers mean nothing.

I always weighed at 11 am regardless so I knew my numbers were always accurate compared to the day before. 

This post made me pull out my chart of kitten weights from Ginger's babies and look at the pictures, wow how almost 9 months flies by. I encourage daily or weekly pictures, you'll regret it if you don't!

Leslie


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

The amount of milk a small kitten drinks though weighs only a couple of grams


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## rachael (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks for the reply you guys..

Yeah I must have weighed him after he went potty. Also after Dexter died the vet told me to make sure they are all going to the bathroom. He said even if the mom looks like she's licking there I should do it myself a few times a day because if they don't go then their insides clog up and they will die... Anyways, I've been having a much harder time getting Eli to go than I do when I make the others go.. Is this because he's a male and the rest are females? Is there a different technique for males?


Also I'm taking pictures everyday


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## Donaldjr1969 (Feb 8, 2005)

rachael said:


> Yeah I must have weighed him after he went potty. Also after Dexter died the vet told me to make sure they are all going to the bathroom. He said even if the mom looks like she's licking there I should do it myself a few times a day because if they don't go then their insides clog up and they will die... Anyways, I've been having a much harder time getting Eli to go than I do when I make the others go.. Is this because he's a male and the rest are females? Is there a different technique for males?


Not really, Rachael. I just made sure I rubbed all over for both the females and males. I never really had any problems. It is a bit harder to get them to poo, I feel. At least that was the luck I seemed to have.

Now for what it's worth, I never used a cotton ball or the like to rub them. I made sure my hands were clean and rubbed them with my fingertip. I was afraid that, never having raised orphans before, that I could be too rough and the cotton ball would irritate them. I merely kept dipping my finger in warm water to keep my fingertip warm. My reasoning was that my skin was smoother than a cotton ball. Of course, you may do better with a warm water soaked cotton ball or the like.

By about 3 weeks or so, you will not have to worry about manual stimulation. By then, they can eliminate on their own.


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## Donaldjr1969 (Feb 8, 2005)

How are the kittens doing now if I may ask?


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