Expert: Karen Craft - 6/17/2007

Question
My domestic cat just recently had 5 kittens. they were all very healthy that first day but the next morning i found one dead.  i thought it had gotten wet over night and died because it was cold. but then later that day another one the kittens started to get very weak and have trouble breathing it died 10 minutes later. the rest looked great though so i just thought maybe they were born with bad lungs or something. the next day a 3rd kitten started to do the same thing as the 2nd but this time i gave it mouth to mouth(i have training to do so). and it worked very well so i had the mother nurse it and even though it was weak it latched on and its belly got all round but it still looked like it was dehydrated. then it started having problems again i ended up giving it CPR for another 4 hours off and on every time it seemed better but then got really bad and died. there are 2 more they seem to be in good health but since i didn't know what was wrong with the others I'm afraid it was a birth defect and they will die to. Do you have any ideas what this could be and what to look for in the other 2. i had a vet suggest that the mother was producing enough milk and they could have starved but i don't know what that would have to do with them breathing. thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Alicia,

I am sorry for what happened. I am giving you a recipe for something called kitty glop. This will help the little ones and the mom. Get a kitten nursing bottle and feed the kittens 3-4 times a day. This will help supplement the mom's milk if she is not producing enough. Feed the mom kitten food. This will help her with the extra nutrition she needs. After you have done feeding the kittens put them back with the mom so she can take care of them. Sometimes if it is the cats first litter there are problems. You did what you could. The 2 that are left should just be eating and sleeping for the first week. And they should double in weight. Watch and make sure mom is cleaning them and stimulating them to eliminate. If she isn't write back and I will tell you what to do. Good luck.

Ciao, Karen


KITTY GLOP




INGREDIENTS:
1 can evaporated milk (sweetened condensed)
2 tbsp. plain yogurt (not low or non fat)
2 tbsp. mayonnaise (real not light or No-Fat)
1 tbs. Karo Syrup (light)
1 pkg. Knox gelatin
1 egg yolk (beaten, )
1 cup Pedialyte (unflavored)
1 jar Stage One Baby food (chicken or turkey)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix milk, yogurt, mayonnaise, baby food, and syrup together well. Bring 1 cup pedialyte to boil and mix in Knox gelatin. Set aside. Mix egg yolk with small amount of milk mixture and beat well.

Add gelatin and pedialyte to milk mixture and beat well. Add in egg yolk mixture and beat well. Remember to not use egg substitute and keep egg white to a minimum.

Pour into bowl (with cover) and set in refrigerator. Glop will last for two weeks covered in refrigerator. Try freezing the mixture in ice cube trays and store the cubes in the freezer, thaw as many as needed.
Always warm glop to room temperature ,(milk form), or a little warmer, before feeding.