# MAYDAY - newborn kitten won't/can't nurse \[Update: sad outcome\] **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 14, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447 "2012-08-14T07:19:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/1 "2012-08-14T07:19:11Z")
It’s time for another episode of That Chick With Too Many Pets! _plays intro theme music_ Tonight’s edition involves a stray cat I’ve given shelter to in my utility room. She was knocked up and her people appear to have abandoned her (she “belongs” to some neighbors two doors down who now refuse to feed her or let her in) so I brought her in and fed her. I figure I’ll find homes for the kittens by Christmas and get her spayed and on the local PAWS website. Anyway, she gave birth a couple of hours ago. [Required pic.](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7779652412_35bd74a440_b.jpg) One of the kittens appears to not be able to nurse. Its face is different than the other kittens. It does not appear to have a nose, and if it’s got eyes they are covered up by fur. Its mouth doesn’t quite close all the way. Its face is remarkably different than the other kittens, which leads me to think that it might have some kind of skull deformity. [Here](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7779652908_60aca0fed8_c.jpg)are some [pics](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7779651818_f92e43c463_b.jpg), I’m trying to get a clearer shot. I realize that there are cats with flatter faces, but I’ve never had one or seen a wee kitten up close. Does this kitten have a different dad than the other three, or has it got a birth defect? Other than not nursing it appears to be lively. It squeaks quite a bit more than the others, I suppose it must be hungry. Does anybody know if there’s something I can do for it, or is the problem fatal? ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/2 "2012-08-14T08:01:24Z")
Use kitten formula not cows milk Try a syringe, try a cotton bud/ball soaked in milk. I’m in the give it a chance camp (are there not some youtube videos of various deformed cats living happy and fulfilling lives) ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/3 "2012-08-14T08:14:50Z")
Honestly, a kitten that seriously deformed, you should probably take it to the vet and have it euthanized. It probably has internal problems as well. If you leave it alone with the mother, she’ll probably prevent it from trying to nurse and might even eat it, herself. Poor baby. At least it won’t be hungry or in pain. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/4 "2012-08-14T08:19:22Z")
The kitten needs to nurse from Mama. Mama’s milk contains the nutrients and anti-disease (sorry, not sure of the correct words) agents that Kitten needs. That being said, does Kitten appear to want to nurse? Is Mama okay with that? Can you point Kitten towards a teat? Will it latch? In my experience, Kitten can be hand-reared by a human after about ten days to two weeks (ask your vet for “Feline Mammilac” formula); but it is important that Kitten nurses from Mama for the first while. During the first ten days or so after birth, Mama is biologically wired to deliver the antibodies that Kitten needs. I have hand-reared a kitten from about ten days before, but it is a difficult task (feeding every four hours for three to four weeks, for example–forget a full night’s sleep for at least a month). Far better to let Nature take its course, and for Mama to feed Kitten during that time period. And, though I hate to say it, if Kitten is incapable of feeding from Mama–well, perhaps that Nature’s way. ---
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/5 "2012-08-14T08:44:45Z")
The kitten might want to nurse, but it \*can’t \*nurse. It won’t latch on, its mouth doesn’t seem to work properly. I’ll call my vet in the morning and see if they think it would have any quality of life if it survives, or if it should be put down. It breathes through its mouth, big gaspy breaths. Mom cat treats it normally, she doesn’t seem to know it has a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/6 "2012-08-14T09:12:10Z")
A newborn kitten probably won’t make it til morning with no food… ☹ If it is that badly deformed it would take a lot of money to _maybe_ help it survive. I think I see a nose on it though. Maybe it is congested. Try the vet _NOW_?! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/7 "2012-08-14T09:15:08Z")
It’s hard to tell what’s going on with the poor pictures. While some deformities are fine if the kitten can figure out how to overcome them, some are just not conducive to life. I think this is one of the latter. You can try a dropper with formula, but usually a kitten just won’t nurse well enough without being able to latch whether it’s to a real teat or a syringe - they need to be able to suck the formula to get it down and just dropping it in won’t get enough into them. This kitten needs to be assessed by a veterinarian asap. I wouldn’t bother calling, I would just go and be waiting by the door when they open. If there’s a emergency vet you can go to now, go - they may have a solution or may euthanize the poor thing for little to no cost as a mercy. Other meandering late night thoughts… If the kitten can’t nurse at all, it will likely be dead within a day. Newborns can be hand-nursed from birth, but their chances, even when otherwise normal, are thought to be about 50-50. There’s a sort of ongoing thread with a resulting orphaned kitten when the mother died during birthing and an attempted cesarean. Kitten is doing great, and hand raised from day one, but she was otherwise normal. This one, looks like at least a cleft lip and palate, if you can open its mouth and look at the roof of the mouth, if there’s a hole then the palate is malformed and even if it could latch with the malformed lip, the milk would just come out its nose and chances of aspirating are very high. If the cleft is very severe, then it can continue up the skull and affect the areas through the nose and between the eyes. ---
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/8 "2012-08-14T09:37:12Z")
[Here’s](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8424/7780133058_d1aea2a3d1_b.jpg)a somewhat better pic. No eyes, no nose. I’m taking him to the emergency clinic where they will asses him, and if he can’t be helped they will put him down at no charge. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/9 "2012-08-14T10:07:12Z")
Oh, my. Yes, hopefully you’re already on your way. Poor baby. Good on you for doing your best for the little ones. ---
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/10 "2012-08-14T10:08:10Z")
They couldn’t fix it. No nose, no eyes, and a cleft palate. He couldn’t have nursed, and if he managed to survive being hand-reared he’d still have a troublesome life ahead with respiratory problems and being blind and all. I signed custody of him over to the emergency clinic and they will put him to sleep. They asked me for his name, and for some reason it struck me to put him down as Spoon, so I did. Poor little thingy. ;\_; I feel so awful. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/11 "2012-08-14T10:42:24Z")
I wont tell you not to feel awful -You have done the right thing but it still hurts. I will tell you that you are a wonderful kind person who I wish I could give a hug to in person. And spoon is/was a great name for a cat. sniff ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/12 "2012-08-14T10:55:16Z")
Thank you for what you did. Spoon is a great name, I agree. You did good on all counts. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/13 "2012-08-14T11:05:11Z")
Thank you for taking care of him so quickly and diligently. You minimized the suffering of a deeply helpless creature when even his mother couldn’t understand something had gone very wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/14 "2012-08-14T12:32:27Z")
Poor little Spoonkitty. Thank you for stepping up for him/her. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/15 "2012-08-14T12:49:03Z")
Poor baby. I know it hurts, but you did the right thing. There was nothing else you could have done but ease his suffering. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/16 "2012-08-14T13:26:29Z")
[mod]Moved from MPSIMS to our advice forum, IMHO. Added updated info to thread title. [/mod] [nonmod]Sorry it turned out this way; thanks for being someone who did what s/he could. [/nonmod] ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/17 "2012-08-14T13:34:14Z")
I’m glad that you took that poor baby to the emergency vet. He would have suffered a lot more before dying if he had been born out on the streets instead of in the care of a kind person like you. You did everything you could have. The sad thing is that if her people had just spayed mama then all this could have been prevented. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/18 "2012-08-14T13:46:47Z")
Good job, **freek**. I’m sorry the responsibility fell on you, but you stepped right up. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/19 "2012-08-14T13:54:39Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > They couldn’t fix it. No nose, no eyes, and a cleft palate. He couldn’t have nursed, and if he managed to survive being hand-reared he’d still have a troublesome life ahead with respiratory problems and being blind and all. I signed custody of him over to the emergency clinic and they will put him to sleep. They asked me for his name, and for some reason it struck me to put him down as Spoon, so I did. Poor little thingy. ;\_; I feel so awful. Nobody could have done more for that baby. You did what was right, and you did what was kind, and you did it as soon as possible. That kitten was miserable, and would not have ever been happy. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447/20 "2012-08-14T14:32:01Z")
You done good, OP 🙂 My mascara seems to be making my eyes water … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday-newborn-kitten-wont-cant-nurse-update-sad-outcome/631447.md?page=2)