Need advice. *edited to add kitten pictures*

I was in the kitchen a few minutes ago and I heard kittens meowing outside the window. I went out and found a litter. They're small, but they've got their eyes open. Anyhow, at first I only saw three. Two were meowing wildly but the third wasn't moving at all. I thought it was dead. I picked up the two that were moving and when I did I saw the third move just a tiny bit so I picked it up, too. I wrapped them in a towel and put them in a basket near the wood burning stove. I noticed that the near-death one was wet so I figure that's why he's in such bad shape. Then I went back to the kitchen to finish cooking. And I heard more meowing. I went back outside and sure enough some kitten is meowing, but I couldn't find it. Then I realized the sound was coming from above me. Scott had been doing some repair work on our roof and there's a little alcove where a cat could get. It doesn't go into the house. Just the area where the roof hands over has a spot where a cat could get in between where the roof overhangs and where the plastic covers it from the bottom. Apparently a cat had decided to hide her babies there but she didn't realize that it wasn't secured on well. Some of it had slipped and dropped these three kittens. So one kitten is still up there out of my reach, three are in the house warming up, and the kicker is, none of MY cats is nursing kittens. These belong to a stray. Plus the near-death kitten may have just been cold, but maybe it was hurt in the fall. So do I keep them inside and try to mix up something they can drink? They don't look old enough to be on solids. Or do I dry them and warm them and then put them in a cardboard box on the porch and hope their momma finds them in time?

Well, the one that had been almost dead is a LOT better. I think that it was just suffering from being cold and wet, not injured in the fall. The three are resting comfortably and seem content for now. I still can't get to the fourth kitten and have no idea what to do for them once they're all in the house and warmed up. It's in the mid-40's outside now and expected to get down in the upper 30's over-night.

How old do you think they are? You don't see a mama around? If you are able to get to a place that sells pet supplies, they may have a kitten feeding kit. I have gotten them at Petsmart, but also places like farm supply often have them. Perhaps call your vet for advice. I think you can mix up some type of formula from canned milk. Maybe the vet would know. I do know that you can't give them baby formula. A friend tried that and it killed the kitten. A call to the vet later found that you never give kittens baby formula.
If they are a bit older, you might try canned wet food. The smell will attract most kittens. Good luck to you. I hope you manage to get the one down from the alcove too. Poor baby must be cold up there alone.

Thanks. I think I may run to town and see if I can find some kitten formula and also wet cat food. They may be old enough for the wet stuff. I hadn't thought of that. I have no idea how to get that other kitten down. I'm just going to say a quick prayer that it's out of the wind and hope for the best.

Keep us updated. I love kittens. Every time I see one I wish I wasn't living with a bunch of allergy-ridden males.

Oh Wow Karen. I have no idea what to feed a kitten but good luck.

They are at least 10 days old, their eyes open at 10 days. If they are walking, closer to 3 weeks.

Take a piece of bread, soak it with milk, and put it down....they will suck the milk out of the bread. You do have to feed them every 2 hours however.

You can get catmilk at walmart, or some grocery stores.

I just got back from Wal-mart and got kitten formula, canned kitten food, and a kitten baby bottle. They are moving around, but not walking. More like crawling. They're a lot more active now that they've warmed up. Their ears are open, but just barely. I'll take pictures in a bit and post them.

Erin, that trick with the bread is brilliant!

You end up using aot of bread, and stale works best.....but who can hold 6 bottles?

Don't feed them more than 1/2 oz each, for now, i am guessing 2 weeks old now

You know about the um, pooping thing right?

keep up the good work. they are better off in a nice warm house than outside. i am sure tomorrow you can find a no kill shelter for cats or someone will gladly help you out

oh this is happy and sad... there is a momma cat out there wondering where her babies are... on the other hand those babies will be taken good care of... just be prepared Karen, even no kill agencies are taking in few animals now due to the economy, as people moving and having to give pets up... you just may have a new family group at home! Good luck, and bless you for being so concerned!

Well, there is good news and bad. The bad news is that I still can't find the momma cat or the fourth kitten and the ones I did find will NOT take the formula.

The good news is that when one of them started crying loudly, Caly was afraid that it would wake up the other two so she took it outside for a minute. One of my cats heard it crying and came running. She is not their mother. Her last litter of kittens is about 4 months old. But she was so eager to see it that we decided to put it on a towel in a box and see what she did. She immediately started cleaning it. It started nursing and she let it. So we brought out the other two and she is taking care of them all. Her last litter has been weaned for some time... more than a month. But I know that she'll start making milk if they're nursing. She's also taking care of the poop issue (new kittens will not poop or pee without help). So for now, we have at least a way of keeping them healthy. Their momma may show up and move them away, or she may abandon them because they're too close to people. But they should be OK either way.

that is so great how that cat stepped right in...so cool

aww

She will more then likely produce within 24 hours, feed her some of the kitten milk, to help her out?

on what a wonderful contiunuation to this story and the pictures, how sweet the look... hope their adopted momma continues to care for them.

Just a quick update. The kitten in the roof is not meowing any more. I don't know if it's momma rescued it and moved it, or if it died. Nothing I can do either way. The three I did rescue are doing great. They're all happily adapting to their new momma. She is very, very happy too. Lots of purring coming from that box. The one I'd at first thought was dead is fully recovered. I can't believe how close I came to not picking it up. Even after I thought it moved I almost left it, thinking that the only effect I would have was to prolong it's suffering. It was already unconcious and I was sure it wouldn't make it. I'm so glad that I decided to take the chance because it's happy as can be right now.

thats wonderful!!!

I'm so excited. Scott found the fourth kitten today and rescued it. Their new foster mom was a little nervous about it but decided to accept it as well. All four are doing great. And I'm so happy we found it because it's supposed to drop below freezing tonight.

aw I'm glad it's okay

oh happy days!

How are the kittens doing?

They're all doing just fine. Their new momma's milk must have come in because they're gaining a bit of weight and look great.

I wish I could hold them. And smell them. I think kittens and puppies smell so good. (except their breath)

LOL, Lori. I can't even smell them because of my allergies!

Caly noticed that one of the kittens (one of the grey striped ones) isn't nursing as aggressively as the others and hasn't put on as much weight. She's started it back on the kitten formula. It won't nurse from a bottle, but she got it to take a bit from an eye dropper. I don't think it's at particular risk, but we don't want to take chances. These little ones have been through a lot. Fortunately the weather has warmed up quite a bit today so it won't be under that additional stress.