My Foster Adventure

[catsknowme]

I am here if you need me. Moving cats here right now because of AC failure but you know how to get me. I know you are doing fine though. You have great instincts and you are getting great support and advice here.

Amen to that!! @LilDude - you have saved those kitties from a terrible fate. The small county rural shelters do not have same resources that more urban areas do so cats tend to be low priority. Adding to that, shelters that are old-school are not designed for the comfort of the animals and the din from the dog rooms tends to be terrifying to other dogs not to mention what it does to cats. I have visited shelters all over the country and met many shelter attendants - it is common for pregnant cats to become so stressed that they deliver too early and the babies don't make it
But now these kitties are with you and we can all focus on the bright future that you are making possible!! Their past in the shelter is behind them and they are getting to be kittens in a safe place; free to play and learn and grow. They are so adorable!
And in case you did not know it, kittens (and puppies) often have different fathers. The moms don't ovulate until AFTER mating. And since mating as well as ovulation can take place at different times, the babies can be born at different stages of development. Each unborn kitten has its own placenta and sack; a cat can have most of her litter on one day and then up to 2 weeks later have another kitten! I used to see it alot when I was a kid, especially among the dogs - the hunters would keep a purebred bitch and breed her but since dogs were mostly outside in those days, other males would dig under the fence and those puppies were called "throwbacks" and often destroyed.

 

[Norachan]

I swear the shelter just threw a bunch of stray babies in with her. She growls at a few of them and none of them look remotely similar.

Of the feral moms I've known one short haired, long tailed tabby mom had a litter of two. One long haired, long tailed tux and one jet black bob-tail.

One tabby and white mom had two pointed, blue-eyed kittens.

There's really no telling what you'll get. Sometimes kittens look a lot like the grand parents but nothing like the mother.

Those kittens are adorable. I'm so glad you could help save them.

 

[Lil Dude]

Of the feral moms I've known one short haired, long tailed tabby mom had a litter of two. One long haired, long tailed tux and one jet black bob-tail.

One tabby and white mom had two pointed, blue-eyed kittens.

There's really no telling what you'll get. Sometimes kittens look a lot like the grand parents but nothing like the mother.

Those kittens are adorable. I'm so glad you could help save them.

But have you ever heard of a cat having nine kittens? It's usually like..3 or 4 from what I've seen.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Yep! We’ve had some big litters on this site!

 

[Jcatbird]

Norachan and all others. Tift County Georgia is euthanizing all cats. No more adoptions. Rescuers can pull and fosters needed. catsknowme has details. They are from the same place as the ones we just pulled for Lil Dude to foster. Any one who can help spread the word, please do and do it fast!
@tarasgirl06 @1CatOverTheLine @Furballsmom @maggiedemi @foxden @foxxycat Mamanyt1953 @The Fancy Cube talkingpeanut @Anne we need an emergency rescue group!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Been working on that, Jcatbird . This happened right when I had a tiny bit of extra money, so was able to send a bit for the needed gas costs.

Moving on to big litters, this from the Book of World Records:

"The world's largest litter of domestic cats were born on the 7 August 1970 when a Burmese/Siamese cat belonging to V. Gane of Kingham, Oxfordshire, UK, gave birth to 19 kittens, four of which were stillborn"

ONLY FOUR STILLBORN? That's 15 viable kittens in ONE LITTER!

 

[Lil Dude]

Been working on that, Jcatbird . This happened right when I had a tiny bit of extra money, so was able to send a bit for the needed gas costs.

Moving on to big litters, this from the Book of World Records:

"The world's largest litter of domestic cats were born on the 7 August 1970 when a Burmese/Siamese cat belonging to V. Gane of Kingham, Oxfordshire, UK, gave birth to 19 kittens, four of which were stillborn"

ONLY FOUR STILLBORN? That's 15 viable kittens in ONE LITTER!

That would be terrible. I was told today that not all of the kittens are hers. She said they got mom to take care of a few that didn't have mothers.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I kinda thought that would be the case. Cats are so maternal, many of them make excellent foster moms. To almost anything. My cat, Berry (before Hekitty) fostered a litter of three pomeranian pups whose mama didn't survive delivery. She and the kittens litter-box trained them all.

 

[Lil Dude]

I kinda thought that would be the case. Cats are so maternal, many of them make excellent foster moms. To almost anything. My cat, Berry (before Hekitty) fostered a litter of three pomeranian pups whose mama didn't survive delivery. She and the kittens litter-box trained them all.

That sounds absolutely adorable. I don't mind that they're not hers. They'll be my..fostered step-children.

 

[Norachan]

They're such lucky kittens. An adopted cat mom and a foster human mom and all these TCS aunties doting on them from around the world.



How's the mom doing today? Does she still seem in pain when they try to nurse?

 

[Lil Dude]

They're such lucky kittens. An adopted cat mom and a foster human mom and all these TCS aunties doting on them from around the world.



How's the mom doing today? Does she still seem in pain when they try to nurse?

Yes, she is still crying. She's actually doing it right now. It is..very annoying. Have you ever started to fall asleep, and then you hear an awful noise, and you can just feel yourself wake up? Like..if it hurts, she could just get up and walk away.

 

[Lil Dude]

They're such lucky kittens. An adopted cat mom and a foster human mom and all these TCS aunties doting on them from around the world.



How's the mom doing today? Does she still seem in pain when they try to nurse?

Also, the kittens are starting to sneeze. I guess they have URI from the shelter. They're very plump little children and I don't think we'll have any problem getting them to eat.

Mom, on the other hand, needs to stop feeding babies 24/7. She'll get in bed to get away from them and then she hears them cry and she goes right back to them. She's also too skinny. I've been blending kmr with their pate and she likes that. She eats, but is still..dangerously skinny.

 

[Norachan]

Yeah, it's going to be really hard getting any weight on her while she's feeding that many kittens. Are the kittens eating pate several times a day? Maybe if they start to cry you could offer them more food and try to satisfy them with that, rather than mom having to feed them again.

She sounds like she's a really good mother. Make sure she had plenty of canned and there is dry food available all the time.

Can you get the kittens to a vet to check for a URI? I think all but one litter of my foster and rescue kittens had colds when I first got them. If you can start treating it right away you avoid a lot of the complications, such as eye infections. It's important to get them to the vet as soon as they start looking sick as they go down hill so quickly. The sooner the better with the little ones.

Do you have enough money for vet care? Is the shelter paying for that?

 

[catsknowme]

Yes, she is still crying. She's actually doing it right now. It is..very annoying. Have you ever started to fall asleep, and then you hear an awful noise, and you can just feel yourself wake up? Like..if it hurts, she could just get up and walk away.

What you are hearing and seeing is "A mother's love" - the maternal instinct in action; a mother cat will literally walk through the flames of a burning building to save her babies (you can google Scarlett the Cat for one brave example). That love for her babies is so powerful and her instincts to comfort them during this stressful time (especially after what they experienced in the shelter & also if they are feeling sick) is strong. Her only way to try to comfort and protect them is by nursing. Like all good moms, she is putting her own sufferings and needs and wants to the side.
I really feel for that mama kitty in so much pain - what have you tried to put on her nipples? Have you tried covering her chest (although on her raw sensitive tissues, the fabric will rub and irritate unless she has some sort of protective film)? That way the kittens cannot actually latch on but can still go through the motions.
You mention that they meow and then she goes to feed them. Are they hungry so that you can use Norachan's suggestions of feeding solids instead? Or are they showing signs of needing comfort? If that is the situation, you can entice them with cuddles and play and socialize them to go to humans for comfort. That will make them really adoptable cats! and more easily trained to do "tricks" ( such as tail-whips and high-5s). Please keep us posted! 9 kittens is a LOT for both of you!!

 

[Lil Dude]

Yeah, it's going to be really hard getting any weight on her while she's feeding that many kittens. Are the kittens eating pate several times a day? Maybe if they start to cry you could offer them more food and try to satisfy them with that, rather than mom having to feed them again.

She sounds like she's a really good mother. Make sure she had plenty of canned and there is dry food available all the time.

Can you get the kittens to a vet to check for a URI? I think all but one litter of my foster and rescue kittens had colds when I first got them. If you can start treating it right away you avoid a lot of the complications, such as eye infections. It's important to get them to the vet as soon as they start looking sick as they go down hill so quickly. The sooner the better with the little ones.

Do you have enough money for vet care? Is the shelter paying for that?

I do not have any money. And the shelter, I just hate to ask for their money. I got the kittens from what seemed to be a mother and daughter saving kittens from the shelter on their own.

 

[Lil Dude]

I try and feed the pate at least three times a day. I leave water and dry food down all the time. And I'll put a bowl of KMR down about two times a day. It may be that they're looking for comfort. I know it was bad of me, but we all slept together last night. I'd put them on the ground and they'd climb right back up, and I got tired of it. I put coconut oil on her nipples. I don't have water in the camper yet, since there's a leak. And I don't really have any way of bringing hot water from the house.

 

[Jcatbird]

Letting them cuddle at night helped Mom. You were babysitting. All mom’s need a break. Were do you stand on food?

 

[Lil Dude]

Letting them cuddle at night helped Mom. You were babysitting. All mom’s need a break. Were do you stand on food?

As in, how much do I have? Half of a half of a box of pate (I was only given the bottom half), a whole bag of dry cat food for mom, and only a little bit of KMR, but I just got some delivered today from a friend on here. Also, the Royal Canin pate I wanted, which I'm honestly excited about giving them, was delivered today too.

 

[catsknowme]

I actually like the technique of sleeping with the tinies. And I often hear that my cats are more like dogs - they are that social (as long as they live inside). I just put extra pillows around to keep me from rolling on top of one. The coconut oil for mama's nipples was an excellent choice. Keep up the good work - you are doing a fantastic job!

 

[Jcatbird]

Super job! All is well with the kitty crew and foster mom!