Accidental Litter: Tips And Advice Please

Mamakitty&me

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Ok so my vet told me my cat shouldn't be spayed until 6 months of age.. i assumed (very stupidly) that meant she wouldn't be able to get pregnant until then.. we let her be an indoor/outdoor cat just like all the cats I've ever had.. well my neighbor has darn near 30 cats (not an exaggeration, and although illegal, not something i know how to correct).. she will be an indoor kitty from now on, at least until spayed.

Well, it happened.. she had 5 beautiful babies and I'm trying to be loving and responsible with my mama kitty and her litter. We've got her in a spare bedroom to segregate her from the other cat, 3 dogs and 3 children. She has a litter box, wet and dry food (on demand) and water. I put her in a wicker box lined with her favorite soft blankets. Today is day 3, so I'm assuming she must be nursing okay..i noticed the two larger kittens are very aggressive with nursing and push out the smaller three.. Im concerned with the smallest kitten so I've been assisting by making sure it gets a chance to nurse.

She seems to like it when i lay by her and pet her while she nurses, but growls protectively at anyone else.. which is interesting, since normally she favors my husband..

Today she hasn't eaten at all and it's almost noon... should i be concerned?!

I've offered wet food, wet food mixed with raw egg and dry kitten food of her favorite brand. Im not certain if she's drinking, but i don't think so.

Please give me advice of any kind.

Also:

What are the best rehoming methods?
She wants out of the room, but I'm not letting her because I'm afraid she'll forget her kittens and they will get cold or hungry. Is that a good idea?
what other things should i be considering??
 
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Mamakitty&me

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I included this in my other post, but wanted to address it directly/soley. My queen-kitty with a 3 day old litter has not eaten or noticeably drank any water at all today (it's noon now). Is this normal? what do i do? She's sleeping now so im trying not to panic and just assume she's resting and that's it.. but my paranoid concern is telling me she's passed out from dehydration..

Please, from your experience, is this okay?!
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! welcome!
I don't know, but I'm thinking keeping her in the room is a good idea.
Are the kittens crawling around and crying? If not, she's taking care of them.
Is she eating yet?

Can you get some kitten milk replacer and give that to mama? Maybe some goat milk? How about kitten glop - there are recipes on the internet and see if that entices mama to eat something.

"kittens To Good Homes" - How To Find A Good Forever Home For Your Kittens

Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives)
 

StefanZ

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Having no appetite after birth happens because they are full of the placentas.
But a suddenly lack of apoetite day 3 is alarming! Yellow flag prepare for Red Alert too.

Entice into her at least pedialyte. Goats milk or kmr is good too!
These contain also calcium - may be a lack of this?

Forcefeed if necessary. Mamakitty&me Mamakitty&me
 

Sarthur2

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Is she eating lots of wet food? If so, she is getting her fluids from the wet food.

If she seems lethargic, she may need calcium. Give her plain, low-fat yogurt or pieces of cheese.

Better yet, buy a can of powdered PetAg kitten formula, and give mom a dish a day while she is nursing.
 
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Mamakitty&me

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I tried goats milk, cows milk, plain Pedialyte all were a miserable fail. We tried tuna and left all the water in it and she ate the whole can! That's good enough.. right? I realize she beds other nutrients but that's better than dehydration and refusal to eat.. right?

Having no appetite after birth happens because they are full of the placentas.
But a suddenly lack of apoetite day 3 is alarming! Yellow flag prepare for Red Alert too.

Entice into her at least pedialyte. Goats milk or kmr is good too!
These contain also calcium - may be a lack of this?

Forcefeed if necessary. Mamakitty&me Mamakitty&me
 

Sarthur2

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If she is not eating and drinking by tomorrow, please take her to the vet. She may have an infection in her uterus or mammary glands and need antibiotics.

Or, she may be depressed from hormonal changes. I suggest letting her out of the room a couple of times a day for an hour while the kittens are sleeping. She needs a break.

Weighing the smaller kittens daily will help you to know if they are getting enough milk. They should gain a minimum of 6-10 grams a day each.

If any do not, you’ll need to supplement with kitten formula.

Syringe Feeding

Kitten Development Stages - Illustrated Guide

Please let us know how mama kitty is doing!

Mamakitty&me Mamakitty&me
 
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Mamakitty&me

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Ok thank you!! How long can she go on only tuna & tuna water before i should be concerned? Obviously I'll continue to offer other more nutritional foods; but how long can i relax before calling the vet in just tuna?
 

Sarthur2

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No worries! She can go a long time!

Get a can of powdered kitten formula and offer a dish a day too. No cow’s milk because cats are lactose intolerant.
 

Furballsmom

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that's better than dehydration
A big yes!

Oh, and I'm wrong - sarthur2 is much more an expert;
Or, she may be depressed from hormonal changes. I suggest letting her out of the room a couple of times a day for an hour while the kittens are sleeping. She needs a break.
 
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Mamakitty&me

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1.) The 5 kittens fight over nipples.. Is this normal behavior? I've been breaking it up and placing them in their own nipples so everyone gets a fair meal. What can i do to ensure everyone eats when i can't be present?

2.) Some of moms nipples don't seem to be enlarged or pink... do some nipples not produce milk.. if so, why? if they all do.. why do two of her nipples appear... inverted?

3.) Two of the larger kittens seem to struggle to latch or even locate moms nipples... can a larger kitten, in fact, be a runt of the litter?

4.) Moms nipples can be hard to find, if i shave moms tummy will that help her babies or hinder them by removing sent and familiarity?
 

Sarthur2

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1. Yes, it’s normal. Kittens usually “claim” a nipple and will use it exclusively.

2. Mom may or may not have all of her mammaries functioning. The most used nipples will appear more elongated. Inverted nipples will not be useable.

How many nipples does mom have that are NOT inverted?

3. Larger kittens are not normally runts.

4. Just trim the fur away from the nipple and mammary areas. No need to shave the whole tummy.

Are you weighing the kittens? It’s the only way to know for sure if the kittens are getting enough or need supplementing.

Did you pick up KMR?
 
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Mamakitty&me

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I have powdered KMR I've been giving to mom, mixing into tuna with cheese to mask the flavor.

I have not weighed the kittens. The only real reason, to be truthful, is because I'm intimidated to take them away from mom.. I'm afraid I'll make them cold, put my scent on them or interrupt feeding time.. I'm probably over thinking it.. if i supplement the kittens will it hinder her milk production because they aren't stimulating her enough? Like with human babies?
 
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Mamakitty&me

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I have a scale, ill begin weighing them tonight when i get off work.
 

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You do need to weigh the kittens daily. Be quick about it and do it in front of mom. And no, supplementing won’t impact their nursing.
 
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Mamakitty&me

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With the runt growing well and the other 4 thriving.. this has been as anxiety ridden as if i had had 5 babies of my own!

Mama kitty is still very obviously full of anxiety herself and seems stressed all the time. Her eyes are dilated and she breathes quickly when anyone enters the room. What can i do to help her to relax? She meows frantically when i come in, but with me i feel she's more comfortable because she knows I'm going to help her to nurse and feed her her special meals and give her personal attention.. she cries but is also purring.. she growls at my DH still even though normally he is her most preferred human. She growls at her companion cat as well (neutered male).. I've kept her away from the children and other pets.. but if the dogs bark outside she growls as well..

The runt has opened one eye.. normal?

We relocated her and her kittens in a deeper nesting box. Her bed is too shallow (i think) and the kittens were raising their heads over the edge. I did not wash the bedding because i thought new scents might be bad? Yay or nay? She seemed panicked when i moved them, but she insists on having them on the high bed in the room and with the way they army crawl I'm afraid if they got out of the cat bed we'd be devastated. They are in a tall box with her bedding now.

What things should i be doing/ Not doing at this point?
 
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Mamakitty&me

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Also, i keep her and her litter in a spare bedroom with the door shut.. i only let the other cat in at a distance and supervised..ive been feeding them together, periodically, because normally they eat together.. i don't want her to forget him.. and he cries often out of loneliness for his companion..

I am fearful to leave her door open because i heard feral tom cats kill kitten..i realize he's fixed and domestic.. but I've watched his instincts come out when i was formula feeding abandoned pinky rats.. id rather be safe than sorry.. is keeping the door shut a good idea or am i hurting her by keeping her separated from the family? Should i trust my other cat not to hurt the kittens? He was also a rescue cat and didn't get fixed until he was over 2 years old...

I'm also afraid she might hurt him if he gets to nosy..
 

Sarthur2

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Keeping the door closed for now is a good idea. There will be plenty of time later for everyone to socialize as the kittens grow.

Mom is still nervous because her babies are so young. How old are they now?

Do all the kittens have their eyes open now? If any are crusty, clean with a warm, damp cloth.

You can change the bedding. Clean bedding every few days is healthy.
 
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