Birthing right now

FeralFriendlyFelineFriend

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Young cat currently birthing - I read the birthing article but I just would like some reassurance. 3 kittens came out over a few hours. No problems, everything is fine and they are cleaned and dry and nursing. I only saw one placenta and it seemed like she kind of just left it alone because it wasn't fully expelled, just mostly and she seemed so tired so I just gave her some time and then suddenly another kitten when I next checked several minutes later. She cleaned herself up but not yet this kitten - she's tired I'm sure... but this placenta came out before the kitten? The kitten is moving but still wet as she hasn't cleaned him yet. She's clearly tired and trying to rest so I'm apprehensive to get involved.

She insisted on me being right with her when she started several hours ago and I HAD to keep my arm in the box with her. After kittens started coming out she was pretty independant .

I do not want to risk her moving them out of fear of me messing with them. We have several other cats inside waiting to be fixed and a small dog that may not be very polite with a tiny baby cat and they are safe where they are, although entirely non-confined as the box is just right next to my bed.

Advice? Should I clean off the newest baby or give her a chance to rest first and see what she does? She isn't totally ignoring gim, she's licked him some times but I think she's laying on the placenta now so it may still be attached..
 

StefanZ

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Young cat currently birthing - I read the birthing article but I just would like some reassurance. 3 kittens came out over a few hours. No problems, everything is fine and they are cleaned and dry and nursing. I only saw one placenta and it seemed like she kind of just left it alone because it wasn't fully expelled, just mostly and she seemed so tired so I just gave her some time and then suddenly another kitten when I next checked several minutes later. She cleaned herself up but not yet this kitten - she's tired I'm sure... but this placenta came out before the kitten? The kitten is moving but still wet as she hasn't cleaned him yet. She's clearly tired and trying to rest so I'm apprehensive to get involved.

She insisted on me being right with her when she started several hours ago and I HAD to keep my arm in the box with her. After kittens started coming out she was pretty independant .

I do not want to risk her moving them out of fear of me messing with them. We have several other cats inside waiting to be fixed and a small dog that may not be very polite with a tiny baby cat and they are safe where they are, although entirely non-confined as the box is just right next to my bed.

Advice? Should I clean off the newest baby or give her a chance to rest first and see what she does? She isn't totally ignoring gim, she's licked him some times but I think she's laying on the placenta now so it may still be attached..
You can dry it off, but better you give her some water with a little sugar and some korns salts... A sorts of home made pedialyte... The sugar should help her to perk up.
If you have white caro syrup at home, use this instead of sugar.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi!
Definitely keep an eye on things, do you have a vet you could talk to, by chance? Her being that tired is a bit of a concern. Are those first three nursing? Baby four needs to get dry and warmed up, try StefanZ StefanZ 's suggestion :).
 
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FeralFriendlyFelineFriend

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All 4 are nursing and she's purring on and off.

I do think the cord is still attached to the placenta so I'm going to take care of that right away.

I don't have a vet that I am familiar with but won't hesitate to call emergency if it starts to feel like one.

I will try giving her some sugar water and see how she does.
 
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FeralFriendlyFelineFriend

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Thank you so much for all the advice. I habe been a little worried about her just because she is so young and i knew her moms first litter she had only one kitten who got stuck and died.. I rescued 4 sibling cats from an unfortunate situation because I knew them from the day they were born and just couldn't let them stay after the 5th sibling died. This girl was emaciated and barely living but once I brought her home she recovered and started growing regularly. Then in an even more unfortunate turn of events after the owner was hospitalized and the remaining cats set free, I took in the eldest sibling from several litters ago and at some point while I tried keeping him sequestered, he impregnated little sis :(

I have felt so guilty and worried that this was going to go poorly and I'm just so relieved she is doing alright and all the kittens are alive and strong and all making sounds and all nursing super strong. That last bit gave me a fright but I am soooo grateful I found this forum where people actually care and dont tell me awful things like toss them out or even worse 😔

Thank you for being such kind souls and offering your support.

Shes been resting all day. She did have the sugar water earlier when that was suggested (thank you) and just a few minutes ago she jumped out of the nest for about 6 minutes and ate and drank.
I gave some wet food when I saw she wanted to eat.
I will definitely give her some yogurt, I dont think i have any kitten formula left but I do think my grocery has that but it will have to wait for a couole days.. thankfully I have the yogurt already and I dont mind sharing with her at all :)
 
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FeralFriendlyFelineFriend

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The soonest I am able to get him into the rescue to be nueteured at a cost I can afford is the 10th of November.. I'm keeping a close eye on them and will sequester him (way better) if he starts showing her anymore attention. I was able to get the other female spayed but young mama was already pregnant and halfway through gestation at that point. But I have two more appointments to get the last two cats neutered and then I have an additional two appointments for the two still outside. They are way more 'feral', especially being left to their own devices for weeks and then let out. The one female is the mom of all these cats. I've been trying to gwt her spayed for 4 years now but the owner backed out last minute every single time and I just have never been in a position to pay for it myself. Now having found a $25 program I've been saving every bit I can to just take care of them all so that this stops and everyone can have care. I love them and can't see a cat and just not take care of it. These aren't wild cats, they are very much pet cats. The two outside (plus a litter of 5 I'm trying to place with the help of a neighbor) are doing alright outside but still need to be fed at the very least.

Mom did great all night and is now looking quite slim. She had some plain chicken last night but when I went to give her the yogurt, I found its vanilla not plain and wasn't sure that would be alright - so if anyone knows that?

I keep trying to post a picture of the babies but it keeps telling me the file is too large to upload, but they are adorable and I love how she hugs them ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🖤
 
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Thank you! And thank you for saying that. I get a lot of flack for it and most of my family won't speak to me because I'm so 'irresponsible' for bringing the babies into my home. But I have a pretty big space and sharing it with 4 young cats plus the older one isn't really killing me.. my family just doesn't like cats and doesn't think they are worth saving 😕 😒 🙄 🙁🙁

But hey, its my house and they ARE worth saving. All my cats have always been rescues that have found their way to me. My baby is 14 and went missing earlier this year - perhaps to go and hide away to pass on to the next. She stayed by my side through everything over the last 14 years and I miss her terribly. Though she was not a huge fan of the young ones I brought in, she tolerated my kind open heart ❤

So grateful for all the help here. I'll update along the journey 🙂
 

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If you can, feed mom cat some Kitten Milk Replacement, not Hertz, and buy the dry form. Plus kitten kibble/and or kitten tinned food. Those will give her the extra calories/protein/calcium she needs to produce milk for her kittens. Thankyou for the rescue! And provide updates!
 
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