Cat Not Eating- Recently Separated From Kittens

[alpacamadness]

I am caring for a 9 mo. old cat who must be separated from her kittens before she can be spayed. Her kittens are well old enough. She's been here for 3 days and had only a few tiny bites on the first day. Same food she was eating before and tried other types as well. Active and playful other than that. Drinking water. Nipples are swollen.. could she be re-absorbing the milk she is not nursing?

 

[lorenaavila]

You should take your cat to the Vet otherwise, your pet may die due to starvation. I learned recently a story of a mom cat that starved herself to death after she was separated from her kittens. Any cat that doesn't eat for a whole day or two needs to go to the Vet. When cats stop eating they may experience hepatic lipidosis which is fatal. This happens when a little fat goes to the cat's liver poisoning it.

 

[catsknowme]

Please consult a cat vet - if she is engorged, she will be suffering. Warm compresses may help. It sounds like she is probably grieving. How old were her kittens? My vet has me wait until 8 weeks. Even if the kittens are still nursing, they can be fed enough solid food that her milk production slows way down. She is probably grieving as well - any chance that she can have her babies? Some people use a Tshirt sleeve so the babies cant nurse off her.
I also suggest rubbing her gums with honey or corn syrup to bring up her blood sugar, then give her some unflavored Pedialyte to help rebalance her electrolytes. Plain water wont cut it.
Bless you for being a foster parent - you are an angel for doing this! Without foster parents, cats would languish in shelters or be pts.
Please keep us updated!!!

 

[alpacamadness]

Please consult a cat vet - if she is engorged, she will be suffering. Warm compresses may help. It sounds like she is probably grieving. How old were her kittens? My vet has me wait until 8 weeks. Even if the kittens are still nursing, they can be fed enough solid food that her milk production slows way down. She is probably grieving as well - any chance that she can have her babies? Some people use a Tshirt sleeve so the babies cant nurse off her.
I also suggest rubbing her gums with honey or corn syrup to bring up her blood sugar, then give her some unflavored Pedialyte to help rebalance her electrolytes. Plain water wont cut it.
Bless you for being a foster parent - you are an angel for doing this! Without foster parents, cats would languish in shelters or be pts.
Please keep us updated!!!

Thank you for the advice. The kittens, 10 weeks, are with a friend (the original owner.) They asked me to take her for 2 weeks so she could then be spayed, but I am going to bring her back to them I think. I am so worried and exhausted trying to find something she will eat!

 

[catsknowme]

I would definitely ask your friend. It might help to bring a kitten or two to your place, too. Cats tend to be incredible moms, nursing other kittens, squirrels, even puppies but it makes weaning and separation difficult. You have definitely done your due diligence and it is vital that she get spayed before she goes into season again but her health is at risk. Her vet may be able to give her an injection to dry up her milk but if it is a broken heart, missing her babies.....
When I was a kid, we adopted out a mother cat - she travelled over 20 miles (as the crow flies) through hills, riverbottom, deserts filled with mountain lions, coyotes, hawks, owls, eagles to come back to her babies. My dad said never again and told my mom to get all the cats fixed -eventually all the cats died of old age, which is empirical proof that TNR works!

 

[Sarthur2]

Please put the mom back with her kittens. She is uncomfortably engorged with milk, and missing her babies.

Vets CAN spay moms who are still nursing, they just prefer not to.

My cat was spayed when her kittens were 8 weeks old, returned home the same day, and was back to nursing immediately.

Her milk dried up naturally and painlessly over time.

It sounds like this mama cat was not ready to be separated yet. Also keep an eye on her even when she returns to make sure she has not developed mastitis. If she has, she will need antibiotics.

Using warm compresses on her mammary glands will give her some relief either way.

The kittens will be delighted to have their mom back! Let us know what happens.