Did my vet do this right?

[kstonya]

Can you bring the nest to the door and place the kittens in the nest and move it back to the original location? If not you might have to be a little forceful and pick up the kitties make sure you stay where mommy can see them at all times until she is comfortable with you around the babies. You might take that time to weigh them and make a paper so you can list the weights for the next few weeks. remember how you felt just after you had your son and everyone was grabbing him and wanted to hold him? cat mommies are the same way but you cannot tell her it is for their own good. Talk softly to the mommies while you are moving them and let her follow you into the nest

 

[poofnmoo]

I moved the box next to them last night hoping that she would move them in, but it didn't happen. A few minutes ago I put food in the box and she jumped in to eat so i moved the babies. She immediately jumped out and has sniffed them a few times, but nothing else. I'm nervous.

 

[poofnmoo]

Ok so she picked one up, took it out of the box, and wrapped herself around it. I waited a minute and them moved the other to her. I put it next to a nipple, it latched on, she looked at it, and went back to eating. I don't think she's comfortable with me touching them. She lets me pet her all I want but doesn't look happy when I touch the babies.

 

[nansiludie]

Ok so she picked one up, took it out of the box, and wrapped herself around it. I waited a minute and them moved the other to her. I put it next to a nipple, it latched on, she looked at it, and went back to eating. I don't think she's comfortable with me touching them. She lets me pet her all I want but doesn't look happy when I touch the babies.

It might be best if you could possibly lock the door where she is, and leave her food, water and litter, along with a nest if she wants to use it. That way no one will get hurt and she won't be disturbed.

 

[Sarthur2]

I moved my cat's babies into a different nest in a closet and she immediately followed. I put her food and water and litter just outside the door of the closet. She stayed there for three weeks before moving them out into my bedroom.

You may have more success moving them in a couple of days when mama has settled down a bit. In general mama kitties are very protective of their babies.

In the meantime if you can put a rubber doorstopper under the door it may help to keep the door from hitting the cats in case anyone forgets.

 

[poofnmoo]

Unfortunately she had them behind my bedroom door so there is no locking the door to give her comfort. I've made it so that all kids know not to step foot in my room. I'm the only one that has been in there today. She seems to be doing good. I was opening a can of wet food in the kitchen not to long ago and she came running. Ate about half of it and then went back to babies. I used that time to weigh them. One is 1.6oz and the other is 2.1oz. 

 

[Sarthur2]

Are you sure your scale is correct?

Those are tiny kittens - their weights are on the low side. Please make sure they are latched and nursing. They need to begin gaining weight. Their weights should double in the first week.

 

[Willowy]

That is quite small---newborns should weigh 3-4 ounces. What kind of scale do you have? Are you sure it's been zeroed and is accurate? Even if that is how much they weigh, it can be normal, especially if mamacat is small. Just make sure they're gaining a little every day; that's the most important thing. Does your scale weigh in grams (most digitals ones have a setting for both)? It's easier to see gains in grams rather than in ounces.

 

[poofnmoo]

After joining this site I went out and bought a Mainstays digital scale from Walmart. It was the first time I've used it. I made sure to zero it out, but honestly I was in a hurry and maybe messed it up somehow. She shoots death rays if you even walk in the room. She came out to eat and as she was walking back in I tried to pet her and she growled at me. I'm assuming she thought I was trying to stop her from getting to her babies. I can try again tomorrow when I feed her. I'll go a little slower. Both kittens are latched on 90% of the times I've peeked in the room so I'm assuming I read wrong or did it wrong. I know someone on here told me that the no touching thing is hogwash, but I'm nervous that she'll stop taking care of them if I touch them. 

 

[Sarthur2]

I think as long as they are nursing well they will be fine.

Next time she is busy eating you can try to weigh the babies again. Even if the scale is calibrated wrong you'll see if they are gaining weight and how much.

And yes, she's just protecting her babies!

 

[poofnmoo]

Ok so this is embarrassing.... I must have somehow messed up yesterday. I weighed the babies again. 4.4oz and 4.9oz. This time I had my daughter stand in the kitchen so that she could let me know if Poof was coming back to the bedroom. This gave me more time to make sure I did it right. I feel so much better now that I see the right weights. 

 

[handsome kitty]

So funny!  Stealth kitten weighing.  You need to find the Mission Impossible theme and play it.

 

[Sarthur2]

Ahh, those are healthy weights. Breathe a sigh of relief as they appear to be doing well. Weigh them each day if you can for the first couple of weeks at least.

 

[poofnmoo]

0812151421.jpg

• poofnmoo
• Aug 12, 2015

Here's Poof with one of the kittens. The other is nursing.

 

[handsome kitty]

She is so sweet looking.

 

[Sarthur2]

She looks very content!

 

[kstonya]

The fear about touching babies has to do with wild animal babies not domestic as long as the babies don't yell when you hold them if they start squirming hold them by the scuff of the neck and they will quiet down.