First Time Mom Uninterested In Newborn Kittens

[Kayla70711]

I have a female cat. She's been an indoor/outdoor cat most of her life. I noticed her starting to get bigger, and realized she was pregnant on May 14th. I've been mostly trying to keep her inside, but there was a couple times she got out. I did everything I read online to get ready. On June 2nd I was out of town so I had my friend come over to feed, and take care of her, but she bolted out. He stood out there for a couple hours, but she never came in. He had to leave. I came home the next afternoon, and she came running in waaay smaller then she was, and with dried fluid all over her but, and fur back there so I knew she had them. Spent all day, and Sunday looking with no luck. Well yesterday on the 7th she came running inside with something in her mouth. It was a kitten. It took 2 and a half hours, but she got them all in. She had 6 babies.

Well instead of going in, and feeding them she left, and ran back outside. I assumed to get another baby, but she didn't. She was out for a couple hours so I started to get really worried since I wasn't sure when they ate last. So I took them out. They are all so small. Umbilical cord still attached. They seemed layhargic. Only one cried loud, and strong. The rest barely moved around. She finally came in, and I had to push her over so she could feed them. I watched 4 hour's straight making sure they all stayed latched. She freaked out when I tried to put them in the box so I stuck them in my opened bathroom by my bed, and she's fine. My worry is she doesn't seem interested in them at all. She barely goes to them, or takes care of them. Even when they cry for her. She just sleeps. Like last night after she brought them in they cried off, and on all night, but she just kept sleeping on my bed. I even tried picking her up, and making her go down there, but she won't do anything. Today she's only went to them a couple times, and I'm so worried, and scared they might starve to death.

Please any help would be very appreciated!! Any ideas how to make her interested, and care? She's a first time, and last time Mom. She will be spayed when they are older.

 

[StefanZ]

Not all cats are good mommas, but usually they are good enough mommas. Your problem here is the kittens got a bad beginning, so their margins are thinner than otherwise.
I will continue immediately, stand by
@CatLover1111

 

[StefanZ]

You must be prepared to supplement feed them by hand too. What they get from momma will be a bonus, but take the charge and responsibility yourself.
How much do the weigh? Knowing the weigh, and if they do gain is important.
The exact weigh to know how much you shall give (8ml for every 30 grammes a day, so a kitten of 75 grammes usually needs about 20 ml of kmr or goats milk).

And the gain - if they gain minimum 6+ grams a day, its not bad. If they gain less you must work more vigorously.

If its cold in your place, they must have extra warmth - heat pads perhaps, or an IR-heating lamp. If its very hot, they must have some chilling off.

Can you get raw goats milk? if not, canned or powdered goats milk are OK.
Or some good kmr kitten mothermilk replacement. There are many brands. This made by Pet AG in powder, KMR or Petlac is best. Hartz is to avoid. Do avoid also PetAg´s KMR in premade liquid.

Kittens whom have a momma, are often reluctant for bottle. Using a needleless syringe or a dropper may be easier. Train somewhat on your own, its not easy at first, and there is some danger you may get milk into the lungs if you arent careful. Tummy down, slowly in the corner of the mouth. Be sure they swallow before you give more.

Is momma washing them, ie making them potty etc? If not, YOU must help them with this too.

Observe, if momma does it, you perhaps never see any poo or pee. She eats up all the leftovers. So its eaisest if you SEE it. Otherwise you must guess by them being happy and contend.

There is surely more, please come back for reports and more questions.

 

[Kayla70711]

I can get a lot of this stuff tomorrow. I haven't weighed them, cuz I didn't think about it. I'll get a scale though. Last night while I watching them eat she did hold down a couple, and stimulate them. I saw a piece of poop afterwards so that's good. I'm hoping she'll just start doing it on her own, but I'll get everything just in case. Thank you so much. I appreciate your fast response! I've been freaking out, and worrying about what to do.

 

[Sarthur2]

Here is a helpful video for feeding them:

Syringe Feeding

Do not let the mother cat back outside no matter what.

Sometimes it takes new moms a couple of days to settle into nursing and caring for the babies. Hopefully she will get into it. In the meantime, it’s up to you.

Do you now have powdered kitten formula and a syringe?

How are the kittens doing?

@CatLover1111

 

[Kayla70711]

Luckily she seems to be doing a little bit better. I got all the stuff you said. Last night she slept with them all night. Only left to eat, and use the litter box. They all are plump now, and crying real strong, and moving around a lot. I've been watching to make sure they are all latched, and eating fine, and they definitely are. She probably just had to settle in like you said.

 

[ArchyCat]

If you have kitten milk replacement, you might want to make up a saucer and put it out for the mother cat. As long as she is nursing she will need extra calories and calcium for milk. Also, kitten wet food, would also be good for the mother cat.

 

[Sarthur2]

Good to hear! And yes, mom will benefit from a dish a day of KMR. She needs the extra calcium for nursing.

 

[Kayla70711]

I need some more help. The babies will be a week old tomorrow. They have fleas all over them. I've been picking them off as best as I can, but there's still more. What can I do? I've heard mention on here using Dawn dish soap to wash them, but are they too little?

 

[Sarthur2]

Put a tube of Advantage II on the back of mom’s neck. It will kill many of the fleas on the babies for now.

I would not recommend baths for them the first 3 weeks.

Continue using a flea comb and wash the bedding in hot water to kill eggs and larvae.

The kittens can have a kitten dose of Advantage II at 5 weeks.

 

[ArchyCat]

I have used Johnson & Johnson Unscented baby shampoo. Other members suggest Dawn.

I don't think 1 week is too young. I washed my kittens in the bathroom sink with very warm water. Not hot water. But warm to your hand. Have lots of dry towels at hand.

First I make sure the kitten is wet to the skin, then put a small amount of soap on the kitten, then rub it all over the kitten but her head. What kills the fleas is the soapy water. The water reduces the water surface tension, which permits it to enter the flea's spiracles. And the fleas drown. The spiracles are the flea's breathing openings. Then rinse the kitten with clear warm watery to remove all the soap and dead fleas. Then dry the kitten with a towel. Then put the kitten in a cardboard box with towels on the bottom. Repeat with remaingkittens. Then cover them with a dry towel in the box. Then a heat lamp or heating pad to keep the kittens warm as they dry.

You also need to de-flea mom-cat. The vet should be able to supply you with a topical medication for her. But you don't want to return the kittens to mom until her fleas are eliminated. If she will tolerate it, you could wash her with Dawn or baby shampoo.But I would still ask for a topical for her. Then you should change out the nest bedding to eliminate any fleas or eggs.

But the kittens need to be treated. At that age, the fleas can cause anemia.


This is probably is TMI. And not up to current vet practices. But it worked for me back in the day.

 

[StefanZ]

Bathing small kittens has its dangers but main thing is they dont get chilled of. ArchyCat explains nicely.

 

[silkenpaw]

I always worry that seemingly dead fleas will magically come back to life once they dry. Do not put the fleas you took off the kittens directly in the trash. Put them in a sealed plastic bag first. Good luck. Fleas are a nightmare. Cute kittens

 

[ArchyCat]

Updates please?

 

[Kayla70711]

All the babies are doing good. Put the flea medicine on Mom, and have been picking fleas off of them, and they're basically non existent now. I give her the KMR everyday. Mom has done a complete 180. She is very attentive to them now. She feeds them all, and stimulates them. However I have a question.

So they are 3 weeks and 5 days old today, but one of them still has an eye closed. I took pics I'll post. I just wiped it out with a warm tissue, and it opened, and I got all the hard stuff out of it. My question is in the picture does it look like an infection, or just a late eye opener? Cuz if it looks like an infection I want to get him to the vet.

 

[StefanZ]

Count its infection. So if you can let a vet look at it its good.

 

[ArchyCat]

For the fleas on the kittens. You can wash them with Dawn dish soap or John & Johnson settles baby shampoo. The soapy water will drown the fleas. If you do, have lots of towels handy to dry the kittens, And chase out the nest bedding to eliminate any fleas and there eggs.

Looks like you are doing well! Keep us updated!

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, infection. The kitten needs eye medicine ASAP.

 

[Kayla70711]

Help! I can't get him in until Thursday, and now Mama has a bad eye too. What can I do in the mean time to help them? None of the other kittens seem to have it, but should I treat them anyway? I'm freaking out. I don't want anything bad to happen to them.

 

[StefanZ]

You can try wash with mildly saline water.
Hospitals do so too.

They need prob antibiotics though.