Labor? Update: Kittens Are Here!

[Bengalmum93]

How sweet! I hope you can get some rest now too. Make sure all 6 babies are on nipples. With six you may have a runt. Do you have a scale to weigh them?

My mom is dropping off a scale when she's done work in 2 hours and then I will let you all know their weights! They look to be all around the same size though

 

[Bengalmum93]

Sarthur2 what's the normal weight range for a newborn kitten?? Thx!!

 

[Sarthur2]

It varies, but around 3-4 ounces. What are yours?

 

[Bengalmum93]

It varies, but around 3 ounces. What are yours?

I did it in grams but all are between 98 and 115 grams.

 

[Sarthur2]

That’s excellent! All are between 3.5 and 4.5 ounces - very healthy weights. Actually, it’s much easier to track gains in grams when they are this tiny. They should gain a minimum of 4 ounces a week. More is fine. They should weigh one pound at 4 weeks, 2 pounds at 8 weeks, etc.

 

[Bengalmum93]

Okay great! Thank you so so much.
Is there something I can do to tell the kittens apart? There's 5 that are almost identical and I want to be able to tell them apart for weights.

 

[Bengalmum93]

Here's some more pictures kittens at 24 hrs old.

 

[Sarthur2]

How sweet! You can try putting a mark with different colored Sharpie pens on the ends of their tails, but it may not last. Otherwise, their personalities and little markings that may help differentiate them will begin to show over time.

 

[danteshuman]

Congratulations!!!

I’m so glad mom is doing fine! 6 kittens oh my! You might want to buy a bottle or even a syringe nipple (because they can be hard to find and you might need to order it.) That way if a kitten (runt) needs supplemental feeding you are prepared. Hopefully you can return it if you don’t need it.

The kitten lady did a video on how to tell kittens apart using lipstick. You try that, or a sharpie or cutting a bald patch. So kitten 1 has a clump of hair missing on the right shoulder, kitten 2 on the front arm, kitten 3 a back leg & kitten 4 no clumps (or dots of lipstick on the left ear or right ear or both ears.)

 

[Bengalmum93]

Congratulations!!!

I’m so glad mom is doing fine! 6 kittens oh my! You might want to buy a bottle or even a syringe nipple (because they can be hard to find and you might need to order it.) That way if a kitten (runt) needs supplemental feeding you are prepared. Hopefully you can return it if you don’t need it.

The kitten lady did a video on how to tell kittens apart using lipstick. You try that, or a sharpie or cutting a bald patch. So kitten 1 has a clump of hair missing on the right shoulder, kitten 2 on the front arm, kitten 3 a back leg & kitten 4 no clumps (or dots of lipstick on the left ear or right ear or both ears.)

Thank you for the advice!! As for the bottle/syringe, we have both. We bought the PetAg bottle kit that comes with a few different sizes of nipples plus a bottle and we have a needless syringe as well just in case. The breeder I talk to warned me of a few possible complications just because it was her first litter and sometimes delivery doesn't go as smooth as you'd hope so I've been very prepared since I found out she got out and was pregnant. Kittens are doing absolutely wonderful. We have one chunkier one who is consistently weighing in at 10g more than the others but other than that, they are roughly all around the same weight - give or take a few grams.
Coco is such a wonderful mom, it's such a blessing. She hasn't needed any help whatsoever and has done an amazing job of mothering her kittens. They are always fed and cleaned. Our small dog has actually become very protective over the kittens as well - it's so sweet. If they meow/cry while Coco is eating or using the litter box our pup (shih-tzu Yorkie cross 12lbs max) will run and smell the kittens, make sure they're all okay and then stand guard until Coco is back. It is the CUTEST thing!!!
Oh and we have 3 girls and 3 boys!!!!

 

[Sarthur2]

How sweet! Thank you for the update!

 

[Bengalmum93]

Our Bengal cat Coco had her kittens on Friday, June 28 in the morning. That makes them approximately 2 and a half weeks now. Mama is doing everything nesssecary with them, except for us weighing them every day to make sure they're all gaining properly (we ended up having 2 runts, a male and female). My main question is, when should they be aloud to start roaming around? Right now we have them in a very large box that is low enough so mom can easily get in/out but the kittens aren't able to yet. We have a box/space for when they get a little older but I'm wondering when we should transition them to that one? Also, when should we start trying wet food and litter box training?? Every website I've been to says something different in regards to raising kittens so I thought I'd ask the kitty experts again. I've been able to feel inside their little mouths and 5 out of 6 kittens already have started getting their baby teeth. Here's a picture of the kittens from earlier today!! There is 6 in total, 3 girls and 3 boys!!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. They are all so cute!!!! The litter (6) I was involved with most recently was given more space between 3-4 weeks old. Until then, they were in a very large crate with a litter box for mama and room for food/water, and a little bed, along with blankets lining the crate, and bumper type pads on the bottom edge of the crate.

At that time, they were given an entire bathroom (not real big) to explore, soft warm blankets on the floor for warmth, and a couple of beds. And they had already sampled mama's wet food while in the crate. I am pretty sure they had already been in the litter box as well, since it too was inside the crate. Soon after, while they were still nursing from mama, they were eating more of the wet and also sampling the dry food as well. And, used the litter box without (human) training.

If you give them more space, they will watch mama eat the food/drink the water and mimic her, and they will also take their cues from watching her in the litter box. Just make sure you are using non-clumping litter, in case they try to eat it!!

I am sure more experienced members will come along and offer their input too!!

 

[Sarthur2]

Most kittens are ready to leave the nest and begin exploring at about 3 weeks. You can begin trying soft wet food or a gruel mixture as soon as they have teeth!

 

[Bengalmum93]

Here's an updated picture at 3 weeks old!! This is the little area I set up for them daily. I still put them back into the box at night as they're in the main part of our house instead of a bedroom. Is there anything else I should have in this area while they're still learning to walk/play/etc? They are all doing wonderful, gaining perfectly and reaching their milestones on time, if not early. So proud of mama and these amazing kittens