New to being a Kitten mom

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Melissa0904

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Today and last night I was a little more gentle with urinating her and I haven't noticed anymore blood. I am wondering if she was a little raw? If I see anymore, I will def take her to the vet. After feeding her this morning, we were playing and I was cuddling her on her back... who knew kittens tried to suck their thumb? Cutest thing ever!!!
 

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Hopefully that’s all it is. Be very gentle, and apply coconut oil to prevent chafing. :)
 
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Melissa0904

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Well, I guess the good news is she can now pee on her own as she peed all over my shirt!!! I am still amazed at how much more advanced they are than the other larger ones.
 
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Update on my babies. Yes, they are my babies!! They are all doing well! I almost lost one but caught it in time. Sugar water works miracles. All of them today at three weeks are 12 ounces except one and she doesn't lack much from hitting 12. So, I started rotating them out when in the second week, I realized they all were not gaining much and some even lost weight. I split them, 4 smaller ones and 4 larger ones and rotated them every couple of hours. After two days, the smaller ones really took to the bottle (I had to use a dropper before that). The four larger ones refused so it turned into me bottle feeding the smaller babies pretty much all of the time but I still switch them about once a day so the smaller ones can get what they need from the mama. I put them all back with the mama at night. The mama cat is still very protective and loves her babies. She doesn't mind at all that I am dividing them. I think it has helped her tremendously. I look at all of them now and don't see how she would be able to feed all of them at that size. She is either a very small cat or just a kitten herself. I worried about her in the beginning because she looked horrible for a week and a half. She wasn't eating and looked skeletal. I FINALLY found a cat food she likes. ONE wet cat food, just one. And Rachel Ray dry. I am planning on taking all of them to the vet next week for their shots. I pooped my first kitten today. I was excited! I think he just really had to go though. I haven't had any luck with that part. I think because mama cat has been doing it. I never thought I would be attached to cats but after raising these, I am really considering opening up a cat rescue somewhere down the road. I think these little babies have wrapped themselves around my heart. Someone has to help me figure out how I am going to part with them. I feel like I can part with the larger ones ok but the ones I have specifically had to bottle feed...how do I do that? They are always so happy to see me! People just don't know the love they miss with animals.
 

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Update on my babies. Yes, they are my babies!! They are all doing well! I almost lost one but caught it in time. Sugar water works miracles. All of them today at three weeks are 12 ounces except one and she doesn't lack much from hitting 12. So, I started rotating them out when in the second week, I realized they all were not gaining much and some even lost weight. I split them, 4 smaller ones and 4 larger ones and rotated them every couple of hours. After two days, the smaller ones really took to the bottle (I had to use a dropper before that). The four larger ones refused so it turned into me bottle feeding the smaller babies pretty much all of the time but I still switch them about once a day so the smaller ones can get what they need from the mama. I put them all back with the mama at night. The mama cat is still very protective and loves her babies. She doesn't mind at all that I am dividing them. I think it has helped her tremendously. I look at all of them now and don't see how she would be able to feed all of them at that size. She is either a very small cat or just a kitten herself. I worried about her in the beginning because she looked horrible for a week and a half. She wasn't eating and looked skeletal. I FINALLY found a cat food she likes. ONE wet cat food, just one. And Rachel Ray dry. I am planning on taking all of them to the vet next week for their shots. I pooped my first kitten today. I was excited! I think he just really had to go though. I haven't had any luck with that part. I think because mama cat has been doing it. I never thought I would be attached to cats but after raising these, I am really considering opening up a cat rescue somewhere down the road. I think these little babies have wrapped themselves around my heart. Someone has to help me figure out how I am going to part with them. I feel like I can part with the larger ones ok but the ones I have specifically had to bottle feed...how do I do that? They are always so happy to see me! People just don't know the love they miss with animals.
I just found this thread and read through it. You did a very good job, especially since this was your first time dealing with new Kittens. It sounds like the worst of it is behind you and you can relax a bit, but not too much because 8 Kittens is a lot even for a fully grown mother Cat.

Wanting to open your own rescue is a noble if lofty goal. If you are serious about it then get in touch with your township or county board and find out what you will need, and if they can provide any assistance. Even if you aren't planning on doing that now it's good to know ahead of time what you will need to do and what you can expect.

Letting them go is the hard part and it doesn't really get any easier, it's one of the downsides of doing this kind of work. You get attached but you can't keep them all so you just have to make sure they go to a good home. The other downside is you can't always save them all. Sometimes, no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, some just don't survive. You need to be prepared for that too.
 

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You said you are taking them all for shots next week. Neither mom nor babies are ready for shots yet. Kittens get their first vaccines at 8 weeks if they are 2 pounds. Rabies is not given until they are 6 months. Mom can get her shots when she goes for spaying after the kittens are 8 weeks and weaning. Mom can go into heat before then so just be aware. My cat went into heat around 7 weeks post-partum.

As far as letting them go, I couldn’t do it. I kept the stray mama and all 4 of her kittens. It’s 5 years later and I’m so glad I did. I’ve also adopted 4 more cats since, for a total of 9 cats in my household now. My bed is full of cats every night, and my life is full of cat love every day.

You’ve still got a few weeks yet to decide who and how many kittens you want to keep. Are you keeping mama?
 
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Melissa0904

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You said you are taking them all for shots next week. Neither mom nor babies are ready for shots yet. Kittens get their first vaccines at 8 weeks if they are 2 pounds. Rabies is not given until they are 6 months. Mom can get her shots when she goes for spaying after the kittens are 8 weeks and weaning. Mom can go into heat before then so just be aware. My cat went into heat around 7 weeks post-partum.

As far as letting them go, I couldn’t do it. I kept the stray mama and all 4 of her kittens. It’s 5 years later and I’m so glad I did. I’ve also adopted 4 more cats since, for a total of 9 cats in my household now. My bed is full of cats every night, and my life is full of cat love every day.

You’ve still got a few weeks yet to decide who and how many kittens you want to keep. Are you keeping mama?
OK... so serious question. How do you keep the smell down with that many cats? That is my only dilemma. I would have no doubt my bed would be full of kittens. They are really attached to me. :-) And I; them! My dog who was one time deemed a dangerous animal, he bit my crazy neighbor before we moved, he is their surrogate father now. LOL No kidding. He keeps the tom cat (in house) away from them. He has also started peeing and pooping them, which is endearing and gross, all at the same time. I called the vet and yes it is too early for shots but they can deworm, I guess?
 
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Another question as I have been noticing for the past week, mama cat's belly. She has not been out of my site yet she "looks" pregnant again? Is that even possible? After she had her babies, she looked thin. Very thin. Now her mid-section is sticking out like she is a month pregnant again. I wouldn't say she looks fat because she is still small, just her belly is large. I have felt but I don't know what I am feeling for. Last time, I could feel the babies move around because she was quite pregnant. I don't even know how 9 babies managed to move at all in her little self. But is it possible she could get pregnant while being pregnant? I know cats are super fertile and she definitely fits that description. And yes, I am planning on getting her spayed as soon as she weens the babies which she is doing now.
 

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What smell are you referring to? The kitten’s bottoms? Wipe them down with a warm, damp cloth a couple of times daily or whenever necessary!

It’s possible that mom is pregnant, but seems unlikely, however, is the resident tom cat intact? An x-ray would show what is going on in mom’s belly, and I think it’s a good idea to find out in case decisions need to be made. It’s not normal for a cat with 4-week-old kittens to have such a round belly, so it could be a health issue. Is mom eating and acting normally or does she seem poorly?

Can you post a picture of mom’s belly?
 
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What smell are you referring to? The kitten’s bottoms? Wipe them down with a warm, damp cloth a couple of times daily or whenever necessary!

It’s possible that mom is pregnant, but seems unlikely, however, is the resident tom cat intact? An x-ray would show what is going on in mom’s belly, and I think it’s a good idea to find out in case decisions need to be made. It’s not normal for a cat with 4-week-old kittens to have such a round belly, so it could be a health issue. Is mom eating and acting normally or does she seem poorly?

Can you post a picture of mom’s belly?
The smell of a house with 9 cats. You had said you kept all yours which is what I would LOVE to do because I am so attached and so are they... well 7 of them. Ollie is very timid and hisses a lot. He doesn't like the dog at all which is odd since the other ones do. He has ALWAYS been my difficult kitten. Always refusing the dropper, the bottle, being urinated... and the list goes on.

After work today I will post a photo. Mama cat seems fine. She is eating a lot. She is quite fond of gruel but didn't like the KMR. I wish I would have known that when I couldn't get her to eat normal cat food. I went through a lot of $$ trying to find something she would eat. She is pretty well empty. I noticed last night when one of the kittens tried to nurse, she wasn't producing. The kittens are eating gruel and dry kitten food though. I have one that doesn't want to eat gruel and I am not sure if she is eating the dry. She still wants the bottle. The three others do as well but are usually too full to drink a lot. After she had the kittens she was really sickly looking and even threw up for a few days. She is much better looking now but her hips are still small and her mid-section rounded. I have a vet appointment next Wednesday for all of them. Would I be better off to deworm them myself and save money or let the vet do it?
 

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I think just your mama cat needs to see the vet right now.

The vet can give you worming meds to give to the kittens at home. Do you think they have worms? I ask because if not, they can get wormed at 8 weeks when they get their first vaccines. There’s no rush right now.

Is your resident Tom cat intact?
 
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Melissa0904

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The smell of a house with 9 cats. You had said you kept all yours which is what I would LOVE to do because I am so attached and so are they... well 7 of them. Ollie is very timid and hisses a lot. He doesn't like the dog at all which is odd since the other ones do. He has ALWAYS been my difficult kitten. Always refusing the dropper, the bottle, being urinated... and the list goes on.

After work today I will post a photo. Mama cat seems fine. She is eating a lot. She is quite fond of gruel but didn't like the KMR. I wish I would have known that when I couldn't get her to eat normal cat food. I went through a lot of $$ trying to find something she would eat. She is pretty well empty. I noticed last night when one of the kittens tried to nurse, she wasn't producing. The kittens are eating gruel and dry kitten food though. I have one that doesn't want to eat gruel and I am not sure if she is eating the dry. She still wants the bottle. The three others do as well but are usually too full to drink a lot. After she had the kittens she was really sickly looking and even threw up for a few days. She is much better looking now but her hips are still small and her mid-section rounded. I have a vet appointment next Wednesday for all of them. Would I be better off to deworm them myself and save money or let the vet do it?
Ignore my dirty shoes... Ugly weather
 

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Sarthur2

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That looks like a pregnant belly, so I guess your resident tom cat is still not neutered. Get her checked at the vet to make sure it’s actually a pregnancy and not pyometra. Doggie mom is sweet!
 

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Add this to above: If she’s pregnant, consider getting her spayed/terminated. She just had 9 kittens. Back to back litters are very hard on cats.
 

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Add this to above: If she’s pregnant, consider getting her spayed/terminated. She just had 9 kittens. Back to back litters are very hard on cats.
If she is actually pregnant again, definitely. As unfortunate is it may be it's not worth the risk of her dying giving birth and then the Kittens most likely dying as well.
 

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Get your tom neutered also or he’ll be after the kittens too before long. They can actually get pregnant as young as 4 months old and without going into heat!

Let us know what the vet says!
 

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Bring momma in to the vet asap and get her xrayed to see if she is pregnant. If she is yes you will need to spay her asap, she can not nurse that many kittens and have to care for unborn kittens to. If mom and the tom cat had access to each other.. its possible she could be pregnant for sure. We have had a few moms in foster care who had back to back litters, a mom with a 10 week old kitten and gave birth to kittens a week later, another mom with 12 week old kittens and a one week old litter.

In regards to the smell, unfixed cats, especially males have more pungent pee smell and have a higher risk of spraying to (females will spray to). Any that you keep you will have to spay or neuter to, so you have to keep that in mind in regards in what you can afford financially. Kittens will have to be fixed by 4 months of age. If your male is not fixed, he should get neutered asap.

Feeding a raw completely balanced diet does make it so you will not smell the poop at the very least. Poor quality dry/wet food I find can make the poop really really smell just cause of all the junk in it.
 
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That looks like a pregnant belly, so I guess your resident tom cat is still not neutered. Get her checked at the vet to make sure it’s actually a pregnancy and not pyometra. Doggie mom is sweet!
No... Gen has been neutered for a few months now. (sigh)
 

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No... Gen has been neutered for a few months now. (sigh)
It's unlikely he got her pregnant then. There have been cases of neutered males still causing pregnancy weeks later but if it's been months then yeah it's probably not from him.

You should still get her checked by your vet though, even if she is not pregnant again it is not normal to have a belly that big so soon after giving birth.
 
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