Pregnant Cat May Not Be Producing Milk?

[michellerenee72]

My cat just had kittens today but dont if she is producing any milk for her newborns. On Her first litter found out a week after she had 8 kittens unfortunately 5 of them had died before noticing only 3 of her nipples were producing milk. So we decided to put her 3 newborns with another mommy cat was also nursing kittens. So my question is " How can you tell if a mamma cat is producing milk or not?"

 

[abyeb]

If you squeeze one of the nipples, do you see any milk coming out? If not, you’ll need to bottle feed the kittens. You can use either a bottle or needleless syringe, with KMR or goat’s milk (8 mL per 6 oz body weight daily, fed every other hour). Feed the kittens belly side down, head slightly elevated (like the position they would be in while nursing mom). If the kittens struggle, wrapping them in a towel makes it easier. This article also has more info: Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn's Life

Also, you should weigh the kittens every day to make sure that they are growing at an adequate rate. Around 10g of gain per day would be a good goal. This article has more information about weighing kittens: Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives)

 

[StefanZ]

Sometimes its difficult to know. The easiest is to weigh them. In the first critical phase every 12 hours till you get a sure count.

And get home the gears snd hoats milk or kmr so you are prepared.

 

[michellerenee72]

Thank you so much for the feedback!!

 

[abyeb]

How are the kittens doing now?

 

[JennyFergX]

I would think the kittens will let you know as well. We had a foster mom & babies who got mastitis. The kittens alerted me to it before she did. They will cry for sure if they aren't getting enough.