Today Seems To Be Kitten Day

[Resa]

I have a family of neutered boys and one spayed girl cats. Our new neighbors brought a gizillion cats with them when they moved in and one of them, an under one year old female, decided that we were her people instead. And of course she's pregnant.

Now she's named Willa. She wants to be wherever I am most of the time. Today she's leaving little puddles of show wherever she goes. Eewwh, huzzah for wet wipes! She's had no interest in any of the nesting boxes I've put around the house. She got into the dog's kennel for a bit, so I disinfected it, put in clean towels, draped it with a blanket. Now she doesn't like it anymore. And now she's playing some kind of pregnant cat hide and seek. She'll evaporate and then come back to stare at me accusingly. Don't look at me, lady! I didn't knock you up.

I understand that this kitten birthing can take a while. Do I ruthlessly search out where she's hiding, or leave her alone? She's a tiny kitty with a giant belly. I want to keep an eye on her and I don't want to freak her out. I also would prefer she not have kittens on my bed, in the bathtub, in the shower, or really not the dog kennel either though that will do in a pinch? Can they be gently re-directed?

Excited and scared for our pretty tiny girl. To quote Gone with the Wind, "I don't know nuthin' about birthin' no kitties!" Our vet is blocks from our house, so if things go south at least help is close at hand.

 

[Resa]

Oh, plus I'm having a very hard time keeping our oldest cat, Creepy Uncle Gizmo, at bay. He thinks he should groom every cat in the house, all the time. He's following her everywhere and she doesn't seem to mind but eventually, he's got to get locked in the den or something I guess.

 

[Sarthur2]

Put her in the room where you want her to give birth. Put her birthing box, food, water, and litter in the room with her. Close the door, but check on her and spend time with her. She does not need to be all over the house right now.

 

[StefanZ]

Agree. Once on that room, it will be HER safe room, and perhaps she will take it more easy. Unless she is verry friendly with this Uncle, she probably prefer to not have him nearby when she delivers.

Re the question, if you try to be with her, assisting if necessary, or leave her alone. As she is following you most of the time, and trusting you, she will probably not mind you being nearby. Shw will even want it.

But some mommas prefer to be alone, and deliver when they are alone... (they can in some degree plan the exact hour of delivery).

Last but not least. You mentioned cleaness several times. Cats arent THAT fragile to bacterias as humans are, so as long its not dirty, in most situations it isnt necessary with totally bacterie free steriliness for her nor her kittens.

The cleaness is more important for you.

(I take we arent talking about quarantine here - they all seems to have met, and your residents are healthy anf fully vaccinated no?).

 

[Resa]

Thanks people! I have her all set up in just one room now. I'm not a clean freak, really. I just cleaned out the dog kennel since for a while it seemed like she wanted to give birth in there. It was full of dog hair and stuff he tracks in from outside. I'm relieved that the dog kennel is not her kitten box of choice after all. She had her first round of shots and everyone else is vaccinated, so we're all good there. Still no kittens, but she seems fine.

 

[Sarthur2]

Sounds good!

 

[Resa]

Still no kittens but more show and I think she's having labor this morning. Pacing and purring and licking. She freaks out every time we leave her and she freaks out every time we dim the lights. I thought cats liked to give birth alone in a dimly lit place? She's happy in her basket in the back of the closet as long as one of her people is nearby. At least she's given up on the notion of having her kittens in the dog kennel! Trying not to worry. It seems like forever but according to the literature, I guess everything is going according to plan.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, it is textbook perfect so far, and it does sound like she is laboring.

 

[Resa]

So far she gave birth to a tiny only partly developed fetus. Not sure what happened there. She should be full term. She still has a very full tummy. Do teenage moms have under-developed kittens sometimes?

 

[Sarthur2]

It must have stopped development at some point. The others should be fine when it's time soon!

 

[Resa]

There's been no more labor, no more show, no more kittens. Willa took a really long nap after delivering the fetus and then tanked up on food and water. Since then, she has been acting completely normal, like she never was in labor at all. I'm watching her carefully for any signs of distress or illness. She's just doing her usual thing-- trotting around the house, eating, drinking, pottying, socializing with the rest of the clowder, sitting on people. When she lays just right I can see movement in her giant tummy, so I know there's something still in there! So confused. I don't want to subject her to an unnecessary vet visit. She's only been once before (because she just moved in with us and her previous people don't seem to take their cats to the vet for preventative care) and it really freaked her out. But I'll take her immediately if she starts acting even a little sick. How much longer should we wait for kittens to show up before we haul her to the vet because the kittens haven't come? Our vet is pretty basic and not into things like cat prenatal visits. He told us not to bring her back in until the kittens were weaned so she could get the rest of her shots and get spayed.

 

[Sarthur2]

She sounds fine. Since we don't know how far along she is, it's difficult to say when labor will resume. It could be days, or another week. Hang in there for now!

 

[Resa]

Poor Willa spent all night pushing out a sac with nothing but a little unformed tissue in it. She was in pretty rough shape so we took her to the vet. They shot her up with oxytocin and she still couldn't get the rest of the kittens out. Finally she had to have surgery. There's one surviving kitten, a tiny orange tabby. They're back from the vet. Now we'll see if tiny boy can learn to latch on. They sent us home with a syringe and kitten formula just in case. We've done the syringe feeding before but never on quite this small of a kitten. I'll look at the advice threads here. Thanks people for holding my hand through all my pregnant cat woes. I super appreciate it!

 

[Sarthur2]

Resa

Poor mama! I'm so sorry it's been so rough on both of you.

Did they go ahead and spay mama?

Do not expect a baby this tiny to latch on quite yet. Be prepared to feed hourly 1/2mL each feeding through the night, and going forward, until the kitten is strong enough to latch.

Put a drop of honey in the formula for energy.

I sure hope the baby makes it!

 

[Resa]

They did spay her.

 

[daisyd]

Oh bless, I hope muma and baby will be okay and bet she is happy her previous owners moved next door to you as you are looking after her !

 

[Sarthur2]

Resa

How are the syringe feedings going?

 

[Resa]

He's figured out that syringe feed is kind of tasty. He also is rooting all around Mom, who has milk for him but he hasn't figured out how to latch on. I've been shoving his head at the best looking teat. No luck yet with that. She's, I don't know, tolerating his presence but mostly ignoring him? She's still very out of it from the surgery drugs.

 

[Sarthur2]

Good he's taking the syringe. While mom is out of it, you'll need to stimulate his genitals to pee and poop until she can begin cleaning him.

Is he taking the 1/2mL?

Have you weighed him?

We'd love to see a picture!

 

[Resa]

They seem to have worked out latching on, but she's still not cleaning him so we're on potty duty. He guzzled the whole 1/2 ml the first couple of feeds, but now that he's nursing a little he's not so interested. Going to keep offering him syringe food for now after nursing. He seems pretty vigorous especially considering his tiny size.