What to expect when she's expecting???

[ashade1]

Awe yay! Finally! All of their weights sound very healthy! Good luck telling them apart! I have heard some people will mark with a sharpie or nail polish under their arm/tip of tail/or their ear! Not sure how effective it is for black kittens though- I had 4 all black kittens once and I had to just get them collars when they were older before I could tell them apart!

 

[spooks]

Update: she's still working on that KMR, the more diluted the more she likes it so it's mostly water at this point. Still not eating much, and she hasn't used the litter but one of the kittens pooped! Not sure which one but based on what I know from human newborns it seemed normal enough (green and soft but almost solid, not watery).

 

[spooks]

Also figured it was worth posting: I have a heating pad in there but any time I turn it on mama pants, the kittens all feel warm to the touch and seem to be doing just fine, should I just leave it off? The blanket that they're laying on is pretty warm too; I don't want to make her uncomfortable but I also don't want one to affect the health of the kittens

 

[ashade1]

I think they would be fine with the heating pad off, what is the temperature of the room that they are in?

 

[spooks]

It's sixty eight degrees in my apartment, so pretty cold. She's tucked away in my small closet in the corner of my room so it may not be quite as chilly there. Since mama still won't leave her nest I've been sleeping on the floor next to her waking up to make sure she's getting food and fluids (she always was so pampered) she and kittens seem to be doing fine with the heating pad off but I will continue to keep an eye on them

 

[spooks]

Also guess it's worth noting: she's pretty irritable towards her kittens, any time she's trying to sleep or eat and they start crying she just growls at them instead of helping. She hasn't been physically aggressive towards them, is this normal?

 

[spooks]

She's very clearly dependent, I just woke up to all her babies crying bc they were looking to nurse and she just stared at me and reached her paw out towards me for help. She laid down and let me guide them all to a nipple but now when they start crying she claws at the edge of the box to get my attention

 

[spooks]

She left the nest for th first time, but only to come cuddle! She's laying with me watching her little ones through the box (I turned the heating pad on low so they wouldn't get cold) guess she just needed a break?

 

[ashade1]

Probably just needed a break! I never heard of momma cats growling at their kittens, but great she is still nursing!

 

[spooks]

She has no interest in getting back in the nest even though her babies are crying, she keeps going back and forth

 

[ashade1]

Will she stay and nurse if you sit down with her and pet her while she is nursing? I had one mom that wouldn't stay still with the kittens while I was in the room because she wanted attention from me

 

[talkingpeanut]

I'm wondering if you should leave her in the room with the kittens for a while to settle in.

 

[spooks]

U was able to coax her back in and pet her while the kittens latched, once they did she fell asleep. I think she's pretty settled, I just think she kinda panicks when they cry, she'll just call out or paw at me until I come over and help the kitten out, I'm sure she'll get used to it, it's barely been a day(-:

 

[spooks]

*I not U oops

 

[Sarthur2]

She will settle in. It usually takes new moms about 48 hours.

I think 68 degrees is chilly. I generally recommend running the heating pad on low under a blanket, on one side of the nest only. This way, the kittens can get on it when mom is out of the nest, but it's not where mom has to lie on it.

 

[spooks]

I hadn't thought of only putting it on one side, that should work much better, thanks!

 

[Sarthur2]

Do you have it under a blanket? They should never lie directly on it.

 

[spooks]

Yeah, it's under the first layer of a folded blanket

 

[spooks]

Weights for day 2!

1- 156g (+25)
2- 136 (+7)
3- 151 (+22)
4- 138 (+12)
5- 133 (+14)

 

[spooks]

I need to get a bowl or something to put them in because they try to wriggle right off! But this was as accurate as I could get them today