steep learning curve with kittens - help!!!

[midgecat]

thanks everyone.  bit calmer about it now.  polly has kept all the kits together for the last 24 hours.  although she doesn't seem to spend much time sitting and snuggling with them i have seen her feeding them last night before i went to bed, and before i went off to work this morning and again just now.  a friend came round who has a cattery this evening and gave some reassurance.  he also thinks she's probably a young mum with a first litter and hasn't got the hang of it yet - but is doing well enough since her kits are a decent weight.  he's suggested i do weight chart and check them every day or two and make sure they're gaining rather than losing weight.

she seems a happy enough little cat in herself, very purry and friendly and good company.

[LesleyW]

If possible, try and mark the kitten that is being separated each time from the others in some way, to see if it is the same one each time.  Mums have an amazing inner sense and if she thinks there is something wrong with it that may be why she is doing this, though the fact that she is staying with it doesn't seem to back this up.  Also try and check that all of them are feeding.  If possible, weigh them daily to make sure they are all putting weight on.


The idea of another litter tray in there is a good one.  Mum often moves their kittens from the birthing site a few days after she has given birth, it is a natural instinct to move away from the smell of birthing to escape predators, so it is normal for her to move them.


The main thing is to keep her as calm as possible and let her feel secure.  Stress is the worst thing she needs at the moment.


GOOD LUCK

[lornab]

If the kittens Are hungry they will be noisy, this probably sounds a bit OTT but I can highly recomend maPlins mini nightvision CCTV camera it's on offer for £19.99 at the moment, it's simple to install and will allow you to get a proper idea of what's going on without being too intrusive.
My experience with socks was that she fed them more or less constantly for the first two weeks, have the babies got full tummies?

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Have you seen Pollys kittens feeding?

If not it sounds like they may need help.

Who did you take the kittens in for cos it sounds like they should be giving you some help.

[midgecat]

polly may be a first time mum and that is why she is being a bit distant from her kits.

maybe so ........ i don't know her history.  however i was told that Tink had had 5 litters before - so perhaps it is just about tink being more used to them.  off to do another anxious check on them all again in a minute.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

polly may be a first time mum and that is why she is being a bit distant from her kits.

[midgecat]

hmmm ..... they all seem ok.  i went in in the night a couple of times to one of them and again she'd taken kit out the basket and put it in the litter tray.  one of the times she was curled up in there with it.  in the morning the litter tray had been used for a wee and all the kits were in the basket.  went back in later and one of them was in the bigger box i'd put in the room.  we moved them all into the bigger box.  they're all alive and warm and moving around a bit.

i don't know what's 'normal' and i have two mums with litters only about 4 days apart and they're behaving very differently.  when i go in to Tink she's invariably in the bed with her kits feeding and purring away.  she sometimes comes out to see me, sometimes its for a stroke, other times its to see me off.  if one of the kits meows she's straight back in there with them.  when i go in to Polly she's never been in the box with the kits - far more interested in cuddling with me, and if the kittens cry whilst she's eating her tea - then its just tough!  I don't know if its a different approach to mothering or whether i should be worried.

[Tiggy's Mum]

How are Mum & babies doing today? 

[thekittensmittens]

any news today hun?

[thekittensmittens]

wow you have a handfull and a half
If it was me i would keep an eye but not interfer too much- mom is probably very confused at the moment. My 2nd kitten used to try to sleep in the cat litter tray when it was changed , im sure its the square shape that represents security to cats as the fav bed  is the bottom half of a budgie tray with a rough towel in it. its taken weeks for them to discover the "posh" bed with padded cushions and soft lovely blankets.
If you have aspare litter tray you could try putting a towel in that and see if mom finds that suitable?
if mom was feral then it must be very strange being given all these lovely new stuff after living on the streets perhaps?
Im in nooo way a cat expert so only giving thoughts on what may be happening in moms eyes. disruption in any animal too cancause them to reject babies so just keep a close eye on who is getting fed , if you notice the mom definately rejecting kittens then you may have to hand feed with the special kitten formula- Im not sure this is the case though by what you have said so far.
Id keep the obsevation as quick and quiet as possible at an unthreatening distance but at regular intervals-also maybe use a pair of cloth gloves rubbed with moms scent if possible maybe? if you do have to handle akitten in case she is a nervous mom.
Im thinking of fostering moms wth kittens too for local rescue so will be reading on how its all going with your new feline family-good luck

[midgecat]

hope so ...... she's just done it again.  i don't know if i'm doing the right thing putting the kit back with the others.  they all appear healthy enough - its not as though any of them seem sickly and needing to be separated. 

i'm also wondering what she's going to do when she needs the litter tray since she's now using it as an annexe for her kits. 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I am sure someone willl be able to help you like Angie.

I hope that all do well 

[midgecat]

Never one to do things by halves I've taken on two mums each with 4 kittens this afternoon for fostering.  One lot is a week old and the other 2 days old.  It's a whole new ball game for me - apart from vague memories of our cat having kittens when i was a kid.

The week old ones - mum and kits were in a large cat carrier when I collected them - and I've just left them in there - with the door open of course - in the cat room.  About 3 hours after they arrived I popped in to the room to find mum had put one of the kits in the litter tray.  The little one just rolling around and wailing.  Thankfully the litter tray hadn't been used for the intended purpose.  I popped it back in with its litter mates.  I've just been up again to find mum and one kit in the litter tray curled up together.  Other kits still in the carrier.  Again I've put the kit back with its litter mates.  I don't know if its the same kit each time - they're all grey and I've only had them about 6 hours so not had chance to learn one from the other.

I've put a bigger cardboard box in the room with a fleece in it in case mum is feeling the carrier is too small for her and all the kits.  I've left it up to her to decide if she wants to move them into there or not - she's been in to have a look at it.

Don't know if this behaviour is 'normal' and/or if I should be worried, or what I might be able to do to help. 

any ideas of advice would be very welcome/