newborn kittens and panting

autumnblueangel

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Hi All,

Well, my cat Lily-Jade had her kittens last Tuesday (Monday, USA time) and all seems to be going well.

I can't help but worry about the kittens though. It might be paranoia but I keep getting this sensation that something isn't exactly right.

The kittens are nursing properly, mother cat is producing enough milk, she's looking after them as she should, and they're beautiful fluffy fat little things. However, two of them don't seem to be quite right. They're not as active as the others although they have a hefty scream (one of which is what alerted me to her labour at 5am in the morning! lol)

What's worrying me, is that Lily seems to be a little agitated. The vet said that's normal, but I still worry. Yesterday she was bleeding a little still, maybe half a tspoon - a tspoon but it's stopped now.

Kitten #1 seems to be panting. It opens it's mouth and goes hiff hiff hiff hiff, it's not gasping, it's pushing it out as if it's going to cry but it's not.

Kitten #2 is doing the same, but every so often gives a little sneeze. It also has the brightest, reddest mouth that I have ever seen on a kitten. Kitten #2, is a pure dark grey fluffy color, and it could be to do with this, but the mouth looks blood red and I can't help but wonder if this is abnormal. It's also not as active as the others.

Kittens #3 & #4 seem to be healthy, as far as I can see.

Has anyone ever noticed this in kittens? I'm taking her to the vet later this week if it continues, perhaps even if it doesn't - just to get her checked out, but until then I'd like to not be worrying as much, and if others have experienced the same, perhaps I won't have to.

any advice is appreciated.
 

gayef

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Yes, I have seen this in newborns ... and if it is as you describe it, these kittens are actually hissing at you. *grin* Newborns are both blind and deaf and they count on only their sense of smell and touch so when you approach the nest, you smell different. And they hiss.

Watch them closely if you think something isn't right, but my guess is that they are hissing. The sneezing may actually be spitting along with the hiss.
 
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autumnblueangel

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well that's a relief lol, I still might take them to the vet to get them checked over, but it's a relief to know that it's been seen before
cute that it's them hissing lol
 

tnr1

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Autumnblueangel....I have an unrelated question...I read your post about the outbreak of clahmydia that you experienced. Have all the cats received a clean bill of health?? We certainly do not want Lily-Jade or any of the babies to receive any type of illness during this time while they are developing their immune systems. Best to keep mom and babies in their own room for now.

Katie
 

goldenkitty45

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Its just them "hissing" - natural response when newborn. At best, it "might" scare a fly but not much more.

I crack up laughing at their hissing. But handle them at least once a day in mom's presense - that way they will hiss a lot less when eyes/ears open cause they rely on smell right now.
 
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autumnblueangel

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Katie, the first vet said Clahmydia and got me all worked up, but I treated Jessavyn anyway (I have four cats, Keylah 2.5, Jerryn 1.5, Lilly-Jade 11mo. & Jessavyn "Jessie" 11mo.) Jerryn seemed to cure on his own (he just had mild conjuntavitis, no sneezing or anything else) and Lily I couldn't treat - she was pregnant. My ex-housemate took Skittles her cat (at one stage, we had five cats living here, Skittles was indoors and caught what Jessie who is also indoors caught) to another vet, and that other vet said she had Cat Flu. So we weren't sure which, however the mystery was solved when after a week on the medicine (same kind for both cat flu & clahymydia only clahymydia takes longer to cure than cat flu, clahymydia a couple of weeks medication and cat flu a week.) both cats were fine and stayed that way. I took Lily to yet another vet a week before she gave birth as I thought she was overdue and to get her checked, and he said he thought she just had conjunctavitis. So I'm pretty sure all the cats are fine now, apart from Lily being a little skitterish and always wanting to follow me around and Jessie being a little sore and sorry for herself since she got de-sexed last week (no more baby kittens for me! lol) anyway, thanks for the advice
 
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autumnblueangel

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The vet said they're fine. Which is good. But I did have another mishap (welcome to the wonderful world of having 4 cats and 4 kittens, 8 kitties in total....) one of my week old kittens fell from a bed to a hardwood floor, he seems to be okay, if anyones interested read "falling week old kitten" under my other posts, same forum. thanks for the support! it's much appreciated.
 

mick528

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Baby kittens that breath heavy like that are panting not hissing. I have seen this same misinformation on ever cat site that I have gone to. My little babies are doing the same thing. They are putting there heads up opening their mouths and breathing fast and heavy. They are perfectly healthy and I'm guessing this is something kittens just do naturally do to the amount of people I see asking the same question. One of the babies at 3 days old hist at the uncle cat who came over to check them out and it was a clear hiss. There was no confusing it, it sounded exactly like a full grown cat hiss only not as loud. When people are asking why their kittens are breathing heavy it had nothing to do with hissing, that is just bad information.
 
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