Two 1st time mum and kitlets questions

Hi Everyone

I'm new here, just looking for the answers to two questions that have come up, that I can't find info on anywhere. I've never had kittens born before so I'm kind of working blind.

My 7mo black cat(kitten) (who was pregnant when I got her - no-one realised) had a litter of 4 black kits on the 3rd Nov, so they're probably about 3 or 4 weeks old now (my math is atrocious). They're all girls, all healthy, been to the vet for a checkup, everything's just dandy.

Now the two questions I have:

1. Mumcat seems to have developed a ring of short, very fine and dark hair around each nipple... It stands out because her fur fades and thins out towards the nipples, and then there's this thick, dark ring around each one. People have suggested that it could be bruising, but it appears to be the colour of the hair, not the skin, that is so dark. I was wondering if this is normal, and what causes it, and basically if I should be worried about it.

2. The mum is quite kittenish still and while she's a very good mum in that she takes care of them really well, they're all clean and perfectly healthy and well-fed, she also plays with them and to me it looks almost painfully boisterous. The kits don't seem to be fussed by it, they don't cry or suffer any apparent harm, it just looks really worrying... She intersperses the wrestling and gnawing with licks so I'm wondering if this is just standard bathtime grooming practice? I'm really not sure... as I said they seem fine, it just looks like it must be too rough, and I can't quite believe that it's all usual. I keep wanting to tell her off, and then don't because I'm worried that I'm interfering with some natural thing between them.

Please could I get some advice from you more experienced folks!?

I can't answer your questions (though i know there will be some experienced people along soon), just wanted to say Welcome to TCS!

Are you sure it's not just gunk that is stuck there from the kittens nursing?

Sometimes my cat would not clean up her nipples after the kittens were done nursing and it would dry up and have dirt and stuff stuck to it. When they nurse it gets really wet so sometimes debris sticks to it and makes it look like a dark ring when it dries.

hi my cat is first time mum two but her kittens are only 8-9 days old but she has the thinning of the fur and brownish colour around her nipples i really d think its natural i couldnt tell you why (doh!) but if its not bothering her or affecting the kittens feeding then i am sure you have nothing to worry about and the being rough think when my kittens were 2-3 days old i thought she was trying to eat them instead she was just cleaning then i do think it is natural although i am no expert good luck with the kittens all my best xx

The mum is quite kittenish still and while she's a very good mum in that she takes care of them really well, they're all clean and perfectly healthy and well-fed, she also plays with them and to me it looks almost painfully boisterous. The kits don't seem to be fussed by it, they don't cry or suffer any apparent harm, it just looks really worrying... She intersperses the wrestling and gnawing with licks so I'm wondering if this is just standard bathtime grooming practice? I'm really not sure... as I said they seem fine, it just looks like it must be too rough, and I can't quite believe that it's all usual. I keep wanting to tell her off, and then don't because I'm worried that I'm interfering with some natural thing between them.

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She's relatively young to be a mom and she is probably doing the best she knows how to "correct" them...as long as she isn't hurting them in any way...I'm sure it's fine. Just make sure that you work with your vet to have her spayed once the kittens reach the age of 10-12 weeks and plan to keep her indoors only until her spay surgery so that this can be her only litter.

Katie

Thanks very much people...

I'm pretty sure that it's not debris, it's definitely just the hair colour but I'm glad that someone else has come across it with their cat... It doesn't appear to be doing any of them any harm, I was just worried because I'm the paranoid type!

And thanks for the advice regarding the roughness, it sets me a little more at ease, although I know I'll still cringe every time she does something particularly painful-looking, even though I know they're not coming to any harm.

Edit:And she is completely an indoors cat, our other two are desexed females, and she will be spayed as soon as possible. She wouldn't have had this litter except that she was already preggo when I got her and I couldn't bear the thought of terminating the pregnancy. The kittens will all be desexed ASAP at their new homes as well (I'll be checking up), to ensure they don't contribute further to the overpopulation.

Edit:And she is completely an indoors cat, our other two are desexed females, and she will be spayed as soon as possible. She wouldn't have had this litter except that she was already preggo when I got her and I couldn't bear the thought of terminating the pregnancy. The kittens will all be desexed ASAP at their new homes as well (I'll be checking up), to ensure they don't contribute further to the overpopulation.

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That's wonderful to hear Shades!! Following up with the adoptor is the best way to ensure the spay/neuter has been performed. I did read that she came to you already pregnant so good of you to have a plan to have her spayed and are keeping her indoors.

Katie