I have a question

tinyflyer02

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Hi!

Well Medusa has quit feeding her babies all the time is that normal? What should I do
She hasn't been feeding them as much as she used to and I started realizing it a few days ago. The kittens are nine days old today, but I don't understand why she just leaves them constantly? I just wanted to see if anyone could help me. Thanks!
 

abymummy

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Did you weigh them regularly? Or have you noticed any obvious weight loss in the kittens? If there is no weight loss, then she is feeding them and you're just missing the nursing. If there is weight loss, you'll have to start handfeeding them immediately. I hope you have some milk formula on hand. Try KMR or goats milk.

If possible, confine mom and babies in a small space such as a cupboard or a small room. As to why she's leaving her babies, I can't really say since there a lots of reasons, one of the saddest being that the kittens are dying anyway and that mom knows it's futile to keep feeding them.

Good luck and I hope this helps some!
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by tinyflyer02

Hi!

Well Medusa has quit feeding her babies all the time is that normal? What should I do
She hasn't been feeding them as much as she used to and I started realizing it a few days ago. The kittens are nine days old today, but I don't understand why she just leaves them constantly? I just wanted to see if anyone could help me. Thanks!
Tinyflyer...the best thing to do is to confine mom so she cannot get far away from her kittens. I would also advise getting a scale and weighing the kittens daily to ensure that they are gaining weight.

Katie
 

gayef

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Amber, not to be repetitive, but you are going to have to start getting a daily weight on the babies now that Medusa is spayed. In some cats, spaying causes the milk to decrease significantly or even to dry up completely and if that happens with your girl, then you are going to have to bottle-feed the kittens so that they continue to grow and thrive.

How are the kittens acting? Are they sleeping a lot or are they restless, squirmy and crying?
 
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tinyflyer02

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She's feeding them a lot more now.....the kittens are good now, she's been taking care of them more. I haven't weighed them yet, but I'm going. I'm also getting them weighed at the vets on Saturday.
I haven't had anything to really weigh them. I'm planning on moving Medusa into our bathroom which is small since the kittens are starting to crawl around. I do have milk replacement just in case she stops nursing again.

Thanks for the help!
 

godiva

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Keeping her in the room will help a lot. You might want to try and get the kittens used to nursing from one of those little bottles right now in case she does stop... did someone say momma was fixed now? It's a strong possibility she'll stop if she has been.

I was paranoid when Sneakers had her kittens. After a week or so, I started giving them a little bit from a bottle so they knew how to nurse in case Sneakers stopped nursing.
If there is a reason she might stop, you might want to as well! (But I don't recommend this as a general practice... I'm just weird!)
 

tnr1

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did someone say momma was fixed now?
Yes...she was bleeding and there was concern that another kitten was inside her...fortunately they did not find any other kittens so they went ahead and performed the spay.

Katie
 

kluchetta

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You can get an inexpensive scale at Wal Mart or a similar store - I think they are used for measuring food weights, so it would be with those type items.

Also - when the kittens eat, are they eating until they fall asleep & fall off the nipple and their little tummies are round? What are the kittens going to the vet for? Sorry - I'm a little behind this week!
 

momof3rugratz

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Way to go on spaying the mom. I know my Skittles babies where so big and mom was great to them but at 15-16 days old I noticed the chubby one of the bunch was lapping mommies KMR and the soft food I mixed with KMR so what I did was I left it out and by the time all where 3 weeks each figured out how to lap up the KMR. I know they say no food till like 4-6 weeks but I did not do it they took the step on there own. It helped alot because I did spay mom and all kittens at 9-10 weeks I am not sure and mom's milk did dry up but took 4 weeks.
 

alleygirl

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I'm glad mama cat seems to be feeding the babies now but you might keep a close eye on them, in case she stops. We had a dog who had 2 litters of puppies and although she sailed through her pregnancy and birthing, she was a horrible mother after that and did everything she could to keep the babies off of her and they had to be bottle fed.

Good luck with them. Would love to see some pictures!
 
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