TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care › Well tinker is in labor
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Well tinker is in labor

post #1 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:04pm
Thread Starter 
She just had a black baby.

Wilbur is helping her lick him and clean him. is that OK?
Reply
post #2 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:13pm
Yay Tinker!

Yup just make sure the baby is crying and the sac has been removed. I wouldn't let her eat too many placentas either they will make her sick.
Reply
post #3 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:43pm
Thread Starter 
She's such a trooper. She didn't cry ONCE so far. not even as they were being born.

We have 3 kittens now. i THINK that's it. tinker wasn't excited about letting them nurse but I think it's because she was still in labor.
Reply
post #4 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:47pm
ohhhh, pictures when you can...please! I am glad all went well.
Reply
post #5 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:48pm
DUH! I just clicked Wilbur is the male, I would keep him away from the kittens if I was you.

Yup, normally they're not happy with the kittens nursing while they're in labour. I've got an incubator for mine and I take them away while the Mum's still in labour but unless she's squashing them, they should be fine.

Just make sure when it looks like she's finished to give her a nice clean bed

Congratulations fastnoc!
Reply
post #6 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:50pm
Thread Starter 
Wilbur won't let me near them lol. He keeps licking them, then worrying over tinker, then going back. he's so helpful
Reply
post #7 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:51pm
Oh my goodness! you picked her up just in time, heh? You must send pictures!!!! Yoohoo!!! Congrats grandpa!
Reply
post #8 of 126
12/29/08 at 9:59pm
Thread Starter 
Tell me about it! 3 days earlier i picked them up!

Here's a couple pics




Reply
post #9 of 126
12/29/08 at 10:28pm
The Orange/Red Tabby is the father of my Meeko.
This is him with Shadows Kittens and Shadow.
She is fixed now and Simba is dead.
As you can see he was fine with the kittens.



Reply
post #10 of 126
12/29/08 at 10:32pm
Thread Starter 
yeah i'm not too worried. wilbur was upset but it's becaus he knew what was happening. the minute he saw the first one he was GLUED to her side. then when i'd leave the room to refil my coffee he'd cry and run beside me all the way to the door, then the whole time I was gone, then when i returned he'd go back and sit next to tinker and the babies
Reply
post #11 of 126
12/29/08 at 11:37pm
Wow, that's fantastic - it's great Wilbur has been such a good dad!

Congratulations
Reply
post #12 of 126
12/30/08 at 12:09am
Thread Starter 
it's going to be interesting. Wilbur is causing a lot of grief. he keeps bugging her and the kittens. she's moved them THREE times already trying to get away from him. She's so tired she's sitting up (so she can see him) and her eyes keep closing.

I literally have no way to separate wilbur from her. he's not hurting them at all, but she doesn't want him being that intrusive. Not sure how to handle it.

She finally moved them into the box i made for her. she initially moved them under the bed, then in the closet, then back under the bed but wilbur was RIGHT there. right now she's got them back in the box and I had to hold him from going inside. he finally laid down just outside the box. i sure hope this gets easier. between wilbur's incessant crying, the babies crying and tinker crying I KNOW my mother is being woke up, and I'm quite sure the neighbors are too. but I don't know how to solve the problem yet.

Edit: two of the three struggle to latch on to mom. She's so exhausted she can't stay awake. every time one of them cries wilbur goes in and takes the kitten out of the box, puts it on the floor and starts licking it. I FINALLY got all 3 attached and now that they're quiet he's going to sleep.

What's he trying to do?
Reply
post #13 of 126
12/30/08 at 1:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fastnoc View Post

What's he trying to do?
I think he's just a confused boy. Is there any way to put Tink and the babies in the bathroom for the night with food and litter for her, and a box w/bedding for her and the babies? It sounds like Wilbur isn't letting her get any rest, and he's certainly not letting the babies feed. Tink may enjoy a little "alone time", and not mind being confined to the bathroom. I'm concerned that he's going to worry those kittens to death.
Reply
post #14 of 126
12/30/08 at 3:52am
Thread Starter 
well he finally laid off. though I don't think it was because he wanted to.

I'm a little concerned about how she's taking care of them. she leaves them alone a lot. one of them woke me up it was screaming so loud. i'm pretty sure it was just cold. i tried to get it to nurse but it didn't want to. then tinker would start freaking out and try hiding under neath me. then tried burrying her head in my arms. I know it was because she didn't know what to do. I know at least two of them have gotten milk, and it looks to me like this crying one has a full belly. but when she cries tinker takes her and hides under a blanket with her, and leaves the other two alone. but they're sleeping and cuddled up.

I warmed the screaming one up by putting it between my hands and softly letting my breath out on it. it was cool to the touch.

Should I do something else?


"EDIT: yeah it was just cold. man, Tinker isn't being very 'motherly'. i have to pick her up and hold her, then get the kittens 'attached' and hold them the whole time. . if I don't they'll just cry and she just leaves them. even when she's with them she lays facing them. not offering milk.
Reply
post #15 of 126
12/30/08 at 6:10am
Thread Starter 
christ this is going to be difficult. she's completely ignoring them. I am on my way to walmart to spend the last 10 dollars I have to buy a bottle and KMR. There's no way these kittens are going to live if I don't raise them. she won't.
Reply
post #16 of 126
12/30/08 at 6:17am
You are going to have to keep the kittens warm, at all times. They will not feed if they are not kept warm.
You may have to give them some Karo Syrup to stimulate their appetites.

Wilbur was just neutered, his hormones will not be out of his system for up to 2 months. He can send Tinker into heat again, even this soon after giving birth.

If she has moved the kittens 3 times already, she is nervous and not comfortable. You need to set her up where she has total peace completely away from Wilbur.
Reply
post #17 of 126
12/30/08 at 6:25am
I'm glad the babies came out easily, and momma seems to be fine. They make a gorgeous family in the pics.

I can't help with kitten care, I've never had to care for a just born kitten. But I know there's lots of advice on here.

What a hectic ride eh.

One thing I would worry about, isn't Wilbur the one with Ringworm? I'd worry about him passing it onto the kittens. But then again, they've probally already been exposed via mom, and the environment. I don't know, but definately watch for it, especially since the babies don't seem to be getting alot of mom's milk.

Just a question: Is it possible mom is shunning them because the male was licking them? Or is it that some moms don't know how to mom?

Sorry for adding onto your thread... I'm just curious.

that everything works out well
Reply
post #18 of 126
12/30/08 at 6:27am
I believe that one way to keep the kittens warm is with rice socks, you put rice in a sock and microwave it, not too hot obviously, but I guess the rice holds the heat for a while? Poor Tink, I hope she gets the gist of this soon, some kitties are just not meant to be Mommies.

Have you had the chance to call the vet who supposedly spayed her? They should at least give you a refund since you're no lnoger in the area.

as far as separating Wilbur from Tinker and the babies, do you have access to a large dog crate? you could put Tinker and the babies in there
Reply
post #19 of 126
12/30/08 at 7:35am
Thread Starter 
I don't have any more money to buy the rice. But I do have a fix-it solution. She moved them one last time into the closet, behind the door where there's a little nook she can hide them.

I have a light that you use to work on your car. it's a big orange extension chord with a light at the end with a little metal cage around it. I hung that through the coat hangers so it's not touching the wall, and got it about 2 feet above them. that will definitely warm them up. it might get too hot. but I'll check on it.

it's awfully bright, but that's better than being cold.
Reply
post #20 of 126
12/30/08 at 7:39am
Awww. Kittens on my birthday! Congratulations!
I'm so happy the labour went easily for Tinker. Here's hoping she gets the hang of this mom thing and and that Wilbur stops fussing over her so much.

Does your closet have a door? Maybe you could seperate her in there for a bit, just to give her some peace and quiet. Another option might be to put him in his carrier for awhile each day and sit with him.
Reply
post #21 of 126
12/30/08 at 7:50am
Well, congrats to Tinker! Though I'm sorry you are having so many problems with this, I know it is the last thing you needed right now! Hopefully she figures out how to be a mommy soon...

I know you'll keep us posted.
Reply
post #22 of 126
12/30/08 at 8:00am
Thread Starter 
Well, while I'll agree it's the last thing I need right now, it's not something I can't handle. it'll just take time. I'll get through it. More than anything I just want them, and my cats to all be OK. but honestly, after the crud I've been through in the last couple months, this isn't THAT big a deal
Reply
post #23 of 126
12/30/08 at 9:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snake_Lady View Post
Just a question: Is it possible mom is shunning them because the male was licking them?
I thought of that too..I had always heard that if they smell foreign the queen might reject them....
Reply
post #24 of 126
12/30/08 at 10:50am
I kept my bottle baby warm by putting a hot water bottle, under a heavy towel and placing her on top. You can also use a heat pad on low, placed under towels. I hope Tink get's the Momma instict soon. for Tink and the babies
Reply
post #25 of 126
12/30/08 at 11:40am
Thread Starter 
yeah. the problem is my mother has none of that stuff. It's VERY hard not to get irritated.

No rice, no heating pad, no kayro syrup no funnel (for pouring the KMR into the bottle).

I'm just getting real frustrated.
Reply
post #26 of 126
12/30/08 at 11:52am
You know, even if you have one of those hot water bottles, you could fill it with very warm (not boiling...you don't want to burn the kittens) water, and wrap it in towels, or an old sweatshirt, and lay the kittens on that to keep them warm. You'd have to keep rewarming the water, but it would work.

My mother in-law was the master at taking care of abandoned orphaned kittens, and this was like 20 years ago...but she used to rotate old towels on a very low heat setting in her oven to keep her kittens warm. Not the safest thing, but if you warmed them for like 5 mins. in the oven on 150 degrees, it may not be too bad of an idea. JUST BE CAREFUL IF YOU NEED TO DO THIS AS A LAST RESORT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SORRY...I just saw that you don't have a hot water bottle.

As far as a funnel goes, take a piece of heavy paper (you'll probably need several, as you know what happens to paper products when they get wet), and form a cone with the paper...that will work to funnel your kitten formula into the bottles.

Have you been to http://www.kitten-rescue.com/ yet? If not, take a look at it...it will be especially helpful if momma cat rejects the kittens or refuses to nurse them.

Best of luck to you...we all admire your fortitude and positive attitude about all of the events in your life recently.
Reply
post #27 of 126
12/30/08 at 11:59am
Thread Starter 
To be honest it doesn't make a damn bit of difference where i put them, or what i use to heat them. Tinker just moves one or two of them somewhere under the bed then leaves them. I can't keep track of them and have no way to remove her. I'm going to call a rescue group and see if they might have a surrogate mother.
Reply
post #28 of 126
12/30/08 at 12:00pm
Probably not a bad idea, if she keeps moving them all over. Sounds like she seriously may not be ready to raise a litter.

Good luck!!!
Reply
post #29 of 126
12/30/08 at 12:08pm
Thread Starter 
the rescue group here doesn't even have a person answering phones so I had to leave a message. i'm sure that's pretty common. i'm on hold with a vet but they aren't going to be able to tell me much that i haven't already been told here.
Reply
post #30 of 126
12/30/08 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 
Well the only thing I could think of is that i'm confusing tinker by moving them back when she takes them.

I've locked her in the bathroom with her kittens, a baking pan with litter in it, food and water. it's a half bath and it's tiny. This is my last thought.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care › Well tinker is in labor