Well tinker is in labor

fastnoc

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She just had a black baby.

Wilbur is helping her lick him and clean him. is that OK?
 

wellingtoncats

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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.
 
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fastnoc

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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.
 

amyscrazy

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ohhhh, pictures when you can...please! I am glad all went well.
 

wellingtoncats

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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!
 
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fastnoc

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Wilbur won't let me near them lol. He keeps licking them, then worrying over tinker, then going back. he's so helpful
 

carolina

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Oh my goodness!
you picked her up just in time, heh? You must send pictures!!!! Yoohoo!!! Congrats grandpa!
 
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fastnoc

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Tell me about it! 3 days earlier i picked them up!

Here's a couple pics




 

mews2much

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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.



 
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fastnoc

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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
 

sarahp

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Wow, that's fantastic - it's great Wilbur has been such a good dad!

Congratulations
 
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fastnoc

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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?
 

clixpix

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Originally Posted by fastnoc

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.
 
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fastnoc

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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.
 
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fastnoc

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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.
 

pami

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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.
 

snake_lady

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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
 

katiemae1277

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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
 
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fastnoc

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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.
 

Ms. Freya

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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.
 
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