My friends cat had kittens and I am looking for a site with tips on any special care a nursing mother and developing kittens might need. The cat and kittens are indoors, but also any socializing tips websites to make the kittens even more comfortable with all people and situations is also appreciated.
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Nursing mother care and socializing kittens
- Thread starter jessicaromano
- Start Date
Essentially you are already in a good place.
This subforum and possibly also the Ferale subforum.
I understand this mom is homeless semiferale?
When did they took her in, before delivery or after? Were they giving her food before, being caretakers, or are they "just" hosts and fosterers?
Come with info so we shall fill in.
Or even better, aks your friends to register here, so they can ask themselves.
This subforum and possibly also the Ferale subforum.
I understand this mom is homeless semiferale?
When did they took her in, before delivery or after? Were they giving her food before, being caretakers, or are they "just" hosts and fosterers?
Come with info so we shall fill in.
Or even better, aks your friends to register here, so they can ask themselves.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
No the Mom cat is a socialized indoor pet cat, but my friend never raised kittens before so I jneed to find a page explaining how to properly feed the mom and the kittens when they need to transition to solid food. And how to handle the kittens so they have the best social exposure with people. Also any issues to watch out for the kittens are two days old.
Feeding. It depends a littleon how many kittens there are, and if the mom was very tired and exhausted by the delivery.
Essentially, she shall have good food. The easiest is to give kitten food for her.
What does she got now, what does she got otherwise, when not pregnat?
Handle the kittens! Weigh them every day. If everything goes well, it is a nice memory, and the kittens get used to be handled with.
If there is something wrong, it is the easiest way to notice it - them not gaining weight.
A little later on good if also other handle them. Very carefully of course! As as moms tend to be watchful dragons. If they dont trust - they can scratch!
If there are other friendly anmilas, say other cats or dogs, good they do meet them. Not now, unless they are VERRY friendly with mom and kittens, but when the kittens got 3weeks and above.
Playing lotsa with kittens these ages. good also if kind children do meet them...
This for a start!
Essentially, she shall have good food. The easiest is to give kitten food for her.
What does she got now, what does she got otherwise, when not pregnat?
Handle the kittens! Weigh them every day. If everything goes well, it is a nice memory, and the kittens get used to be handled with.
If there is something wrong, it is the easiest way to notice it - them not gaining weight.
A little later on good if also other handle them. Very carefully of course! As as moms tend to be watchful dragons. If they dont trust - they can scratch!
If there are other friendly anmilas, say other cats or dogs, good they do meet them. Not now, unless they are VERRY friendly with mom and kittens, but when the kittens got 3weeks and above.
Playing lotsa with kittens these ages. good also if kind children do meet them...
This for a start!
My friend had a pedigree breeding queen who had large litters (8 in one!) and never had to deliberately do anything to wean the kittens or socialise them.
The kittens weaned themselves by finding and exploring mum's food, as did the kittens I fostered last year. The explore by simming in it, and cleaning themselves up. It's messy but they manage just fine.
Mine had kitten food (both wet and dry) and I started offering them cooked white fish or raw mince somedays. I wasn't sure one of them was eating solids until the first day I offered the raw mince, and it dived straight in - it was clear it wasn't the first time it had eated solid food. Do use shallow dishes. If you can get cheap ones, stainless steel is idea as it can go in the dish washer.
As to socialisation, again it's not hard with a socialised mum. I handled them once a day to weigh (I used electronic kitchen scales that weigh to 1 gramme) to start with, once their eyes were open I started holding them a little longer and gently stroking them and put them down if they cried or mum looked anxious. To start with they were in a room away from my own cats, but by the time mum had been there for 4 weeks she was going stir crazy so I started letting them mix with my own cats, and played with them. Or course having kittens means visitors, but not until they are 3-4 weeks old, and not clumsy visitors. See how mum is reacting, if she is happy what is happening is OK.
Your friend should also take advice from her vet on flea and worm control, and on when mum can be spayed. BTW how did an indoor cat get pregnant?
The kittens weaned themselves by finding and exploring mum's food, as did the kittens I fostered last year. The explore by simming in it, and cleaning themselves up. It's messy but they manage just fine.
Mine had kitten food (both wet and dry) and I started offering them cooked white fish or raw mince somedays. I wasn't sure one of them was eating solids until the first day I offered the raw mince, and it dived straight in - it was clear it wasn't the first time it had eated solid food. Do use shallow dishes. If you can get cheap ones, stainless steel is idea as it can go in the dish washer.
As to socialisation, again it's not hard with a socialised mum. I handled them once a day to weigh (I used electronic kitchen scales that weigh to 1 gramme) to start with, once their eyes were open I started holding them a little longer and gently stroking them and put them down if they cried or mum looked anxious. To start with they were in a room away from my own cats, but by the time mum had been there for 4 weeks she was going stir crazy so I started letting them mix with my own cats, and played with them. Or course having kittens means visitors, but not until they are 3-4 weeks old, and not clumsy visitors. See how mum is reacting, if she is happy what is happening is OK.
Your friend should also take advice from her vet on flea and worm control, and on when mum can be spayed. BTW how did an indoor cat get pregnant?
