Sable my momma kitty had 5 kittens 3 weeks ago last Friday. She had 1 kitty who made it but recently we put to sleep due to other complications. Anyway I am trying to help out a young girl who has a kitten that was abandoned and one of the other mother cats won't take it. How can I help make this process easier? What do I need to watch for? Sable is young and only had this litter. She is super friendly and was a great momma already.
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Helping momma Sable adopt another kitten.
- Thread starter binkyboo
- Start Date
Usually the accepting of a new kitten goes on without big fuss. They either do it or dont do it, sometimes do it after a while. - (They are never or very seldom attacking the new one for real.)
Especielly if they do still have milk, they want sombody is nursing them and be mammy toward.
But also friendly cats without milk can adopt, both female and male.
You can better on the chances to rub on scents on the new kittens.
Say you rubb off Sable with a little towel, and rubb on this towel on the kittens.
Even better, rubb off the kittens, so they become cleaner, before you you rub on them Sabels scents...
Im not really sure you need or should do this scent swapping here. It is most important if the kittens are from some enemy to Sable. Say they are dog puppies.
Good luck!
Especielly if they do still have milk, they want sombody is nursing them and be mammy toward.
But also friendly cats without milk can adopt, both female and male.
You can better on the chances to rub on scents on the new kittens.
Say you rubb off Sable with a little towel, and rubb on this towel on the kittens.
Even better, rubb off the kittens, so they become cleaner, before you you rub on them Sabels scents...
Im not really sure you need or should do this scent swapping here. It is most important if the kittens are from some enemy to Sable. Say they are dog puppies.
Good luck!
As I wrote in your other thread, it would be very good for Sable to have new kittens to raise, to help her get over losing her premature kittens especially this last little Lucky who made it 3 weeks. (RIP Lucky)
Sable sounded like she is an attentive mother and if she would accept this abandoned kitten she could maybe save its life. Mama cats are often willing to raise fosters so there's probably a good chance of success at getting her to accept the kitten.
Like Stefan, I'm not sure if it is even necessary to do a scent transfer thing, but it can't hurt. So before giving the kitten to Sable, gently rub the kitten with a blanket that Lucky and she have been lying on that has their scent on it, so the kitten will get some of the scent and will smell more like family .
This is a newborn ( kitten and has been living outside ( or in a barn)?
Go over this kitten with a flea comb and you will need to keep doing that regularly at least once a day since even if you get the adult fleas there may be eggs.
Diamataceous earth (food grade ) can be helpful against fleas. There is a thread about it right now on the forum. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/263073/diatomaceous-earth
You will need to wash the bedding at least every few days with hot water and bleach.
I would gently dab some antiseptic like Betadine on the umbilical cord area.
It would really be more ideal for the kitten to also have at least one littermate.... that's more important in the 2nd and 3rd month when kittens are playing a lot; littermates help teach kittens bite inhibition. A mother cat teaches those lessons too but kittens learn it a lot by playing with littermates -- if they bite too hard in playing they either get bitten back and find out it hurts or the other kitten doesn't want to play with them for a while. so they find out the fun stops.
In addition, they are just good company , a playmate and cuddle buddy , which is nice to have especially as the mom starts wanting to take more breaks from the kittens.
You might ask your other neighbor who just had a litter if there is any way they'd be willing to let Sable raise one of those too, to help this little singleton. and may make it easier on their own mama cat to have one fewer to feed.
Was this farm kitten the only kitten born in a litter and the mom rejected it? Or was it a larger litter but the mother cat is just rejecting this one kitten while taking good care of the other kittens? If the latter, I just want to mention that it might be something is wrong with that kitten and the mother knew. It might not mean the kitten is doomed. Sometimes it could happen that a young mother cat may feel overwhelmed with a big litter and reject one or a few of the kittens so she is better able to feed the rest. but usually she will reject the kittens who she senses are weaker and less likely to make it anyway.
Sable sounded like she is an attentive mother and if she would accept this abandoned kitten she could maybe save its life. Mama cats are often willing to raise fosters so there's probably a good chance of success at getting her to accept the kitten.
Like Stefan, I'm not sure if it is even necessary to do a scent transfer thing, but it can't hurt. So before giving the kitten to Sable, gently rub the kitten with a blanket that Lucky and she have been lying on that has their scent on it, so the kitten will get some of the scent and will smell more like family .
This is a newborn ( kitten and has been living outside ( or in a barn)?
Go over this kitten with a flea comb and you will need to keep doing that regularly at least once a day since even if you get the adult fleas there may be eggs.
Diamataceous earth (food grade ) can be helpful against fleas. There is a thread about it right now on the forum. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/263073/diatomaceous-earth
You will need to wash the bedding at least every few days with hot water and bleach.
I would gently dab some antiseptic like Betadine on the umbilical cord area.
It would really be more ideal for the kitten to also have at least one littermate.... that's more important in the 2nd and 3rd month when kittens are playing a lot; littermates help teach kittens bite inhibition. A mother cat teaches those lessons too but kittens learn it a lot by playing with littermates -- if they bite too hard in playing they either get bitten back and find out it hurts or the other kitten doesn't want to play with them for a while. so they find out the fun stops.
In addition, they are just good company , a playmate and cuddle buddy , which is nice to have especially as the mom starts wanting to take more breaks from the kittens.
You might ask your other neighbor who just had a litter if there is any way they'd be willing to let Sable raise one of those too, to help this little singleton. and may make it easier on their own mama cat to have one fewer to feed.
Was this farm kitten the only kitten born in a litter and the mom rejected it? Or was it a larger litter but the mother cat is just rejecting this one kitten while taking good care of the other kittens? If the latter, I just want to mention that it might be something is wrong with that kitten and the mother knew. It might not mean the kitten is doomed. Sometimes it could happen that a young mother cat may feel overwhelmed with a big litter and reject one or a few of the kittens so she is better able to feed the rest. but usually she will reject the kittens who she senses are weaker and less likely to make it anyway.
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This little farm kitty was a litter of 4 and mommy got run over. This is the only one left. I did talk to my neighbor he wants his mommy to raise them but may be willing to give me one! We shall see what he says.thank you everyone this is a great experience for our family 
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I am guessin this kitty is 2 weeks old? She weighed 187 grams after her first nursing session when she got here. She has a sore on her leg I am watching closely seems clean and not bleeding or infected. I never saw any fleas or any flea droppings. Her big ole kitty eyes melt my heart! It reminds me of the cat on shrek! Too much cuteness 
What a good mama cat she is ! Yay Sable!
That does look like a pretty kitten.
187 grams could be a 1 week old kitten . or a quite small 2 week old kitten. ( I know , you're coming from experience with a very tiny premie! but normally kittens are around 100 grams at birth. ) Since this kitten was abandoned maybe it is underweight though so might be closer to 2 weeks.
If the ears start coming up in a week then the kitten will be probably around 3 wks then.
Good to hear there is no sign of fleas. A lot of outdoor kittens have them and they can cause anemia!
I would put some antiseptic on that sore and I know you will be keeping an eye on that.
That does look like a pretty kitten.
187 grams could be a 1 week old kitten . or a quite small 2 week old kitten. ( I know , you're coming from experience with a very tiny premie! but normally kittens are around 100 grams at birth. ) Since this kitten was abandoned maybe it is underweight though so might be closer to 2 weeks.
If the ears start coming up in a week then the kitten will be probably around 3 wks then.
Good to hear there is no sign of fleas. A lot of outdoor kittens have them and they can cause anemia!
I would put some antiseptic on that sore and I know you will be keeping an eye on that.
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She was nursing and I hear her purring! Amazing!! I was concerned that since lucky didn't nurse since Saturday that sable might not have milk anymore. I did squeeze a few nipples and got a little out but not much. I read somewhere that purring can be a signal to the mommy that they are receiving milk? I hope this is true! I will keep a close eye on her sore and her weight to be sure she is gaining. I have nothing but happy thoughts about all this. I know someone said previously in this thread or in another that it was all meant to be! And I truly believe it Lucky was here long enough to keep Sable a happy momma so she can care for this baby kitty. I don't have a good name for him or her just yet so I would love some ideas! Thanks again everyone
Lucky was here long enough to keep Sable a happy momma so she can care for this baby kitty. I don't have a good name for him or her just yet so I would love some ideas! Thanks again everyone - Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Ah, that is lovely.
and it's true. Lucky hanging in there almost miraculously for 3 weeks meant that Sable still had milk for this kitten. Yes , I bet she is lactating. that kitten seems to be contented. She clearly had not totally dried up, and this kitten nursing and just being with her, meowing etc. --- that will stimulate her to produce milk for the kitten.
and it's true. Lucky hanging in there almost miraculously for 3 weeks meant that Sable still had milk for this kitten. Yes , I bet she is lactating. that kitten seems to be contented. She clearly had not totally dried up, and this kitten nursing and just being with her, meowing etc. --- that will stimulate her to produce milk for the kitten.
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So I have given the kitty 30 mls of KMR 15 earlier this morning and 15 just a few minutes ago. She just meowed and meowed and nursed and nursed. She was up 5 grams this morning from last night. Sable may not have enough milk. Is there anything I can do to increase her supply? I don't want to supplement too much. I don't exactly know how cats work but I know in humans the more the babies nurse the more milk they have but if you supplement too much the milk lessens. Not sure exactly what to do here. Anything would be helpful!!
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I ended up with 2 kittens from 2 different litters. She accepted them easily and her milk came back full swing about 3 days later. Kittens are doing very well! I supplemented with KMR until I felt comfortable leaving them with her. I placed a small box with some fine litter today for the babies close to their nest the black and white one is maybe a week or two older than the baby calico (which I decided to keep since she looks like Sable!) y neighbor did bring over his last 2 kittens but one had lost over 30 grams because his mama didn't have milk or didnt let them nurse or something and I couldn't save it. But these 2 play and are healthy! They both have "mooky" eyes meaning kind of pussy and close shut I have to use a warm wet wash rag and gently clean them. I will post a photo! Thank you everyone for everything!!!
the black and white one is maybe a week or two older than the baby calico (which I decided to keep since she looks like Sable!) y neighbor did bring over his last 2 kittens but one had lost over 30 grams because his mama didn't have milk or didnt let them nurse or something and I couldn't save it. But these 2 play and are healthy! They both have "mooky" eyes meaning kind of pussy and close shut I have to use a warm wet wash rag and gently clean them. I will post a photo! Thank you everyone for everything!!!- Thread Starter Thread Starter
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It sounds like the nursing stimulated her to produce more milk --- which is normal! Glad to hear things are going well for these 2 kittens. It's interesting that one of her foster kittens looks so much like Sable!
They are gorgeous babies. the black & white looks like it could be her own kitten too.
You could put some terramycin ophthalmic ointment in the eyes if they start getting goopier. or you could just try flushing with sterile saline eye drops first.
They are gorgeous babies. the black & white looks like it could be her own kitten too.
You could put some terramycin ophthalmic ointment in the eyes if they start getting goopier. or you could just try flushing with sterile saline eye drops first.
