Momma Leaving Babies

Hi everyone, 

I took on another litter of foster kittens and their momma. This is my second litter this young, so all my experience I can go off is from my last litter. I think the momma cat was previously abused, but she is super sweet with me and loves to rub all over me.

Here is my concern. The babies are 10 days old today (I only got them all yesterday) and the past three times I have gone in there, including in the middle of the night. The momma isn't laying with them... They were all content, not crying, just cuddled together sleeping. She just lies on the floor next to them or sits on a perch above them. Should I be concerned at all? I know she will need breaks from 5 babies but I don't remember my previous foster momma leaving her babies all the time like that. I weighed them last night and will weigh them again tonight to see if they are gaining a good amount of weight. I'm assuming she just needs a break because yesterday she did a great job feeding them, but I'm a little paranoid since they are so tiny still.

Please let me know what you think. I am not going in there very often, I typically just peek in. The last time I looked in today, she was with them feeding. I just want to know if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Thanks!

I did, I had a mama cat that did just as yours is doing, she very rarely laid with the kittens. They all did fine and she fed and cleaned them and was protective but I guess she just needed a break! As long as the kittens don't seem to be in distress and are gaining weight, and you do see her feeding them they should be fine. She is not as maternal as most. Good luck and thank you so much for helping that little family!

I go through this quite often, more times then not because they will come here from the humane society or shelter, and the entire stressful experience takes a bit for them to settle down and get busy being moms.

If she is alone in a room/area, undisturbed most of the time, she will respond to their cries if they get hungry and goes too long not nursing them.

One I currently have was 2 days she stayed completely upright so they were unable to nurse, but she is semi feral and was even more stressed than a normal mom, but they always turn out just fine

Usually when a cat acts like it may have been abused, is when they are a bit on the low socially side. Lack of exposure to new people/strangers as in a normal busier household causes this.

Good luck and thanks for being a caring foster!

Great thank you both so much! I figured that that is what it was but I just needed others to confirm it so I could sleep a little better at night.  

I was thinking it was moving from the shelter to my home as well. My previous foster mother with her litter was in my home for three weeks before she gave birth to her kittens, so she was able to settle in whereas this mother came her with her babies. I guess I just need to make her feel that she is safe. I try to stay out of there and just let her do what she does so she isn't bothered. But I think she enjoys my company. I don't touch the babies other than weighing them, I just pet her and she seems happy with that.

Thank you both again, sorry if I seem silly. I just like to be safe!  

Just wanted to let you both know, just weighed the kittens and they all gained. 

White: 19 grams gained

Tabby w/ white: 17 grams gained 

Tabby: 13 grams gained 

Gray/white: 15 grams gained

Gray: 17 gained

 

Perfect, and thanks for keeping us updated! And by the way there is NEVER a silly question when it comes to cats. We all learned somehow, and I just wish I would have found this site years ago. It's better to ask and receive answers from experienced people then to learn on your own, a lot of times that is not the right thing to do! You care about these abandoned and frightened babies, and you have not experienced a mama seemingly being indifferent to her brood. There is nothing wrong with asking for answers! Thanks so much for making others aware now that this can happen and how to make sure the babies are thriving. Good luck and take care.....

flambardslover said:

 
Just wanted to let you both know, just weighed the kittens and they all gained. 

White: 19 grams gained

Tabby w/ white: 17 grams gained 

Tabby: 13 grams gained 

Gray/white: 15 grams gained

Gray: 17 gained

 

Click to expand...

EXCELLENT weight gain!! Smooth sailing from here Okay things come up, but it looks just fine now.

And yes, the stress of having babies is huge as it is, top that with a stay at the shelter, then another new place and person, she was in need of some adapting time is all.

Keep us filled in, and we love pics!!

Great job.

Hey everyone, not so great today. Back to my paranoid self haha. Ok so the babies all gained weight, four of them gained more than the average today, except for one little girl. She only gained 4 grams when she should gain at least 10 grams a day... Should I be concerned or wait until tomorrow and see if she gains the right amount tomorrow? Since you mentioned you love photos, here is the little girl I am wondering about. At least she gained, but it should have been more.

 

Okay so I can hardly stand it, how stinkin adorable! That little face, sorta powty! Oooooow. Cuteness!!

Don't get paranoid, just want to watch that one a bit closer, be sure she gains a little more tmrw.

Is she a smaller one?

4 grams isnt the end of the world, but at this rate you don't want to see her only gain this for more than a couple days. Just hold out and see how she does.

It happens, it doesn't mean she is not doing good, just need to know she is getting to nurse as often as the others, I always try to explain about litters and nursing, how the runts don't make it simply because they get pushed off by the bigger babies and she will give in to it, over a short time will cause failure to thrive and then go downhill fast.

If she IS nursing just as much, and you're sure she is latched on and not faking it and only appears to be nursing but is snuggling and snoozing, this might be an issue.

She is really adorable. The first day we got her she was the third heaviest baby, so had two siblings behind her weight wise. Now, she is the smallest at 207 grams, second lightest being 216 grams and the chunker is at 246 grams. 

I noticed today she is not interested in nursing. Her siblings are pushy, I tried to put her on a nipple but she wasn't interested, she didn't even attempt to latch on. I'm thinking of getting formula just so I have it in the house in case she doesn't gain tomorrow. She gained 15 grams yesterday but today wasn't a good day for her I guess. I'll keep a close eye on her, hoping she gains quite a bit tomorrow to make up for today!

This is Mr. Chunky at 246 grams  

flambardslover said:

 
I noticed today she is not interested in nursing. Her siblings are pushy, I tried to put her on a nipple but she wasn't interested, she didn't even attempt to latch on. I'm thinking of getting formula just so I have it in the house in case she doesn't gain tomorrow. She gained 15 grams yesterday but today wasn't a good day for her I guess. I'll keep a close eye on her, hoping she gains quite a bit tomorrow to make up for today!

Click to expand...

This sounds serious!  Be vigilant here!  Get home formula and gears asap.   When they are that weak, a dropper or a little syringe is much easier than a bottle.

Get home also glucose sugar (brand name may be Dextrose or similiar).  A little glucose sugar or honey smeared on their gum may help with giving energy and perk them up...

also, glucose sugar is a base for home made pedialyte.

Be sure she is warm.  Weak kittens lose warmth quicker than healthy, feisty kittens.   and being chilled, she loses forces...    May also be an idea  to give her a few drops of water in between, use a dropper.  Put it in corner of the

mouth, with tummy down, head a little up, almost like when nurisng mom...

So, get gears home, and get the new weigh measuring already after 12 hours, dont wait to the full 24 hours.  Be very observant, and be prepared.

You may very well have a severe crisis sailing up.

Good luck!

How is it going with the weak one?  If it isnt visiblly better since you wrote your last post, do begin extra feeding with a dropper NOW, dont wait any longer for scientifically weighing..   I should probably  in my last post stress the urgency even stronger.   Im deeply sorry!

Be sure she is warm enough.  If necessary have her at your own chest, and massage her limbs and body a little. talk sweetly and softly.   And give kmr or goat mil with a dropper when she is warm enough.

If you by any reason want her mom to be her sole feeder a while longer, give her some drops of water.  Dehydration is a foul and treacherous  enemy.

Please do report,  @flambardslover

*vibes!_

StefanZ said:

 
How is it going with the weak one?  If it isnt visiblly better since you wrote your last post, do begin extra feeding with a dropper NOW, dont wait any longer for scientifically weighing..   I should probably  in my last post stress the urgency even stronger.   Im deeply sorry!

Be sure she is warm enough.  If necessary have her at your own chest, and massage her limbs and body a little. talk sweetly and softly.   And give kmr or goat mil with a dropper when she is warm enough.

If you by any reason want her mom to be her sole feeder a while longer, give her some drops of water.  Dehydration is a foul and treacherous  enemy.

Please do report,  @flambardslover

*vibes!_

Click to expand...

She gained 7 grams from last night. I just weighed her this morning. The chunky guy gained 10 grams from last night, so she isn't far behind him in weight gain as of right now! I am going to buy some kitten formula today and feed that as well.

Ok I am starting the munchkin girl on formula now, I am just waiting for it to cool down. She gained 9 grams total since yesterday. Better, but she is way behind her siblings now so... I'm hoping she will do well with formula and her momma's milk. She isn't weak at all, she is energetic and trying to escape the little bed set up for them. I'm hoping she will stay strong.

Don't try or worry about her catching up, they will each have their own size, individual gains is what's important, and she sounds great, EXCEPT for the comment about not being interested in nursing, unles she had already nursed and wasn't hungry being the reason.

Syringe or eye dropper is all she will allow likely, the bottle nipple is nothing like mom's so she will resist it.

You're doing great just watch her weight that she steadily gains.

catwoman707 said:

 
Don't try or worry about her catching up, they will each have their own size, individual gains is what's important, and she sounds great, EXCEPT for the comment about not being interested in nursing, unles she had already nursed and wasn't hungry being the reason.

Syringe or eye dropper is all she will allow likely, the bottle nipple is nothing like mom's so she will resist it.

You're doing great just watch her weight that she steadily gains.

Click to expand...

Thank you, I try not to panic but if anything were to happen to any of my foster animals I would just be devastated. 

It is possible she had already nursed. I try not to go in often, her momma gets up to greet me whenever I go in so she leaves the babies. That's why I don't want to disturb them too often. I think momma just gets up once they are sleeping so she can get some sleep too, but she is actually a great mom I have noticed! 
I tried to give her some formula but she didn't want it. I got a little in to her but then I just put her back with momma and she was kneading on her momma like crazy to get some milk! I just sat there for a while and tickled her side when she fell asleep and she would wake up and continue nursing. I kept the chunky brother away for a little while she nursed because he pushes everyone out of the way. I might do some alone time for momma and the little girl once a day or something. At least she is gaining, I'd be more concerned if she weren't gaining anything, or lost. But I will do everything I can to keep her strong. Syringe feeding her just seemed to stress her out and made her momma nervous, but I will do it maybe once a day and see how we go tomorrow. 

I think I was mentioning before that there are always stronger, more pushy/aggressive babies who will shove the not as strong ones off, when this happens on a daily/regular basis it can and will cause the not so pushy ones to fall behind.

This is normal but it's all about the watchful eye on your part.

And if it came down to it and she needs time alone with mom here and there, then it's the simplest solution. They ALWAYS really resist the syringe or bottle, so hard and not like mama at all!!

You're doing great!!

OMG it's like she posed for this pic!! What a dollcake

You're very welcome, glad I could help!

The little girl gained 9 again today. The little gray boy only gained 2 today, but he gained 20 grams yesterday so I'm not too worried about that since balanced out over two days, he gained more than the average. But I'll be watching them both now... I separated the babies and let the three smallest feed without the two bigger ones. But I feel horrible doing that :/ How long should I give the babies that need to gain more? And how often? I just sat the two bigger ones on a blanket next to me and momma fed the three smallest. But I just don't know how long to give them or how often. Should I give them as much time as it takes them to fall asleep? The two big ones push them off. There can be open nipples but they want the ones the others are on!