My cat gave birth to 4 kittens today. The first three are fine and nursing steadily, but the momma will not let the fourth anywhere near her or the others. She meows at it and nudges it with her nose or paw, but will not nurse.She also pushes it away if it manages to get close to her. Is this normal? What can I do? Any and all advice is appreciated!
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New momma cat will not feed one of her kittens.
- Thread starter cadkins
- Start Date
Does the 4th kitten seem healthy and doing okay? Is he/she as big as the rest? Mom cats tend to do this when there's something wrong with the kitten. Specially as she's allowing the first 3 to be taken care of, but the 4th isn't.
If you can't help the kitten by placing him/her with the mother and onto a nipple, I think you should feed it yourself. ASAP. It needs food and if the mother isn't giving it to him/her, you should take over the mother's job. Keep it warm and feed it every 2 hours (KMR or Goat Milk) and keep a very good eye on it. You will also need to help with the bowel movement. If it's doing better, you can try placing it with the mom again and hope she will take it in.
Some others are probably better with helping you taking care of the kitten, as I have never done so myself yet. I hope someone will add in some information soon. Until then, make sure it's warm and get yourself some kitten milk or goat milk and start feeding him/her if you can. I believe there are some useful information blogs to be found here; http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/46/Cat_Health
If you can't help the kitten by placing him/her with the mother and onto a nipple, I think you should feed it yourself. ASAP. It needs food and if the mother isn't giving it to him/her, you should take over the mother's job. Keep it warm and feed it every 2 hours (KMR or Goat Milk) and keep a very good eye on it. You will also need to help with the bowel movement. If it's doing better, you can try placing it with the mom again and hope she will take it in.
Some others are probably better with helping you taking care of the kitten, as I have never done so myself yet. I hope someone will add in some information soon. Until then, make sure it's warm and get yourself some kitten milk or goat milk and start feeding him/her if you can. I believe there are some useful information blogs to be found here; http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/46/Cat_Health
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Adding to the question as to the size of the 4th kitten and whether or not it seems healthy - does the kitten nurse if it is put on the mother?
As stated, mothers will tend to leave kittens if they do not have enough milk to care for them (usually a larger litter) or if something is wrong with one kitten. There are cases where the babies do fine as long as they are properly cared for, though, depending on what is perhaps wrong with the baby.
If the mother is not keeping the baby with her, it needs to be kept warm. A heating pad (one that does not automatically shut off after 2 hours) or a hot water bottle or rice pack can all work for warmth. Whatever you use, be sure to cover it with a towel so the baby is not in direct contact with the source of heat. Also make sure that the heating pad does not cover the whole box or area where you have the kitten. That will help you make sure the kitten can find the warmth, but also move away if it gets too warm.
If the kitten isn't nursing on a nipple, you would have to feed it yourself (with a bottle or syringe). It will need to be fed warm formula every 2 hours or so. Syringes can work, but be careful with force feeding as there is a risk of the baby aspirating formula. When feeding, make sure the baby is belly down (never hold it on its back or upright like a person). In some cases, the baby just might not nurse (deformity, too weak, etc.) and tube feeding would be necessary.
You will also need to stimulate the baby to help with elimination (as has already been mentioned). A warm moist cloth or towel works for that.
As stated, mothers will tend to leave kittens if they do not have enough milk to care for them (usually a larger litter) or if something is wrong with one kitten. There are cases where the babies do fine as long as they are properly cared for, though, depending on what is perhaps wrong with the baby.
If the mother is not keeping the baby with her, it needs to be kept warm. A heating pad (one that does not automatically shut off after 2 hours) or a hot water bottle or rice pack can all work for warmth. Whatever you use, be sure to cover it with a towel so the baby is not in direct contact with the source of heat. Also make sure that the heating pad does not cover the whole box or area where you have the kitten. That will help you make sure the kitten can find the warmth, but also move away if it gets too warm.
If the kitten isn't nursing on a nipple, you would have to feed it yourself (with a bottle or syringe). It will need to be fed warm formula every 2 hours or so. Syringes can work, but be careful with force feeding as there is a risk of the baby aspirating formula. When feeding, make sure the baby is belly down (never hold it on its back or upright like a person). In some cases, the baby just might not nurse (deformity, too weak, etc.) and tube feeding would be necessary.
You will also need to stimulate the baby to help with elimination (as has already been mentioned). A warm moist cloth or towel works for that.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
The kitten in question is quite a bit smaller than the other 3. Momma cat has finally started to care for it by keeping it close to her where it should be, but the kitten is having trouble nursing. It tries to latch on to nurse, and then seems to get confused and tries to wander in the opposite direction. I've never seen a kitten act like that. It's almost like it can't figure out how it's supposed to eat. And Momma gets very distressed if I try to intervene.
Okay so the bottom line here is, this little one will not make it if he doesn't get to nursing asap. They can only go so long without it.
The other 3 will be taking the lower nipples and hoping the 4th good one can go to the baby.
If you are able to handle without mom getting too upset, try plugging the baby in, holding it there for a while until it has a good strong latch.
Sometimes when they are much smaller they won't latch on tight enough, and eventually give up and nap again. This is a baby who will not live if that is the only feeding it gets.
If this were mine, I would get some powdered KMR, take an empty water bottle and mix some formula up, not much and you will be storing it in the fridge no longer than 24 hours, tossing any leftover.
Get some strength to the baby and feed round the clock for a couple of days. He will not take a bottle so it will be a very slow process, so patience WILL be needed.
Use a small syringe (no needle type) have some nice toasty warm formula ready, in a small dish and float it on a bigger dish of very hot water, so the milk keeps warm.
Wrap baby in a heating pad covered with a towel on low only. I usually take paper towels and wrap under neck too, as it gets messy.
Watch the rhythm of his breathing, gently squirting tiny amt into the cheek, never the throat.
It takes just one little drop of milk inhaled to give him pneumonia, which will kill him.
He needs to be weighed asap too. You will be counting on this weighing to know he is gaining grams daily, especially in a baby who is not nursing successfully.
Every 2-3 hours feed. Babies need 8mls or cc's of milk for every ounce they weigh. In other words, baby weighs 3 1/2 ounces, will need 28 mls per day, divided into several feedings.
You will need to do this until you are sure that he is nursing from mom, enough to gain a minimum of 6 grams per day, hopefully more.
Weighing is an excellent way to track them all, sometimes it's the bigger ones that will suddenly slow with the weight gains and go downhill, so it's a good thing to do.
The other 3 will be taking the lower nipples and hoping the 4th good one can go to the baby.
If you are able to handle without mom getting too upset, try plugging the baby in, holding it there for a while until it has a good strong latch.
Sometimes when they are much smaller they won't latch on tight enough, and eventually give up and nap again. This is a baby who will not live if that is the only feeding it gets.
If this were mine, I would get some powdered KMR, take an empty water bottle and mix some formula up, not much and you will be storing it in the fridge no longer than 24 hours, tossing any leftover.
Get some strength to the baby and feed round the clock for a couple of days. He will not take a bottle so it will be a very slow process, so patience WILL be needed.
Use a small syringe (no needle type) have some nice toasty warm formula ready, in a small dish and float it on a bigger dish of very hot water, so the milk keeps warm.
Wrap baby in a heating pad covered with a towel on low only. I usually take paper towels and wrap under neck too, as it gets messy.
Watch the rhythm of his breathing, gently squirting tiny amt into the cheek, never the throat.
It takes just one little drop of milk inhaled to give him pneumonia, which will kill him.
He needs to be weighed asap too. You will be counting on this weighing to know he is gaining grams daily, especially in a baby who is not nursing successfully.
Every 2-3 hours feed. Babies need 8mls or cc's of milk for every ounce they weigh. In other words, baby weighs 3 1/2 ounces, will need 28 mls per day, divided into several feedings.
You will need to do this until you are sure that he is nursing from mom, enough to gain a minimum of 6 grams per day, hopefully more.
Weighing is an excellent way to track them all, sometimes it's the bigger ones that will suddenly slow with the weight gains and go downhill, so it's a good thing to do.
Go to Maddie's Fund on the internet. They have videos & cover all things kitten. You got good advice from the people above but I wanted to point out this excellent resource. I am a experienced foster but I keep going back to it. There is a chart you can use for feeding. Weighing daily on a kitchen scale is a good way to see if the kitten is gaining weight.
One night I took home three little kittens & their mom from the shelter. The next morning one was cold & the mom was ignoring it. These kittens were said to be 1 week because they only weighed three ozs but I think they were at least 2 weeks. Mom did not have enough milk & in hindsight I think the kitten was too weak to cry. The shelter tried everything to save this kitten but even after a day of intensive care at the vet he died. The other two were very sick as well but never cried for milk. After the first one I fed them myself in addition to mom. 2 survived but one died at 7 months when I returned them to the shelter. She had brain damage, couldn't smell, see & did not use the litter box. I took her to 8 vets before they figured this out. I had been reporting that I thought she had a lot of problems because she did not drink water, use the litter box & scraped her food up with her month. It had taken months to wean her. We don't have a lot of extra money at the shelter & I think the resources could have been better used but she had a good life for 7 months & my constant attention.
One night I took home three little kittens & their mom from the shelter. The next morning one was cold & the mom was ignoring it. These kittens were said to be 1 week because they only weighed three ozs but I think they were at least 2 weeks. Mom did not have enough milk & in hindsight I think the kitten was too weak to cry. The shelter tried everything to save this kitten but even after a day of intensive care at the vet he died. The other two were very sick as well but never cried for milk. After the first one I fed them myself in addition to mom. 2 survived but one died at 7 months when I returned them to the shelter. She had brain damage, couldn't smell, see & did not use the litter box. I took her to 8 vets before they figured this out. I had been reporting that I thought she had a lot of problems because she did not drink water, use the litter box & scraped her food up with her month. It had taken months to wean her. We don't have a lot of extra money at the shelter & I think the resources could have been better used but she had a good life for 7 months & my constant attention.
