Jasmine, the stray who is obsessed by her babies and won't leave them

Crazy!  I brought in a pregnant stray about a week ago.  Last Friday, she decided to have the kittens in my spare bedroom in the corner under the bed.  So funny that our stories are almost the same.

Jasmine, as I call her, will not leave her kittens.  She wouldn't eat or pee or drink water.  I took her to the vet to have her checked out to see if there might be a kitten still in her or maybe the placenta.  When the Vet checked her, he squeezed her and man a river of pee came out.  Well, she ate right after that.  Then I brought her home and put back in the kennel I have set up.  A friend loaned me a huge one she had her Mastiff puppy in.

Well, she went back to not eating, drinking, or peeing.  I was in a panic again.  So, I went back to the vet.

They took her away from the kittens and within a few minutes she used the litter box, ate, and drank.  They did this twice yesterday.

They determined she is such a good mother, she does not want to leave her kittens to take care of herself.  They told me to take the kittens away for a bit when it is time to feed her. 

So, I tried it when we got home.  She ate and drank, but did not pee.  I did it again this morning.  She ate and she drank, but she has not peed since she was at the vet yesterday.

We know she CAN pee in the box.  I even put a different box in there that is lower.  Still nothing!

Tonight, I am going to put her in the bathroom with the box and the food and the water.  She may still be smelling the kittens?? 

I don't know, but the girl must pee!

Yes, try putting her in a room away from the kittens long enough to use her litter box. The behavior should stop soon after "nervous nellie" relaxes into motherhood. Welcome!

I think it's cause she is a stray.  If she had been outside, she would have not wanted to leave them unprotected.  In my house, though, she is safe as safe can be.  I will get her to pee again somehow.  She did pee in the litter box after she had the kittens, but on Sunday, she stopped. 

Being new at this, I can use any advice.  I'll post a new picture later.

Have you a possibility to get Feliway?  Best a diffuser, but if spray is the only you can get with short notice, do so, and spray in there now and then...  It will help her to feel more calm.

Other tips for calming, so relaxing, calming music.  Classical harp music is best, but almost any may be OK.

Some forumites found it useful to use calming purring. On youtube they have long sequences of 8-9 hours, mom with her kittens.

And of course, be sure she isnt stressed by anything...   Does she seems to trust you?  It helps sometimes if the trusted human stays with the kittens and protects them, and the protecive mom has the peace of mind to go off some eating, peeing, etc...

Was the pet taxi thoroughly cleaned after the puppy?

Are you sure she isnt dehydrated?  If so, she will not be as needy as usual...

Otherwise I would suspect it may be some medical condtion, but you were at the vets a couple occasions, so the vet would surely conssider this if there was so.

Find something with is good for urine flow?   Thinking aloud... What?   Even some human home remedy may work.

Anyway, there are two common reactions on stress: either you are running and peeing the whole time, OR you dont feel any need, literally into you do pee on yourself. Its so with humans, it may surely be so with cats.

Good luck!

Mimiaow said:

 
I posted in another thread, but was suggested to start my own.

Last Wednesday, I brought in a pregnant stray, who I've named Jasmine. 

I think it's cause she is a stray.  If she had been outside, she would have not wanted to leave them unprotected.  In my house, though, she is safe as safe can be.  I will get her to pee again somehow.  She did pee in the litter box after she had the kittens, but on Sunday, she stopped. 

Being new at this, I can use any advice.  I'll post a new picture later.

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The vet says she is very healthy.   Since she will pee, eat, drink, and poop when she was put in a cage without the kittens, they have deemed there is no physical reason for her not peeing.  She just won't.

She is also the most laid back and friendly Mama ever.  She purrs all the time.  She is not afraid at all.  The Vet is a half hour drive and she didn't mind at all. 

She hugs her babies to her.  It's so freaking sweet.  She doesn't mind me handling them. 

I am going to try putting her in the bathroom away from her kittens for my next try.  She HAS to pee sometime.

Mimiaow said:

 
The vet says she is very healthy.   Since she will pee, eat, drink, and poop when she was put in a cage without the kittens, they have deemed there is no physical reason for her not peeing.  She just won't.

She is also the most laid back and friendly Mama ever.  She purrs all the time.   She is not afraid at all.  The Vet is a half hour drive and she didn't mind at all. 

She hugs her babies to her.  It's so freaking sweet.  She doesn't mind me handling them. 

I am going to try putting her in the bathroom away from her kittens for my next try.  She HAS to pee sometime.

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Im not sure she is unafraid.  I think she is really stressed, but tries to copy with the situation as best as she can.  She recognized the situation is the best possible practical solution for her children, much more important than "freedom".  So she does copy, and entchants you into being docile and friendly to her children....   Exactly like a human mom would do in a similiar situation.   Which is lucky so for both parts,  Defensive aggresiveness is more difficult to manage being a human rescuer...  

I wish you and this little refugee family all luck!

Let us know how the bathroom try works. My cat waited 12 hours to pee after having kittens. She still only pees twice a day: a big one in the morning and a big one at night.

Do you have her food & water near her kitten nest? And her litter box in the same room also, but not right next to the food? Moms don't always like to leave the room where their kittens are to take care of business.

I think the feliway diffuser is a good idea. Also just giving her privacy and leaving her alone. Something is stressing her. Give her some alone time with the kittens without interference from anyone or other pets. She hasn't established a good routine yet with her kittens. She may fear walking away from them since things keep changing. Hopefully she will calm down & start peeing soon. Let us know how it goes! Glad you started a new thread!

The bathroom was a bust.  She sat in the litter box, but didn't use it. 

I'm giving her some alone time right now.  She was eating when left her.  The babies are in the carrier in the bathroom.  I have to get ready for work, so I'll be putting them back in there. 

The vet tech called me back, but doesn't have any more ideas.  I guess I need to be patient.

The kittens are little doll babies. 

I don't think I will ever foster cats again.  I'm calling our city today.  They have a grant from Pet Smart for a TNR program with our local APL.  The APL will set the traps, get the cats, fix them, and bring them back at no cost.  The dumb boy cats are the problem.  I've been feeding the cats because I felt so bad over the bitter cold winter we had.  I'm a sap.

Success!!!

This morning, I took the babies away.  When it came time to put them back, I thought I would give her one more shot.

She ate a can of food.  So, I let her out of the kennel, and she stretched herself out.  Then I held her for a bit, and she went in the kennel to the litter box, and I thought she would go, but she came back out, then she went to it again but came back out.  So, I put a bunch more litter in the box.  Then she went in and was dig dig digging and yay!  She peed and pooped!!

So, the key was more litter in the box and some time with me. 

I've never been so happy about pee and poop in my life, lol.

I gave her babies back then.  Maybe she will catch on now. 

Good to hear! I know you are relieved. I still think she needed more time to settle into her new situation. And she'll have a nice quiet day with her babies while you are at work today. More litter is always good. Cats have a real digging and covering instinct.

I think it's laudable that you fed the "boys" during the long, bitter cold winter. Helped them to survive and gave them something to look forward to. I know male cats can be annoying when not neutered, but they didn't ask to be out there either. Are you saying that you've asked for them to be TNR'd and it hasn't been done yet? Is that why you're frustrated and calling the city?

You say "never again" to fostering, but maybe try to give it some time. There is so much joy in kittens and the feeling of helping them out.

No, I city I live in got a grant from Pet Smart to do the TNR.  The city works with the local APL to arrange it.  I called the APL, but they said I have to go through the city and the city will contact them.  It's all good.  They will fix them and bring them back.  I know a few are strays, a couple feral, and a couple of them are the neighbor's cats that just live outside.  I figure fix them all! 

Our APL is a wonderful organization.  They are a 'no kill' shelter as long as an animal is adoptable.  I volunteer there sometimes.  There are some poor kitties that have been there for a year at least. 

I really wanted to get more senior cats, but it seems Jasmine is determined to win my heart. 

Nothing cuter than a kitten pile.

FYI- In case anyone is interested.  

I went in to check on Jasmine this morning and she had used the litter box all on her own.  Then I put wet food down for her and she got up from the babies to eat some.  She didn't eat it all by the time I came back.  I figure she will eat it throughout the day.

I think she's got it. 

Congratulations. It sounds like things are progressing well. And, yes, I love the picture of the kitten pile. Too cute.:nod:

Yay! Mama is settling down!

She still doesn't eat much.  I haven't seen pee in the box and she just poops while she's laying there with the babies.

This afternoon, I had to rub food on her lips, and then she ate. 

She sat away from her babies all afternoon.  I finally put her by the babies.

Too much for a mama who is still a kitten.  I hate people who just leave cats outside without fixing them.  Poor things.

I surrender her tomorrow and then I would be taking her back home to foster her for three more weeks. 

It's really working me.  I have anxiety about having her here.  I mean, if she would just eat, drink, pee, and poop as normal that would give me much relief. 

The babies are getting cuter every day. 

I am pretty sure I am not going to adopt Jasmine or a baby right now.  It's not feeling right.

I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling stressed about Jasmine. If there is nothing physically wrong with her, and I wonder if there is, it sounds as though she is depressed. Have you tried a special treat like tuna or tuna juice or even a bowl of treat milk? Maybe some extra affection and praise? Her lethargy is disturbing. Do you think she needs to see a vet? I wonder if she has an infection.

For yourself, know that we all appreciate what you are doing, and the kittens undoubtedly are having a much better start in life due to your efforts. It is a lot of work, but it does pay off. I hope you get to feeling better, and thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hang in there.

Maybe it is postpartum depression.  I feel bad for her.  She should have been able to be a kitten instead of a mother.  I gave her a bowl of food before I went to bed, and it was gone this morning. 

She was laying with her sweet babies this morning. 

When I leave the cage open, she comes out and stretches, but if I try to hold her, she squirms away from me.  It's quite a change from being free in the wild to be in a cage with babies. 

When she goes to the apl, they will spay her and then put her up for adoption.  Those cages are much smaller.  I feel bad about that.  They will take her babies away. 

Mimiaow said:

Success!!!

This morning, I took the babies away.  When it came time to put them back, I thought I would give her one more shot.

She ate a can of food.  So, I let her out of the kennel, and she stretched herself out.  Then I held her for a bit, and she went in the kennel to the litter box, and I thought she would go, but she came back out, then she went to it again but came back out.  So, I put a bunch more litter in the box.  Then she went in and was dig dig digging and yay!  She peed and pooped!!

So, the key was more litter in the box and some time with me. 

I've never been so happy about pee and poop in my life, lol.

I gave her babies back then.  Maybe she will catch on now.  :rub:

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I dont know why I didn't think of that solution as my cat Sox also requires extra litter in the box. Sox was also an outside cat that I fell in love with and adopted. I wonder if being outside and having the extra depth of the ground to dig in gets them accustomed to digging deeper?
I love your kitten pile! They are absolutely adorable! How old are they now? My kittens are almost 8 weeks and will be going to their forever homes soon and I will miss them so much.

They are only 11 days old.  I looked at them at lunchtime and they are beginning to open their eyes. 

Will you keep them and Mom until they are ready to be adopted?