Stray Cat just had kittens. Questions

@Checkers jeapa507 tried to relocate them at the beginning.  The nipple is just sore.  If she puts the udder cream on it now she can head off further discomfort.

checkers thank you for the suggestion. handsome kitty is correct in that I did try to switch the kittens off that nipple early on as they were always fighting over it. I did not have any luck at all. I did have my son rub some olive oil on it today. I will try and get the udder cream tomorrow. She does not act like it is bothering her too much it just looks like it would be sore to me.

Thanks @Jeapa507. I hope the olive oil helps and I'm sure the udder cream will. I did recall your trying to put the kittens onto different nipples, but thought it might be worth trying it again with perhaps a bit of help from some cream/oil the kittens wouldn't like the taste of.  They still have quite awhile to feed from their mother so that nipple's going to get a lot of work!

Let us know how you go with the udder cream. 

Looking forward to the next aaawwww photos!

The kittens are 3 weeks old today! Time has sure flown by. I go back to work on Monday so I will probably just do weekly updates from this point on unless there is a problem. 

3 week weights:

Calico- 11.7 oz gain of 1.3 oz in 4 days

Orange 13.5oz gain of 1.8 oz in 4 days

Their average daily weight gain stays at .3 oz or 8.5g for Calico and .4oz or 11.3g for the orange boy. They are spending a lot of time outside of the nest and crawl all over Claire and each other. I think they are doing well, but I do think I will start them on some mush at 4 weeks to supplement and see if they can start gaining a little more. Please let me know if you think this is a good plan @sarthur2  .

My son has been putting the udder cream on Claire's nipple @Checkers. It looks about the same, but she does not act like it hurts her at all so I am thinking it is ok. My son said if feels fine to him and not hard or hot to the touch. I tried to get a photo of it tonight, but only got one with calico feeding.

So cute.  It's going to be hard to leave them.

They are so cute! Their weights are fine. The calico is a little light, but I think she will catch up easily. I agree with starting them on mush at four weeks, so perhaps work on it next Saturday and Sunday. It's a process!

I'm glad Claire's nipple isn't really bothering her. The udder cream is a good idea.

Good luck on your first day back at work on Monday!

SO pleased the kittens are continuing to gain weight and that Claire's overused nipple is not bothering her.  The udder cream sounds like the perfect treatment.

These photos are wonderful. The kittens are too adorable.

All the best with your return to work, @Jeapa507. I'll bet you'll be busting to get home each night! 

Looking forward to the weekly updates, and watching the kittens' growth and the start of playfulness.

Thanks all for your comments. I am actually looking forward to getting back to work checkers As much as I hate to leave the kittens, I am going a little stir crazy being home and worrying about my research for this summer getting done. I have asked my son to check in on them during the day as he works second shift.

I am going to pick up some wet kitten food and mix it with the KMR. I will start next Friday or Saturday and see how they do. Should I put a small litter box down for them when I start the mush? Sarthur2

Yes, they will need a kitten-sized litter box to learn to use when they begin their mush. Put them in the box after each meal, and several other times throughout the day. This is exciting!

So I went in this morning to feed Claire her wet food before I left for work and both of her kittens popped out of the nest to greet me. The little calico smelled the wet food left on the spoon I used to put it on the plate and she licked it and then proceeded to eat it right off the spoon. I was not expecting this. They are about 3.5 weeks old. So once she ate that I decided to offer her another spoonful and she ate that one up too!!! The orange boy was not interested at all. This maybe easier than I thought especially with the calico.

So now I am thinking I will stop on my way home from work and get a small litter tray and start offering them some wet food and KMR soaked kitten chow. How do you keep mamma cat from eating the kittens food? Once Claire saw that her kitten was eating off the spoon she came over and started trying to eat it too. This is exciting and a big step for the kittens!!! Now I wish I was home today and not here at work....lol... Sarthur2

There you go!

This is exciting! Well, I have never been able to stop mama kitty from eating what my kittens eat, so I offer them the exact same thing, only I put the kittens' food on a paper plate just for them.

Paper plate because they can walk all over it to reach their food easily. They tend to make a mess in the beginning, but oh well!

And just show Claire her bowls of food, but expect the kittens to explore hers too. That's how they learn!

They will need their little litter box pronto! The wet food and kitten chow result in formed stools right away. I'm sure they'll catch on to this quickly too!

Now you can't wait to get home from work! How is it to be back, by the way?

Kitten development will become non-stop now!

Well I was tired yesterday after work, but I expected that after being off for 5 weeks. It was great to see everyone and check up on my beetles in the lab. I do research on Asian Longhorned beetles, an invasive wood borer from China. It will take me about a week to get things back the way I like them in the lab as I had other people covering and nobody ever does things like you would. Thank you for asking.
I am excited to see the kittens eating. I will expand the feeding area and add their food to it. They are progressing so fast now it seems as they are already playing some, and I think they recognize me when I come in the room.
checkers
Sarthur2

Asian longhorned beetles! This is almost as interesting to me as kittens!

Is this through a university? Where are the beetles found in the US? Do they destroy certain trees? What does your research consist of primarily? Life cycle, variables, or eradication methods?

sarthur2 said:

Asian longhorned beetles! This is almost as interesting to me as kittens!

Is this through a university? Where are the beetles found in the US? Do they destroy certain trees? What does your research consist of primarily? Life cycle, variables, or eradication methods?

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I work for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Our lab is on the campus of the University of Delaware. The research at our lab is focused on biological control of invasive species.
Don't get me started talking about work or we will get way off topic...lol.. We hire university students majoring in entomology and it helps both the students and The lab. I am currently working with two small parasitoids that attack the beetle in their larval stage. We are working on a way to control the beetle without using pesticides or having to cut down thousands of trees. Just google Asian Longhorned beetle and Worcester, MA., and you will learn about the large infestation that was found back in 2008.
More than 25,000 trees have been cut down and chipped trying to eradicate this beetle.
I have a manuscript coming out soon that I am co-author on and it describes our first experiments with this parasite. If you are interested once the journal accepts it I will PM you a PDF copy Sarthur2

Sounds great! I love science and research. We have similar issues with invasive species in Florida - particularly the Everglades.

And there is a fantastic ice skating program at the University of Delaware!

All exciting stuff!

Meanwhile, back in kitten land, there are a calico kitten and an orange kitten waiting to be named ...

sarthur2 said:

Sounds great! I love science and research. We have similar issues with invasive species in Florida - particularly the Everglades.

And there is a fantastic ice skating program at the University of Delaware!

All exciting stuff!

Meanwhile, back in kitten land, there are a calico kitten and an orange kitten waiting to be named ...

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My grandson is calling the orange boy Cheeto... lol I'm not sure if that is going to stick .The calico I have no idea yet. She has a very strong personality, is brave, and loud. Any ideas?

I like Cheeto! That's a cool name!

We'll have to ponder on the calico's name.

Wonderful news about the kittens' progress. It won't be long before the ginger boy will be into the solids too. 

Your work sounds SO interesting, @Jeapa507. I looked up the Asian Long-Horned Beetle. Eeek! Fortunately we have none here in Australia but the alert is out to keep a watch for them.

Looking forward to more kitty updates.  Be prepared for food-covered paws walking around your room. As you have carpet, maybe if you had some old sheets or towels you could spread out with the food  on a paper plate in the middle you could lessen the impact!

The calico may have to be chex (chex mix).  What other snacks are different colors and shapes?

Handsome Kitty said:

The calico may have to be chex (chex mix).  What other snacks are different colors and shapes?

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I like that handsome kitty clever idea