Pregnant Hello Kitty! needs help

Fantastic update!

I suggest just watching to make sure all are nursing well. If it comes down to needing to supplement we will figure out a way.

Do you have kitten formula on hand?

I don't have kitten formula but I must go to get groceries now anyways ( between kitten-gazing and reading on the cat-site i've let everything else go). I am in Toronto Ontario with a Pet-Valu store nearby, and many other et stores that carry premium brands. I will try to get the one so often mentioned in the pregnant cat/kitten forum. I think you may have mentioned in another thread that you found the powdered formula to be the best tolerated.

Thanks again.

We prefer PetAg and powdered is best. No Hartz!

And give some to the queen to drink. She needs the vitamins and minerals to nurse her six babies!

I'm going to get some now just to be on the safe side. I have never hand fed a kitten before but I have read about it. What type of syringe is best? My son is diabetic so we have some on hand, they seem pretty small but I wonder if we need  get something tinier from a vet clinic?

You can use your son's syringes if you need to hand feed. No needle of course.

found it 1 ml or 1.5 ml.

Is your son's syringe a 1 or 2 mL?

That will be fine!

Your update was so fantastic to read. You are very talented at telling a story. I felt like I was right there with you watching the Quees of Sheba tend her kittens.

I can relate to being nervous about being bitten. Claire would not let me touch her at all until the day she gave birth. I would fill up her food and water bowl on my front porch and she would be rubbing all up on my legs, but as soon as she felt my hand touching her she would try to scratch me and start hissing. The day she went into labour and came inside and hopped up in my lap I was shocked. I am sure the look on my face would have been funny.

It sounds like you are doing everything right. I will let those experienced with feral cats guide you and I will learn from your experience right along with you. @ Sarthur2 is such a helpful and knowledgeable cat person. I look forward to your next update. Have a good night with your cat family.

Actually his syringes are too big. I only read on another thread that they should be 1 ml. or 1.5ml. so I will get those today. Mom is being extremely protective and won't even let me see what is going on with them. I think that lately when she hears me coming down the stairs she coils up and pulls all the kittens in close to her body and wraps her legs and arms around them. I really wish she'd start to accept my offer of friendship but it is just not the time. I have to hand it to her though, those babies are ever so precious to her and she is very attentive. There is nothing more powerful and sustaining than a mother's love, so I will hope for the best for these little guys because today she won't allow me to see them.

I just have a question about food.

I have laid down a selection of little dishes of food to see if I can distinguish her preference.

She does not really care for the kitten food, which everyone says is best for her.

She seems to prefer fancy feast prima vera (has a bit of vegetables ).

I have laid out a few tbsp.  of  canned rio mare tuna packed in broth and olive oil----that is her favorite. I would gladly give her more but I'm not sure if this is the best idea as nutrients may be missing, and of course the mercury issue with canned tuna. She loves the juice ---that goes way before any food even though she has plenty of water to drink. 

Do you think I should hold back on the tuna?

Would some cat grass be a good idea at this time?  I don't want to cause her  to have any gas or unnecessary nausea. I assume she is used to a bit of greens in her diet but I have never used it with my cats as they have always been allowed outdoors.

Thanks ever so much----you are a fountainhead of information and experience sarthur2.

I say give her as much to eat as she wants of whatever she likes best .

Which kitten food does she dislike? The wet or the kitten chow? My kittens and their mom refused the Fancy Feast kitten wet food, but love the adult wet, but all still eat kitten chow for their dry food, which is always available.

I hope she will let you see her babies soon. My pregnant stray was very protective as well until they were about 3 weeks old.

I am sure mom is grateful for food, shelter, and love - just wary from being on her own.

I think the cat grass is a great idea.  She was outside and would enjoy having it around.  You can get it at the grocery store with the fresh spices in the produce section - Wheat Grass, or at the pet store which is 2x as much.

Thanks Handsome kitty. I will get some for her. My son posted some pictures for me. I feel blessed right now.

What a colorful bunch!

So sweet!

Hello! I have been reading this entire thread and finally joined. Many praises to you for rescuing your Queen of Sheba, and congratulations on the beautiful kittens! They are all very lucky that you opened up your home to them.

They are beautiful @old possum  . I love the orange ones!! 

I have been following LittleLu's thread on interrupted labour and I am almost afraid to ask this question: just how many kittens can a smallish (aprox.8 lbs) cat have? As was mentioned on LittleLu's thread, babies can potentially come out for up to 2-3 days. The Queen of Sheba (that is her middle name btw, until she unveils some more of her personality), gave birth to 6 kittens in well over a 24 hour period. Two of them were born early on Thursday, and 4 more came much later on Friday afternoon.

Things appear to be going well with everyone nursing and crawling around. She still will not let me near her nest (5'-6' max.). The babies all look to be a healthy size (the red and whites seem slightly bigger).

Mom is eating and drinking well. The litter box is well used and nothing looks unusual when I clean it up. 

It is just that she seems to be panting lately and she still looks rather fat.  The only other times I witnessed this type of panting was when I let her out of her trap when I first brought her home and she was scared to death, and the other time was in and around her labour with the first two kittens.

She is purring, but the purrs are in short and quick. 

There doesn't seem to be any respiratory distress or wheezing.

She looks comfortable enough when she stretches and opens up her legs for the kittens to find their way to her and she seems to enjoy nursing.

Is it possible that more kittens could still be on the way?

What do you think the cause of the panting-purring could be?

I know a very good mobile vet, and she has taken care of previous pets when they were too ill to leave the house for a regular office visit. This vet  is also associated with another who works with feral cats and has a lot of experience neutering them. Unfortunately she won't be back from holidays till the end of this week. My regular vet does not have facilities for surgery and will take over once the mother has been spayed / vaccinated / examined. My regular vet did not know about the pregnancy (nor did I at that point), and thought that everything would be done while under anesthesia  within a day or two.

I can find another mobile vet, but I prefer to use one that I know and trust.  

I guess it is because I hardly know this cat, but I can't read her cues like I can with my resident male. With him I know immediately if something is not right.

I don't want to be neglectful of early warning signs, nor do I want to panic and upset everyone with emergency calls that aren't necessary.

I am just not sure.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

I hear nine kittens is the current record on TCS.  If she doesn't seem to be distress I would keep an eye on her.  There could be a couple more kittens.

You could call around for a mobile vet just so you have someone aware of the situation in case you do need help.