Very nervous first-time foster mother

Primula

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That would be me! We've always had loads of cats, but I am beginning my "career" as a foster mother to a local shelter. My foster cat had 3 kittens, who will be 4 weeks on Sunday. Everything right now is perfect and all has gone well since I got momma cat. Kittens are lovely - 1 male, 2 females. They are very chubby and healthy.

What intensely worries me is taking care of their feed as momma weans them. She doesn't let them nurse as much as before, but they still nurse and she cleans up their little bums. They have zero interest in kitten chow of any kind. They have their own small litter box, but do not use it. Twice they have peed on me when they get excited.

So when must they start eating regular food? (Mushy, naturally.) My biggest fear is that they are hungry. Momma sometimes walks away when they are nursing and sometimes she ignores their cries.

I'm very worried about all this since I am a rookie. If anyone can help, I would so appreciate it.
 

catwoman707

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Around this time it's normal and common for moms to become weary of nursing full time. Kittens have teeth now and can really cause soreness and discomfort for mom, add the fact that she needs to be spayed because she still has her hormones at work as well.

Kittens learn by watching mom, and I find it much simpler AND faster if they are contained rather than in their own room. They become faithful litter box users and will mimic mom's eating from a dish when you feed her canned pate.

They are very likely feeling hungry and not getting as much as they need, so I would get some cans of fancy feast kitten, put it in a shallow dish or saucer when they act hungry, and stick their little faces in it. You might be surprised that they start scarfing on the food.
 
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Primula

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LOL. I guess nobody is going to help me with this.
 

onahigh

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Im thinking they mean a contained area instead of letting them run around in an open area where they could get in "trouble"  
 

catwoman707

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Strange I missed your reply to my post.

Contained is just that, correct.

At this age if their litterbox isn't literally right in front of them when they feel the need to go, they are too young to seek it out and will go anywhere.

So having a much smaller area rather than an entire room, will get them to be faithful users :)
 

StefanZ

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That would be me! We've always had loads of cats, but I am beginning my "career" as a foster mother to a local shelter. My foster cat had 3 kittens, who will be 4 weeks on Sunday. Everything right now is perfect and all has gone well since I got momma cat. Kittens are lovely - 1 male, 2 females. They are very chubby and healthy.

What intensely worries me is taking care of their feed as momma weans them. She doesn't let them nurse as much as before, but they still nurse and she cleans up their little bums. They have zero interest in kitten chow of any kind. They have their own small litter box, but do not use it. Twice they have peed on me when they get excited.

So when must they start eating regular food? (Mushy, naturally.) My biggest fear is that they are hungry. Momma sometimes walks away when they are nursing and sometimes she ignores their cries.

I'm very worried about all this since I am a rookie. If anyone can help, I would so appreciate it.
How is it going, Primula?

I just realized they must be hungry, evne halfstarving, if mom nurses them less, and they arent eating anything on their own....  But I suppose they had began to eat by now?

Also,  when they eat by themselves, their poo changes, and mom fancies no longer to eat up their  wastes...  And thus, they will use the litter, hopefully.  I presume you know they shall have non clumping litter.
 
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Primula

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Stefan, mom is nursing them still. Blackie eats high-quality dry food, but the other two do not eat. None of the kittens appear to be hungry. Tabby has learned to pee in the litter box and, possibly, Blackie does too. Ginger does not use the litter box. Only momma poops in the litter box. They will be 5 weeks old on Sunday.
 
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