Worried About Kittens

My housemate's 6 year old cat, Smoky, has just had two kittens. I'm a bit annoyed about it, because I told him to get her spayed after her first litter and assumed he already had when he moved in with me a few months ago. I myself have raised a litter of five from my cat, who was a stray and chose my house to give birth in. I really don't agree with avoidable amateur breeding, particularly when there are so many unwanted pets already. To make this all worse, this is Smoky's third litter and her other two litters (of three and two, respectively) have all died before weaning and my housemate has no idea why.

I'm really concerned about some of Smoky's behaviour so far with them. They're only four days old and she seems to leave them more than I remember my own cat leaving hers. I've checked on them to find the kittens on opposite sides of the whelping box and a little cold and she left them last night to cry outside my housemate's bedroom door when he got home. I've also found her nursing one while the other is behind her in the box, she seems a little oblivious. We moved them out from under his bed as soon as possible because his room is honestly pretty unclean and he smokes and after I found out his other kittens had all died, I got really worried about these two in that environment. I have seen her nursing them and grooming them, but only on the tops of their heads and backs. I've yet to see her lick around their bottoms to stimulate them to defecate. Before we moved them out of his room, we tried just moving them to a whelping box in his room to get her used to it, but she moved them back, so I'm a little hesitant to handle them too frequently in case she decides to try to move them back upstairs. The good news is that she does show appropriate concern when they cry, she's chased off my dogs when they've gotten too close to the baby gate that keeps them out of the area with the box in. The kittens were both very large at birth, more the size of week old kittens than newborns and they are putting on weight. They seem as healthy as can be for now.

Regardless, I really don't want to risk letting her get on with it when clearly something has gone wrong with her previous litters. Really any advice on what I can do, what I should look out for, anything really would be really appreciated. Obviously, I'd like to avoid the stress on Smoky of taking them to the vet if at all possible, but I will if the kittens show any decline in health. Money is no issue when it comes to pet health for me, so I'm not worried about vet costs or anything like that.

niamar said:

 
My housemate's 6 year old cat, Smoky, has just had two kittens. I'm a bit annoyed about it, because I told him to get her spayed after her first litter and assumed he already had when he moved in with me a few months ago. I myself have raised a litter of five from my cat, who was a stray and chose my house to give birth in. I really don't agree with avoidable amateur breeding, particularly when there are so many unwanted pets already. To make this all worse, this is Smoky's third litter and her other two litters (of three and two, respectively) have all died before weaning and my housemate has no idea why.

I'm really concerned about some of Smoky's behaviour so far with them. They're only four days old and she seems to leave them more than I remember my own cat leaving hers. I've checked on them to find the kittens on opposite sides of the whelping box and a little cold and she left them last night to cry outside my housemate's bedroom door when he got home. I've also found her nursing one while the other is behind her in the box, she seems a little oblivious. We moved them out from under his bed as soon as possible because his room is honestly pretty unclean and he smokes and after I found out his other kittens had all died, I got really worried about these two in that environment. I have seen her nursing them and grooming them, but only on the tops of their heads and backs. I've yet to see her lick around their bottoms to stimulate them to defecate. Before we moved them out of his room, we tried just moving them to a whelping box in his room to get her used to it, but she moved them back, so I'm a little hesitant to handle them too frequently in case she decides to try to move them back upstairs. The good news is that she does show appropriate concern when they cry, she's chased off my dogs when they've gotten too close to the baby gate that keeps them out of the area with the box in. The kittens were both very large at birth, more the size of week old kittens than newborns and they are putting on weight. They seem as healthy as can be for now.

Regardless, I really don't want to risk letting her get on with it when clearly something has gone wrong with her previous litters. Really any advice on what I can do, what I should look out for, anything really would be really appreciated. Obviously, I'd like to avoid the stress on Smoky of taking them to the vet if at all possible, but I will if the kittens show any decline in health. Money is no issue when it comes to pet health for me, so I'm not worried about vet costs or anything like that.

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Not all mommas are as excellent as some others, so there is some variety, and the kittens still make it.  Usually.  But its good you are watchful, it may be necessary for you to step in.  

A standard advice is to weigh them every day, to see they gain properly every day.  But if you with bare eyes see they are putting on weigh, there shouldnt no big problems.

What bothers me mostly at this moment, is this with elimination.  If you dont see her washing them down there, we cant know for sure its done... Perhaps YOU could try? If  the wastes come out, you will know she probably doesnt do it.

If  only the urine comes out, you will not know for sure - they could get constipation by this time...

Another thing - she is apparently bothered if the dogs come near.  They are stressing her.  Be sure they dont come anywhere near, preferably she dont evne hears nor smells them...

Last. Vets are good for many problems, but usually they arent good for everyday care of weak kittens. Unless they do specialize on it, for example, by tight cooperation with rescue groups or  cooperation with many breeders.

So consult your vet if you think / know you should, but the everyday caretaking you must do yourself.

The kittens sound big and healthy right now, and probably do not need to see a vet until they are 8 weeks old for shots unless they are sick. You don't always see the mom stimulating the kittens, but she does do it. I agree the dogs are stressing her. Cats prefer privacy and dark, somewhat enclosed spaces for their kittens the first 3 weeks - such as a closet. Can you possibly move them into your room where it's quiet and safe for now? Mom needs lots of kitten chow and wet food and water nearby, along with her litter box. She needs to relax and not go far to take care of her needs. It sounds like she's doing her best with the kittens under the circumstances.

You are very kind to care about the cat and her kittens. Will you see that she does not go outside to get pregnant again until she is spayed? She can be spayed when the kittens are 4-6 weeks old and still continue to nurse. Ideally spaying is done around 8 weeks.

Can you put a heating source in/under the nest.  A heating pad an low, hot water bottle or even a sock filled with raw rice (nuke 5 minutes, will hold heat 3 hours).  The kittens need to be warm if mom is not in the box.  Put it to one side so the kittens can move on and off as needed.

Thanks for all the replies, guys!

Don't worry about the dogs, they're a big pair but terrified of Smoky, she chased them both upstairs and they don't go anywhere near the baby gate now. One of the dogs sleeps in my room at night, he has some separation anxiety problems so unfortunately, my room isn't an option for her, but she seems really settled now, thankfully and hasn't been away from the kittens as much today. I make sure she has food and water all day and there's a litter tray nearby (not too close, cats can be a bit funny about their food being near their toilet).

I got a cloth and stimulated elimination a bit with one while she was nearby. She instantly took over, so I'm pretty confident that she is actually doing that, thankfully! I have a tiny heat mat from when I had snakes, so I can put that under the box.

And of course I'll make sure she gets spayed this time.

Sounds like all is good! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Just as an update, the kittens are almost three weeks old and were seeming healthy enough but I noticed today that one of them has one eye stuck shut with discharge and the other has some crustiness around her nose. Booking a vet appointment ASAP.

In the meantime, take a warm, damp cloth and hold it over the eye that is stuck shut to loosen the gunk and get it to open. The build-up of pus behind the eye can cause problems. The vet will give you terramycin ointment for their eyes. Does the kitten with the crust around the nose have a stuffy nose?