Concerned new kitten parent

cmlpbfpo

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So my cat gave birth about 16 hours ago to a single kitten and I'm a little worried about the baby. My cat is nursing the newborn, but she keeps leaving it to come hang out with me. In fact if my dog hadn't woken me up at 4 am to tell me "something is happening" I wouldn't have realized she gave birth. She was in bed with me when I fell asleep last night and there again when I woke up (the second time) in the morning. I had a cat previously who had a litter and she never left her kittens when they were newborn. I'm worried she isn't feeding the baby often enough, or grooming it or keeping it warm. The baby doesn't have siblings to cuddle with so with mama cat leaving so often I'm afraid it will get cold. I tried moving the kitten into my room, since that's where mama cat seems to want to hang out, but she promptly picked the baby up and it moved it back to her "nest" under the sink. Am I worrying needlessly? When I "show" mama cat the baby she lays down and nurses it. She just won't stay with it very long. Any advice or tips on keeping the baby warm? How often should I take mama cat to her baby to make sure she's feeding it enough?
 

handsome kitty

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Is this her first litter?  It usually takes the new moms a couple of days to settle in.  Can you sit with her while she is with the kittens.  She does want to be with you.  You can use a heating pad set on low, a water bottle or raw rice in a sock (nuke for 5 minutes).  Make sure the heating source is covered with a towel so the kitten is not directly on it or you can put it under the nest.  It should only cover half the nest so the kitten can move away from it if it gets too warm.

She likes her nest under the sick because it is hidden.  If you have a closet in your bedroom you can try to move the nest there or cover the nest with a sheet or blanket w/ an opening for mom to get in and out. 
 
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cmlpbfpo

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Yes, this is her first litter. Hopefully she'll get the hang of this mom thing in the next few days. I have tried sitting with her in the bathroom to get her to stay with her kitten, but when I'm there she loses all interest in the baby and just begs me for pets and love, which pretty much defeats the purpose. I've been taking her into the bathroom and showing her her baby about once an hour to get her to pay attention to it. She'll lay down and nurse the baby for a few minutes, but then she's right back at my side. I'm a little worried that while I'm sleeping she's going to just curl up next to me like she normally does and totally ignore the kitten. I'm planning on setting my alarm clock to go off every few hours tonight so I can make sure she's feeding the kitten often enough. I will set up a rice sock (thanks for the recommendation) to keep the baby warm. Is there a certain temperature I should set my thermostat to to keep baby comfy? I have the heat set to 65 degrees, but if that is too cold I can turn it up.
 

handsome kitty

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Can you put food, water and the mom's litter box in the bathroom and leave her in there with the kitten.  She needs to spend more than a few minutes with the newborn kitten or it will not survive. 

The kitten will not be able to regulate it's body temp until it is 3 weeks old.  the rice sock will only hold the heat for 3 - 5 hours.

@sarthur2
 
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cmlpbfpo

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OK I have locked her in the bathroom, hopefully with no distractions she'll bond with her baby. She just doesn't seem to have normal kitty maternal instincts.
 
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cmlpbfpo

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Mom and baby seem to be doing a little better today. I let mama cat out of the bathroom this morning and the night alone with her baby seems to have helped her bond with the kitten. She's now going in and checking on the kitten without me having to physically take her to the baby, although she is still spending quite a bit of her time with me. I discovered I was out of rice last night, so I've been giving the baby a bottle of hot water every few hours for warmth. I've also turned the heat up to 70 degrees which is a bit warm for me, but probably more comfy for baby. Final question- is it OK to have the mama cat out with me during the day or should I just keep her locked in the bathroom with baby 24/7? It seems cruel to keep her locked up all day and night, but I also don't her neglecting the kitten. Anyone have any thoughts?
 

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Glad to hear she's caring for baby now. Bring baby and the nest out into the house with you. Mama kitty needs to be feeding her baby throughout the day and night. If she is doing this well outside the bathroom, they can stay out. But if there's a problem, you'll need to put them back in the bathroom together.

Let me know how it goes! [emoji]128522[/emoji]
 
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cmlpbfpo

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OK so my new kitten is now 6 days old and seems to be doing well. Mama cat has been locked in the bathroom with her baby for the past 5 days. This seems to be the only way to get her to take care of the kitten. Every time I enter or exit the bathroom she tries to escape, she is very anxious to resume her normal kitty life, having the run of the house and cuddling with me and her brother, but when allowed distractions she totally neglects her kitten. Question- can I let her out for brief periods now? How long can she stay out before I should lock her back up with her baby? I have set up a space heater in the bathroom and a hot water bottle in the nest to keep the kitten warm, so can mama cat come out for an hour or two without it adversely affecting the baby?
 

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Yes, she can. I would say for about an hour at a time while the kitten is still only five days old. By that I do not mean only one hour per day. I mean an hour at a time.

Have you thought of moving her and her baby into your bedroom, where she could at least move around the room, and be with you at night?
 
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cmlpbfpo

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I tried moving the baby into my bedroom on Day 1, since that is where mama cat wants to hang out, but she promptly moved the kitten back to the bathroom. I haven't tried moving the baby since because I'm afraid mama cat will inadvertantly hurt the baby (she carried him or her by the hind leg the first time). Should I try again? The first time I attempted this I set up the cat carrier with a pillow and towel inside and a blanket covering all but the opening so it would feel secure. Is there anything else I should include to make a good nest? Any tips to get mama to not move the baby back?
 

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I do think you should try again. Mom may have settled down some since then. Do you have a box instead of the carrier? Or let mama choose? Some cats want to be in an enclosed area, and others prefer an open box they can get in and out of more easily. My cat was in an open bin, but it was in a closet with the door cracked in a bedroom. She came and went, but was good about returning to her babies when they mewed. So maybe give her a choice. And close her in the bedroom for awhile at first, so she has the run of the room but not the house. She clearly has cabin fever from being in the bathroom. Oh, and her food, water, and litter should still be accessible nearby in your bedroom. Let me know how this works out!
 
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cmlpbfpo

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Having trouble weaning kitten from mama... Kitten has no interest in any solid food or formula. Any tips for feeding him something he might like better than mother's milk?
 

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4-6 weeks is normal for weaning, but it may just be too soon.  You can keep offering meat baby food, but make sure that meat is the only ingredient.  The kitten will become interested in the next few weeks.  It's nothing to be concerned about yet.

Can you keep mom inside and away from intact males until the kitten is weaned?  She can get pregnant again any time now.
 

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Kitten is not quite 5 weeks, and an only kitten. She may wean late, and there should be no rush. My kittens weaned between 6-8 weeks. Give her another week and try baby food again. When she's ready, she'll go for it! [emoji]128522[/emoji]
 
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