my cat just had kittens

babydoll

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well here is my story my one year old cat just gave birth 8 days ago to a litter of 6 kittens and i need help
First she had them under my couch
and not where we had a place set for her so i had to move them and her (no problem) but a few days after that she moved one back there so we put it back with her where they all were then she stoped doing that well then she took the same one and moved it to another part of the room she was in so again put it back and then again with the same one and one other one not at the same time....

why would she do that and now a few of them are starting to open there eyes and one had gunky stuff on it's eye do I wipe it off or leave it alone
I am so new at this i have no clue please help me one other thing how do i tell if they are all being fed by her??????
 

hissy

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Please let her place them where she is most comfortable. Make sure that they are in a warm and dark place and there are no open air drafts they can catch. Your litter sounds sickly, and I am not a fan of taking small kittens to the vets, but you should probably take the whole family in. Cover the carrier with a dark cloth, and keep them covered while in transport and at the vets. Also get your female spayed when the kittens are weaned, and don't let her outside for she will become pregnant again. The problem with backyard breeding is it not only delivers kittens, but it also spreads diseases from the adult cats who mated to the tiny ones now in the world. Momcat will move her kittens when her nest becomes smelly, or when she feels threatened. She is trying to keep them safe.
 
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babydoll

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well the thing is she is a inside cat and just got out once and i know it only takes one time every thing is clean and fresh but should i let her take them back under the couch???
 

hissy

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Yes, let her call the shots right now. She wants her babies safe and if under the couch makes her feel safe, put some bedding under there and let her just be for a few days. She will move them again-
 

gayef

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Still Hittin' 'Em Right Between The Eyes
While I normally always agree with Hissy, I am going to suggest that you confine this girl with her babies somehow - do you have a large dog crate or can you borrow one? The openings are large enough for you to put your whole upper body into if needs be and the interior is spacious enough for Mom to move around but not to place the babies in a spot where it isn't comfortable. You can even place a small litter box and food/water dishes in the really big ones. Put a blanket or other large covering over the crate to create the illusion of a safe, dim cave. Keep it nice and warm and let your girl out several times per day to stretch and have a break.

Regarding the gunky eye, I can't be sure if your babies are sick or not - only your vet can tell you that - but what I can tell you is it is completely normal for a little gunk to form when the babies are just starting to open their eyes. Also, in a large litter, kittens will scrap to get to a nipple and it sometimes means a sharp little claw gets into someone else's eye. Take a warm, not hot, damp wash cloth and gently remove any dried material. If the eye was open prior to your notice of the gunky stuff, then once the eye is good and damp, you can GENTLY pry the eyelid back open again - but DO NOT force open any eyes that weren't already open before.

In order to make absolutely certain Mommy is feeding everyone, you have to check on her often and make absolutely certain she is - if it seems a kitten is being pushed aside or isn't feeding as well as her litter mates, then you will have to supplement by bottle feeding. You can get a little kit at Petsmart with a bottle and the appropriate nipple as well as a little bottle brush - buy it along with the POWDERED KMR formula. Mix up the KMR in the amount suggested on the can and give it to the baby as often as the directions on the can instruct or call your vet for specific instructions. It isn't as difficult as it sounds once you get the hang of it and honestly, it is one of the most satisfying things you can do - knowing you providing the nourishment for the baby to grow and make progress is quite something to experience!

Hope this helps, and best of luck with your babies,

Gaye
 

gailc

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When grizzly had her litters we also had a spot prepared but they have them where they want them-of course our bedroom closet was always a good spot. Once it was the bathtub!! We also tried moving them but she moved them back (3 flights of stairs!! as the "nursery" was the shower floor in the basement bathroom). We would move them when they were about 2-3 weeks old. It was cute though(but hard to sleep) with a litter of kitten in the bedroom closet-you couldn't shut that door. I agree with gayef about the eyes. My vet would give me antibiotic eye ointment for the kittens and it worked in just a day or 2. For the one that momma kitty is not feeding we had also done the bottle feeding-because we also had large litters we would watch to see who was not getting enough and bottle feed-its becomes more apparent as the kittens get about 3 weeks old there just isn't enough room for them all. One cat we had developed mastitis so we had no choice to bottle feed 5 kittens for about a month. We went though a few bottles-trust me they catch on VERY QUICKLY with the bottle!! They learn quickly its feeding time. Have fun.
 
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