drpixel needs some help....

Hello all, and especially Sandie! Angel has taken up residence in our home, though Linda seems to be allergic to her dander....and help on this would be appreciated asap.
All kittens have been adopted out and seem to be happy with their new parents/owners. Questions now are:
When will Angel's milk dry up?--does it go away on its own? Kittens stopped nursing yesterday (a little bit). She now seems to be prowling MY home meowing loudly--Linda thinks she's going into heat (?)..we are not sure of any of this...I think she's calling out to her kittens..She's also eating aLL the time..is this normal? She went into heat 3rd week July and gave birth 9/28 and kittens are all with their new parents. Could the milk make her uncomfortable or hurt her? Is there more milk forming?--she has a big 'lump' on her belly--we never had a female and we are worried. Any pointers on HOW to keep Angel from jumping up on kitchen counters?....I'll check later this evening... thanks for any help on this...

drpixel/Glenn

OK Glen maybe I can help since Sandy and I are friends and I am also a breeder. As for the milk, it will dry up on it's own when the kittens stop suckling. As for allergies, Try AllerPet that you can get in the pet stores. As for the calling, it could be both. She might be going into another heat cycle or looking for the kittens. Give her a toy like a Beanie Baby that she can carry around. As for the kitchen counters, keep a spray bottle of water near by with warm water in it and when you see her up there squirt her (put it on mist and not on hard spray) and tell her in a stern voice "no". She'll get the hint after awhile. As for her eating alot, it's normal. If you don't leave out dry food for her all the time, I suggest that you do. If you feed canned food (and I hope you do because it has vitamins that dry food doesn't), feed her twice a day if you don't already. Hope this helps and I'm sure Sandy will be answering also. If you have any other questions, please ask and I'll see what I can do to help.

Frannie

Let me see if I can get all of these for you...

Yes, the milk dries up on it's own. They may be a little swollen for a few weeks, but I would watch for signs of not feeling well. Sometimes cats can get an infection that needs to be treated with antibiotic. Make sure her nipples are not tender or warm.
She may be calling for one of 3 reasons..she is going into heat,she is in a different place and routine or she is looking for the babies. I have found that usually if it is them looking for the kittens they stop after a few days. After a week, if you brought a kitten back to her, she would probably hiss at them.
As for the eating, 2 things. While nursing they loose lots of calories for themselves. She is probably making up for all the lost nutrition. I would also have her dewormed when she goes to the vet. Most cats who have kittens develope roundworm. (long explanation). If you do not usually feed wet food, I would just give her the dry kitten food until she has gained her weight back and then switch back to the adult.
Counters, I don't ever spray my cats with water. First, it is never handy enough and second, if they see you spray them, they associate the water and bad experience with you. The few things I have heard that work ( I let them on the counter when there's no food there), the double sided tape, cans filled with pennies or just loud noises when they get up there. They can be trained, but I usually find that they will get up there only when you are not around..LOL.
Allergies...Giving her a bath on a regular basis will help. Some people do it as often as every 2 weeks. Keeping the house vaccumed, using an air purifier, and if you wipe her with a damp towel every day it will help. Also, sometimes people who suffer from mild allergies will become less sensative over time.
I think I got them all

Thank you BOTH for your quick replies, and you've put our minds at ease--at least for now--and given us some valuable advice.
We've never had a female cat before and we were very concerned. With Shadow who was a male, we had to worry about kidney stones/urinary tract infections, etc. With Angel, it will be more complicated problems. She's already working her way into our hearts; and has taken to lying on Linda's (my S.O.) lap and chest--oh yes, and PURRING! I guess she's feeling more comfortable around us both as she was before she gave birth. Angel wanted nothing to do with either of us while she was nursing. We are giving her wet food (9 Lives..) and are alternating with a dry food called Science Diet CD-presecription from Shadow's vet. She's eating at least 4 times a day between dry and wet food. We wish it was two months from now, and her spaying was done and she'd be calmer. My youngest daughter Lisa hates the way Angel's stomach/nipples feel as she worries she would be hurting her. Lisa is the one who found her, and brought her to our home as she did with Shadow. He was a 101% outside cat who was very timid and afraid. He took us at least 2 months to thoroughly win over his trust. We were glad to have him as our friend for the past 11 years, and we miss him terribly. It was amazing how he adjusted so well. Angel is completely different, always ready with a head-butt to your hand, and is very loving. We are taking things one day at a time, and hope that each one gets better. Friends like you both are a tremendous help during these trying times. We are both still hurting from Shadow's loss, and are apprehensive about Angel's opening up our hearts again. We hope that she is/will be healthy when we bring her to the vet. We live in New Jersey, and have had a good vet recommended to us. We are still angry at the last vet we had. After him seeing Shadow having had 3 seizures from a serious heart murmur, he never put him on any heart memdication, even though Linda requested it. Her uncle's cat was on this medication and the emergency vet who had to put Shadow done told us he put's all cats with such problems on the med's.
Sorry for the rant, but it still hurts so much to 'speak' about this; and he was only 11 and had many good years of love left in him.

many thanks again to you angels (prob. not the last you'll hear from me/us!
Glenn/drpixel and Linda AND Angel