missing kittens

This morning when I got up the kittens were not in the box where they have been. They are only 3 days old. The mom cat went to the box and meowed and I haven't been able to find them yet. I know the kids didn't move them because they were still sleeping. I do have another cat an 8 yr old female, but she had been staying away from the room the kittens were in. Could the mom have moved them and then forgot where they are or is it possible the other cat got ahold of all 4 of them? I haven't seen any sign of them yet and I have been searching all morning. I am really upset and the kids are getting upset too. Any one have any advice?
Thanks

My cat moved her kittens when they were only a few days old and i couldnt find them eith. What i did was turned everything off that makes any noise and listened for them to make sounds. i finaly heard them after about an hour of looking. She had moved them into my hallway closet, it has a sliding door and was only bearly cracked open but she got in there. Good luck i hope you find them soon and they are safe.
Stacy

First off don't panic! My kittens are older but my mama cat moved one last night (under my daughters bed) I ended up finding her when she got hungry and started crying. I'm sure the kittens will start to fuss and mama cat will run to them. Try to make everything real quiet (i know hard to do if you have kids) Hopefully they will start making noise!! I'm sure others will have better advice im new to this whole kitten thing. GOOD LUCK!

Where did you have the box originally?

I think the idea of listening is a good one, especially when the mother cries, since it's a good chance they might answer.

When you find them, I would recommend you keep the cats apart and not depend on the 8-year-old staying away. The fact tgat she could get in there if she wanted to is going to make the other cat want to protect and hide her babies. She needs to feel safe where she is.

The box was originally in the dining room. I was right next to where she gave birth. She had moved one in there the day they were born and then I moved the other 3 in. All was going well. Last night we changed the bedding because it was really damp and soiled from the kitties going potty. She went right back in with the kittens and when I went to bed they were all there. My husband believes he saw them in there this morning when he left for work, but he didn't look in there really good. It was about 2 hours after he left that I came down and my daughter noticed they were missing. The mom occasionally goes back to the box and meows, but other than that she keeps wandering around. Our other cat had been staying away from them, but now I'm afraid she may have something to do with it.

Where have you looked? Have you checked every single solitary little tiny place, even places where you think they wouldn't be? Mom migiht have tried to hide them from the other cat.

Again, when you do find them, you need to keep them separate. You should never let another cat be with a queen and her babies until they are old enough to be weaned and running around themselves. Even if cats are buddies, when one has babies, it's a very different situation.

Someone here couldn't find their cat the other day for hours, she turned out to have somehow gotten up into a space in the ceiling where the light fixture was.

I'll be Mom hid them from the other cat, look behind radiators, kitchen and hutch cabinets, in the bathroom, even inside sofas (if there's a hole in the bottom in the upholstery they can go up there and inside box springs, unstairs, downstairs. You'd be amazed where they could hide. Look in every crack and crevice you can find, and definitely listen for sounds.

If mom is hanging out with you and not with her kittens you NEED to find them. When people allow their cats to go outside and get mated with, often the kittens are born ill, diseased or worse. If they don't smell right, mom will take them and abandon them for other predators. At 3 days old, they need to be feeding, they need warmth, if they get to cold, they will die. I am not trying to scare you, I am just telling you the facts from my experiences. Turn off everything in the house that makes noise. Turn off all the lights. Lay on the floor of each room on your belly and just listen. You will only hear small mews of distress at that age, grunts really.

When you find them, put them and the mom in a room in a warm place out of drafts and shut the door on them. Don't keep visiting the kittens, let mom have her kittens for at least 24 hours without distractions. To many visitors to the nest will make a cat nervous and she will move the babies. If the nest becomes soiled and smelly, she will move them. If she feels threatened, she will move them. If they are ill, she will abandon them.

Thanks for all the replies. I have finally found them. They were in a corner of my son's room snuggled up with some stuffed animals. I have closed off the room since he is at school right now and will keep a close eye on them this afternoon after he gets home. Again thank you for all your help.

Hissy is right. If she's feeling nervous enough to move them now, you need to give her some safe, uninterrupted space. In fact, can your son stay in another room or sleep elsewhere tonight?

It sounds like she does need time alone with the babies and no more moving around or other people or animals to make her feel stressed.

I'd put some food, water and litter in there and just make sure the kittens are with her and nursing and leave her until tomorrow.

I am glad you found them! Put them and mom in the room together and just leave them be for awhile. Make sure at least for awhile that the mom can't get away from the kittens and that she is now caring for them.

Poor thing forgot where she put them

Originally Posted by momof3rugratz

Poor thing forgot where she put them

Click to expand...

That's why God gave us menopause. Cause we'd forget where we put the baby!

I think that's what happened, she forgot what she did. She was looking for them again yesterday, so I took her upstairs to them. She has remembered every other time. They all seem to be doing well, but I have only been peeking in from a distance, giving her the space she wanted.