She's seperated litter & moved to bad spots

gottalotagals · May 25, 2006

I'm so mad at Holstein this morning. Not only has the moved the kittens (which she is bad at carrying them anyhow because they scream their heads off) she has moved them to BAD places and has seperated them!

She had a perfect pillow and towel bed, but took most of the kittens of to a pile of my craft stuff. The bad thing about this spot is they are all on a bunch of plastic bags of cotton pillow stuffing! Won't they suffocate in that stuff?

Also, the worst part to me, she has taken my favorite calico off to the girls' closet way on the other side of the house. She has seperated this one little kitten, who isn't sick, away from all the other ones. Why would she do that? This is also a very very bad spot because I can't protect her from the kids (my 2 year old is the biggest concern) and she has that poor baby on piles of shoes!

She is going back and forth between the litters but I don't feel like them being seperate is a good sign.

When I moved that kitten back with the litter she moved her right back to the other closet again.

I make sure the kids don't bother her (when she was in her old spot). I was only go in there once a day to see them. She doesn't show any concern when I touch them, so I don't think she's freaking out with that part, but clearly she does want them away from us.
They are in very bad spots...very bad.

Is there anything I can do?

tnr1 · May 25, 2006

Originally Posted by gottalotagals

I'm so mad at Holstein this morning. Not only has the moved the kittens (which she is bad at carrying them anyhow because they scream their heads off) she has moved them to BAD places and has seperated them!

She had a perfect pillow and towel bed, but took most of the kittens of to a pile of my craft stuff. The bad thing about this spot is they are all on a bunch of plastic bags of cotton pillow stuffing! Won't they suffocate in that stuff?

Also, the worst part to me, she has taken my favorite calico off to the girls' closet way on the other side of the house. She has seperated this one little kitten, who isn't sick, away from all the other ones. Why would she do that? This is also a very very bad spot because I can't protect her from the kids (my 2 year old is the biggest concern) and she has that poor baby on piles of shoes!

She is going back and forth between the litters but I don't feel like them being seperate is a good sign.

When I moved that kitten back with the litter she moved her right back to the other closet again.

I make sure the kids don't bother her. I only go in there once a day to see them. She doesn't show any concern when I touch them, so I don't think she's freaking out with that part, but clearly she does want them away from us.
They are in very bad spots...very bad.

Is there anything I can do?

**Edited** Rereading...I might try a new box first, in a confined room and see if she still tries to move the calico away from the others. Is she feeding the entire family?? Or is she only feeding the 2 and not the calico??

First, I would confine mom and kittens into a different room with a door. My recommendation is always the bathroom (as long as you have one that isn't used too frequently so mom can have peace). This way mom has a very "limited" area to move her kittens.

Second, I would provide her with a new box...she may consider the other one to be tainted so she doesn't want her kittens near it.

Third (if she is still seperating the calico), I'd take the calico in to be seen by a vet. Seperating kittens usually means that mom senses that something is wrong with the kitten that is seperated and she does not want to pass on the sickness to her other kittens or she wants to feed the kittens she knows are healthy and let the unhealthy one die. When I fostered a mom and her kittens, mom kept seperating out one of the girls..turned out she had pneumonia and died a few weeks later. It was incredibly sad...but that is how nature works.

Katie

newfostermom · May 25, 2006

Maybe she dropped one and lost it! You said she's not very good at it.......

junior67 · May 25, 2006

did she separate the rest of the litter into 2 area's and then the calico by herself? or just the other 5 (she has 6 right?) in one area and the calico alone? is she feeding both groups?????

I agree try to confine her to one room. the calico needs to be kept warm which will be hard for her to do if kept alone........

gottalotagals · May 25, 2006

I so appreciate yall helping me.

She has 6 kittens total, the one calico off by itself in the girls' closet. She is going back and forth between both the litter and the seperate kitten. Oddly enough though, she is spending more time with the seperated calico though.

I honestly can't put her in a seperate room. There are 6 people in this house. lol My husband and I use our bathroom a lot and my four daughters use theirs alot too, so I honestly think she would be much worse off with them in the bathrooms.

Newfostermom-she didn't lose the other kitten. We even put it back with the other litter but she took it back out and into the other room anyhow.

As far as tainted bedding-I've been putting a new towel down each day when she would go to the litter box or whatever. So she's been in clean bedding. I only changed them in the evening when I would get ready to touch kittens and her anyhow to reduce the amount of time I was bothering them. She would come in though and seemed very calm when I was doing it or touching them.

However, her old bedding was right in front of the one closet door (we have sliding closet doors) which exposed her a lot. So I'm thinking she wanted something more private.

Here's what I just did...being that the babies were in a bad spot and not safe, I went in there and put the babies on top of towels and placed them in a large basket. I moved all the stuff that they were pilled on and put the basket back there in the corner. I put the stuff around the basket (deep basket) so it would provide her some privacy. Then I slide my dressed in front of the basket to block the view of the basket. Maybe she will like that privacy.
As far as the other baby, I can't touch yet because she hasn't left it yet. Maybe the kitten is sick and that is why she won't leave it??? I don't know what to think about it right now. She's went into the litter once to feed them, but for the past hour has been with the single kitten.
I was afraid the kids would go bother her, so I blocked all access to their own room by putting up a baby gate in the door way. I've just brought my kiddos toys out so they won't have to get into the room anyhow, but when my other daughters get home they will have to go clean that room leaving the baby and Holstein vulnerable again.

I guess I just have to sit back and see if she is going to go back to other kittens. I'm worried.

junior67 · May 25, 2006

wow strange that she is feeding both. normally if one is sick they separate it from the litter to protect the others and don't feed that one so it can die (instinct) so doesn't sound like any are sick. very odd. hope someone has some answers for you.

tnr1 · May 25, 2006

Originally Posted by gottalotagals

I so appreciate yall helping me.

She has 6 kittens total, the one calico off by itself in the girls' closet. She is going back and forth between both the litter and the seperate kitten. Oddly enough though, she is spending more time with the seperated calico though.

I honestly can't put her in a seperate room. There are 6 people in this house. lol My husband and I use our bathroom a lot and my four daughters use theirs alot too, so I honestly think she would be much worse off with them in the bathrooms.

Newfostermom-she didn't lose the other kitten. We even put it back with the other litter but she took it back out and into the other room anyhow.

As far as tainted bedding-I've been putting a new towel down each day when she would go to the litter box or whatever. So she's been in clean bedding. I only changed them in the evening when I would get ready to touch kittens and her anyhow to reduce the amount of time I was bothering them. She would come in though and seemed very calm when I was doing it or touching them.

However, her old bedding was right in front of the one closet door (we have sliding closet doors) which exposed her a lot. So I'm thinking she wanted something more private.

Here's what I just did...being that the babies were in a bad spot and not safe, I went in there and put the babies on top of towels and placed them in a large basket. I moved all the stuff that they were pilled on and put the basket back there in the corner. I put the stuff around the basket (deep basket) so it would provide her some privacy. Then I slide my dressed in front of the basket to block the view of the basket. Maybe she will like that privacy.
As far as the other baby, I can't touch yet because she hasn't left it yet. Maybe the kitten is sick and that is why she won't leave it??? I don't know what to think about it right now. She's went into the litter once to feed them, but for the past hour has been with the single kitten.
I was afraid the kids would go bother her, so I blocked all access to their own room by putting up a baby gate in the door way. I've just brought my kiddos toys out so they won't have to get into the room anyhow, but when my other daughters get home they will have to go clean that room leaving the baby and Holstein vulnerable again.

I guess I just have to sit back and see if she is going to go back to other kittens. I'm worried.

Hmmmmm.....Ok.....that is new to me. I would return calico girl with the rest of the litter that is in the basket. Momma really shouldn't be going back and forth as they all need her warmth right now.

If she is spending a lot of extra time with the calico girl, perhaps she is trying to supplement her feedings....6 is a LOT of mouths to feed. Is the calico smaller than the others?? Was she getting a good shot at mom's nipples??

Katie

momof3cats&kids · May 25, 2006

Jada went through a little phase where she seemed to be seperating her litter too but she eventually go them all together in one spot. She would drag one under the bed and lay there with it for a good hour before returning for another one. Perhaps she's just not finished finding where she wants to be?

Also, I did notice Jada one time moved her runt of the litter by herself behind my bed. The runt is very vocal and was meowing over and over and over and Jada moved her away from the nest, I belive, for that reason. I moved her back though and it didn't happen again.

I hope you figure it out. I, too, would suggest you put them in a bathroom all together with her litter, food, water, toys and bedding/box. She won't be able to move them.

gottalotagals · May 25, 2006

Originally Posted by TNR1

Hmmmmm.....Ok.....that is new to me. I would return calico girl with the rest of the litter that is in the basket. Momma really shouldn't be going back and forth as they all need her warmth right now.

If she is spending a lot of extra time with the calico girl, perhaps she is trying to supplement her feedings....6 is a LOT of mouths to feed. Is the calico smaller than the others?? Was she getting a good shot at mom's nipples??

Katie

Yes, they definitely need her warmth. They are only 3 days old. The other kitten really isn't smaller, she's a decent size to be honest. Odd is the runt of the litter actually. This calico that she has seperated does whine more than the others though. Maybe that has something to do with it. Here is a picture of them so you can see a difference in sizes:

Stormy is the one she seperated.

tnr1 · May 25, 2006

OK...let me guess...China is the winner of the "first to the nipple" contest isn't she.

Back to Stormy....I don't see that she is significantly smaller than the others..so perhaps you are correct and the fact that she is whining the most is causing mom to seperate her and give her one on one time.

Katie

beckiboo · May 25, 2006

It sounds like you have made a good nest for the other 5-put Stormy in it, and then close Momma in your bedroom with them.

My Sugartoes kept separating kittens and moving them into two piles (but still in one room). I ended up locking her in a dog crate so she would have to keep them together. After a few days, she got over the urge, and left the babies together.

It is very important that they stay together so everyone is getting milk. I would lure Momma away from Stormy with some tuna, and get the kitties back together again.

gottalotagals · May 25, 2006

Okay, DH took Stormy, the seperated calico, back into the litter about half an hour ago and didn't tell me.

Holstein is in there nursing her kittens, all of them, in the basket. She hasn't tried to move them and seems content with her basket bed.
Hopefully she will keep them together now. They really are too small to be seperated.
Thank you all for helping....it's obvious I'm very new to this.

jlutgendorf · May 25, 2006

Is there a way you can keep her confined to one room so she can't move the other kitten into a different room?

Even keeping her in a large dog crate may be the best option.

You may also want to try supplimenting all of the kittens to help her out.
And unless mom cat is violent towards you when you touch the babies, you should be able to grab that last little girl and place her in with the others. Mom should follow you and then when they're all together I would keep her confined to that room.

~Julia

gottalotagals · May 25, 2006

This is off subject here...I've given temporary names to the all of the kittens (yes they are all named after Dean Koontz book characters lol) and DH said I should have never done that because I'm getting too attached by doing that. However, I hated the thought of them just being called Calico 1 and such.

Do you guys name your kittens, even the ones that are going to go bye-bye? I just had to name them, but I hope it doesn't make it harder.

jlutgendorf · May 25, 2006

We named ours after physical descriptions. Tubby, Dot, Tuxedo Kitty, Hoover (he was the first to eat solids) and Wiggen (she had a home 2 days after she was born and that's what her new owners named her).

You'll get attached no matter what. They're wonderful, playful cute creatures that you've known since the day they're born. I found that sending them home with friends was the best for us, because I can still visit!

Julia

gottalotagals · May 25, 2006

Julia, I keep her in my bedroom closet and don't have a crate or anything to put her in.
However, I could bring the litter box and food into my bedroom. Do you think that is a good idea? Then I could block off all access out of the room. I haven't done that because it gets hot in my bedroom, but if it will help the kittens I may do that.

I will buy some kitten milk too. I didn't know if her litter was considered large and she needed help or not. I'm clueless with all of this. LOL I am certainly glad I found you guys to help me.

momof3cats&kids · May 25, 2006

We "sort of" named ours but not really. We named the two yellow tabbies who look just like thier daddy "Little Juby 1 and 2". We named the gray one who looks just like momma Jada, "Little Jada" and we did name the little black one Jasmine after her 'godfather' (our other male cat) Jazz.

jlutgendorf · May 25, 2006

I would close her off. Then you always know where she and the babies are and it could cut down on traffic which should make her feel better. We kept our stray cat mom confined to one room and she was fine.

The warmer temps may be better for the kittens anyway (obviously not if they're like 100 degrees!).

If you haven't been to kitten-rescue.com yet you may want to. It is about bottle babies, but it taught me a lot about kitten development and needs.

~Julia

tnr1 · May 25, 2006

Originally Posted by gottalotagals

Do you guys name your kittens, even the ones that are going to go bye-bye? I just had to name them, but I hope it doesn't make it harder.

Yes...and I made the mistake of naming the last foster kittens after my 2 brothers and step dad. Imagine having to tell your brother that his namesake (Matilda) died of pneumonia. The other two: Paulina and Roberta went to fabulous homes. Mom (Fiona) is still with our rescue looking for a home.

Katie

gayef · May 25, 2006

Originally Posted by TNR1

Yes...and I made the mistake of naming the last foster kittens after my 2 brothers and step dad. Imagine having to tell your brother that his namesake (Matilda) died of pneumonia. The other two: Paulina and Roberta went to fabulous homes. Mom (Fiona) is still with our rescue looking for a home.

Katie

Your brothers and father are named Matilda, Paulina and Roberta? *wink*

She's seperated litter & moved to bad spots

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