surrogate mum, need advice

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geo

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Hi,,
i am from england and work in a small branch of our Cats Protection League, i recently offered my services and ended up fostering three orphaned kittens aged roughly 3-4 weeks old (mom died of unknown causes), luckily a few days later a mom we had in the shelter was weaned from her kittens so i bought her home with the hope she would take on my babies, she's a wonderful little girl and has been superb so far, its only been 2 days and she has fed them and cleaned them and generally been a loving mommy to them, until tonight, she's not turned nasty or shown any signs of aggression to the babies but she has started carrying them around the kitten pen, this is in my living room and is partially covered, we have opened the door to see what she wants to do and she drops the kitten and rushes to the garden door, she was a farm cat before we had her but i dont have the facilities to let her stay out with the kittens all night although i do have a large pen that is attached to my garden door, i am completely new to the whole kitten and nursing mom situation, i have had kittens many times but never ones still with their moms, i dont know what she wants to do with the kittens but she is constantly making chirruping noises whether she is with them or not, any help and advice would be most appreciated, and thankyou for reading my very long winded letter,

many thanks

sam

(geo)
 
tnr1

tnr1

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Originally Posted by geo

Hi,,
i am from england and work in a small branch of our Cats Protection League, i recently offered my services and ended up fostering three orphaned kittens aged roughly 3-4 weeks old (mom died of unknown causes), luckily a few days later a mom we had in the shelter was weaned from her kittens so i bought her home with the hope she would take on my babies, she's a wonderful little girl and has been superb so far, its only been 2 days and she has fed them and cleaned them and generally been a loving mommy to them, until tonight, she's not turned nasty or shown any signs of aggression to the babies but she has started carrying them around the kitten pen, this is in my living room and is partially covered, we have opened the door to see what she wants to do and she drops the kitten and rushes to the garden door, she was a farm cat before we had her but i dont have the facilities to let her stay out with the kittens all night although i do have a large pen that is attached to my garden door, i am completely new to the whole kitten and nursing mom situation, i have had kittens many times but never ones still with their moms, i dont know what she wants to do with the kittens but she is constantly making chirruping noises whether she is with them or not, any help and advice would be most appreciated, and thankyou for reading my very long winded letter,

many thanks

sam

(geo)
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Hey Sam...first, thanks for fostering these kittens. Now, about mom.....do NOT let her outside....since she is still intact, there is a great chance that if she does get outside....she will either find a way to an intact male or an intact male will find his way to her. Best to keep her confined indoors until she has been spayed.

You know....my spayed female cat does the chirping thing too....only she carries a ball around. I'm not sure if this is a way of cooing to these babies or a sign that she may be going back into heat....best to wait until someone who has had a bit more experience comes and posts.

Katie
 
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beckiboo

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I wonder if she thinks some kittens are missing. I currently have 2 litters and 2 Moms together, and the one Mom isn't happy unless all 9 kittens are in the cage. Maybe Momma is starting to think that one of the kittens from the previous litter is missing, and plans to try to pick up and move this litter to them.

I would keep her crated. Can you put a box into the kitten pen so she will feel it is a more secure area? Also, be sure to keep a close eye on her. My rescue has had several surrogate Moms who will take care of other kittens for a few days, and then just quit caring for them!
 
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geo

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thanks for your speedy reply, she has no way of getting outside as our enclosure is connected to the back door so we walk into that and then through the pen gate to getinto the garden, she's a very sweet girl hopefully it will settle

again
many thanks
 
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geo

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i dont think she would think one is missing as her previous litter was also 3 kittens, she does have a smaller covered crate in the pen but i only put that in tonight just so she had somewhere to go to get a break from the babies, ( she has already sat up on top for a rest) the babies have been a bit clingy to her as they spent about a week withut a cat mom but theyre not on her all the time, just frightned that she might started biting them but so far she has been incredibly gentle,

many thanks for your quick response

was wondering if i put the crate in my bedroom so no one can disturb them at all, i have a busy household with 4 children, maybe she just wants somewhere quieter, might give that a go tomorow
 
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geo

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many thanks for the welcome, was feeling a bit lost earlier, a bit worried about my new house guests but i just hope that all goes well, the mom has spent alot of time up on the crate away from the babies since i put it in there, is there a chance hat she will stay up there and stop feeding the babies or will she go back to them when they wake up,
 
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beckiboo

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In my fostering experience, I found that house cats tend to sit near their babies, and jump into the nest to feed them when they wake up and cry. Outside cats are much more protective, and will stay with the babies more, and never let them cry.

So she is probably just a house cat, who knows her new babies are safe, and will join them when they cry.
 
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