momy won't let us touch kittens

i've been on line because I noticed that the kittens have fleas. Yuck! and wanted to know how to treat them.
But I came across a fact that I should be handleing the kittens so that they are used to humans.
The kittens are 3 wks old, everytime I do try to hold one or look at them, Rhapsody (mommy) gets up set telling me to put them back and sometimes moving them over night. So yesturday I was determined to start giving these babies human time and held each for about 1 minute, Rhaps of course was beside herself, I think that if she could've she would have pulled them right from my arms. Plus when I want to look at them she comes out and wants attention. I thought this was all a jealousy thing that she wanted the attention and not her babies. But this morning I woke to her trying to hide the babies in my not safe closet.
What should I do, I don't want these babies scared of us and they are now getting curious, plus I want her not to be this obsessed with her babies for when its time to give them away.

Originally Posted by dreamweaver

i've been on line because I noticed that the kittens have fleas. Yuck! and wanted to know how to treat them.
But I came across a fact that I should be handleing the kittens so that they are used to humans.
The kittens are 3 wks old, everytime I do try to hold one or look at them, Rhapsody (mommy) gets up set telling me to put them back and sometimes moving them over night. So yesturday I was determined to start giving these babies human time and held each for about 1 minute, Rhaps of course was beside herself, I think that if she could've she would have pulled them right from my arms. Plus when I want to look at them she comes out and wants attention. I thought this was all a jealousy thing that she wanted the attention and not her babies. But this morning I woke to her trying to hide the babies in my not safe closet.
What should I do, I don't want these babies scared of us and they are now getting curious, plus I want her not to be this obsessed with her babies for when its time to give them away.

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If your mom is moving them...then she is concerned that you are a threat. I think you will be fine to socialize them a bit later...let your mom be the guide. If you have her and the kittens in a room with unsafe anything..you should consider a different location..these kittens will be on the move soon enough and will get into EVERYTHING..so best to have this family contained where mom and kittens cannot go someplace unsafe.

As for the fleas..there are several threads regarding this, but here is the advice:

Separate the kitten from it's Mother and isolate Mom until she can be treated as well. Make sure all bedding or other nesting materials are put into a securely sealed plastic bag or plastic storage tote and taken completely out of the house. Do not reuse the bedding, the plastic bag or the plastic tote if used. Get a bowl of hot water and add a drop or two of Dawn dishwashing liquid detergent. Swish it around to make a very thin layer of suds on the top of the water. Get plenty of papertowels and a fine tooth comb -- a lice nit comb is perfect on small kittens. With a DRY comb, run the teeth over the kittens and physically remove the fleas, quickly dip the comb in the soapy water, completely submersing it. Swish it around to dislodge all of the insects. Thoroughly DRY the comb with a clean paper towel each time (seal used paper towels into a plastic zip-lock type bag until you are ready to dispose of them away from the house) and repeat until there is no sign of fleas at all on the baby.

Repeat this process with the Mother cat and do not place the kitten back in with her until both have been treated, the bedding completely replaced and surrounding areas thoroughly vacuumed or mopped and dry.

Also, please make sure that mom is kept strictly indoors only until the kittens are weaned and mom is spayed. Fleas can be fatal to kittens and mom can become pregnant again as early as a few days after giving birth....so make sure the entire family is kept in a room that is 2 doors away from the outdoors.

Thank your for replying I was afraid I was being ignored because I had a dumb question.

I've never had a cat with kittens and her being pregnant was a surprise to us as she had not been in heat for 1 1/2 years. Shes 3 years old. Had a dog with the same symtoms years ago and vet said she was not going in heat because of female problems.

But with my cat I thought it was because she was going outside to garden with me and had no need to go inheat to get out. sounds silly I know but she never leaves the garden and I never leave her outside by herself. I can only asume my husband did.

Thank you again this is very sound advice.

Originally Posted by dreamweaver

Thank your for replying I was afraid I was being ignored because I had a dumb question.

I've never had a cat with kittens and her being pregnant was a surprise to us as she had not been in heat for 1 1/2 years. Shes 3 years old. Had a dog with the same symtoms years ago and vet said she was not going in heat because of female problems.

But with my cat I thought it was because she was going outside to garden with me and had no need to go inheat to get out. sounds silly I know but she never leaves the garden and I never leave her outside by herself. I can only asume my husband did.

Thank you again this is very sound advice.

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Just so you know for the future...cats do not have to be in heat to become pregnant. They are induced ovulators..so if there is an intact male, and they are an intact female...then viola....a pregnancy is likely to happen.

Which is why it is good idea to not allow a cat outdoors until it has been fixed.

Katie