My mama cat had a litter of 5 about three days ago. All kittens were healthy and nicely developed. Yesterday one of them started to get weak, I watched it throughout the day as it progressivly got worse and just as I thought, it died in the night.
I live on a ranch in Montana so these are not breeding cats. I have all of my animals fixed as I am against overpopulation. I allowed this particular Mama cat to remain unfixed so that my children could be involved in the experience. Then it was my plan to fix her and I already made the appointment to have this done before she had the kittens. We keep the kittens as they are good mousers and they love to live in the barns.
Anyway, I didn't want all of you to think that I am irresponsible.
The mama is such a good cat, she came and woke me up when she was ready to have them and I followed her. She took me to my daughters closet and I laid some towels down and she laid on them and started having her kittens. I woke my daughter and we watched the whole thing. She let us pet her and she purred a lot. It was a beautiful and wonderful time for my daughter and I and I couldn't have been happier. Kimmy (the mama) is a very nurturing and attentive mother who talks happily to me when I check on her. I left her and the kittens in the closet because it is warm and dark and away from the activity of the house.
Anyway, today another one of the kittens is getting weak. I am scared that it is going to die as well. I got some bottles and milk replacer and a little surringe to feed them. They don't want to take the mild replacer and I am scared that if I force it, it will take to much of the kittens energy and make them worse off. Or go into their lungs and they will aspirate.
There is no vet around on the weekend that is open. I called an emergency vet in the city and they told me to try and bottle feed them. I think that the cat is underlactating and that the kittens are starving.
I am a wreck. I didn't think that this would effect me this way as I have been around the birth and death of animals my entire life. But this is special. I feel like I need to do something but I don't know what to do. The attitude of everybody around her is that you just let nature take its course.
Can anybody offer advice?
Thank you,
Montana
I live on a ranch in Montana so these are not breeding cats. I have all of my animals fixed as I am against overpopulation. I allowed this particular Mama cat to remain unfixed so that my children could be involved in the experience. Then it was my plan to fix her and I already made the appointment to have this done before she had the kittens. We keep the kittens as they are good mousers and they love to live in the barns.
Anyway, I didn't want all of you to think that I am irresponsible.
The mama is such a good cat, she came and woke me up when she was ready to have them and I followed her. She took me to my daughters closet and I laid some towels down and she laid on them and started having her kittens. I woke my daughter and we watched the whole thing. She let us pet her and she purred a lot. It was a beautiful and wonderful time for my daughter and I and I couldn't have been happier. Kimmy (the mama) is a very nurturing and attentive mother who talks happily to me when I check on her. I left her and the kittens in the closet because it is warm and dark and away from the activity of the house.
Anyway, today another one of the kittens is getting weak. I am scared that it is going to die as well. I got some bottles and milk replacer and a little surringe to feed them. They don't want to take the mild replacer and I am scared that if I force it, it will take to much of the kittens energy and make them worse off. Or go into their lungs and they will aspirate.
There is no vet around on the weekend that is open. I called an emergency vet in the city and they told me to try and bottle feed them. I think that the cat is underlactating and that the kittens are starving.
I am a wreck. I didn't think that this would effect me this way as I have been around the birth and death of animals my entire life. But this is special. I feel like I need to do something but I don't know what to do. The attitude of everybody around her is that you just let nature take its course.
Can anybody offer advice?
Thank you,
Montana