Cat And Orphan Kittens

[Jenniberrie]

Hi! We got my momma cat fixed while she was pregnant. She was producing milk, and trying to get her 6 month old kittens to nurse all the time, so I offered to foster some orphaned kittens. The kittens and my cat are hissing at each other. She seemed ok with the first one after its bath, then I opened the carrier and she stuck her head in and the kittens hissed and she hissed. She still seemed fine with the first one but when all three of them came out she was upset and left, they are about 4 weeks old. Is she rejecting them? Should I give them time?

 

[Furballsmom]

Is she rejecting them?

Can you talk to the foster organization? There's not a lot of time before those kittens have to eat, either from her or by you.

 

[Jenniberrie]

I sent them a message, she said they were eating wet food quite often when I picked them up.

 

[Sarthur2]

As long as they eat wet food in the meantime, mama will like them better soon. They probably smell strange to her right now.

 

[Jenniberrie]

How long should I give them? I've brought her in every few hours, she seems curious but she hisses at them every time. In the meantime I gave them kitten food mixed with the kitten milk and they/one of them threw it all up. They have very runny poop. I thought I would try to feed them with a syringe and they took to that very well and ate ravenously. They seem about 50/50 with the litterbox, I have a shallow large box and a makeshift box made from a paint tray liner because I was worried they couldnt get in the big one. How much milk should I be giving them?

 

[Jenniberrie]

I definitely have them until monday morning. Next week I'm going out of town Thursday to sunday, so she needs to warm up to them by tuesday, is that enough time? My husband will be here but I cant depend on him to syringe feed them.

 

[Sarthur2]

How much do they weigh? The amount is based on weight. Also, are you giving them just kitten formula, or formula with kitten food mixed in?

Is your mama cat still producing milk? How long has it been since she was spayed?

Rub mama with a towel, then rub the kittens with it to get her smell on them.

If she won’t let them nurse before you go out of town, someone needs to feed the kittens while you are away.

J Jenniberrie

 

[Jenniberrie]

I wrapped the kittens in the towel while I fed them, then i pet her and rubbed the towel on her. The kittens hiss at me and at her, I think they are all trying to adjust. If she wont let them nurse by tuesday I will bring them back to the shelter. They were not bottle feeding or syringe feeding the kittens at all they were feeding them a kitten food/kitten milk slurry. They said they just got them in. They really wanted a momma to teach them to clean themselves more than feed them. They are very active and quick and running out the closet door every time I open it!

 

[Jenniberrie]

I gave them the slurry the shelter said they were eating but one of them threw it all up, so I tried stringe feeding just the milk. I'm going to try the kitten food again tomorrow.

 

[Sarthur2]

The kittens need their milk every 4 hours at this age. They probably need as much as you can give them by syringe.

Try Gerber chicken or turkey baby food tomorrow. It’s really easy to lap.

Have you tried leaving mom in the room with them for awhile?

When was your cat spayed?

 

[Jenniberrie]

2 weeks ago, and she is still nursing her older 5 month old kittens, she had weaned them but started calling them to nurse after being spayed for and now has alot of milk. I'm afraid do you think with her hissing st them she might attack or hurt them?

 

[Sarthur2]

No, I don’t think she’ll hurt them, but she knows they are not hers. How many 5-month-olds is she nursing?

 

[Jenniberrie]

I left mom in my bedroom, the kittens in my closet, with the door closed, she could hear them and smell them. They all seemed calm, she seems both curious and cautious.

 

[Sarthur2]

How many older kittens is she nursing?

 

[Jenniberrie]

No, I don’t think she’ll hurt them, but she knows they are not hers. How many 5-month-olds is she nursing?

We kept two. She chirps her mama meow at them all day long since she got spayed, but they dont always nurse, seems like mostly they indulge her when they are ready for bed.

 

[Jenniberrie]

They told me yo keep the older kittens and the babies apart so I have been.

 

[Jenniberrie]

This is her nursing her kitten last night. Hes almost bigger than her now. I try to keep them from nursing honestly but shes a bit relentless about it.

 

[Sarthur2]

I was thinking maybe you should put the new kittens to her at the same time she calls the older ones to nurse, under your supervision, of course.

And yes, in general, the older kittens will play too rough for the little ones.

J Jenniberrie

 

[Jenniberrie]

I fed them until they didnt want any more, I'm going to sleep in the bedroom with mom and keep the babies in the closet, I'll wake up and give them milk in a few hours.

 

[Jenniberrie]

I was thinking maybe you should put the new kittens to her at the same time she calls the older ones to nurse, under your supervision, of course.

And yes, in general, the older kittens will play too rough for the little ones.

She sat with the first kitten after its bath for quite awhile. She laid down and it snuggled against her, but it did not try to nurse or even root around, even with its head right on her nipples. When I brought the syringe out they seemed to know right away what it was for, and started meowing loudly and clawing up my arms for it, so I'm wondering if they even know how to nurse