Keep us updated please.....I hope all is good.
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Concerned
- Thread starter momof3cats&kids
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- #82
Just got Jada home and everything is fine. They did an ultrasound and there are no more kittens and no placenta left. She is fine except for an exceptionally full bladder.
I brought her home and tried to get her to go in the litter box but she will not leave her babies. I'm sure she'll go eventually. As it is, all is well with us. Thanks for all the support here yesterday. I really appreciate it! I'll keep everyone updated as the baby's grow.
Oh! And a wonderful thing happened at the vet's office today! One of the vet nurses said she'd like to adopt a couple of them when they are old enough!! She will be a great forever mom! I'm so excited about it!
Oh! And a wonderful thing happened at the vet's office today! One of the vet nurses said she'd like to adopt a couple of them when they are old enough!! She will be a great forever mom! I'm so excited about it!
That is wonderful news!!!!
Beautiful babies Grandma!!
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Congrats on the healthy babies!
However, you got it backwards. It's when they open their eyes you can take pictures.
Right now, the reason their eyes are closed is because when kittens are born, most of their organs are still developing, including their eyes (it's like a human baby being born at 4 or 5 months and continuing to develop outside the womb).
The bright lights can hurt their eyes because it goes through the thin membrane.
So please take it easy on the flash, take them when it's day and you have enough light, or please take them at a minimum and when they're facing away from you when their faces are buried in their Mom.
Once their eyes open, you know thier eyes will be fully developed and you can take them to your heart's content (reasonably of course) then.
However, you got it backwards. It's when they open their eyes you can take pictures.
Right now, the reason their eyes are closed is because when kittens are born, most of their organs are still developing, including their eyes (it's like a human baby being born at 4 or 5 months and continuing to develop outside the womb).
The bright lights can hurt their eyes because it goes through the thin membrane.
So please take it easy on the flash, take them when it's day and you have enough light, or please take them at a minimum and when they're facing away from you when their faces are buried in their Mom.
Once their eyes open, you know thier eyes will be fully developed and you can take them to your heart's content (reasonably of course) then.
awwwwww congradulations, they are beautiful!
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- #86
Oh shoot! I can't believe I got it backwards! Now I feel bad because I have taken nearly 50 pics with the flash!
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Hopefully you haven't this early on, and since they're nursing you've probably taken a lot with their faces buried in Mom's belly so don't worry now. I'd just recommend easing off for now, as tempting as it is
Took a lot of self-control for me when Deja Vu had hers. Just try to take what you can in natural light (and try to leave them with Mom when you do -- taking them out too much to take pictures can make Mom nervous even if she doesn't show it).
Again, once 10-14 days, then you can play and photo and have fun with them to your heart's content, if Mom is cool with it.
I know others may feel differently than I do, but I did a lot of research when I had to care for Deja Vu and her babies, and previous litters, and that's one of the things I learned. I didn't make it up! My Rocky-Rockette is my reward for all that research
Hope you have much joy with them.
Again, once 10-14 days, then you can play and photo and have fun with them to your heart's content, if Mom is cool with it.
I know others may feel differently than I do, but I did a lot of research when I had to care for Deja Vu and her babies, and previous litters, and that's one of the things I learned. I didn't make it up! My Rocky-Rockette is my reward for all that research
Hope you have much joy with them.
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Just to add one more thought,
Because we get caught up in the excitement of the new kittens, one of the things we tend to forget somtimes (me included) is that they are the queen's babies, not ours, and we need to respect that.
How would you have felt if right after you gave birth to your kids, someone came in, pulled them out of their beds, started taking flash after flash picture, messed with them constantly, just within the first few hours. You'd probably have a fit. lol Especially since you took her to the vet, which might have caused some stress...all the more reason to lessen it in other areas.
The more secure she feels with her babies, the less chance there is of her getting nervous or neurotic later on, and not being as good a mother as she could be. Remember that cats can't make the same value judgements as we do, and they can see any messing with their babies as a threat, even if it's someone they know, love and trust.
Better to not take the chance until they are a bit older.
I do beleive in interaction, just not in a lot of handling. From day one I'd lay down in front of her (less threatening) and the box, and would pet the kittens heads while they nursed, talked to them (as long as Mom allows it) but I did very little taking them out or messing with them, other than to roll them over to make sure their bellies were firm and round, and that all seemed okay. I don't even bother with the weighing unless I really was concerned a kitten wasn't gaining weight, and would only handle a kitten or take it out if it really needed me to do something the Mom couldn't do.
I'd take them out to change their bedding only when Mom left to use the litterbox or eat, and even then, just for the few seconds.
Again, once they open their eyes, it's a whole different thing. That's when you can start playing with them more (but even then, take the queen's cue).
Good luck!
Because we get caught up in the excitement of the new kittens, one of the things we tend to forget somtimes (me included) is that they are the queen's babies, not ours, and we need to respect that.
How would you have felt if right after you gave birth to your kids, someone came in, pulled them out of their beds, started taking flash after flash picture, messed with them constantly, just within the first few hours. You'd probably have a fit. lol Especially since you took her to the vet, which might have caused some stress...all the more reason to lessen it in other areas.
The more secure she feels with her babies, the less chance there is of her getting nervous or neurotic later on, and not being as good a mother as she could be. Remember that cats can't make the same value judgements as we do, and they can see any messing with their babies as a threat, even if it's someone they know, love and trust.
Better to not take the chance until they are a bit older.
I do beleive in interaction, just not in a lot of handling. From day one I'd lay down in front of her (less threatening) and the box, and would pet the kittens heads while they nursed, talked to them (as long as Mom allows it) but I did very little taking them out or messing with them, other than to roll them over to make sure their bellies were firm and round, and that all seemed okay. I don't even bother with the weighing unless I really was concerned a kitten wasn't gaining weight, and would only handle a kitten or take it out if it really needed me to do something the Mom couldn't do.
I'd take them out to change their bedding only when Mom left to use the litterbox or eat, and even then, just for the few seconds.
Again, once they open their eyes, it's a whole different thing. That's when you can start playing with them more (but even then, take the queen's cue).
Good luck!
I'm glad Jada is okay...Those kitties are so cute!! Congrats!
I am glad things worked out so well
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I agree. We don't take them out of her box. I picked them up during the clean up process to move them to a new box and she was fine with that and just followed them into the box. I've handled them a few times since them but have never taken them out of her box. I even carried the entire nesting box to the vets office and they let her and the kittens remain in her box until time for her exam.
She finally went potty a couple of hours ago! She's such a good mommy. I heard her scratching in the litter box so I peaked in to see if I was going to need to scoop poop. The babies were all sound asleep and cuddled together. She waited until they were completely asleep before getting up to potty. She then proceeded to venture out into the house and sit at the back glass door for a few minutes and then went straight back to her box. I'm so proud of her.
She sounds like a great mommy.Originally Posted by Momof3Cats&Kids
I agree. We don't take them out of her box. I picked them up during the clean up process to move them to a new box and she was fine with that and just followed them into the box. I've handled them a few times since them but have never taken them out of her box. I even carried the entire nesting box to the vets office and they let her and the kittens remain in her box until time for her exam.
She finally went potty a couple of hours ago! She's such a good mommy. I heard her scratching in the litter box so I peaked in to see if I was going to need to scoop poop. The babies were all sound asleep and cuddled together. She waited until they were completely asleep before getting up to potty. She then proceeded to venture out into the house and sit at the back glass door for a few minutes and then went straight back to her box. I'm so proud of her.
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Sounds like she, the babies, and you are doing fine
Very often too much interference can really stress out the Mom, and I'm a believer in doing exactly what you are doing. It's what I've always done, and thank God, have had really good experiences. Yes, I've lost a couple of kittens along the way, but it was always to congenital problems.
They've been having kittens for years and unless there is a reason (like a mother being abused by a previous owner, etc) they usually do fine by themselves, with just a minimum of help from us (which, yes, is sometimes needed, but I try to do it only when it's needed).
I always tell people, unless there's really a specific reason not to, don't be a mother to them. Be a grandmother. That means let her do all the hard work and nasty stuff and you get them when they're ready to play and enjoy and spoil ... only the fun stuff!
That also makes them more people-oriented, in my opinion, with more good experiences with humans than negative ones.
I made a mistake with Deja Vu's litter by thinking she might not have been stimulating them to go to the bathroom enough, so I got some damp paper towels and I kicked in some help. Sure enough, she started doing it less and less. Why should she lick and clean them up there and swallow it when I'd do it for her?
So I backed off, and would instead put the kittens butts near her face and she'd do her job, and after a couple of days, she took back the whole job, and I was lucky. It reminded me not to break my own rules. lol
Very often too much interference can really stress out the Mom, and I'm a believer in doing exactly what you are doing. It's what I've always done, and thank God, have had really good experiences. Yes, I've lost a couple of kittens along the way, but it was always to congenital problems.
They've been having kittens for years and unless there is a reason (like a mother being abused by a previous owner, etc) they usually do fine by themselves, with just a minimum of help from us (which, yes, is sometimes needed, but I try to do it only when it's needed).
I always tell people, unless there's really a specific reason not to, don't be a mother to them. Be a grandmother. That means let her do all the hard work and nasty stuff and you get them when they're ready to play and enjoy and spoil ... only the fun stuff!
That also makes them more people-oriented, in my opinion, with more good experiences with humans than negative ones.
I made a mistake with Deja Vu's litter by thinking she might not have been stimulating them to go to the bathroom enough, so I got some damp paper towels and I kicked in some help. Sure enough, she started doing it less and less. Why should she lick and clean them up there and swallow it when I'd do it for her?
So I backed off, and would instead put the kittens butts near her face and she'd do her job, and after a couple of days, she took back the whole job, and I was lucky. It reminded me not to break my own rules. lol
