Day old kittens/momma question

[fostermomma2018]

Hello. I have a momma cat I brought into rescue from a neighbor that was very pregnant. The neighbor finally released her to me (I guess she has had several litters for him over the year). She had her babies yesterday, and seems very loving to them. She lets them nurse whenever they want, cuddles them, etc., but she isn't cleaning up their yellow poo. I have them in my office with me (I work from home), so I keep a close eye, and wipe them down whenever needed, but is there something I could be giving momma to help her too? She seems very tried, sleeping alot. She had 5 kittens, but one passed shortly after birth. Sadly some of its intestines/organs were on the outside at birth and there was nothing our vet could do to save her I don't know if she is depressed with loosing one of her kittens? I just want to make sure I am doing everything for momma that I can, to ensure she has all she needs for her 4 striving babies. She has endless food/water right in the room with her, nice clean bedding (I change it whenever any poo gets on it), etc. Any ideas are greatly appreciated!!

One pic is the baby who passed and the other is momma with the remaining 4.

 

[Sarthur2]

Mama kitty is just tired — from birthing this litter and from likely back to back litters in the past, as you describe. Since she only gave birth yesterday, she needs time to recover. Her hormones are in high gear and her uterus needs to heal. Thus, she will likely start cleaning her babies’ bottoms as soon as she feels up to it. In the meantime, I’m sure she welcomes your help in keeping them clean!

For mom, plain boiled chicken (no spices just salt) and broth will do her good. Give her a dish or two a day of kitten formula to drink for the extra calcium. She may also like scrambled egg or plain, full fat yogurt.

So sorry for the poor baby born with its intestines outside. It happens, and they are too tiny to survive surgery, so humane euthanasia is the best option.

Do keep us posted!

 

[fostermomma2018]

Ok, thank you soo much for your reply!! I absolutely love this cat, she is the sweetest!! I pet her through her contractions yesterday, and she would lay there and purr. I have no doubt she is happy to be inside and knowing her and her babies are safe <3 I will continue to help her with the cleaning until she feels up to it, and I will get those extra food suggestions ready for her today. We aren't letting her go back to the neighbors where she came from. Once her kittens are weened, she will be going in to get caught up on shots and spayed, and then she will live with us on our farm for the rest of her years <3

 

[fostermomma2018]

She definitely seems like she adores her babies

 

[StefanZ]

You got good advices. I want to mention, goats milk is cheaper than kmr and usable, so you can use goats milk for her if you wish. If you can get raw goats milk, its perhaps even better, but not necessary, as she seems healthy.
A home girl wouldnt need no especial extras aside of good nourishing food... But she had hardly real nourishing food earlier, and many litters, so you must mind extra HERs food... So, extra calcium, and perhaps also extra vitamines... You can probably find some nice vitamine paste next time you visit a pet shop.

You know its good to weigh the kittens every day, to be sure they do add about 10+ grammes every day? If they add more its OK, but if they add much less, you begin to worry...

Also, this yellow poo of the kittens... It may potentially be alarming... May be giardia or some other parasite. Have you mentioned this to your vet?
These arent very dangerous to otherwise healthy kittens, but they should get help of course.
Healthy kitten poo is of tooth paste CONSISTENCE, and yeah, momma usually eats it. So owners of kittens with momma do seldom see the kitten poo.
If its visibly runny, its not so good. And may be the reason why momma doesnt eat it. If kittens have visible diarrhea, you could perhaps give them extra salts in some way... Perhaps flavorless pedialyte? same as for human children.
Because having much diarrhea, they lose salts.

Last... She seems all white? But her kittens arent all white... Which is peculiar as all white is very domiNant, so at least about half should be all white...
BUT. Its rare, but happens, a double "white spotted" produces not just a high white, but an all white cat...
And it could explain why all the kittens are white spotted, and nobody is all white...

The unlucky, passed kitten seems to have been yellowish. Its my guess he was really a point... (="siamese-mix")

F fostermomma2018

 

[StefanZ]

Ps. You mention if she miss her late kitten... Oh yeah, she may mourn some. But she has 4 living kittens, and cats are good mothers, so she will do everything to take care of the surviving kittens...
Besides, there cant be done much.... Perhaps let her see the dead body, and notice the kittens is dead... That is all.... And be friendly to her, but you are.

 

[fostermomma2018]

I want to thank you all again! I have wonderful news!! Momma cat is doing amazing with her remaining babies. She is feeding/cuddling/and cleaning them like a champ!! She has fresh water, hard food, soft kitten food, and kitten formula available to her and she is eating really well!! Kittens and momma seem very happy, healthy, and content