Feral Mama Cat Rejecting Her Kittens

[HoosierMama]

I am fostering a feral mama cat who had 5 kittens three days ago. One of the kittens died yesterday, it didn't seem to know how to latch on to a nipple, plus the mama cat doesn't exactly lay back to expose herself. Today she moved one kitten out to the same place where she put the dead kitten. I moved it back on her as she growled at me. I have them in an extra large dog kennel in a pole barn. she has been there for almost a week and a half. I have half of the crate covered to give her some privacy. I feed her in the crate or she would certainly bolt. I looked in on her a few minutes ago and she was laying away from the kittens and was just looking at them. Do you think she is rejecting them? If so, is there anything I can or should do?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Peek in on her multiple times to see if she is nursing any of them. She could have just got done nursing them right before you checked on her. Were the kittens sleeping? If so, that might be why - they nursed, they're napping, and she is resting.

You need to routinely check for the next couple of hours or so. If you never see her nursing any of them, you may have to take them away from her.

Where was the one she tried to move to the where the poor deceased baby was? It is possible you may have to take that one away from the rest to get her to nurse the others. Tbh, there may be something wrong with that kitten and she instinctively knows it.

Post back after you've checked a few more times and let us know what is going on.

 

[HoosierMama]

They were all in a big sleeping heap, including the one she had removed earlier. Should she abandon these newborns I am told trying to bottle feed all of them creates more problems than it solves. I will check in on her in a little while, I don't want to disturb her any more than I have too. She is extremely feral and I am afraid she is stressed in this environment.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hope when you do check back on her that you find she is nursing. If she isn't they will all die unless you intervene. I hope you don't have to. I am sure this is very stressing to her, but she relies on you for food (yes?) so that helps some if you are constantly offering her something to eat when you check on her. I would make sure whatever you give her is some very yummy wet food - if she does nurse, she is going to need all the food she can get.

These kittens will fail fairly quickly if she is not nursing them, so you might want to either start planning ahead on intervening with bottle feeding, or calling around to rescue centers/shelters/vet offices/SPCA offices to find someone who can take care of them.

Here is a web site about kitten rescue should you decide you can try helping them to survive if she turns them all away.

Kitten-Rescue.com

 

[HoosierMama]

I just checked on her and the kittens had made their way over to her but she is curled up tight and not nursing them.

 

[FeebysOwner]

 

[HoosierMama]

It seems like a pretty hopeless situation.

 

[FeebysOwner]

It is never hopeless. Please - can't you find some help? There are rescues that will come get them all and take care of them. That at least gives the babies a fighting chance.

Fortunately, at this point, they are still surviving on the nutrients in the placenta - that won't last much longer.

Is she still accepting food from you? Right now that is your only option when you check on them is to offer her food.

She also might be sick herself.

 

[HoosierMama]

I gave her more food and when I went back she had scarfed it down, but still won't let them nurse and growls at me if I get too close. I live in a very rural place and I am the treasurer for our county humane society. That's how I ended up trying to help with this cat from a hoarding case. We don't have a lot of volunteers or rescues other than the few on the board. Our Animal Shelter would have put her down before birth so no help there. We have so many cats and kittens in foster care right now we are tapped out.

 

[FeebysOwner]

If we can find some experts on this site to help give you some tips, are you interested in that - or am I wasting my breath?

 

[HoosierMama]

I feel overwhelmed and useless, four 2 day old kittens is a lot to handle by myself. I have put feelers out for help but no reply. Could someone tell me how to get the mama cat to nurse her babies?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Another person who has a pregnant cat who could nurse these kittens?

I just recently had an abandoned (no, not feral) who had two kittens, and someone dumped 4 kittens on the caretaker's door - the mama cat took in the extra kittens and all are doing well now.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I just posted a plea in the Caring for Strays and Ferals section - hoping that some of the members who have dealt with this will soon see the post.

I am so sorry no one is coming to your aide.

 

[HoosierMama]

I put it out on Facebook looking for a foster mama cat. We'll see, I may have to start bottle feeding soon if any of them are going to make it, but I keep hoping she will have a change of heart and if I start handling all of them she will never come around, although I think she is a lost cause.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hate to say it, but sometimes when a mother cat removes a baby from the nest it is because she generally knows there is something wrong with it. And, I know that in some cases - not all - returning the rejected baby to the nest can cause the mama to in turn reject them all.

I am trying to find out if you would by chance take the rejected baby away if that would change the circumstances now. So far, no luck. Do you have other fosters you could pose that question to, just to see what they think?

 

[HoosierMama]

I can't even get near them, she is doing some serious hissing, spitting and growling at me now. I think she wants all of them to die.
Right now I can't get a hold of anybody.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
First, as mentioned above if the kittens are piled and sleeping, she's nursing. If, however, they are crawling around and crying, they aren't getting fed.

Another way to know is to weigh them.
Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives)

You were provided an excellent source of info above in kitten-rescue . com. Another great source is Saving Kittens — Kitten Lady

These articles can also help;
I Found Abandoned Kittens - What Should I Do?

Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn's Life

 

[HoosierMama]

I have read many articles on line and find the whole process rather daunting and not really humanly possibly for four three day old kittens. The Mama cat hisses at me so bad right now I can't even get close to them without leather gloves. I think she has gone mad! She is sitting on her stomach and won't let them nurse. She never did really lay back so they could nurse easily, but now it's a no go at all. She keeps moving to a new spot and the kittens try to get to her then she will move again.

 

[FeebysOwner]

First, as mentioned above if the kittens are piled and sleeping, she's nursing. If, however, they are crawling around and crying, they aren't getting fed.

This is promising news! Mama may just be fed up with the intrusions and that is why she is hissing, spitting, and growling.

So, H HoosierMama - continue to try to reach some help, and for right now just keep feeding the mama - every time you go out there make sure you offer her food.

 

[Furballsmom]

If they are crying, and you can't take this on, you need to find someone who can asap.

If they aren't crying and crawling around, put up a camera so you are able to watch without disturbing her.