Feral Mama Cat Rejecting Her Kittens

[FeebysOwner]

Oh, that is GREAT!!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed too!!!

She just needed some time to get herself together, and be able to chill with some quiet. The diarrhea may just be the food you are giving her (probably more 'rich' than she had been getting before maybe?) and the anxiety of it all.

Hey, it's your males (and yes, I have had them too) that helped cause all of this!!

 

[1 bruce 1]

I have no idea where he came up with that, but he was pretty adamant about it. BTW, right now they are all back on her, even the one she left for dead. I have my fingers crossed for a good morning. She did have a little diarrhea, but she is still eating!

He might be a vet that's seen one or two bottle kittens that had little socialization outside their "bottle mama" and didn't really have much good to say about strangers, let alone a vet. Our bottle cat is so drawn to children and the worst thing he's done is slap a turkey sandwich out of my hand. He's 12, so I'm still waiting for that viciousness
Vets are medical doctors, not behaviorists, so I'd ignore it and not let it upset you.
Good news on the kittens, maybe she's relaxed a little. If she had some diarrhea she might just be stressed or maybe had a stomach ache and didn't want them nursing on her. Fingers crossed for a good report tomorrow. You're doing good work

 

[1 bruce 1]

After today I really appreciate my pet cats, four males!

No disrespect intended but I do find male cats to be a little more willing to go with the flow. The girls are the mothers and the hunters and providers so yes, they're allowed to be a little more temperamental.
If the barn cats come too close the girls inside are on the run, and stalk the windows, doors, and anywhere they can see what's going on. If a burglar broke in at the wrong time, I think they'd be capable of chewing his leg off

 

[1 bruce 1]

H HoosierMama for the diarrhea, if you can get your hands on fortiflora or even some goats milk that might help. If her appetite is good, she would probably like either. It's not really too uncommon for a day or so of diarrhea or loose stool to happen after new kittens arrive, I wouldn't worry unless it becomes chronic and liquid (sorry, gross I know).
So long as her appetite is good, get everything good down her you can. She's "eating for 5" now

 

[catapault]

If she ate all the placentas from all of the kittens it's possible that caused some diarrhea too.

 

[Willowy]

Bottle brats are often bratty, with no mama to teach them manners, and sometimes this shows with inappropriate aggression, but not always. It is best to put kittens with a mama and siblings when possible. Even if a foster mom won't feed the kitten, putting it with another litter when they're older still helps to teach them cat manners. But, no, most bottle babies don't end up mean.

Anyway, I think her behavior seems fairly normal. Wild mama cats don't stay with the nest all the time because this can tip off predators to the location of the nest---they only see to the kittens a few times a day. So she might feel anxious because she's forced to be in close proximity all the time, not realizing that they're safe from predators. As long as they aren't squalling I think they're doing OK.

 

[danteshuman]

I hope everything works out!!!

In my experience bottle babies are fantastic! My little dude was one of the three kittens I raised. Over a decade ago I raised two sisters and they were beyond wonderful. I think your vet was thinking about Singleton bottle babies who are raised away from their siblings and other cats. Kittens learn limits from each other’s and manners from their mom. Since in both my fostering experience they had siblings and other adult cats to teach them manners. A firm toys not hand policy for every one that is involved with the kittens, helps them learn boundaries to (plus a high pitch oooowwwww at the slightest bit of fang or claw.) It is ironic since the kitten lady just posted a video on Facebook. In it she says ‘a kitten is just half a cat, two kittens are a full cat.’ It is why people who foster, foster more than one kitten at a time whenever possible. Plus kittens get lonely if they are all by themselves. (Pic of my ‘mean’ kitty Laying on my lap after falling asleep sucking on his binkie (grey baby blanket) as I’m writing this..... he is a needy love bug who loves his adopted mom!)

 

[danteshuman]

I’m not sure if you are feeding her wet food or not. The vet instructed me to add dry baby rice cereal to the kitten’s formula to ‘help plug them up.’ It helped lessen their runs. So if you have some on hand a teaspoon of rice cereal mixed in with a serving of wet food might help. (The fortis flora is probably the best call.) cats get the runs from switching diets or a wet food kitty porking out on dry food.... like my little dude sometimes does. Plus de-worming medication can sometimes cause it.

If you can safely without disturbing her or her kittens (maybe in a week or two) apply a topical flea medication to the mom. Those blood sucking little bastards will weaken/kill kittens.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hesitate to ask, but NEED to know - how are things going??

 

[Furballsmom]

I hesitate to ask,

We're all thinking tons of positive thoughts and I'm wondering as well - what happened? Were you able to find a foster mama? Did you start hand feeding?

 

[1 bruce 1]

We've been wondering about you and this situation H HoosierMama , know you're busy but stop in and let us know how things are going when you can.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Going to check in again - we are all worried, anxious, concerned, and hopeful.