Hey Momma - the time is nearing

[Sarthur2]

jenlag

How is mama kitty doing now? Has the KMR helped her to settle, or is she still panting?

 

[jenlag]

She loved the KMR!  I gave her a small serving  (2oz) to start then about an hour later, another small serving, but she is still panting.  When I got the KMR, I also bought her some of the Fancy Feast Broths.  She had one of those as well as some wet food.  I used the FF classic mushy one and made it soupy for her, she ate about half of that.  Then her stomach was gurgling.  I thought she was going to throw up.  She presumably consumed too much liquids.  But she is better from that stomach gurgling.

She hasn't really rested either.  How long should I expect it to continue, or at what point should I get concerned about her?  Oh yeah, she did pee as well.

 

[Sarthur2]

It should improve in the next day or so. Sometimes it takes new moms a good 48 hours or so to fully settle in.

At least she's eating well. She may have a little diarrhea at some point from eating the placentas and from all the liquids. If she does, don't be alarmed.

 

[jenlag]

And the diarrhea just came!!  I thought I heard her hissing, so ran into the laundry room to find it was her butt hissing.  She appeared to be in shock, poor thing obviously couldn't hold it and she even tried covering it up....clawing over the towel.  I wound up putting more puppy pads and a towel down about an hour ago, so that worked out well.  Poor girl has so much fur!  I wiped her butt down as much as I could and she was finishing the clean up.  Good thing it didn't get on the babies.  Thanks for the forewarning!!

 

[sunshineclare]

She's beautiful xxxx and so are the kittens xx so glad it's nothing to worry about xx hope all goes well xxxx

 

[Sarthur2]

Hold off on anymore KMR and liquids until tomorrow. Give her wet and dry food and let her drink water for now. Her tummy needs to settle. Poor gal. I'm glad I told you. Does she have a litter box nearby?

 

[jenlag]

Yes, she has a litter box a few feet away, as well as her food and water.  Round 2 of diarrhea was in the box, on the rim of the box and a little on the wall.  The last bit of poop to come out wasn't a solid turd, but had some shape to it, like frosting for a cake. Whereas what I cleaned on the rim and wall was thick runny liquid.  Sorry for the details!  The point is I think the blazing hot liquid poop passed and she is normalizing.  

I have to ask, what is with the kittens twitching.  Is this normal?  I find myself constantly watching them to make sure they are still breathing!  And when they aren't latched on and actively moving, they all periodically twitch.  

 

[Sarthur2]

Cats tend to twitch when they sleep. It's just a physiological "thing" that cats do. You're noticing it more because they are so little. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[jenlag]

Okay I have a question. Trying to prepare myself. When will the kittens start using the litter box, or when should I expect momma to stop cleaning them? How many weeks, approximately?

 

[Sarthur2]

They get baby teeth around 4 weeks old, and most kittens are ready to try soft solids by about 5-6 weeks old. Once they begin eating they will have solid poops and mom will stop cleaning them.

So when they begin to eat, you begin putting them in a kitten-sized litter pan with non-clumping litter. Some people use disposable aluminum cake pans at this point. Put the kittens in before and after meals until they catch on.

 

[jenlag]

Excellent, thank you!  i would have never known to use non clumping 

 

[Sarthur2]

Yep, just while they are little because they try to taste it. It's safer than having clumps cause a blockage in their systems if they happen to swallow some.