My cat just gave birth to 5 kittens less than 48 hours ago. Her nipple area has been swollen for about the same size throughout her pregnancy but some nipples are now more red and 2 have a slight ring of some sort blackish purple substance(is it just dirt?). Also her breathing is faster than it normaly should be. Should i be worried? What can i do if it is mastitis? Can i still prevent it? How?
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I think my cat might have mastitis
- Thread starter dulcemc
- Start Date
@catwoman707 are you around?
I know it's late and a holiday but do you have an after hours number for your vet?
Mastitis will have swollen, hard, red and warm/hot to the touch nipples. The mom will also be running a fever. I have not heard of the blackish rings. Also I think it usually takes a couple of days after birth to kick in. You can try putting warm compresses to the nipples to relieve some of the pressure.
Have you bottle fed kittens before? If they have been nursing they may not take the bottle and will need to be fed with a needleless syringe. You will need KMR (kitten milk replacer), powder is better than premix and avoid hartz and sargents brands. You can also use full fat goats milk.
To feed the kitten, place it on it's tummy and with the head slightly raised, put a drop in the kittens cheek. Wait for the kitten to swallow, take a breath, then repeat. Go slowly until you get the hang of it. You don't want to get fluid in the kittens lungs.
Here are some relevant articles.
[article="31481"]Post Birth Complications In Cats[/article]
[article="29659"]Hand Rearing Kittens What You Need To Know To Save A Newborns Life[/article]
Keep using this thread for any other questions and concerns. Others will be along with more information.
@StefanZ
I know it's late and a holiday but do you have an after hours number for your vet?
Mastitis will have swollen, hard, red and warm/hot to the touch nipples. The mom will also be running a fever. I have not heard of the blackish rings. Also I think it usually takes a couple of days after birth to kick in. You can try putting warm compresses to the nipples to relieve some of the pressure.
Have you bottle fed kittens before? If they have been nursing they may not take the bottle and will need to be fed with a needleless syringe. You will need KMR (kitten milk replacer), powder is better than premix and avoid hartz and sargents brands. You can also use full fat goats milk.
To feed the kitten, place it on it's tummy and with the head slightly raised, put a drop in the kittens cheek. Wait for the kitten to swallow, take a breath, then repeat. Go slowly until you get the hang of it. You don't want to get fluid in the kittens lungs.
Here are some relevant articles.
[article="31481"]Post Birth Complications In Cats[/article]
[article="29659"]Hand Rearing Kittens What You Need To Know To Save A Newborns Life[/article]
Keep using this thread for any other questions and concerns. Others will be along with more information.
@StefanZ
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- #3
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- #4
HandsomeK gives good remarks. re both momma and kittens. How are the kittes doing? DO they nurse? Is she taking care of them? Do they seems OK?
If not, you must yourself actively take care of them. Perhaps even along the lines of handraising orphans, if mommy is too sick.
a scale does helps much here. This way you know if they gets enough, are thriving, and add 10+g a day, or not...
I wouldn't say it's mastitis, at least not at this point. I think partly being that she is white/light so her skin gets pink easily, but I can see some are a bit irritated looking.
I would use warm compresses on them a few times a day until her body adjusts and her milk is flowing well and babies nursing well.
She's likely got sensitive skin, I know my white girl does too.
I would use warm compresses on them a few times a day until her body adjusts and her milk is flowing well and babies nursing well.
She's likely got sensitive skin, I know my white girl does too.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
All of her 5 kittens have slight pot belly's and she seems to be taking good care of them she just has a tendency to accidentally sit on them. Also mabey she does have sensitive skin because when she cleans herself her skin gets irritated
