In a pickle and looking for advice

[emikula]

Let me start by saying it was irresponsible of me to take in my male cat and not immediately neuter him. He does however currently have an appointment that is before my female gives birth so this cannot happen again.

My girl Elsa is between 4-6weeks pregnant. Her belly is rounded out and the hair around her nipples is already receding. I've been doing some independent research and have ordered her a big canvas kennel as her nesting spot. The house is arranged so that her and the kittens will be separated from the male cat for the first few weeks.

Other than that, what is your best advice for helping her through the pregnancy and earlier kitten life?

I have hand-reared a newborn foster before and as a child my cats had a litter but outside of that I don't know too much about kittle care prior to 6weeks old. Kennel is pictured below as well as the mom and dad
Also, any ideas about possible colors and patterns?

 

[Sarthur2]

Here are helpful links:

Pregnant Cat? What To Prepare For The Birth – TheCatSite Articles

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth? – TheCatSite Articles

Help! My Cat Is Having Kittens! – TheCatSite Articles

StefanZ can comment on genetics.

Best of luck and keep us posted!

 

[StefanZ]

ElsA the grey?

 

[emikula]

ElsA the grey?

Elsa is orange

 

[StefanZ]

Does daddy red has whitish chin and around eyes? If not he is prob solid red.
Kittens will tend to have parenys colors. Ie black and red; possibly grey or creme. Some Girls may be torties, prob black and red, but may be grey / cream... Someone may be point, someone may be longhair.

 

[emikula]

Does daddy red has whitish chin and around eyes? If not he is prob solid red.
Kittens will tend to have parenys colors. Ie black and red; possibly grey or creme. Some Girls may be torties, prob black and red, but may be grey / cream... Someone may be point, someone may be longhair.

The dad is a solid grey tabby
Mom has some cream around her face and belly but mostly orange

 

[StefanZ]

I think both are solids. The markings are ghost markings, no true tabby gene.

Coould i have photo of reds face with chin andveyes visible?

 

[emikula]

I think both are solids. The markings are ghost markings, no true tabby gene.

Coould i have photo of reds face with chin andveyes visible?

i can try and get a better photo after work. Bottom pic is her as a kitten when I got her.

 

[StefanZ]

I need to see the chin area clearly Ie under lower lip. If its whitish he she is tabby tor real; and thus at least half kittens will tabby too.

 

[StefanZ]

Ps being tabby is easier to see on black or grey cats; because there you dont have any doubt... the tabby markings are much more clear the the occasional ghost markings in a solid cat. While all red seems to be tabby, their ghost markings are often quite visible. And often its not easy to see if its solid red or red tabby... white aeound mouth and eyes are common on tabbies, almost as common as the renown M on forebrew.

 

[emikula]

Ps being tabby is easier to see on black or grey cats; because there you dont have any doubt... the tabby markings are much more clear the the occasional ghost markings in a solid cat. While all red seems to be tabby, their ghost markings are often quite visible. And often its not easy to see if its solid red or red tabby... white aeound mouth and eyes are common on tabbies, almost as common as the renown M on forebrew.

Sorry this took so long. I work 12hoir shifts over the weekends. Here is her chin area.

 

[StefanZ]

Ok...so she may be a a tabby, although im not 100 sure. The typical tabby whitish shin and around eyes are whitish....
We will know forcsure when kittens arrive. . Its easiest to know on the dark base colored ones...

 

[emikula]

I got her nesting area all set up last night. Dad seems more interested in it xD

 

[emikula]

And we have kittens. She had 5 babies today. All seem healthy minus one orange boy. He is small and has curved downwards front paws. I have already looked into treatment and will start streching exercises with him within the next 2 days.

 

[Sarthur2]

Congrats!

If you tape the affected limbs or splint them while he is tiny, they should straighten with time. It occurs from being squished in the uterus.

Also make sure this orange boy gets his turn at nursing and that he is gaining 6-10 grams per day, if not more. Otherwise, he may need supplementing.

Best of luck and keep us posted!

 

[emikula]

Right paw

Left paw

Any time I see him struggling to climb up I help him along and put him at a nipple. He made it through the first night so I know he has definitely eaten. What kind of tape should I use and for how long each day would you say?

 

[Sarthur2]

You’ll want to weigh him daily on a kitchen scale that weighs in grams to be sure he is getting enough milk to grow.

You’ll want to use soft, stretchy cloth athletic tape that is sold in the first aid section of most chain drug stores.

Here is a good link that describes how one kitten was helped:

Contracted Tendons of the Front Legs: Twister's Story

At the bottom it describes how to make and use the splints and tape.