Lumberyard's Babies

[Lumberyard's babies]

Lumberyard is an 11 month old female feral that lives in the woods around the house and just had at least 2 kittens in the yard. The first kitten was cleaned and nursing, when she went into labor with the next one. That one was left in the middle of the yard somewhat cleaned off but with the placenta still attached. I moved that one to its littermate when mom left the yard and she hasn't returned. How long should I wait until I have to take them in and how long should I wait to cut the umbilical cord. This one was born right about 7 pm, it is 8 35 now. Thanks.

 

[Primula]

Lordy, are you able to take care of newborn kittens? Are they still alive after she has left them for so long? They must be crying horribly.

 

[Lumberyard's babies]

Got some kitten formula and the wife and I carefully snipped the cord and will feed them every couple of hours until the mom returns or we find somebody to take them on. But so far they are in a comfy box with some towels and they seem to be okay. Yes, they are loudmouths but took to the bottle easily enough. Thanks.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Oh my goodness. I hope mama comes back!

This article might be helpful if you end up hand-rearing them for a while: Hand Rearing Kittens: What you need to know to save a newborn's life

 

[StefanZ]

It seems you found yourself your answers. Well done Sir!

 

[Lumberyard's babies]

Thanks for the advice, so far so good, they both suckle well and this morning we used damp cotton balls to help them evacuate. Not a lot, but they both did. They are content. Lumberyard is out in the yard, she is still laboring but nothing is happening. What can I do about this? She isn't mean, but doesn't let us touch her. The fact that she is highly stressed out by the labor process doesn't help either. Are there any midwiving techniques, especially if the next one is stillborn and not doing its part to leave?

 

[StefanZ]

Im not sure if I understand exactly. Anyways, if you get a seemingly stillborn, its sometimes possible to revive it. Unless its very visibly faulty or very premature, it sometimes pays off to do at least a try.

So, make sure the kitten is warmed up - in a pinch, you can even submerge it in warm water! Farmers often do so with stillborn piglets. And or
Massage it and rub with a towel or even a cloth...

Turn it up and down some, so all excessive fluid flows out...

If you know the slung technique, its worth to prove it. Dangerous on an alive kitten, with with a stillborn you cant lose so much...
You can also blow in air into the lungs - be careful, you dont need much, and its easy to explode them.

I saw the other day a wonderful film on a woman (a medic in the profession) whom saved a drowned roedeer kid (fawn). I think it was. Some small animal.
It was essentially the same technique as with drowned children, this is surely why she knew all the tricks and ropes, her being a medic...
But it was very instructive to see.

 

[Sarthur2]

Kudos to you for saving the babies so far. The poor mama sounds frightened to death!

Is there any way to lure her inside with her babies?

 

[Lumberyard's babies]

Im not sure if I understand exactly. Anyways, if you get a seemingly stillborn, its sometimes possible to revive it. Unless its very visibly faulty or very premature, it sometimes pays off to do at least a try.

So, make sure the kitten is warmed up - in a pinch, you can even submerge it in warm water! Farmers often do so with stillborn piglets. And or
Massage it and rub with a towel or even a cloth...

Turn it up and down some, so all excessive fluid flows out...

If you know the slung technique, its worth to prove it. Dangerous on an alive kitten, with with a stillborn you cant lose so much...
You can also blow in air into the lungs - be careful, you dont need much, and its easy to explode them.

I saw the other day a wonderful film on a woman (a medic in the profession) whom saved a drowned roedeer kid (fawn). I think it was. Some small animal.
It was essentially the same technique as with drowned children, this is surely why she knew all the tricks and ropes, her being a medic...
But it was very instructive to see.

Im not sure if I understand exactly. Anyways, if you get a seemingly stillborn, its sometimes possible to revive it. Unless its very visibly faulty or very premature, it sometimes pays off to do at least a try.

So, make sure the kitten is warmed up - in a pinch, you can even submerge it in warm water! Farmers often do so with stillborn piglets. And or
Massage it and rub with a towel or even a cloth...

Turn it up and down some, so all excessive fluid flows out...

If you know the slung technique, its worth to prove it. Dangerous on an alive kitten, with with a stillborn you cant lose so much...
You can also blow in air into the lungs - be careful, you dont need much, and its easy to explode them.

I saw the other day a wonderful film on a woman (a medic in the profession) whom saved a drowned roedeer kid (fawn). I think it was. Some small animal.
It was essentially the same technique as with drowned children, this is surely why she knew all the tricks and ropes, her being a medic...
But it was very instructive to see.

I don't know if she has a stillborn or just one that is resisting her pushes. She seems to labor about every hour, first on her side, when that fails, she finds a spot, digs a little then gets into an exaggerated pooping stance. But nobody shows up.
Yesterday, the first kitten seemed perfect, we have a little box on the patio where she sometimes sleeps. Has some blankets for cooler evenings so she likes it there. She had the first kitten, cleaned eat and it was nursing. Then she went into labor again. This time she panicked. She jumped out of the box, and moved around the yard trying to expel the kitten. I didn't want to scare her, but watched the kitten being born, then she cleaned the amniotic sack from herself and then left the kitten in the grass and walked away. I stayed away for about 20 minutes and she did not return, so I picked up the kitten, moved it to the box with its littermate and hoped Lumberyard would return. She didn't, moving around the yard, into the woods, and wherever she chose to go. All the while laboring. I would love to get her, kennel her and reintroduce the kittens, but she won't let us get that close. So for the moment, she is laboring with an unknown object, whether it is live or dead, I don't know. If it is already dead, I sure would like to help clear the body so she doesn't continue to suffer.

 

[Sarthur2]

Poor mom! It's not normal if there is a kitten stuck. If there is, it will surely be stillborn after being in the birth canal so long.

Are you able to set a humane trap with food to trap her? It sounds like she needs help.

In the meantime, are you feeding the kittens every couple hours around the clock?

 

[Lumberyard's babies]

Poor mom! It's not normal if there is a kitten stuck. If there is, it will surely be stillborn after being in the birth canal so long.

Are you able to set a humane trap with food to trap her? It sounds like she needs help.

In the meantime, are you feeding the kittens every couple hours around the clock?

Oh yes, they are getting pretty good on the bottle now. It was a little chore last night, now they feel the nipple and open their mouths for it. We let the suckle till they stop then back to the box. Next feeding is in about an hour and I will also wipe their bottoms to clear their systems.

 

[di and bob]

If mama is in active labour and hasn't had a kitten in a day, she definitely needs a vet and must be caught. Or do you think she may have given birth to several and you didn't see them?

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job!

 

[Willowy]

Do you have a fishing net, maybe? It sounds like the mamacat has a baby stuck in her, and that will kill her if she can't get it out. If you can think of ANY way to catch her, don't worry about stress or even minor injury---it's life or death!

 

[Lumberyard's babies]

Lumberyard did birth the last kitten(s) somewhere. She does not care to be a queen. The two we were able to recover are doing well so far, hungry little beggars, but nothing unusual. I wish Lumberyard wanted to mother her kittens so we could reunite these two, but looks like they will be ours unless I can find a foster mother willing to nurse them.

 

[Sarthur2]

Is there any way to set a trap to catch Lumber Yard to get her spayed? She'll be pregnant again soon otherwise.

The Humane Society loans traps for free with a refundable deposit.

Glad the babies are doing well.

 

[StefanZ]

Great luck she managed in the end to birth forward the last one... An owed cat is seldom in this situation, usually the got the cesarean much earlier.
Although we had a couple of cases where there was no vet accesible.

So the main plan for now is, you do proceed to handraise the two you rescued. They seem healthy, so it shouldnt be too difficult. Even it its lotsa work and care.

And to spay momma as soon as possible. Ie catch etc... Succesful semiferales has typically an excellent healing meat.

IF you manage to reunite them, and momma takes care of them its a nice bonus, but noway necessary for their survival.

 

[Primula]

Lumberyard did birth the last kitten(s) somewhere. She does not care to be a queen. The two we were able to recover are doing well so far, hungry little beggars, but nothing unusual. I wish Lumberyard wanted to mother her kittens so we could reunite these two, but looks like they will be ours unless I can find a foster mother willing to nurse them.

She's obviously a first-time inexperienced mother who has been stressed to bits outside.

Kudos for this man who has saved the 2 kittens.

 

[Willowy]

Phew! At least she managed to get unblocked. Good on you for saving the kittens---they certainly would have died while she was laboring with the stuck one. Even if she went back to them afterward, they wouldn't have lasted that long.

Yep, since she "lost" this litter she'll be going back into heat soon, so if you don't want to continue dealing with this she'll need to be spayed. There may be a low-cost clinic in your area, or a voucher program. Call all the animal welfare agencies in the area to see if they know of anything locally.

 

[Lumberyard's babies]

Sorry to report that one just passed, the other one is barely holding on, not sure if it will make it either. Perhaps Lumberyard knew they weren't strong enough and that is why she abandoned them. Will keep trying to keep the last one, but whatever God wants.