Momma Cat Concern

[BlazenlyObvious]

Hey guys, so I know mommas know what’s best for their babies and sometimes do things we don’t quite understand, so I know I shouldn’t worry myself too much I just like to play everything safe.

My foster kitty, Pepper, had her babies last Sunday morning (so they’re almost a week old). She had seven! No stillborns either, all are alive and look healthy to me. For the first two or three days, she kept them all together, no problem. One day she moved just one to a separate bed and was lying with it, the next day it was two in the separate bed, yesterday was a different one moved to another spot and was by herself, and today momma had one separated but was nursing him.
Now, there’s three grey and white ones, so I’m not sure if it’s always the same one or not, but I’m almost every scenario there’s a grey and white baby. And they all look pretty chunky, so they’re all growing (the smallest looks to be the calico).
I know that if momma separates a kitten and completely neglects it, it might be sick or she can’t feed them all. But she still cares about them all and will go over and feed them, but she doesn’t put them back with the rest of the group I’ll have to put him/her back. And then she’ll go and feed all 7 as a group.

Once they’re a week old I’ll start weighing them all to make sure they’re all growing fine. So tomorrow I’ll start weighing them.
Should I hold any concern or just let her do her thing for now and just monitor their weights and make sure no one is losing?

 

[Sarthur2]

Let her do her thing, but also continue putting them all back together.

How many working nipples does mom have?

Did you record birth weights? Otherwise you’ll have nothing to compare to when you begin weighing.

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

To make it a bit easier to understand, I believe it was 4 days ago I came in to feed her and 6 kittens were together but one grey and white (there’s three grey and white that look exactly the same) was in a separate bed by itself. When I came in, momma greeted me and then proceeded to lay down with grey and white. I moved him back, no problems the next day. I also started giving her lunch along with her breakfast and dinner wet food (she always has dry food available)
Two days later, roughly, momma is lying with grey and white in the bed again and one of the brown tabbies is screaming because she’s on the floor between the cage with the other five and momma and the grey and white. So I put her with momma. Next day momma greets me, those two are still separate, I move them back. All day yesterday was fine, at night I find the little calico by herself in another spot crying. I move her back. This morning I come in, momma managed to open the closet door and put all her babies in a random box full of our stuff, so I move them all back and close the closet door because… well, it’s not for her. At lunch, I come in and she has grey and white separate again, nursing him.
I have no clue whether the grey and white is the same every time, or not. But they’re all clearly growing.

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

Let her do her thing, but also continue putting them all back together.

How many working nipples does mom have?

Did you record birth weights? Otherwise you’ll have nothing to compare to when you begin weighing.

From what I notice… at least 6. So it’s possible she can’t feed them all at once.
Unfortunately I don’t have birth weights, the rescue I foster through told me not to handle them for up to 48 hours, and not start weighing until a week.

 

[StefanZ]

From what I notice… at least 6. So it’s possible she can’t feed them all at once.
Unfortunately I don’t have birth weights, the rescue I foster through told me not to handle them for up to 48 hours, and not start weighing until a week.

These advices are more or less false. its true we shall not exaggerate and disturb, but what is necessary is necerrary.
But they may be correct if the momma is a very shy or nervous rescue.

Anyways, if you see them visibly grow and be good, its no real problem not knowing their exact weigh.


This behavior of separating. Typically they separate a dying or sick kitten. Usually abandon, but sometimes they take extra care.

But there is another variation, especielly with big litters. Momma takes one or two outside, and nurse them outside the batch...
It may be to avoid the usual rugby match for nipples.
It may be as here, she has just 6 working nipples...

So, a variation of what we humans sometimes do when the litter is big: we make a rotation scheme.

So, I think this with taking some kitten out from the batch is the variation 2 here; she wants to nurse a kitten in peace. Probably its different kittens every time.

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

These advices are more or less false. its true we shall not exaggerate and disturb, but what is necessary is necerrary.
But they may be correct if the momma is a very shy or nervous rescue.

Anyways, if you see them visibly grow and be good, its no real problem not knowing their exact weigh.


This behavior of separating. Typically they separate a dying or sick kitten. Usually abandon, but sometimes they take extra care.

But there is another variation, especielly with big litters. Momma takes one or two outside, and nurse them outside the batch...
It may be to avoid the usual rugby match for nipples.
It may be as here, she has just 6 working nipples...

So, a variation of what we humans sometimes do when the litter is big: we make a rotation scheme.

So, I think this with taking some kitten out from the batch is the variation 2 here; she wants to nurse a kitten in peace. Probably its different kittens every time.

Thank you so much for your advice. Yeah I was told to let her “bond With her kittens” for 48-72 hours before any sort of handling. I didn’t even have momma for a week before she gave birth, but she honestly has no issue with me handling them. She’ll meow at me but won’t get annoyed or take the little one back, she’s actually grateful when I move one closer to her if they start wandering away.
That’s what I was thinking, they all get very aggressive when fighting to feed so I’m not surprised if momma acknowledges this and makes sure everyone is eating enough. She seems to really love her babies, I think she just might be getting a little overwhelmed with the amount of kittens she does have to care for.

 

[cataholic07]

I would start weighing for sure and keep an eye to see if she does it again. Sometimes moms will move the weaker or sick kittens away from the litter. Since shes fine with you handling the babies, I'd weigh them once daily at the same time. Kittens can go down hill quickly so it's important to know if they are gaining weight or not.

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

I would start weighing for sure and keep an eye to see if she does it again. Sometimes moms will move the weaker or sick kittens away from the litter. Since shes fine with you handling the babies, I'd weigh them once daily at the same time. Kittens can go down hill quickly so it's important to know if they are gaining weight or not.

I will definitely start weighing them starting tonight. And I’ll record whenever she moves one or more out of the bunch and which one. I’m hoping none pass but I understand how quickly kittens can go downhill, I am just impressed and surprised she had such a big litter. I am not opposed to start bottlefeeding if any start going downhill, unfortunately I need permission from the rescue before any vet visits or feeding changes are made, which is both convenient money wise and inconvenient time and urgency wise.

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

I would start weighing for sure and keep an eye to see if she does it again. Sometimes moms will move the weaker or sick kittens away from the litter. Since shes fine with you handling the babies, I'd weigh them once daily at the same time. Kittens can go down hill quickly so it's important to know if they are gaining weight or not.

I went in to weight them tonight, she had babies split into two piles, one with three and the other four.
The one with three included a grey and white kitten (male) at 6 ounces, a brown/marbled tabby (male) at 6 ounces, and a dark tabby (female) at 6.5 ounces.
The one with three included a grey tabby (female) at 6.5 ounces, grey and white (male) at 6.5 ounces, grey and white (male) at 7.5 ounces, and calico (female) at 6.0 ounces.

Now, I’m using a cat scale not a kitchen scale, apparently my kitchen scale is dead.

 

[Joelle and the kittens]

At this age you'll probably want to weigh in grams rather than ounces since it's much easier to see small changes.

 

[StefanZ]

I went in to weight them tonight, she had babies split into two piles, one with three and the other four.
The one with three included a grey and white kitten (male) at 6 ounces, a brown/marbled tabby (male) at 6 ounces, and a dark tabby (female) at 6.5 ounces.
The one with three included a grey tabby (female) at 6.5 ounces, grey and white (male) at 6.5 ounces, grey and white (male) at 7.5 ounces, and calico (female) at 6.0 ounces.

Now, I’m using a cat scale not a kitchen scale, apparently my kitchen scale is dead.

I see she herself did make a scheme of rotating. A very wise momma....

Its easier to use a scale measuring in grammes. They are more exact, and you see directly the changes. Or lack of changes..... Anyway, better a rough scale than none at all.
But you can perhaps borrow a scale measuring in grammes from a neighbour??

 

[StefanZ]

The rule of thumb is, if they add 10+ grammes a day (1/3+ ounce), its good, and you dont need to do nothing. Some healthy kittens may add even thrice this.

If they dont add, or just some very few grammes a day (1/10 ounce?), its alarming, and you must start to supplement; kmr or goats milk.

If they are in between, they do add but less than -1/3 ounce; ie perhaps just 5 grammes a day (1/6 ounce) ; you watch closely! if its more than one or two days; and prepare to supplement feed with kmr or goats milk.

 

[Sarthur2]

Actually, they are all very big and healthy! Mom appears to have ample milk and is nursing in two sets. Kittens should weigh 4 ounces at one week and all are well above that. Next goal is 8 ounces at two weeks. Mom is doing a swell job!

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

Thank you all for the advice! I’ll start weighing in grams! I’m glad they’re all a good weight, I hope they all continue to do well

 

[BlazenlyObvious]

Here’s all of Momma Pepper’s babies Sunday morning at 1 week old!