Nala and her kittens

[Sarthur2]

She is disciplining the kitten not to run off. It's normal, but you should let all the kittens venture out together and on their own when they are ready. The nest they are in needs to be one they can get out of on their own. As they get older and walk and play more, she will discipline all of them.

 

[nalasmomma]

Ok. Yes they already try to go off there blanket and they are already playing with each other..granted it's very little but I can tell it's only a matter of time. Mom does use her paws alot on them and pulls them close when they get to far.

 

[nalasmomma]

They are on the move!!! 2 of them are anyways! They have made it to the closet door and one always meows at the end of the nest! I think in another week we are in trouble..there will cats all over our bedroom! Mom seems to be handling it well! She was a little anxious the other day meowing a lot and wondering the room cause it was the first day they all started to go off the nest.

 

[Sarthur2]

That is perfectly normal for mama kitty to be anxious when they begin to leave the nest. They will need to stay in the bedroom for a few weeks until they are bigger and steadier, and litter box trained. When they do eventually leave the bedroom they will need to be supervised for short periods a couple of times a day, then put back in the bedroom where they are safe. You'll need a night light so they are not accidently kicked or stepped on if you get up in the middle of the night. Most kittens will play and sleep on no particular schedule for many weeks, and begin sleeping through the night when they are about 6 months old.

 

[nalasmomma]

Ok good to know. Yeah I'm not comfortable with them being in another room even in a couple weeks. I can defiantly see the change in all of them. They are starting to play with there litter mates more now. Even one will crawl on mom and bite her! I can't believe how much they've grown in 3 weeks!

 

[nalasmomma]

The kittens will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've had already to try and get them to eat wet food, KMR and wet kitten food. One seems to be doing good on the KMR. Any advice or how to help them start eating? How do I get mom to stop eating their food? She has her own food in the same room but insists on eating there's too!

 

[Willowy]

Just let it happen naturally. No hurry . Just keep offering suitable soft food, and after a while they'll get tired of just having milk and will decide that the mushy stuff looks pretty good.

I wouldn't try to keep her out of the kittens' food. Just make more for her if she wants it. She needs the extra nutrition anyway.

 

[nalasmomma]

She eats enough as it is though. 2 cans of wet food a day plus hard food...2 kinds and sometimes the KMR. Plus when we sit down and eat dinner she knows and is always there begging for chicken or steak. She's getting fat again. They don't nurse as much so I'm sure they are hungry and it's only a matter of time.

 

[nalasmomma]

20160309_150600.jpg

• nalasmomma
• Mar 11, 2016

 

[nalasmomma]

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• nalasmomma
• Mar 11, 2016

Biting moms face[emoji]9786[/emoji]

 

[nalasmomma]

20160308_070140.jpg

• nalasmomma
• Mar 11, 2016

 

[Sarthur2]

My mom cat ate the kittens' food too and gained weight. I let her because she was a stray and always looking for food. She'll slim down again eventually! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[nalasmomma]

Haha ok. My only problem is cleaning the cat box more now [emoji]128521[/emoji]

 

[Sarthur2]

Yep, it must be done. I do it daily! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[nalasmomma]

I do it 2 to 3 times a day. How do the kittens learn to use it? I can't find a litter box small enough or with short sides for them.

 

[Sarthur2]

You can use disposable aluminum cake pans if you'd like for the kittens, or real ones. Walmart sells small kitten pans. When the kittens begin to eat solids, you'll need to put the small pans near mom's bigger pan, and begin putting the kittens in after meals, and even taking a little paw and showing them how to "dig". I used doggie pee pads around the small pans, so occasional accidents will be on the pads. And use non-clumping litter in case the kittens eat it.

 

[Willowy]

Go to a pet store and ask for the cardboard trays canned food comes in---they're perfect! Yes, the cardboard eventually soaks through but they don't pee enough to worry about that yet . They learn from watching their mother, but if you scrabble your fingers in the litter they usually start digging too, and that sets off an instinct in their brains.

 

[zed xyzed]

Go to a pet store and ask for the cardboard trays canned food comes in---they're perfect! Yes, the cardboard eventually soaks through but they don't pee enough to worry about that yet

. They learn from watching their mother, but if you scrabble your fingers in the litter they usually start digging too, and that sets off an instinct in their brains.

so true about watching and imitating here is a cute video showing a kitten doing what mom does

 

[nalasmomma]

How do i get them to use the litter box? 3 out of 5 are eating soft food only and moms still nursing. 5 weeks old today. One had an accident near the litter box and I put him in the box and he went but this morning there bed was wet. I haven't seen any droppings though.

 

[Sarthur2]

They are very young, so you may get accidents. I suggest putting the kittens in the litter pan after every solid meal, and a few times in between meals, and take a little paw and show it how to "dig". Put any poop accidents in the pan so they smell it and associate it with the litter box. They usually watch and learn from mom and each other, but you want to stay on top of it in the beginning. Some will train earlier than others, but between 6-8 weeks it's usually mastered. The boxes need to be close to where they play, though, because small kittens are not good at holding it. [emoji]128522[/emoji]