Need Help And Advice Please!

[Nastclan]

Our very young cat had 6 babies last Saturday. Today she has left them alone for 4 hours and is seeming very depressed. Her babies haven’t made any sounds or distressing noises so I’m sure that helps.

But we are concerned with her attitude and we felt her belly and it seems her Nipples are flat and not swollen. Seems like there isn’t any milk now.

How can I tell and is it normal for a new very young mama cat to be away from her babies for that long?

 

[talkingpeanut]

Where is she going when she is leaving them alone?

How old is mom?

You need to weigh the babies daily to make sure they are gaining enough per day.

 

[Nastclan]

She is coming to us and wanting to sleep around us. It’s going on 5.5 hours and she hasn’t gone back in but the babies are all still just sleeping. Not making a fuss.

We aren’t sure of her age. We got her from a couple and they said she was spayed but obviously she wasn’t but we do know she is under a year. (Unfortunately) we thought she was safe around our intact male and we never seen a hint of her going into heat.

We were not expecting this. And are ill prepared.

I’m going to buy milk replacer tonight and a multi vitamin. What else can we do?

 

[21Westcoastcat]

I’d say no, it’s not normal to be away that a long from them, I’ve never had a momma cat with kittens before so I don’t know for sure.
How old is Mom?
Does she seem healthy, eating, drinking and using the washroom?
Are the babies doing okay?

 

[Nastclan]

We don’t know her exact age. At first she was very attentive to them and caring this just started happening today.

 

[talkingpeanut]

You need to close her in a room with the kittens and everything she needs - water, food, litter. Allow her to settle with them.

Your male can already get her pregnant again, even if she doesn’t go into heat. Do you have plans to neuter him?

Get kitten milk replacer, powdered is best, avoid Hartz. Also get small needleless syringes and a small scale to weigh them daily. You don’t need vitamins at this time.

 

[Nastclan]

Okay. We were also thinking vitamins for her. We don’t know the nutrients that she needs or how to meet them.

 

[Nastclan]

Oh and we did get the male neutered.

 

[talkingpeanut]

The male can still be fertile for up to a month after his neuter, so be careful.

Mom should get all the nutrients she needs from kitten food, and perhaps a dish of the kitten milk replacer per day. Give her unlimited kitten dry food, and meals of wet kitten food throughout the day.