New Mama

[Starangel]

My first time mama cat keeps laying on her 2 weeks old kittens and she doesn't move off of them when they cry what do I need to do? I'm scared she might kill them by not moving off of them especially the runt of the litter.

Concerned,
Starangel

 

[Sarthur2]

S Starangel

Is the nest big enough for mom to lie down and stretch out without being on top of her kittens?

How many kittens are there?

 

[Starangel]

Yes and 6

 

[StefanZ]

I have an idea. 6 is quite many. And they will wriggle and fight for the best nipple. May the laying be a try to stop them from wriggling?
Ie if you rotate them, 3 on, 3 off in an extra little nest with a heating pad, sleeping their midday nap. And rotate roughly every second hour. ?

 

[Sarthur2]

StefanZ has a point. Has mom been doing this the entire 2 weeks, or is it new behavior?

 

[Starangel]

Yes since birth

 

[Sarthur2]

It's odd that she does this and that the kittens do not try to get out from under her. They may not be strong enough to yet.

I don't know a good solution, unfortunately, since the box is big enough. Usually it happens when the box is too small. Once they are no longer squished it stops happening.

Hopefully the kittens will begin to learn to move away. Just continue to keep a sharp eye out so no kitten suffocates. I wish I could offer a better solution.

 

[StefanZ]

But here we do see, they hadnt suffocated as yet. 2 weeks has gone, and they are no longer tiny newborn infants, the danger of suffocating lessens with every day...

So, hereby we had learned for sure, momma laying on them is in practice, if not completely harmless, so at least, not THAT dangerous as we fear...