New To Unweaned

[Mouse80]

Lemme preface this by stating upfront, I’m embarrassed. I’ve always had animals, and everyone has always been fixed. I was irresponsible due to severe health issues that hit simultaneously for both me, and my husband.

Our queen gave birth to three premature kittens, in different spots all over the house, while we were at the hospital. While I was looking for a box for the first deceased kitten, I stumbled across what looked like a slab of meat, behind a chair. Attached to a placenta, was a cold, motionless premie. When I went to pick him up, and to my great joy, he started to move.

That was 32 days ago.

Our queen has always been a little “off”. If I were to compare her to a person, she was like a super bratty, un affectionate, rough little boy.

Now, for the questions:

My queen is now super affectionate, and loving cat with humans Is this just hormones, or can I expect her to revert back?

You know that crazy rush of energy animals get, where they race around like idiots? My queen does this and gets super rough with her kitten. Should I be concerned? She pins him and bicycle attacks him with her back legs.

The little guy is not yet walking, nor attempting to try moist food. Is this normal with premature kittens? How do I gage his development?

 

[Willowy]

It's normal at this age not to try solid food, but he should be walking by now. What does he do instead? Does he crawl, or roll, or just not try to get anywhere? If he's crawling and it looks like he'll get the hang of walking soon, I'd say he's just behind on development, not unusual for premies. But if he isn't crawling, I think he needs a neurological checkup. He may have some birth injuries.

For an average 4-5 week old kitten, I'd say the mother's playing is normal. That's how the kittens learn to cat. But if he has some disabilities I might be inclined to intervene.

Yeah, pregnant/nursing cats do usually get more affectionate toward humans. She might go back to the way she was, or stay affectionate, or somewhere in between. It all depends on her personality. Sometimes they realize they like being affectionate!

 

[Mouse80]

Thank you.

He is crawling, but doesn’t seem to understand he has back legs. I’ll give it a few more days.

Maybe he’s just a weirdo like his mom?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
What if you hold him, supported with both hands underneath him, one hand under his chest and the other hand behind that under his tummy, and let his paws just touch the ground.

Do his back legs swing down underneath him, or stay stiff out to the side? Can you do this on a regular basis, sort of like feline physical therapy?

In other words, get him, and his hip and leg muscles and joints, more used to being in the position they're supposed to be in. Then start moving him forward and see if he starts using those back legs.

When he's napping, take each one of his back legs and move them gently, back and forth, and also bend each back leg, gently, at that joint that's partway up the leg from the paw.

I still think I'd have a vet take a look.

 

[Mouse80]

Hi!
What if you hold him, supported with both hands underneath him, one hand under his chest and the other hand behind that under his tummy, and let his paws just touch the ground.

Do his back legs swing down underneath him, or stay stiff out to the side? Can you do this on a regular basis, sort of like feline physical therapy?

In other words, get him, and his hip and leg muscles and joints, more used to being in the position they're supposed to be in. Then start moving him forward and see if he starts using those back legs.

When he's napping, take each one of his back legs and move them gently, back and forth, and also bend each back leg, gently, at that joint that's partway up the leg from the paw.

I still think I'd have a vet take a look.

Thank you. I have tried, but admittedly I need to become vigilant I’ll start doing it routinely and see if this improves.

He’s been behind with every milestone, by about a week, but I suspect it’s because he was birthed too soon, and mom isn’t real nurturing. (I’m grateful she nurses him, at least.)

I’ll take him to the vet, if he doesn’t improve in the next few days.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[Mouse80]

How long before mom goes into heat again? She’s screaming like she is, but not acting like it. (She doesn’t present her back end.)

 

[Furballsmom]

It depends, and I don't know for absolutely sure but I think that can happen really soon.

 

[talkingpeanut]

She could be in heat now. It can happen even within a week of giving birth. Please be so, so careful to keep her inside.

For the kitten’s legs, you will need to massage them thoroughly several times a day to warm up the muscles. Then you do start to bicycle the legs and help them move in place. Do not delay on this. He is growing so rapidly now that you can correct these tight tendons.

@Sarthur2 and catwoman707 can weigh in too, I hope!

 

[catwoman707]

Most definitely premature.
He is and will be a bit behind, if you think about it, kits don't actually wobble walk until a good 3 1/2 weeks so he needs more time, not only is he physically behind but developmentally as well.
Lets watch and see what the next week brings, if he isn't showing some amt of progression we can talk about hydrotherapy, putting him in a tub of water deep enough so his paws just barely touch bottom while you hold him up with a tie under his arms.
Oh and expect him to resist anything but nursing for a while too.
Mom is rather picking on him for being a weak link too.

 

[Furballsmom]

I think, when mom starts in with her business of holding him down and kicking with her back legs, if you can intervene. The little guy has enough to deal with ....

 

[Mouse80]

Thank you, everyone.

The little guy started to walk today, albeit not too steadily. But, at least he’s trying.

When do they start pooping & peeing on their own?

Mama cat, and my GSD fight over cleaning him, so I’ve yet to encounter any waste.

Because he hasn’t walked, I wasn’t too worried, but now we’re getting close.

I was able to make arrangements to have her spayed. Can I get this done while she’s still nursing?

 

[Furballsmom]

The little guy started to walk today, albeit not too steadily. But, at least he’s trying.

This is FABULOUS!!! Keep up the good work!!
let me look into your questions...

 

[Furballsmom]

So, pooping & peeing on their own, generally around 4-5 weeks.

Regarding spaying, yes, you can get her spayed while she's still nursing, and the kittens have started to nibble solid food and can be without her for that time. She will be able to continue to nurse, from what I'm reading (although I'm not a vet).

If the mom cat isn't at risk for getting anywhere near an intact tom, then you can wait until the kittens are about 8 weeks which is about the time she'd be weaning them.

 

[Furballsmom]

Mama cat, and my GSD fight over cleaning him, so I’ve yet to encounter any waste.

What with this, and you, that's a well-loved kitten LOL

 

[Willowy]

It sounds like he's about a week behind, so for using a litterbox he'll probably be about 6 weeks old, and for eating solids he'll probably be 7-9 weeks old, maybe even later (only kittens may take longer since they have the milk bar all to themselves, lol).

Starting in about a week, offer a small shallow litterbox with non-clumping litter, add a small amount of soiled litter from mama's litterbox, and put him in it now and then, when you think he needs to go. He may not use it right away but it's good to introduce it.

Same with food. In a couple of weeks, when his teeth are in, offer a little canned food mushed with water or kitten formula to make it kind of soupy, once or twice a day. He may not eat it for a while, but just to introduce the idea.

 

[catwoman707]

At 3 weeks they are able to eliminate on their own, as well as maintain their body temps. With this little boy being behind, set it back maybe 1-1 1/2 weeks.
As long as mom's litter box has low enough sides he will watch her and try it themselves at about 3 1/2-4 weeks, then again this kit might be 5 weeks.
Be sure to use only non clumping at that time, kits eat the litter in the first couple weeks they are learning.
The problem with spaying while nursing is at the age of having teeth, mom gets super annoyed and will even lay upright, denying her kids to nurse, and this little one needs all he can get. I would say go for 6 weeks of age then get her little smarty butt spayed!

She sounds young, that's likely part of the reason she mauls and is so rough, they have a bit of under-developed maternal instincts.

 

[Mouse80]

ThanK you all.

We’ll start with the litter box training soon. He’s so spoiled that it hasn’t been an issue yet, cause mama and the dog are on it.

I’m disappointed that I allowed a pregnancy, but Gunn is a happy, and permanent addition to our family.