Nursing mother breathing heavily with watery eyes

[franks]

A feral cat that we have been taking care of gave birth yesterday. I moved them to the garage with heat pads and a radiator-style heater to keep the five kittens and the mother warm. Since birth, the momma has had a stuffy nose. She sneezed a couple of times and has been breathing heavily due to her blocked sinuses. Her eyes now seem to be getting a bit watery. Should I be worried?

Half an hour ago, she also took the kittens to a place in the garage and just let the kittens be exposed to the cold, hard, concrete floor. I moved the kittens back to their bed and closed off the area that the mother took them to. Can someone explain why she did such a thing?

Also, what should I be feeding her I fed her salmon, canned food and some dry food so far. Any brands you guys recommend or maybe chicken or fish or something? 

She fed them a bit and is still looking for a place under all the boxes and trash. She took one of them away, I plan on caging her in with them

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I think the kitty needs to see a vet.  At the very least; please call your vet for advice.  It sounds like an infection. 

The experts around here can chime in better about the kitten questions; but I would contact a vet sooner rather than later about Mama's condition.

 

[red top rescue]

I think the mama cat may have felt the kittens were too warm with the heating pads and radiator style heater.  Also, feral cats to not like to have their litters moved, so the best thing to do is try to make any place SHE chooses for her family be a better place.  Basically she will want a place that is sheltered and dark like a cave.  If you could put a big box maybe turned on its side with some blankets (no heating pads) inside and perhaps block it from sight somehow behind other boxes, that would be the type of place she would like.  Most of our rescue cats will choose a dark closet with sheets in it.  Some like to have their babies in a box for a few days and then move them out, so a box with one missing side is good.  I think you should let her take the lead in where to put her kittens, and you can try to provide a good environment for them there but dont move them.  I'm not sure if you can get her to a vet -- is she tame enough to go in a carrier?  It sounds like she may be coming down with an upper respiratory infection.

 

[franks]

I've caged her after running back and forth after her litter.

I cut up a cardboard box, but a towel in it with a blanket covering the top. I also put out a cat carrier out. She seems to like the box, hopefully she moves the kittens in there rather than an unknown corner in the garage. Thanks, i'll update soon

 

[franks]

I don't like it but I had to cage her for the night with food, in the morning ill try to let her out real quick for a potty brake. Then shell be caged around till 5.

At five ill rearrange the whole garage for her, Thanks for your help