Please Help!!

[jackieo102]

I have a feral mama cat with 5 kittens in my garage. I've just been waiting for them to turn 7 weeks old to adopt them out through PetSmart. They are 5 weeks old and doing great! But mama won't let us near her. She lets us hold and play with the babies but is still afraid of us petting her. Today I found 4 kittens in my bushes that look about 2-3 weeks old. I gathered them up and gave them to mama. She immediately licked them clean, but has since had nothing to do with them. It's only been about 7 hours, but I'm worried! She started hissing at her own kitties so I brought them in the house hoping she would nurse the newer ones, but no luck. Should I return her babies? Should I give them more time? Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[jen]

First of all, if she has been loose outside all this time she is probably pregnant again. They are also becoming more independent now. At 5 weeks you can start putting out more of the the momma cats kitten food for the babies to try. Canned and dry. What is she doing when she "has nothing to do with" her kittens? Is she nearby or is she running off? Can you confine them all in the house or garage?

 

[war&wisdom]

First of all, if she has been loose outside all this time she is probably pregnant again. They are also becoming more independent now. At 5 weeks you can start putting out more of the the momma cats kitten food for the babies to try. Canned and dry. What is she doing when she "has nothing to do with" her kittens? Is she nearby or is she running off? Can you confine them all in the house or garage?

I think you misunderstood her post -- she found 4 new kittens (motherless) in the bushes and tried to get the mama cat in her garage to nurse them, but the mama is now hissing at her own kittens and isn't nursing the new ones either.

 

[jackieo102]

Yes, thank you! That's right! war&wisdom! Any advice?

 

[StefanZ]

I have a feral mama cat with 5 kittens in my garage. I've just been waiting for them to turn 7 weeks old to adopt them out through PetSmart. They are 5 weeks old and doing great! But mama won't let us near her. She lets us hold and play with the babies but is still afraid of us petting her. Today I found 4 kittens in my bushes that look about 2-3 weeks old. I gathered them up and gave them to mama. She immediately licked them clean, but has since had nothing to do with them. It's only been about 7 hours, but I'm worried! She started hissing at her own kitties so I brought them in the house hoping she would nurse the newer ones, but no luck. Should I return her babies? Should I give them more time? Any advice is much appreciated!

How is it going? Is handfeeding the new ones an alternative for you?
If momma doesnt want to take care of them, and you want them to survive, you must handfeed them.

Raw goats milk is best, pasteurized goats milk is OK. Otherwise some nice kmr.

You can begin with giving them some water with honey in, it will buy you some time.

If momma doesnt want to take care of the new, let her return to her own childs, even if its time to begin and wean them, or at least begin to learn them eat normal food.

 

[StefanZ]

Im wondering why momma didnt want to nurse the new ones, although she was willing to clean them.
Is she sore at her teats? does she feel there is some fault on them??


Ps. Make sure they are warm and comfy before you feed them!
This water with honey you can give anyway, even if they arent fully warmy yet.

The glucose sugar in honey goes straight into the blood, it doesnt need to be digested.

 

[jen]

I think you misunderstood her post -- she found 4 new kittens (motherless) in the bushes and tried to get the mama cat in her garage to nurse them, but the mama is now hissing at her own kittens and isn't nursing the new ones either.

Totally did thanks. I read it like 3 times too so I must have been distracted lol.