Pregnant cat/newborn kitten questions

[Courtneyg86]

I got this kitten from somebody when she was 4 weeks old and she has been exclusively an indoor cat well with kids she somehow got out one day when they were leaving for school she returned later on that night but now I just got back from a vacation and when I came home I noticed that her nipples are now showing and she is extremely fat when she is always super super skinny does she look pregnant to you and if she is how long?

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, she looks pregnant. When did she get out? How old is she now?

 

[Courtneyg86]

I got her in August and she was about only 4 or 5 weeks and I just looked up a message of I had from the day she escaped and it was January 1st. When do you think she will be do?

 

[StefanZ]

so its about one week left, not more, perhaps less. Unless its false pregnancy.

Probably a small litter, that is why its not more visible. She will probably suddenly be less pregnant; and kittens will come a day or two thereafter.

 

[Courtneyg86]

Thank you for the info. So I was reading up on this matter and it says sometimes you can see or feel the kittens moving in the tummy so I sat there with my hands on her belly and sure enough you can feel the kittens so I don't think it's a false pregnancy. Uhggg I feel like crap my poor little kitten is going to have kittens she is just a baby herself!!! I also feel bad that I didn't know she was pregnant but I just got back from a 3 week long vacation on Monday and she really wasn't showing any signs before we left.

 

[Sarthur2]

Agree - about a week left.

 

[vince]

Time to think about where she'll have them. Set up a couple of quiet places with some blankets or soft rugs on which she can have the kittens. A large box in a closet or animal cage with a cloth covering works well, or clear out a low drawer in a piece of furniture and put the bedding in there, if you don't mind her having the kittens in a drawer. She may use your provided nest boxes or might just find a nest of her own. You don't want her to deliver under a bed, behind the couch or the washing machine, so if you can close off areas like that, it would be for the better.

Get some KMR for both mom and the kits, should you need to supplement. The extra calcium will do her good both before and after delivery.

 

[Courtneyg86]

Thank you so much. I made her up 3 nesting sites but I have a question... she keeps coming up on my bed and I bedshare with my 3 month old daughter if she happens to go into labor on my bed is it okay to move her to one of her nesting sites???

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, but cats will have them where they want, so if she decides on the bed have old towels handy.

 

[vince]

You can try and move the nest after she has her kittens, but often the cat carries her little ones right back where she had them. Be prepared for that.

 

[Courtneyg86]

Ok I have a few questions as I'm all new to newborn kittens. My 9 month old cat just gave birth to 4 kittens on Friday afternoon at first she wouldn't even leave her box and now since Monday she keeps leaving the box last nite the kittens were crying and I went to see where she was and she was sleeping on the couch in the other room she but she does nurse them often. My ? is how long can the kittens be without her at this age? My other ?'s are I read that kittens can't regulate their body temperature yet so 1 suggestion was to put a heating pad in the box with them how exactly do I do this and what temperature setting especially because she is leaving them for longer periods of time and for the past 3 days she has been jumping on my bed with me and just keeps meowing but I have no idea what she wants any ideas what that could be about??? and finally she has been going through 8 to 10 cans of fancy feast wet food a day is that too much but if I don't give it to her she won't stop bothering me I don't want to make her sick sorry this is so long but I need some help thanks in advance!

 

[di and bob]

8-10 cans seems excessive. I would give her something with a lot of calcium to see if she is craving something that is making her ask you so much. Such as goat's milk (at Walmart in the dairy case) or kitten replacement milk or KMR in the pet section. How long does she leave them? Is your house very warm or on the cool side? They may have enough warmth cuddling. Is she quiet when she is nursing the kittens or is she easily distracted and keeps meowing? The kittens should be fed at least every two hours by mama, you might have to lead her over there and stroke her a little bit to make her stay. She may be just feeling bewildered and wants your attention. some mamas need a little encouragement at first and will settle down in a few days. Mamas often leave the nest. If it is for longer than a couple of hours, you must step in and encourage her. I always fed as much as they wanted, usually kitten food because it is higher in calories and nutrition. Mama cats use a tremendous amount of energy nursing kittens. As long as mama is eating/drinking/using the litterbox, everything should be fine. The best way to see if the kittens are doing OK is to weigh them separately at about the same time every day. Get a good scale that measures in grams. They should be gaining at least 10 grams per day. As long as they are gaining that much they are doing fine. They should all weigh about 100gms right now. If you think they are cold a cat heating pad will work but they must have room to get off if they get too hot. I would not warm them if they are cuddling and quiet. Are the kittens restless, or quiet? I'll tag StefanZ and ask him for help!

 

[Courtneyg86]

She and the kittens are both quiet when nursing the kittens are usually quiet unless she leaves them for a long time then they start to get squirming and cry but otherwise everything seems OK I do live in a basement apartment it is warmed down here but I made her Box nest on the floor so it might be a little cool otherwise everything seems all right just wanted to know how long they would be able to be left alone for And I will get her some KMR when I go to the store today. I've had to encourage her a few times to get back in her Box I'll pick up one of the kittens and kind of make them cry and once she hears them crying she'll run back to her Box I have a feeling she might just be a little overwhelmed she's used to cuddling with me all the time and now she has to stay in her Box and not cuddle with me and the bed maybe that's it Thanks for all the advice

 

[Courtneyg86]

The other thing is is that she refuses to eat her hard food so should I switch to kitten wet food or just keep her on the fancy feast

 

[di and bob]

As long as she is eating that many cans I would stay with the fancy feast. You might try a couple of cans of fancy feast kitten food a day see if that fills her up for longer.
If she goes to the kittens when they cry, that is good. Just make sure they get fed every couple of hours a day and are quiet in between. Maybe you could move the nest closer to the bed so she would be close to them?

 

[Sarthur2]

Buy a bag of Purina Kitten chow for between meals. 8-10 cans of Fancy Feast per day is not excessive when she is nursing 4 kittens. The KMR will help with the extra calcium she needs.

Boil a chicken with just salt and shred some for her. The protein will help!

You can put a human heating pad set on low under the blankets for warmth for the kittens.

Mom is meowing for attention from you!

 

[Courtneyg86]

Will do thank you and she definitely wants my attention this is her right now

 

[StefanZ]

She and the kittens are both quiet when nursing the kittens are usually quiet unless she leaves them for a long time then they start to get squirming and cry but otherwise everything seems OK I do live in a basement apartment it is warmed down here but I made her Box nest on the floor so it might be a little cool otherwise everything seems all right just wanted to know how long they would be able to be left alone for And I will get her some KMR when I go to the store today. I've had to encourage her a few times to get back in her Box I'll pick up one of the kittens and kind of make them cry and once she hears them crying she'll run back to her Box I have a feeling she might just be a little overwhelmed she's used to cuddling with me all the time and now she has to stay in her Box and not cuddle with me and the bed maybe that's it Thanks for all the advice

This sounds good. Di and Bob and SArthur gave you excellent advices.
Its quite common some moms leave the kittens... In nature they must, because they must seek food... And a healthy kittens manages a couple of hours without problems. As long as she rushes back when they becomes whiny, its OK. But as said, do weight them every day, so you see they add and prosper; its the easiest way for someone not very experienced.

And yeah, she wants your support. So be sure you are cuddling her several times every day, or even, have your pallet at her nest. Or have her nest at your bed... she is still young, and you are her Ma...

 

[Courtneyg86]

Thank you all so much for all the help!!!

 

[Courtneyg86]

My cat is 9 months old and she had kittens exactly 2 weeks ago today . Her nest Box is in my room I heard the baby's crying I came in and noticed she was biting one of the babies in of the babies and like looked like she was kicking the other ones she does play with my older cat like this but didn't look like she was playing and if she was playing that's too rough for these little baby kittens that are only 2 weeks old is this normal what should I do I'm very nervous because it looked like she was hurting them otherwise she's been really good up until today Can they start drinking KMR and eating by themselves should I keep her separated from them clueless on what to do please help?