Stray had her babies and I'm lost

[Sarthur2]

She'll be fine with two cans of food in the morning and two when you get home since she will have dry food all day. She does not need more than four cans a day.

Try to stay with Fancy Feast, but it doesn't come in larger cans. Glad you're getting KMR.

She will use the litter box. She will not pee on your carpet. You will only need non-clumping litter for the kittens when they begin to wean and potty train in their own little kitten pan. This will occur around 4-6 weeks of age.

She's thick because she's nursing and she's solid because she's put on weight. She may never get her figure back completely, but now is not the time anyway.

Have a good day tomorrow .

 

[yellowhouse]

She used the box last night, and was softer this morning.  So last night was definitely a food belly!  I'm not worried about her figure at all, I just didn't want more kittens  I'm off to work pretty soon, so I left three cans of food (oops, saw this before I got your message).  I also changed out the towels.  Most of the kittens hissed at me.  Now that I know it's hissing and not breathing problems, it's fine.  Hidey watched me handle all the kittens, in between gulps of food.  They are so soft!  She then climbed back in and purred, kittens settled, she climbed back out and ate more.  Oink!  But she is eating for seven

 

[Sarthur2]

I told you she would use the litter box. She may end up being your best behaved cat regarding litter habits .

 

[yellowhouse]

I hope so.  But I don't count on it.  Some back story: My first cat out of college was a really fat orange cat that, at one point, had a urinary infection.  I got him treated for that, and he ended up on kidney diet cat food for years.  But he still peed a bit.  The second cat came from a cousin as a middle-aged adult, and may or may not have had the pee issues.  Third cat belonged to my husband, so when we moved in together there were three.  All three had pee issues at this point (no urinary tract infectsions).  Those three cats are long gone, but there has been overlap with one of our current cats (not Esther).  And I think everyone pees where they shouldn't.  I hate it.  And it is definitely learned behavior.  This is why I'm so paranoid that Hidey and the kittens will start peeing all over.  Because all the other cats learned it, even if they didn't start out that way.  So I guess I'm off to go shopping soon, for Feliway and other stuff.

 

[yellowhouse]

Now what do I do?!  She moved her kittens.  At the moment, I could reach them and bring them back, but there are places she could move them where I couldn't safely reach them.  This is why I didn't want her in the guest room.  Help?  Should I move them back and *try* to block off places?  I bought all kinds of stuff at the pet store today, including KMR and a bottle.  There was one kitten this morning that I was a little concerned about, but now they are all piled behind and underneath stuff, so unless I move them back, I can't check.  

 

[Sarthur2]

Ugh. She's not going to appreciate being moved again. You had to put her somewhere since you wanted to use the sun room for company.

Can you put them back in the sun room under a table covered with a cloth like we first discussed? Or in YOUR bedroom?

You need to be able to check them.

Otherwise you'll need to move things in the guest room. I used a spare bedroom but it did not have "stuff" in it.

 

[yellowhouse]

OK, I am probably going to move her back - after I figure out how to block under the bed and under the dresser.  Behind the bass and behind the mirror are OK.  It also really, really stinks in there.  I think it's the wet food.  And I have a splitting headache and I don't wanna.  The sunroom is a three-season room, meaning no heat and no cooling, and no insulation.  Think screened in porch with windows that close.  Tonight it's supposed to get down under 60.

And now is the part where I complain.  Feel free to skip this part.  But really, I never asked for this.  Some lazy scumbag dropped off this beautiful cat, who wasn't even spayed, and she got pregnant.  I thought I could do it.  But now my head hurts and I'm tired of worrying.  And I get to rearrange furniture.  While trying not to stress out a mama and kittens.  Joy.  I'm feeling overwhelmed.  I also sort of started a new job today (teaching a class I've never taught before) and that is stressful, too.  But instead of doing work, I've been googling kitten care.  Granted, I'm incredibly grateful to have been a part of this, I'm just really tired. And have a headache.  I think I've mentioned that three times now.  OK, done with the whining portion of the evening.  Back to work.

 

[Sarthur2]

Try not to stress so much. Can you put a heating pad under their blanket while they are on the sun porch?

All you really need to do is check the kittens if you want to leave them for tonight.

I think you may be worrying excessively. It's not necessary.

 

[yellowhouse]

hah - apparently I like to worry. I did not move Hidey, but I took apart the bed and removed the frame so she can't hide under the bed.  I also moved all her support (a chair and a base guitar case) so I can easily see her.  It is her choice if she wants to stay there or move back, but I can see everyone now.  Next up - wet food.  Later.  She is currently nursing, (although the black kitty I'm a bit worried about is curled up by her tail).  I will purchase a digital kitchen scale tomorrow - it is the one thing I forgot.  Or maybe I can borrow one.  The stench was, I think, the litter waste basket.  I dumped baking soda in it and moved it out of the room.  I'm awfully glad our youngest son doesn't put things in his mouth anymore.  I can just see it - ooh!  Tootsie Rolls!  Blech.  

So - worrying and whining are done for the evening.  Hurrah!  

Oh, and we don't have a heating pad.  Would a crockpot work?  Just kidding!  Promise!

(edited for typos)

 

[handsome kitty]

If you need a heat source, put some raw rice in a cotton sock, Tie it off somehow and  microwave it for five minutes and it will hold the heat for 3 -4 hours.  It's great for sore muscles too.

 

[Sarthur2]

Nothing like buying everything after the fact .

When you clean your litter you can put it in a plastic bag from the grocery store, tie it, and dispose of it daily. No more stench.

The black kitten probably needs supplementing with KMR. We would know for sure by weight. Does he seem smaller than the others? Is he lethargic?

If you do not have rice, you can heat hot water, put it in a plastic bottle, wrap it in a towel, and place it near the kittens.

 

[yellowhouse]

I've got rice.  When I went in 30 minutes ago, I think every one was latched on.  I'll double check the black one.  And maybe if I put the warm rice sock (in a towel, right?) in the original tub, mama will want to go back in?

Yep, I got everything after the fact.  I had no clue  But I'm glad I found this site.

 

[yellowhouse]

OK - tip for anyone else that does this. When you put rice in the sock, do it over the waste basket.

 

[yellowhouse]

OK, rice/sock/towel is in the tub.  That is the nicest that sock has ever smelled!  I did not move anyone, but I got some weights - estimated, not digital, but better than nothing (I hope).  I fed Hidey two more cans (6oz) of wet food, the kitten kind this time.  I need to change out her water (forgot that), but after than I'm leaving everyone alone.  When I left, every kitten was latched on. They've done that more than once.  I didn't move them to the pretty smelling sock.

Oh - and weights.  I can't tell the darkest 3 apart very well, but I think I managed to weigh all of them, and all were about 6oz.  As was the dark one with the white neck.  Tuxedo was biggest, at almost 8 oz.  And "scruffy" as my son calls it, the lightest striped one, was 7 oz.  Good sizes, right?

Here's a picture from tonight.  Hidey looks at me often like this.  Sort of like, "Do you see what I go through?  See?"

Hidey and cats Aug 24pm.jpg

• yellowhouse
• Aug 24, 2015

 

[Sarthur2]

I can see that some are bigger than others. I'll feel better when you can get actual digital weights, so I'm not commenting on weight for now.

I'm glad she continues to eat well and all are latching.

I think you should put the warm rice sock near the kittens. It's just heating an empty bin right now! And heat it again before you go to bed tonight.

You can give Hidey a dish of KMR anytime for her calcium.

They look like a happy family, and you get kudos for a job well done!

 

[handsome kitty]

They look great.  i think it's more of a 'Go AWAY already' look.

 

[yellowhouse]

I think you might be right about the look.  Question:  When I got up this morning, five kittens and Hidey were in the bin, and the sixth (scruffy) was on the floor about a foot away.  I checked that she/he was breathing, then, because it was cool on the floor, picked him/her up to put back with the others.  WOW was there a lot of noise from a tiny cat.  Clearly the kitten was doing fine, so why would it be out of the box?

Also, the tiny kitten paws are getting caught in the towel.  Is this a problem?  They always seem to get out ok, so far.  When I left, Hidey was settling in to nurse again, after eating 1.5 cans of kitten food.

I took the sock out but didn't reheat it.  Should I put it on the floor in case they go out of the bin again?

 

[handsome kitty]

Yes, the towel is a problem .  Their little claws are not retractable yet.  Fleece or flannel, even old tee shirts will work instead.

 

[Sarthur2]

Are the kittens able to get in and out of the bin on their own?

The kitten screamed because he was startled. You did the right thing putting him with the others.

Try using two rice socks - one in and one out. The heat source should be warm as much as possible.

 

[yellowhouse]

I was going to change her tub, but she doesn't want to leave.  The kittens cannot get out on their own, I don't think.  I did manage to put the diaper more fully across the towel so the kittens won't have a problem, and I have the replacement diapers and receiving blankets, but I probably won't get there until tomorrow.  I borrowed a digital scale, and here are the weights:

Smallest is 'white neck' at 7.15 oz

Largest is 'scruffy' at 8.35

Others: Tuxedo is 8.25

Black striped leg one is 7.35

Black striped leg two is 7.4

Big black striped leg is 8.3

Those last three are almost impossible to tell apart.  To me, they all look healthy and happy.  And Hidey was purring at us at first.  Then giving us the 'leave me alone already!' look.  The big boys and I went in to weigh and do litter and food.  The children really, REALLY want to handle the kittens, but I told them 'not yet'.  Any idea when kitten handling by a gentle 8 and 10 year old might be OK?  I have a child lock on the room so the four year old can't even get in.

Good night for now, all - and thank you all for keeping me sane the last few days.  Well, as sane as possible.  Until tomorrow, I leave you with this thought:

cats.jpg

• yellowhouse
• Aug 25, 2015