Stray rescue just had kittens; need a little advice

[pixiestyx]

Sorry this is so long. This is my first time dealing with a pregnant cat. Here's some backstory: About 3 weeks ago, my mother-in-law found a cat on her doorstep. The cat looked very well taken care of, but didn't have a collar or any identification. MIL assumed she had been abandoned by someone and asked my husband if we wanted to take her in. We said sure, and everything seemed fine. We did post to see if anyone had lost her and was maybe looking for her, but no one ever came forward to claim her. So we decided we'd keep her, name her, and just make her our newest family member. This morning, I went looking for her (she likes to hang out in random areas of the house) and found her tucked in a corner of my son's room with two kittens. She seemed content and was nursing them, so I prepared a "nest" for her to relax in and keep her babies in. It's been about 10-11 hours since I found her, but I'm not sure when, exactly, she had her kittens. They were already cleaned and nursing when I discovered her, and there were no signs she had even given birth (no placenta, no mess anywhere, etc). She's been moving her kittens around the room; they've been in the box with blankets I set up for her, on a blanket on the floor, and even in my son's box of stuffed animals. She's licking them and nursing them and seems normal. She does like to leave for small periods of time and lounge in another room, but she always goes back to her kittens. She's also more vocal now; she's been meowing at me whenever I'm up and about, making me go back to the room her kittens are in. Once I'm in there, she chirps at me and lays with them. Is this normal? She's been eating a little, and has used her litter box, but I did notice when she's nursing, she seems like she may be panting. Is that normal? Could she maybe have another in there? She doesn't feel like she does (her belly seems soft and saggy now), but I wasn't sure if two was normal (I assume it is). As she was a stray, I know nothing about her. I don't know her age or if this is her first litter. I assume it is, since she clearly looked like someone's pet who had been abandoned. She doesn't have worms, and she didn't have fleas (even with being outside for who knows how long). She's a little on the tinier side, and we didn't even know she was pregnant until today because she didn't look it (although her belly did feel more firm a few days ago when I was petting her, so I guess I should have realized then). My question is, should I monitor her for any more kittens? Or is two normal? Her belly seems deflated and soft, but could she still be pregnant? Is it normal for her to look like she's panting (not with open mouth or noticeable heavy breathing, but when she's laying down nursing, her lungs seem to be moving a little faster)? And is it normal for her to want to bury her babies in my son's stuffed animals (she lays in there with them)? I plan to get her spayed once her babies are old enough to be weaned away, so hopefully this will be her one and only litter. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[StefanZ]

I suppose she has some afterpains. This is common. Everything seems ok so far. But of course, do some monitoring... among other, if the kittens add everyday weigh.

 

[Sarthur2]

Everything sounds normal, and the panting while nursing is because it’s hard work. She may be low on calcium, so offer her a few tablespoons of milk until you can buy a can of powdered PetAg kitten formula and give her a dish a day. The extra calcium usually resolves the panting immediately.

The chirping or trilling is how she communicates with her kittens. When she meows at you she wants praise for herself and her babies! She is proud and wants your acknowledgement over her job well done!

Thanks so much for taking her in and keep us posted. We love pictures!

P pixiestyx

 

[fionasmom]

You are so kind to have helped this poor cat. I have only ever had experience with feral kittens born outside but did want to say that years ago one feral mom who was entirely untrappable even by a professional continually had litters of two kittens.

This mom sounds as if she has really bonded to you and knows what you have done for her.

 

[pixiestyx]

I'm attaching some pictures here. This is mama cat with her newborns/feeding the kittens, and the kittens a week later. They're about 10 days old now. Eyes are open. They move around a lot. They seem to be doing well. Thanks so much for the responses!