Three Feral Mommas

[SheriB]

Hello there, I have begun helping out in a shelter in the last year, and have been fostering cats with feline leukemia. Recently the shelter took in seven feral cats from an endangered colony. Three of them were pregnant and it became apparent that we had no fosters willing to take in wild feral mommas. So I took the three pregnant cats, my first ever pregnant girls, intending to let them give birth in my greenhouse.
It took longer than expected to secure the greenhouse so I kept the girls in kennels in my bedroom. At last the greenhouse was ready and I was going to move them in the morning. At 3:30 in the morning the first cat went into labor. I watched it on a remote camera and everything went well. At that time of night Norachan was online and gave me a choice of wonderful Japanese name possibilities so her name is Aiko.
While Aiko was in labor I realized that I couldn’t move her or let the others give birth out in the greenhouse with no heat or lighting, so they now have my bedroom.
Like I said these are my first pregnant/ birthing Mommas and I am pretty intimidated. The mothers being feral I don’t have the access one would have with a tame mother, but I am trying to do the best I can. Today Aiko’s kittens are three days old and seem to be doing well. They appear to all be the same size and to be nursing without problems. I happened to catch Aiko out of the nest this afternoon and just had time to quickly shift the babies to a clean blanket before she rushed back.
I am creating this thread to be in contact with so many of you whose great advice I have read on these forums. Tonight Aiko seems to be breathing very quickly, immediately I am afraid of something going wrong. I am watching her with a video baby monitor but can’t really tell what’s going on and I can’t handle her. I don’t want to stress her, but may find it necessary to be in the room or even catch her if she seems to be in distress. Any thoughts?

 

[StefanZ]

I hope its some form of aftercontractions. Which does happens sometimes.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, most likely after pains. She may need calcium. Low calcium can cause panting. Give her a dish of KMR now and daily. This often helps with new moms who are panting. If you have no KMR, yogurt will do for tonight.

So all 3 moms are in your bedroom? I’m a little confused as to where everyone is.

 

[StefanZ]

The question is, how necessary its really to have the moms on remote.
Most often, when they have landed, ie calmed down, and notice nobody is actively threating them and their children, and you are trying to be friendly, most often they accept the situation and do copy. Letting you handle the kittens etc...
No ironclad rule, but a very nice surprise in rescuing and fostering work true in majority of cases. Of course, these really agressive are never taken inside.

Your difficulty is you do have three at the same time. 1 or 2 would be easier.

 

[SheriB]

Yes, all three are in my bedroom. I never got them out to the greenhouse. I have been sitting quietly in there with them when I have a chance.. I know they will come around as time goes on, the monitor is more for me so I can check on them every now and then.
Thanks Sarthur2 I will mix up some KMR and give it to her now. She did just eat half a can of Nutro kitten food. How much should I give her?

 

[SheriB]

Warning: what follows is upsetting.

I’m afraid this has been a difficult day. Aiko moved her kittens this morning, which I was hoping she would do because the cage they were in was dirty and I didn’t know how I was going to clean it with them in there. She got them all moved except the last one. Somehow she had pulled the little guy’s body out through the bars, which I cannot figure out how that happened. The cage door was open, but apparently she got hold of him somehow from outside the cage. His tiny head would not go through the opening in the bars. I heard the screaming and saw the situation on the monitor, so I rushed in. I was able to flex the cage enough to release him, but she had torn the skin on his back and he had a couple more wounds near his rectum. I rushed him down to the shelter to meet with the director and she took him into her personal care until tomorrow morning when she can get him in with a sympathetic vet. She knows for a fact that the emergency vet in our community would euthanize him. (I’m saying “him” even though we don’t know, just don’t like calling a living thing “it”).

Later in the day Aiko left her kittens to crouch in a hiding spot. I did not see her with the kittens for more than three hours, but she must have visited them when I was not looking because they never cried from hunger. I kept checking them to make sure they were not cold or lethargic, but they were fine. Eventually she went back to them and has stayed with them all evening. Her breathing has evened out.

I’m exhausted and a bit of a wreck. Even though she now has only three and appears to be taking good care of them I still am terrified something will happen to them. And I will never, never again let a cat have kittens in a cage. The cages are out of the room now and it is filled with a variety of boxes and open carriers.

 

[ashade1]

So were all of the feral moms in crates? How did she get out of the crate? Is she an "attack you if you come near" feral, or a "shy/hide away" feral? You should be able to weigh her babies once a day just to make sure that they are gaining and she is feeding them. That is terrible about the little guy, I am sorry you had to go through that!

 

[Norachan]

I'm sorry Sheri, that must have been traumatic for you.



At least you were there and could rescue the little guy and get him to a vet. Hopefully it's just broken skin and nothing more serious.

Little kittens heal quickly, I hope this guy bounces back soon.

How are the other mothers doing? Are they due to have their kittens soon?

 

[Sarthur2]

I’m so sorry! You did what you could. I hope the baby pulls through.

 

[SheriB]

So were all of the feral moms in crates? How did she get out of the crate? Is she an "attack you if you come near" feral, or a "shy/hide away" feral? You should be able to weigh her babies once a day just to make sure that they are gaining and she is feeding them. That is terrible about the little guy, I am sorry you had to go through that!

I’m sorry, I haven’t done very well explaining what I have done. I had the cats in crates but when I decided to keep them in my bedroom I opened the doors and let them out. Aiko had already had her kittens in her crate and it was a mess because of the food, catbox, mama and kittens so close together. She is not terribly aggressive but in that close of a proximity she did try to bite me when I reached in. After I opened the door to the cage it took her a day before she decided to move them.

The other mamas seem to be doing well, one hides on the windowsill and the other has claimed an open carrier. I blocked up places like under the bed and dresser and have filled the room with potential nesting boxes. When the cats were examined a week ago they were judged to be ready to have their babies at any time.
They are beginning to be a little more comfortable in the room but still mostly freeze when I come in.

Aiko just left the nest so I went in to check the babies and they seem fine. I opened another can of food for the mamas while I was in there. I am buying a scale today so that I can weigh them.

 

[SheriB]

So- busy morning - wounded kitten Kireii got staples to close his(her) wounds and brought back to reunite with Mama Aiko. Thankfully she accepted him. I watched for an hour and he never seemed able to find a nipple. I fed him 1ml KMR and put him back. This was when I realized that he was trying to get the nipple that the biggest kitten had and kept shoving in but getting pushed away. I hope they work it out, but I will probably still be supplementing him with KMR. I am having to watch Mama closely in case she decides to pull on his stitches.

Weighed them:

Youjo: 150 grams
Ai Chan: 121
Kawaii: 161
Kireii: 96

We know why Kireii is so underweight, before the incident he was one of the bigger babies. Ai Chan is troubling, maybe I should supplement him/her too?

 

[Sarthur2]

Please supplement any kittens that need it several times a day. Up the mLs as they grow.

Make sure Kireii gets time on the nipple that he likes when the big one is sleeping.

So glad the injured kitten is back!

 

[Norachan]

That's great news about the injured kitten.

It won't do any harm to offer KMR to all of them. Maybe you could supplement the bigger kittens so that Kireii gets a go on his favourite nipple?

 

[SheriB]

Poor little Kireii died today. It was so hard.

 

[ashade1]

I am so sorry! Rest in Peace little one! You were loved!

 

[Norachan]

I'm so sorry Sheri.

 

[Sarthur2]

So sorry!

 

[SheriB]

Thank you so much StefanZ , Sarthur2 , ashade1 , and Norachan ! You have all been so kind, helpful and compassionate. I am finding it hard to keep up my catsite contacts right now. Since I started working in cat rescue the cats, this site, and the personal growth that led me into rescue have been a delight. But now I am completely floored, this thing I was enjoying so much has led to nearly unendurable pain. I grieve for little Kireii and my fear for the remaining kittens and the two mamas yet to give birth is constant, I am shaky and sick to my stomach most of the time. If there was anywhere for them to go I probably would be asking the shelter to find another foster for them, someone with more experience and a stronger disposition. Facing this will be the hardest thing I have ever done.
I meet this crisis knowing that it is part of working in this field and part of my growth. I’m using all of my coping skills, yoga, meditation, bach flower remedies, and wine. Yeah, okay, maybe that last is not all that healthy but there it is. I know that my suffering comes from trying to control what is uncontrollable. Just saying all of this is helpful.
I’m afraid I won’t be reporting here on the progress of the kittens and their mamas. I’m getting conflicting advice from here and the shelter and I must reduce the confusing noise in my head. Since it is the shelter I work with, I must do things their way. I truly am grateful for all of you who have tried to help me.

 

[Sarthur2]

We’re here if you need us!

 

[ashade1]

We would still love to see pictures of the babies as they grow if you feel up to updating us when they have them!