Bottle-feeding kittens is far harder than bottle-feeding babies as they don't have a cough reflex at this age. So long as they are putting weight on leave well alone.
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Urgent! Please help!
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Last night Tigra hid her kittens. I have a small one bedroom apartment. I have spent the last 2 hours looking for them. I can't find them anywheres. She has been pacing back and forth for the last few hours, very anxious. I'm not sure why she moved them or where they are. 
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Found them! My husband told me that I had to stop looking for them and go play on my computer for awhile. I hestiated but needed a break from looking so I did. About 5 minutes later he called me into the living room. We have a glass closet door the bottom panel window is broken she managed to squeeze through the tiny hole and hid the kittens in the very back of the closet. I have no idea how she managed to get them in there and into such a small space.
I moved them back itno the bedroom and locked the dogs out. Everytime I forget to lock the dogs out of our bedroom she hides them.
I've been giving her KRM. The kittens are starting to put thier face in the little dish and lick out some of the KRM. Is that okay? They are 18 days old. Are they old enough to start drinking? I thought it would be at least another week before they were ready.
I moved them back itno the bedroom and locked the dogs out. Everytime I forget to lock the dogs out of our bedroom she hides them.
I've been giving her KRM. The kittens are starting to put thier face in the little dish and lick out some of the KRM. Is that okay? They are 18 days old. Are they old enough to start drinking? I thought it would be at least another week before they were ready.
If they are doing it they are ready, but personally i would never offer milk replacements to cats or kittens. Put down kitten food (wet and dry) in shallow dishes and they will wean themselves when they are ready. There should also be clean water down at all times.
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Mom was having a really hard time producing milk. 5 days or so ago I started giving her KRM, yogurt, cheese and 2% milk. Her nipples are now big and full of milk. She was almost completely dried up before.
Were the kittens not putting weight on? That's the acid test of if she has enough milk. If the kittens are contented and putting weight on at a reasonable rate (anything from 10g/day onwards, 10g = 1/3 oz) then whatever her milk bar looks like there's enough milk for them.
Milk and milk products are not a natural part of the diet of an adult cat and nor are they a balanced diet for an adult cat. What she needs is as much good-quality kitten food as she will eat.
Milk and milk products are not a natural part of the diet of an adult cat and nor are they a balanced diet for an adult cat. What she needs is as much good-quality kitten food as she will eat.
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I've read that some kittens start dabble in KMR or food dishes as young as that, so I think it's not *that* unusual, though a tiny bit early.
It sounds like you've done a good job keeping mom healthy! It is probably a good idea to keep the dogs away. She sounds like she is a little stressed by them. How big are the kittens now? Mine are just on Day 9, but they are ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 ounces. Are they making lots of noise? Do you have any photos?
It sounds like you've done a good job keeping mom healthy! It is probably a good idea to keep the dogs away. She sounds like she is a little stressed by them. How big are the kittens now? Mine are just on Day 9, but they are ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 ounces. Are they making lots of noise? Do you have any photos?
Milk as a "everyday matter of fact" is not necessary, true. Food here and milk there, to drink.
But milk and or milk products is useful when extra calcium is necessary. Like lactacing moms or high pregs with big litters on way.
Useful also when the cat food is of unsure quality. Say cheap cat food bough at nearest food store.
If you give cow milk, preferably low lactose, and preferably full fat (3%), better than low fat sorts.
There are many ways to Rom.
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If a cat is short on calcium there are better sources than milk - and sources that are less likely to produce digestive upsets. Many cats are lactose intolerant and even low-lactose milk can induce digestive upsets in them which is the last thing a queen feeding kittens needs.
Far better IMHO to feed decent quality food than rely on unnatural (for cats) milk products. Have seen my friends cat successfully raise litters of 6, 8 and 6 eating kitten food with no problems whatsoever and no need to supplement the kittens. No problems with my foster last year either, who raised 5 again on kitten food, with no milk products.
I'm not convinced the OPs cat ever didn't have enough milk - so far as I know the OP wasn't weighing the kittens which in my view is by far the best way to be sure, as even if the cat obviously has milk there can still be problems with the kittens. Fighting at the milk bar is normal, not all litters do it, some come to terms with who suckles where, but If you haven't seen it before it can be very unnerving to watch - they really scrabble away at times. I say again - so long as they are gaining weight at a reasonable rate (at least 10g per day) it's OK.
Far better IMHO to feed decent quality food than rely on unnatural (for cats) milk products. Have seen my friends cat successfully raise litters of 6, 8 and 6 eating kitten food with no problems whatsoever and no need to supplement the kittens. No problems with my foster last year either, who raised 5 again on kitten food, with no milk products.
I'm not convinced the OPs cat ever didn't have enough milk - so far as I know the OP wasn't weighing the kittens which in my view is by far the best way to be sure, as even if the cat obviously has milk there can still be problems with the kittens. Fighting at the milk bar is normal, not all litters do it, some come to terms with who suckles where, but If you haven't seen it before it can be very unnerving to watch - they really scrabble away at times. I say again - so long as they are gaining weight at a reasonable rate (at least 10g per day) it's OK.
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I've always given my cats a treat of milk once or twice a month and they have always loved it.
She gets mostly wet and canned Purina One. Not the best I know but I live in a small town and its either Purina One, Friskies, or Meow Mix.
She is getting small portions of yogurt and cheese more often than she gets milk.
i don't have a scale so I can't weigh the kittens. Thier bellies are all nice and round. They are starting to play and they're all exploring. They seem to be doing great. She's a very good mom. I watched her today. She went and woke up the smallest kitten when all of the kittens were sleeping. She picked him up and carried him to the other side of the room. Then she nursed him by himself. Then she brought him back over to the other kittens and nursed all of them at once.
I'll try to get pictures later on today
She gets mostly wet and canned Purina One. Not the best I know but I live in a small town and its either Purina One, Friskies, or Meow Mix.
She is getting small portions of yogurt and cheese more often than she gets milk.
i don't have a scale so I can't weigh the kittens. Thier bellies are all nice and round. They are starting to play and they're all exploring. They seem to be doing great. She's a very good mom. I watched her today. She went and woke up the smallest kitten when all of the kittens were sleeping. She picked him up and carried him to the other side of the room. Then she nursed him by himself. Then she brought him back over to the other kittens and nursed all of them at once.
I'll try to get pictures later on today
