My cat just had kittens what do I do? Last week we had one very pretty, very pregnant momma cats who decided to deliver her kittens right there in the trap upon her arrival at our clinic!
The first bit of good news, all five of the kittens came out healthy and strong. We then determined that the momma cat was a friendly stray, which was the second bit of good news. She was very tame as can be and easy to handle, so the first time trapper who had brought momma cat in decided to foster the new happy family until the kittens are big enough to wean and adopt out.
As a caregiver, if you ever find yourself in this situation, here are seven important things you need to remember when caring for a momma cat and her nursing newborns.
1) Give the Momma Cats personal information.
Cat mothers and their children should be kept in a quiet, private room or away from the hustle and bustle of the home. If you have space, consider using an extra bedroom or bathroom. The break-in cage works just like a cabinet. To make a bed for them, you can use a large basket bed, a medium-height cardboard box, or a very large dog carrier. The mother needs enough space to stretch out to breastfeed and it must be high enough that the baby will not fall. If the mother is feral or shy, she will want to keep her in a tame cage.
2) Feed Momma Cats the highest quality wet feed and plenty of freshwaters.
Mother cats do most of the work, so take good care of them. She, in turn, will take care of the children. Feed your mother the highest quality wet food possible. Leave some dryness for her if you also feed her dry her. A mother needs a lot of good quality wet feed to ensure her baby gets the best of her nutrition from her mother while she is growing up. Kittens are fed every 13 hours for the first 3 weeks.
3) CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS.
You`ll want to use bedding material that is soft yet washable; towels and fleece blankets work great. Change linens daily, especially in the first few weeks. One trick is to layer several layers of towels on the bed so that you can take the dirty layer off the top and have a fresh set underneath. Make sure to keep the bedding area dry and warm.
4) Fleas are not a small problem.
Kittens can develop flea anaemia quickly, so it is important to ensure that mothers, kittens and bedding are flea-free. Use flea remedies such as Revolution, Advantage, or Frontline only on mothers. Do not use flea products on newborn kittens. It’s not safe because you’re too young. Instead, if your kitten sees fleas, you can use Dawn dishwashing liquid to bathe the cat and, if necessary, use a small flea comb to get rid of the fleas. Avoid antibacterial soaps.
5) Use a non-biting clay material.
At first, only mom uses the tray. Kittens do not use the toilet until they are about 4 weeks old. Until then, Mom will encourage you to just lick and go to the bathroom and then lick clean. It’s best to use non-clumping litter, such as Johnny Cat, while your kitten is feeding. The reason the litter sticks is because they stick to each other as soon as they get wet. It can be dangerous for kittens. This is because it can accumulate in the intestines if swallowed.
6) Carefully monitor Momma Cats all progress.
If you are a nursing mother and have little experience caring for kittens, it is recommended that you take the mother cat and baby to the veterinarian around 12 weeks of age to make sure everyone is doing well. It is very important that your kitten continues to gain weight, so you should monitor your kitten’s progress on a weekly basis. You’ll also want to test FeLV/FIV in mother cats, as it gives you an idea of whether kittens have FeLV/FIV.
