Mama Kitty

[KittyProblems]

So my cat had kittens while we were away on holidays. We came back and found them this morning, they look about a week old, 2 have their eyes open, and one still has them closed. My mama kitten kept trying to move them all over the house after we put them in a small cat bed, and so we bought a bigger bed that fit all four cats, and she was fine, but in the last hour or so, she's tried moving them again, but into dangerous places. Because of the amount of hidy holes around the house, my mum and I are worried that they or her might get stuck there, or hurt. We don't want them getting hurt, but none of our rooms are very absolute newborn kitten friendly. Is there anything I can do to help narrow the space she has to move them? I am aware I can't stop her moving them, but perhaps if I could give her only a certain space to move them, that doesn't require her to sit in a room, because she's a very people friendly cat. At the moment, the kittens are in a massive toy box, that is open enough for my cat to slink in and out as she pleases, but probably not enough to have the kittens slip out with her. They have not been in there for more than hour, and there is plenty of air for them.

KP

[rnra]

It's common for mama kitties to move their babies around in search of spots that they think are safe.  Also, sometimes mama kitties who usually love people prefer more alone time when their babies are small.  As far as making that safer--a lot of it depends on how your house is set up.  You can often find baby gates for fairly cheap at thrift stores.  I'd try and keep her corralled to a few rooms.  Or even perhaps one level of the house.  Surely there's a room somewhere that can be modified somehow to keep the kittens safe.

[KittyProblems]

A lot of low desk type things, couches close the ground, she used to fit as a kitten but then she became pregnant and couldn't fit. Unfortunately as well, we are a one story house. We also don't know where she had the kittens, and we are worried she may have lost one during birth, or it died somehow or something, and we haven't found it. But apparently some cats clean up extremely well after giving birth.

[rnra]

It's just fine if she decides to keep them under a desk or the couch.  She probably instinctively feels like she doesn't want them out in the open.  She likely won't put them somewhere that she can't reach, and if she does then you can help her move them somewhere else.  If they look healthy now and she's kept them alive for 7-10 days, then it sounds like she knows what she's doing.  Is there a corner in your living room or bedroom where you can put the bed and kind of block it in a bit so she feels more privacy?  I wouldn't completely block her in--but I'd use a low sturdy bookcase or maybe even two chairs with a long blanket draped over them, just something to help her feel more secluded.  

Yes, most cats clean up very well after birth.  They don't want to leave evidence for predators.  

What makes you think that there is a kitten who died?

[KittyProblems]

We don't think a kitten died, it's just that thought of, if there was a dead one, we don't know where it is. And I think we've just decided to lock her up the front part of the house where her bed and food and water is and the desks and that are higher off the ground.

[KittyProblems]

Good news, all kittens are healthy and fine. Foxy (my kitten mama) is being a great mum. They are really getting big, and we are positive she didn't lose one, because we can't smell anything dead in the house, or around the house. She ended up moving them under one desk in particular and left them there, and then went on to use the cat house we got her, as the kittens were too heavy to move to the other side of the house (foxy is only a year and 2 months, so she's not as strong)

[grahamsmom98]

Have you already found homes for the kittens and are you going to get Foxy spayed?

[KittyProblems]

Well, we aren't completely sure how old they are, but they are roughly 3 weeks old. My mum is hoping that once they get to a certain age (2 months probably) and they aren't feeding on foxy, it'll be safer then to get them spayed. She's gonna get them all spayed at the same time, and vaccinated. I'm not sure if the breeder we got foxy from got her vaccinated or not, so we'll go and get that checked out.

We have homes for 2 of them that are definite. My cousin really wants a kitten (so badly, before foxy even fell pregnant) and so when we found out foxy had kittens we decided we would give one to her for a christmas present. My mum is thinking about keeping one (because my other cat is going on 16 years, and she is very skinny, but she doesn't appear to be in any pain, and because she's so old she COULD die soon, so it saves us from having to try to find a home for 2. The other one we aren't completely sure about. Another cousin had 2 cats, and one died, and she got another cat, and they've discovered that she could very well have cancer, so they are wondering whether they should take one, and then my step-dad is thinking about taking one aswell, so if my cousin doesn't take it, my step-dad might.

[grahamsmom98]

Originally Posted by KittyProblems 

Well, we aren't completely sure how old they are, but they are roughly 3 weeks old. My mum is hoping that once they get to a certain age (2 months probably) and they aren't feeding on foxy, it'll be safer then to get them spayed. She's gonna get them all spayed at the same time, and vaccinated. I'm not sure if the breeder we got foxy from got her vaccinated or not, so we'll go and get that checked out.

We have homes for 2 of them that are definite. My cousin really wants a kitten (so badly, before foxy even fell pregnant) and so when we found out foxy had kittens we decided we would give one to her for a christmas present. My mum is thinking about keeping one (because my other cat is going on 16 years, and she is very skinny, but she doesn't appear to be in any pain, and because she's so old she COULD die soon, so it saves us from having to try to find a home for 2. The other one we aren't completely sure about. Another cousin had 2 cats, and one died, and she got another cat, and they've discovered that she could very well have cancer, so they are wondering whether they should take one, and then my step-dad is thinking about taking one aswell, so if my cousin doesn't take it, my step-dad might.

Okay, but you ARE going to get Foxy spayed, right? 

How long have you had Foxy?  A responsible breeder should have told you her vax status and provided proof of same.

Was this a planned breeding?  If Foxy is an outdoor cat (bad idea), she MUST be spayed before she is allowed to roam, again.  Be a responsible pet owner and make sure she is spayed as soon as the vet says it is safe to do after her giving birth.  And, keep her INSIDE, until the surgery!!!

[KittyProblems]

Originally Posted by grahamsmom98 

Okay, but you ARE going to get Foxy spayed, right? 

How long have you had Foxy?  A responsible breeder should have told you her vax status and provided proof of same.

Was this a planned breeding?  If Foxy is an outdoor cat (bad idea), she MUST be spayed before she is allowed to roam, again.  Be a responsible pet owner and make sure she is spayed as soon as the vet says it is safe to do after her giving birth.  And, keep her INSIDE, until the surgery!!!

We are getting her spayed at the end of January. We got her in February last year, and my mum has major depression and didn't get around to getting her to the vet. And I'm only 16, so I couldn't take her myself. And the breeder we got her from gave us a vet check that told us she had had her vaccinations and it told us her birthday.

It was not a planned breed. When we discovered she was in season, we blocked her off from going outside, but my mum didn't know that they can still conceive up to 2 weeks after being in season, and so we let her back out. She's only an outside cat to go do her business and she comes back in. The vet said it would be safe when the kittens a around 6 weeks, because that way, they are at an age where they can be eating cat food as well as milk from their mother, and yeah. And as much as I have taken into consideration the fact we had issues and couldn't take her to get her spade, I do not appreciate being called irresponsible, I have my own job (the only income coming in ATM, because my mum lost her job(not because of the depression)) and I am in my final years at school. As much as I would keep her inside until the surgery, she needs to do her business, and my brother and sister do not know how to do the kitty litter properly, but she is fine outside, she goes out for a toilet break and comes right back in. Besides until the kittens come off milk, she can't get pregnant again, and that's why she is being spayed right before the kittens come off milk.

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by KittyProblems 

 

 Besides until the kittens come off milk, she can't get pregnant again, and that's why she is being spayed right before the kittens come off milk.

Oh sweetie, who told you that lie?  I hope it wasn't a veterinarian!  Cats can not only conceive while nursing, they can conceive while pregnant!  Teach your sibs how to clean a catbox and keep Foxy indoors until her uterus is removed, or she will be pregnant again in a wink.