Two litters coming - HELP!!!

[JennyBug]

We have two litters of kittens coming from the two female strays we've been caring for. We have moved both mommas into a climate controlled garage (they get along really well - they might actually be sisters), they get good food and lots of love every day.

Neither my husband nor I have ever dealt with litters of kittens before (one of our friends who has been around TONS of pregnant cats informed us that one is due within the next two weeks and the other is due in about three weeks), is there anything we need to do? I know that cats rarely have problems giving birth, so I'm not too worried about that. Do we need to provide special food or extra warmth or anything like that?

The kittens will all be up for adoption after being weaned (no fee required, just love ), and both mommas will be up for adoption after being spayed. Any input on their care until then would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!!

 

[Jenn]

I care for a huge group of stray cats and several females give birth each year. They can handle the process without human intervention, for the most part. For the kittens around here, I worry about predators and it being too cold for them. But it sounds like you have that covered already. I don't know if you plan on having them get their first set of immunizations before you rehome them, but one thing I've noticed that gets transmitted a lot to the kittens are heartworms. I've adopted 3 kittens from the strays over the years and they each had heartworms, which gets transferred between momma and kittens. If the mommas will let you, you need to spend time with the kittens to get them socialized to human contact. Also, make noise and do normal activities around the kittens so they don't become afraid later on at every little noise. Mother will nurse them for about the first 6 weeks and then she will transition them to dry food. They do ok on dry kitten food, but I always moistened their dry food with a little warm water to soften it when they were first transitioning. They tend to choke on it a bit when first learning to chew their food. Also, don't give them any cows milk, it is not good for them. If you want to give them milk, for a treat, goats milk is ok. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the kittens, the mother will do the rest.

 

[3CsMommy]

* Get the mamas eating kitten food now. They'll need the extra fat/nutrients to help make milk.

*Also, if I can tell they're going to birth within a day or so (look for dripping nipples, nesting or a sudden big personality change), I'll offer a warm scrambled egg, lightly cooked chicken livers/necks, or some warmed up canned chicken: something small, but very nutritious before they go into labor.

*Keep a water bowl close to their nests, as many moms won't want to go too far away for the first few days. You might even offer some warmed up low sodium chicken broth shortly after she's done with labor to entice her to rehydrate faster.

*Don't mess with the nest too much for the first few days, but if they'll let you, many of the queens (adult female cats) I've fostered/rescued liked a little petting or even a short brushing after 1-2 days. They start to feel dirty because there are tiny, pooping kittens crawling all over them and they can't groom themselves very well.

*There are probably a ton of websites available for if one of them rejects a kitten, or even a whole litter, but I've also seen queens nurse each other's kittens. At one point, I had 3 give birth within a week of each other, and the oldest of the 3 cats would pick up whatever kitten was squalling, no matter who it belonged to, and plop it into her box. The other mother would do a 'head count' and retrieve her kitten when she got back from her water/litter box break, just like wild lions have been documented doing.

*Keep your chinchilla/hedgie scale and a clean box handy just in case, and you might want to regularly weigh them anyway, to make sure they're gaining weight well.

*Keep plenty of clean towels and newspaper on hand. After the first week or so, you'll want to change their bedding every day or two to keep the smell down. A low-sided litter pan can make it easier for the babies to learn not to pee/poo where they sleep. They'll watch Mom and Auntie and then try to do it themselves after about 3-4 weeks.

* Charge your camera batteries. We'll want pictures! :needpics:

 

[mishalaa]

If either of them are longhairs, you should clip the hair around the nipples so the kittens can nurse easier.

As stated above, get the moms on kitten food now.

Right before the second mom litters and for a couple days afterwards, she should be kept away from the first litter. The kittens from the first litter may try to nurse on her, but it is important that her litter nurses from her first. Nursing mothers produce colostrum before the actual milk comes in, and her own kittens will need it. After a couple days, they can raise each others kittens.

The mothers should take care of pretty much everything. They will eat the placentas but it is normal for them to leave an inch or two of umbilical cord attached to the kittens. This will dry up and fall off within a few days.

Ideally, the kittens should stay together and not be adopted out until at least 12 weeks of age. They'll be weaned at/by week 8, but the last four weeks are important for learning social behaviors and well help them adjust better to their new homes. =)

 

[addictedtochins]

Why don't you do what I had to endure. My momma cat insisted she had to give birth between my knees on my bed. Delightful :nah:

 

[JennyBug]

Haha, well, we already have two indoor cats (a boy and girl, both altered), and my husband would go INSANE if we brought another cat (or two) into the house, nevermind two cats and their litters!! I will be spending a lot of time out in the garage...

When do their eyes typically open?

 

[Jenn]

Their eyes open after about 2 weeks.

 

[JennyBug]

Still waiting...
We should have some kittens in a week or so... both mommas look like they're about to pop!!! Poor baby girls!!

 

[3CsMommy]

You might try some gentle tummy rubbing or skritches in the mean time. If they're that big, it can be hard to reach all the places that might itch, and if it's a first litter, some seem to like the affection and reassurance of being gently 'groomed'. (It's also kind of neat to get kicked by a teeny little kitten foot while you're doing it. )

 

[addictedtochins]

It's also kind of neat to get kicked by a teeny little kitten foot while you're doing it. )

I know what you mean, it's been awhile but I remember holding the momma cat in my arms while sitting down and I could fell the kittens moving on my tummy. It was pretty much exactly the same feelings as when my son was moving in my tummy 14 years ago.

 

[JennyBug]

Soxie's babies have lowered significantly in her tummy, and she really has no interest in leaving the garage anymore, so we think we will have a litter by the end of the week. Our friend who had experience with this type of situation guessed incorrectly regarding their due dates ::sigh::

As long as mommas and babies are healthy, I don't care when it happens!!!

 

[Jenn]

I have a momma stray outside right now who looks like she is very close to giving birth. She hangs around on my deck a lot more instead of her usual hunting, and she is very round. She really appreciates my rubbing her tummy. My guess is she'll probably give birth on my deck. I don't know if your cats are allowed to leave the garage to go out, but I can tell you that the strays that I care for will give birth, and after about 2 to 3 weeks of age, the momma will move the babies to a new spot. She will carry them one by one to a new safe spot, so you may want to limit the momma's freedom once the kittens are a couple of weeks old so she doesn't move them to a location not known to you.

 

[3CsMommy]

Time for scrambled egg and new batteries for the camera.

 

[JennyBug]

Haha, yeah, we're coming in on zero hour with Soxie. I had to pic her up to put her back into the garage, and she made a noise like it hurt. DON'T WORRY: I didn't pick her up by her tummy or anything, I went behind the front legs and under the rumpus!

We're going to keep them in the garage (it's climate controlled) until the kittens are weaned because we are going to get them spayed afterward. If we let them otu, I don't think we would see them again until they were pregnant again.

I'll post pics and such when they get here!!

 

[Jenn]

It's a race - my momma cat can't get any rounder! I bet they'll be due about the same time.

 

[JennyBug]

I'm about to go nuts!!

I know you can't rush nature, but these poor mommas might pop!!

I also might have to bottle feed some wild bunnies. A friend's father ran over their nest with a mower and scared them out. One got hit by a car, but three are still alive... since I've bottle fed a bunny before, they might come to school with me for daily feedings!

 

[Jenn]

You are going to be plenty busy with all the babies...!

 

[addictedtochins]

Aw, pictures momma cat nursing kittens and bunnies.

 

[JennyBug]

Yeah, my husband says that would be a bad idea... I think it would be terribly cute, but he thinks the mommas would eat the bunnies!

 

[Jenn]

I'm pretty sure the momma would kill the babies, especially if the momma's are strays. They have to do what it takes to survive. I feed my strays and they still hunt birds and squirrels. It's instinctive. But it sure would make a wonderful picture. There are actually photos of one type of animal momma caring for a baby from a different species. So it is possible!