I need help with baby kittens!

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I need help with baby kittens!

Posted : 9/28/2006 11:28:49 PM

One of my cats ( they're all outdoor cats) had three kittens not too long ago, maybe like a week by now. This is her second time having kittens, so she's done it before. Everything was just fine for the first few days, and then I think the day before yesterday, we had to unload a wagon of hay, and she had a spot for the kittens there. So I moved them for her, to another hay wagon ( it's inside the pole building and protected). I made a little hollow inside of it and put the kittens in there, but she doesn't seem to like it! So now she refuses to go in there and take care of the kittens. Maybe she is scared of it, I don't know. She used to be just fine, and go in there and curl up around them, purring. But she is ignoring them even when they cry that they are hungry. So today I went and bought some kitten milk replacer and a bottle, but they wouldn't eat it. So I took them out to where the cat was laying (on the tractor seat, actually) and she was great with them there. They ate like they were starved, and she purred and licked them. I couldn't leave them there, though, since it's getting colder and they have to be protected, plus they could easily fall off of there. So I went ahead and put them back in the hay when they were finished. Then, even though they cried some, the kitty still ignored them. Tonight I did the same thing, and took them over to her to eat, and that went ok, but I had to put them back in the hay once they were finished.

This is getting pretty frustrating though, and I'm not so happy with my cat! Why is she doing this? I hate to interfere with them like this, but I'm afraid if I do nothing, they might die. Should I try and find another place for them that momma kitty will accept? I just don't want to move them around so much, especially if I don't know she will like it there.

So....Anyone have any ideas for me??

Xebby

Posted : 9/29/2006 1:52:42 AM

That really is a hard call. How old are the kittens now? Would it be possable for you to take them inside and care for them yourself? If you want to reconnect the kitten with the mother you need to find a place that is confortable for the mommy kitty. She choose that first spot because that is where she wanted to be now her new spot just isn't right for her. You could use a large dog kennel and put a litter box in there with blankets to keep all them together in there till the kittens can eat on their own. It does sound a little harsh to keep the mother locked up like that but if it means keeping thoes kittens alive then that is what is best for everyone. I'm shure there may be anouther way but the longer you wate to find it the weaker thoes kitten are going to get. hopefuly someone here has better advice then I do.

I remember when my parents barn cat would have kittens, if we didn't find them in time they would become feral and run off before we could catch them. we fianly caught the mother cat and had her spayed becaue it was too much of a problem having too many stray kittens running away.

Stephanie Book

Posted : 9/29/2006 2:37:39 PM

The kittens are one week old, and one day. Thanks for your advice, Xebby, I decided to get out one of the dog crates, not a huge one though, and make a bed for them out there in it. Instead of keeping her in it all the time though, I was only going to shut her in for a while and see how it went. So I did that, and at first she was all scared and kept trying to get out, but then she settled down and let the kittens eat, and was nice and calm. Once I thought the kittens had enough, I opened the door, but she still stayed in there for a while with them! So I think she is pretty comfortable. If she doesn't go back in herself, I'll end up shutting her in again, but I'm hoping that she will go in by herself and take care of them. The crate is on a shelf in the barn so that other cats or the dogs don't get to it, and I set a dish of food and water next to the crate too. So hopefully she will keep coming back there. Just a little while ago I went out and she had finally come out of the crate, but was laying near it, so she didn't totally run away. I'm thinking this is a good thing, so I'm pretty excited [

]

To answer your questions, if all this doesn't work out, yes I can bring the kittens inside and take care of them myself, although I think it would be hard to try and feed them, so right now I'm trying to get the mommy kitty to care for them. She really is a pretty good cat and all of our cats are tame, they follow us around everywhere. So when I put her in there I rub her head and that makes her relax and roll over on her back [

] The kittens are warm enough I think because they're sleeping in the folds of the blanket.

So I'll be checking on them again soon, and hope everything keeps going well! Thanks!