my 1yr old cat had 1 kitten last night?

Question

is it normal for such a small litter she is manx cat and only small herself can i just get some handy hints on helping her raise it please help and also how do i see if its male or female

Answer 1

It's not abnormal. I've had it happen where one of my cats only had one kitten in her litter, which works out better for her .. she doesn't have to deal with scrapping kittens fighting for the same milk location later on.

There's nothing you should be doing to help the cat .. leave it alone. She instinctively knows how to take care of her kitten, and for the first 4 weeks or so, you don't need to do anything except admire from a distance. Don't touch the kitten too much, especially for the first week or so, as some mother cats will get annoyed and reject the kitten if you do.

After about 4 weeks, dig out some wet cat food and a bowl of milk and start slowly introducing the kitten to them. Also, the litterbox. Before that, the mother will clean up it's messes before you even notice them.

As for telling the gender, for the first 2 weeks, you won't be able to. The genitals are swollen and you can't accurately tell. In a few weeks it'll be obvious.

Edit: For the post below mine ... you disagree with me about kittens needing wet cat food at about 4 weeks, by saying the mother needs it now? How can that be a disagreement when I never said she didn't, lol? I said to introduce the KITTEN to wet at about 4 weeks. The mother won't do this.

Of course the mother still requires proper care and nutrition, but I would hope that goes without saying and that she was being fed properly PRIOR to having her kitten.

No, neither of them NEED milk, however providing a small bowl of milk makes it much easier on the mother cat a few weeks down the road when the kitten is insatiable and wants to feed 24/7. You'll find your mother cat starts to withdraw from her kitten a little around this time.

Also ... do not be surprised if she attempts to hide the kitten. At about 3-4 weeks, she wants to start teaching her kitten to hunt, to hide and to fend for itself. Part of this process is her contantly moving the kitten to a quieter place. You can move it back by this time without any fear of the mother rejecting the kitten anymore .. this is only a real concern during the first week or so.

Answer 2

Ok I suppose it could be normal for her to have only a litter of one seems how she is so smal but are you sure there are not more still inside of her? You may want to consult her vet if you think more kittens may be inside of her. If you know she has no more in her then shes fine!

As far as advice on helpin her raise them, she should know what to do it is instictual! However just providing her with a safe home and lots of love and good food a kitten formulated food would be beneficial to her and the kitten while she is nursing.

And to tell if it is a male or a female when you look at the genitals if it looks like a slit it is a female if it looks more like a hole it is male.

Does that help? I hope so.Congradulations btw!

Answer 3

Are you sure she had only one? Some cats abandon weaker babies or depending upon where she gave birth can not get to them any more. It is also possible she might have not been able to deliver all of them. You need to see a vet. One would be unusual but not unheard of, I'd be searching like a madwoman about now if I were you. lol

I disagree with the above post that says wait 4 weeks to feed wet food to the kitten, the mom needs it now while nursing and should be eating dry kitten food with the wet which is more nutritious for her. The kitten will eat it when she needs it in about 4 weeks and not a minute before she is ready so dont worry about that... No need to give either cat milk either. Fresh water and lots of privacy for mom & baby where she wont feel threatened.

Good luck

Answer 4

Its possible yes. On raising the kitten, you have to make sure that Mommy cat is well taken care of i.e, warm bed lots of Milk, Food, Water, treats, etc. Make sure that Mommy cat's bed has fresh linens. If they get dirty, and they will, As the kitten gets older it will start using the bathroom on the sheet or blanket. Its eyes may get "crusty" from time to time. What you do there is take a DAMP warm cloth and GENTLY rub the "slits" of the eyes. As for seeing if its male or female you usually can't tell right away. If you lift up the tail and see 2 "bumps", its a male. If you see a "slit" its a girl.

Good Luck

Answer 5

Ya i agree with some of the other people on here, she might still have some other kittens inside of her, be patient for another day or so. And yes it is still normal for a cat to have only 1 kitten. U probly won't beable to tell the sex for a couple of wks. Good Luck to u tho. O, and Congradulations grama.

Answer 6

Its not common, but it does happen. Just make sure that she's feeding and cleaning the kitten. If the mother doesn't lick the kittens tummy, it will not be able to pee or pooh.. thus killing the kitten. Make sure she's licking its tummy. Other then that, the kitten should be fine if it has a good mother.

Answer 7

It is possible to have only one. But, also, remember that cats can be in labor for up to 24 hours. Keep a close eye on her. Gently feel her stomach to see if you can feel any more in there. If you are still concerned in the morning, call your vet and see if he or she can see the cat. Explain what is going on, and they will probably let you bring her right in.

Answer 8

perhaps the kitten scent yet another cat on her mama.............. you want to get the mummy fixed asap.......... your mama can get right into a wrestle...........i'm feeding a feral named blackie and he or she got here lower back to the abode at the same time with her eye ripped up................( tomm i go in for radiation and am no longer in monetary structure to take blackie to the vet........) a number of those fights may reason harm or leukemia

Answer 9

maybe there is more stuck inside?