Is this even realistic?

Question

My Cat had 4 baby kittiens this past Friday, funny thing is that my mom keeps telling me not to touch the baby kittiens because the mother cat wont feed them anymore. I know it doesnt sound realistic, but lately she dosent like spending time with them and they are crying because they're hungry. Is it possible that my mom is right?

All these answers are really helping me out.
-Thanx

Answer 1

Your mum is thinking of wild animals such as ducks. Your house hold pets will not abandon there animals if you touch them. Some cats just are not the motherly type and especially if it is her first litter she may be a little clueless. You may need to supplement the kittens feeds by getting some baby kitten milk and teats from the vet or the pet shop. Try to encourage mum by putting the kittens onto her teats and see if that helps, she just may get the hang of it but if she doesn't you may be in for some late nights with feeding them.

You will know if they are hungry they should be quiet most of the time.
The other thing is that mum cat may not feel secure and safe in her environment and it not unusual for her to move them around until she feels secure! so give her a nice quiet warm area of your house and she may relax and be a good caring mum

Good luck
P.S Bottle feedin is usually every 4 hours in a twenty four hour period NOT twice a day. Check with the scale on the milk formula
Di-Vetalac or Woombaroo are the recommended brands just ring your loacl vet they will help you.

Answer 2

Your cat is not a wild thing not used to human smell.
Your human smell on the baby kittens because you touched them has nothing to do with what is happening.
Your mother may be a little bit concerned because she thinks you may touch the baby kittens too much (aren't they so soft) and you could hurt them because they are so small and fragile. In fact, you touching the baby kittens will make them used to human and will make them better pets for human later in life. I had numerous cats, with numerous litters, with numerous scenarios. The baby kittens you leave alone will grow wild and scared of humans. The baby kittens you touch all the time will get used to humans and make great affectionate pets.
As for the mother cat who “doesn’t like spending time with them”, give her a break. She just had a hard time delivering all those kittens, with no anesthesia, without any support of the father, she sees that you are touching them so she knows you are there for them, you’ve become the surrogate mother. She’s just taking a break, counting on you to touch her babies while she’s taking a rest.
All babies are the same: baby kittens…baby humans, they feed, they sleep, they wake up hungry and they cry so they’re heard and they’re fed, then they sleep, then they wake up hungry and so on. I know by experience that for baby human, it is every 3 hours that you have to feed your crying baby. People who have unsynchronized twins start to go crazy…multiply that crying baby by four for a cat.
Do not worry, the mother cat knows that you cannot feed her baby kittens and she will be there to satisfy their need.
Just look at her taking care of them and it will be the greatest lesson you will ever learn about being a mother.

Answer 3

Alyssa J is right and has some good advice.

Also, a lot depends on your relationship with the cat and how many litters she has had. If this is her first litter she may be very nervous.

As hard as it may be, you need to remember that the best thing you can do is let your cat do her job as a mother. If she is not nursing the kittens adequately you might want to take them all to a vet and see what's going on.

Good luck!

Answer 4

It's best to leave the kittens alone with Mom for a while; she does not need to feel pressured in any way, and even though she trusts you, this is a time for her when every instinct tells her that she is vulnerable. If she feels too threatened, she will abandon the litter. Give her some space and some time, and it won't be long before you can hold the kittens all you like.

Answer 5

That happens with wild animals, not pets. Breeders always handle puppies and kittens from a very young age to get them used to human contact. It's more likely that she's a first time mom (is she?) and/or she just doesn't know what she's doing. Try confining her to a quiet room with a large cardboard box for the kittens. Put soft blankets in the box, and plenty of food and water for mom in the room. Try to leave them alone as much as possible. If she still doesn't pay attention to them and you hear crying, you might have to bottle feed the kittens yourself- every 2 hours, using replacer formula from your vet or petsmart.

Answer 6

Yes, it is actually quite common for Momma kitties to reject their kittens...especially if they are touched or messed with by humans when they are very young. Have you been touching the kittens? If so, you need to stop and wait until they are about 3 weeks old before you have much contact with them. If she doesn't start allowing them to nurse again very soon you may have to start bottle-feeding the kittens at least every 3 or 4 hours. The kittens should start eating regular cat food at about 4 weeks old. They will still need to be bottle-fed twice a day until they are 6 weeks old.

Answer 7

I have had many, many kittens over the years, the momma is probably just inexperienced. Pet the Momma cat A LOT and then pet the kittens, get her scent on them and then she will lick them, licking stimulates milk, babies eat milk and everything will work out ok. I've ALWAYS held kittens from the day they were born but I have also always transferred Momma's scent back on when I was done.

Answer 8

Just make sure you observe them from a distance. If they are hungry, make sure the mom is getting enough food and water. If you see something strange, tell your mother about it. It might be nothing unusual at all, or it could require some attention.

Answer 9

OK, that's a myth but, your kittens are hungry.First, make sure mom has milk, then when u put her in there to feed her babies spend time petting her. This will make it enjoyable for her but, don't touch the babies again untill they are 3 wks old ok?

Answer 10

Your mom is definitely right. That's just how some animals are. If you touch a egg then the mother bird may not come back to the nest to take care of them. When you touch them you change their scent. So leave the damn kittens alone.