What to do when cat abandons her kittens?

Question

My Mom's cat just had 3 kittens yesterday, one died, but the cat doesn't seem to care about the kittens at all. She won't feed them, she never cleaned them, she carries one around sometimes, but seems to dislike the other. Why is this? And, since the kittens aren't getting fed, what can my Mom feed them? Thank you for any suggestion. We've never had kittens in the family before.

Answer 1

WHAT TO DO...........

1. you will need a warm place to put the kittens and be sure to put them together because they need each others body heat to keep warm...get some plastic bottles(soda bottles etc..) and wrap it in clothes and place them next to the kittens....

2. you will need to go to a pet store / pet supply store or at your local vet and purchase kitten baby bottles

3. you will also need some "KITTEN REPLACEMENT FORMULA"
which you can also purchase at a pet store / vet office...preferably the powder kind because you can mix it yourself and it lasts longer...the liquid kind only lasts 24hrs...*be sure to read the instruction to find out the measurements and you will have to hand feed them every 4hrs about 4ml i think be sure to read the feeding requirements on the formula label..

*note- if the mom ignores kittens and you handfeed them it will be about 4-6 wks before they can be weaned(the process of crossing over to solid food) then you can introduce soft food mixed with some kitten milk(***DO NOT FEED THEM COW'S MILK---its dangerous for them) then eventually no milk and then you can start giving them dry food (which is good for their teeth to help prevent tartar build up and such)

*make sure kittens are not dehydrated...do not have the heat too hot or they may get dehydrated

HOW TO CHECK IF THEY ARE DEHYDRATED:

-pinch a small amount of skin on the neck between the shoulder blades (also called the scruff) and then let go .. if the skin quickly falls back into place then they are not dehydrated if the skin stays folded long then they are dehydrated

IF YOUR MOMMA CAT STILL IGNORES THEM:

1. you will have to help them to use the bathroom by stimulating...
-get a cloth and wet it with warm luke water then gently stimulate the anal and genital areas until they pee and take a dump....(the mom usually does this by licking the areas...and then ingesting the feces....its normal so dont freak out it she does this)


*Dont forget to comfort the mother...if this is her first litter she is most likely confused or in shock of being a first time mom so make sure you comfort her and make sure she eats a lot of kitten food because she needs the calories in order to produce milk...have food and water available at all times near her bed by her babies......hope i helped


I had to handfeed and stimulate my kitten when we found her at 3wks of age

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

-owner of 3 cats and 4 kittens

Answer 2

If the cat has had no association with other cats giving birth, then it is a shot in the dark as to whether she will raise her kittens correctly. We got lucky with out pregnant teenage kitten. As for feeding, it will be eyedroppers of milk but they will have to be modified to get the proper nourishment. The local animal shelter or your vet will be able to give you a cat milk formula. You can also look forward to the task of teaching the kittens to use a litter box if the mother is going to abandon them.

Answer 3

I actually found 3 kittens under my porch that the mother cat had left for dead. We went to the store and they sell cat formula and they have bottles there and you have to feed them by hand. You will also have to make them go to the bathroom. What I did was get a cotton ball and wet it with warm water and wipe their area with it to make them go to the bathroom. The vet said that the mother will leave the litter if there is something wrong with them. I feed my kittens every 3-4 hrs and made sure that they slept on a heating pad with lots of covers on top of it so not to burn them. Keep the heating pad on low and you also have to take a cotton ball and wipe their eyes so they can one day open them. I hope this helps and if I can help anymore just please let me know.

Answer 4

The vet has some cats milk for the little kittens ... you can hold the mother down and make her nurse too.. THAT is what I would do... You may have to wrap mother in a towel so she doesn't scratch you... then just bare her nipples and bring the kittens to her... been there done that.

Since they are so young do not give them water yet as their systems can't handle it..

Good Luck & I Hope They Make It

Answer 5

go and get kitten formula from a pet store or a walmart if you have one near you and a bottle. you'll have to keep them warm and feed them every two hours. if it is her first litter she may not know what to do. my cat rejected her second litter because she was not ready to care for them and i had to. you can try kenneling her with them but it may not work. if you don't have the time to feed them every two hours take them to a vet or pet store that had a nursing mother with kittens about the same age. they are usually good about adopting orphans. when they start eating soft foods give them a little bit of baby rice cereal. it will put the weight on them that they didn't get from nursing from mom. rub them to keep them warm and make sure to set them on a warm blanket or towel that has come out of the dryer that is not to hot. put a clock that ticks with them when you are not holding them. it simulates a heart beat. DO NOT use cows milk cats are lactose intolerant.

Answer 6

Follow the guidelines below if your kitten's Mom is not around.


Determine the age of the kitten
to see if he or she needs to be bottle-fed or can start immediately on soft food:

1 - 3 weeks old - will need to be bottle-fed.
3 weeks and older - can be offered soft food, but may need to be bottle-fed.
- Eyes closed, ears folded over - kitten is 1 - 14 days old
- Eyes are open, kitten moves around but is wobbly - 2 - 3 weeks old
- Eyes are open, ears up, can walk around - 3 - 4 weeks old
- Running around and is difficult or impossible to catch - 4 - 8 weeks old or older.

If the kitten is cold, warm her slowly by holding her against your bare skin, which will allow her to absorb your body's heat (if you are outside, your armpit makes a great incubator). Cold is the greatest danger to kittens. DO NOT submerge the kitten in water or use any method that will warm her temperature too quickly. Because she is not able to generate her own heat, wrapping the kitten in a blanket or towel is not sufficient. The kitten must get her heat from you. DO NOT feed a cold kitten. Wait until her body heat is approximately 90+ degrees Fahrenheit. See section below regarding feeding instructions.

Make a kitten box. Put a heating pad in a box big enough to accommodate the heating pad and an area that is not covered by the heating pad. Kittens will crawl toward the heat when they are cold and away from the heat when they are warm. If they do not have an area where they can get away from the heat, they can become dehydrated and die. Turn the heating pad on LOW and cover it with a towel. Never let the kitten lie directly on the pad. Place the box in a warm and draft-free area.

Do not bathe the kitten unless absolutely necessary. If the kitten appears to need a bath, her body temperature must be normal, 90+ degrees Fahrenheit. Flea combing is best if the kitten has fleas. (If the kitten must be bathed, use small amount of Lemon Joy. The citrus kills fleas and is safe for kittens. Flea shampoos are too harsh for kittens.) After towel drying the kitten as much as possible return the kitten to the heating pad. NEVER use a hair dryer.


Supplies you will need for neonatal kittens:

* Heating pad
* Kitten Milk formula or replacement
* Hot water bottle (must be wrapped in towel)
* Feeding bottle and several nipples
* Eye dropper or syringe (without needle)
* Several bath towels for bedding and cleaning kittens
* Scale for weighing kittens (optional)
* Rectal thermometer (kittens normal temperature is between 100 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit)
* Have Emergency Vet Clinic number handy.(Ask if they have experience with orphaned kittens)


KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) or Just Born are the best formulas to feed a neonatal kitten. Do not give a kitten cow's milk, except in an emergency. If you cannot obtain KMR immediately, use the following emergency recipe for up to 24 hours only. In an emergency, call, a veterinarian, or check a local pet store for kitten formulas. Visit www.1888PETS911.org for humane societies in your area.


Emergency Recipe
* 2/3 cup homogenized whole milk
* 3 raw egg yolks
* 1 tablespoon corn oil
* 1 dropper pediatric liquid vitamins

Warm the formula in a nursing bottle or medicine dropper by placing the bottle or dropper into a cup or bowl of hot water. Test the formula on the underside of your wrist to check the temperature. If it feels too warm or too cold on your wrist, it will feel the same for the kitten. If the formula is too hot, wait until the formula cools down. If the formula is too cold, continue soaking the bottle or dropper in hot water. Always be sure to test the formula again before giving it to the kitten.
Place the kitten on her stomach at a 45-degree angle (just as a kitten would nurse from the mother) and let her nurse until she turns her head. Do not hold the kitten's head back, and do not hold her on her back as you would a human baby, because the kitten could aspirate formula into her lungs. Avoid getting air into the kitten's tummy by holding the bottle at an angle to keep liquid toward the nipple. Pulling back slightly on the bottle will help trigger the kitten's sucking reflex. Never squeeze the bottle to force milk to come out. Do not panic if the kitten does not eat the first day. She may be more accustomed to her mothers' milk, which is quite rich, and can sustain her for a longer time than replacement formulas. (If she is still not eating after 24 hours, seek veterinary assistance immediately. She may need to be force fed through a tube. Never attempt tube feeding yourself if you are unfamiliar with this procedure. If done improperly, esophageal or stomach damage, and even death can result.) Important: After the kitten's stomach is full, it is necessary to stimulate her to help her eliminate. A kitten does not have the ability to do this until they are three weeks old. Stimulate by taking a wet, lukewarm, but not hot, washcloth or paper towel and gently massage the anal region in a small circular or back-and-forth motion. You may want to hold kitten over a towel or sink while stimulating her.

Feeding Schedule This is a general guideline. A kitten will eat more often or less often, depending on the kitten. The label on the container of kitten formula you purchased should indicate the recommended amount to feed a kitten according to body weight. If a kitten cries, she is either cold or hungry. A contented kitten sleeps quietly.

Age in Weeks/Feedings per day
* 1 week old - needs 6 feedings per day
* 2 weeks old - needs 6 feedings per day
* 3 weeks old - needs 4 feedings per day
* 4 weeks old - needs 3 feedings per day

Never overfeed a kitten Some kittens will eat and eat as long as food is offered to them. Follow the instructions and guidelines on the container of kitten formula. When the kitten is three to four weeks old, you can begin weaning the kitten with baby food (GERBER Chicken, Turkey or Beef) or canned kitten food mixed with KMR.

Answer 7

you need to get a large eyedropper and put a little warm milk in it and let them suck on the eyedropper while you gently push the milk in their mouth it will be hard at first but it works well... after they eat/drink the milk you need to take a luke warm paper towel or washrag and rub them tomake them potty.. because they cant go on thier own yet

Answer 8

hi. if your cat will not feed her baby's,then you must do it yourself. first you must find a eye drop,any kind of dropper. the get some pig milk and try that. if that does not work take to the vet.