I have no experience with cats, but the mom has become very affectionate with me over the last 4 months. She is very skiddish, but trusts me with kittens. She is a wonderful mom and taking very good care of kittens. She has taken to the box I put the kittens in for her and will take them back there if I take them out. They were born 2 weeks ago. I could use any advise about cats and kittens. Never had a cat before but am a dog lover from way back. Please help!
2007-10-24 03:32:25 · 5 answers · asked by S R 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Mom needs to have high quality dry kitten food available to her at all times, in order to supply her babies with wholesome milk. Basically, don't buy anything that is available at your grocery store. Evolve is one of the best foods. You should start to ween the kittens at around 6 weeks. By this I mean, make wet and dry kitten food available to them. Dry at all times and wet 1 tablespoons 3 times a day for each kitten. When you feed them the wet food, take them in a seperate room, away from mom. She won't like it at first, but it has to be done, they can't nurse forever. Be sure that all of them have fresh water available to them at all times. Are you planning on keeping them all? Or are you going to find homes? Another responder stated that if she's feral, you should let her go back outside. I disagree, after the kittens are weened, let mom's milk dry up for at least 10 days and have her spayed. She may be perfectly content as a housecat.
2007-10-24 03:56:22 · answer #1 · answered by ~Jenn~ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are doing well taking care of her. BUt I have one request to BEG of you.. IT won't be easy, but I beg you to try!!
One female cat can have 3 litters in a year Lets say each litter was 4 kittens (typical) that's 12 kittens.
How many are girls? Let's say that out of the 12 kittens born in the year (From the one cat) that only 5 are girls.
In 6 months, they could start the cycle of having kittens 3 times a year.
so in less than 2 years, we're looking at 75 kittens as a result of one unspeyed female.
See how the population grows?
Call SPCAs and Humane societies.. eplain your situation.. tell them you want the mother and her kittens fixed, but you can't afford it.
Keep feeding them.. keep tabs on them. THen when the kittens are 7 weeks old.. trap the mother and have her fixed. Then she can be released. Have the kittens fixed as soon as they can be (I think as soon as they weigh 2 lbs they can be fixed). Find homes for them or do what you feel is best. but do everythign you can to make sure that this mamma and all her babies get fixed!! PLEASE!!
Please try to do something to stop the problem of too many cats!! Take action!!
thanks for having a heart!
2007-10-24 11:26:44 · answer #2 · answered by Shelly P. Tofu, E.M.T. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Congratulations! Not many feral cats trust humans that much!
Since she's feral, you might want to leave her as an outside kitty. Make sure to have good nutritious food out for her because those kittens will be sucking sustenance out of her as fast as they can.
As soon as she weans those kittens, try to catch her and take her for spaying and shots. And do the same for the kittens before you give them to good homes, or whatever you're going to do.
You mentioned a box. Does she in fact have a house that she can use to get out of the weather? Or maybe some other shelter?
Good luck!
2007-10-24 10:46:09 · answer #3 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
firstly mom should be feed KITTEN FOOD while nursing - and be supplied with WATER.. (never milk)
make sure you handle the kittens frequently so they dont turn wild... put a litter box (with clay litter because clumping isnt safe for kittens) in where she is so she can teach them how to use it at about 4 weeks....(this will help them find better homes if they are litter trained)
when they are about 7 weeks old its time to put mom on CAT FOOD (not kitten) and remove the kittens from her - DO NOT give them away "FREE TO GOOD HOMES" unless you personally know the people.. most good owners go to the shelters because free ones cost more in the long run to vaccinate etc... so is only suspicios people who take free ones.. most free ones never get fixed, and never are looked for if they go missing (the people simply get another free one ) plus most serial killers admitted to startingoff on "free to good home" pets..
take them to the SHELTER or SPCA.. so they can screen potential new owners and ensure these ones get fixed so they dont add to the problem
Ideally you will be able to catch mom at some point and take her in for spaying if you intend to keep her (its bettter for you to keep her since very few people will adopt adult kitties)
EDIT - also CANNED food is good especially if she is thin - canned CHICKEN or TURKEY and Rice is best... give about 1 tablespoon 2 times a day... when her kittens are 5 weeks they will start eating canned too... you can put it on a saucer for them - small amounts only.... mushed with water
2007-10-24 10:49:07 · answer #4 · answered by CF_ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to feed them, just leave food out for her to find. however, be sure to take the food away at night, otherwise you'll attract oppossums, skunks, raccoons, and who knows what else. not cool for you, and not safe for the kittens.
if possible, you should try to trap her, and her kittens and get them to a vet to get vaccinations, and the mother to be spayed. once the kittens open their eyes, be sure to handle them as much as possible, that will socialize them, and make them adoptable pets. the mother is possibly adoptable but would require more socializing than the kittens.
talk to a vet on when you should bring them in to get them vaccinated.
2007-10-24 11:10:55 · answer #5 · answered by Wallflower 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋