My Daughter's cat just had 2 kittens! Any tips?
By zionsphere
@zionsphere (673)
United States
August 29, 2010 11:51pm CST
she had them around three days ago. one of them still has the umbilical cord attached, but the other one's fell off. Should I be concerned about the one that is still attached? anything else I should know?
4 responses
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
30 Aug 10
Don't worry. The bit of cord will fall off when it is ready, just as your daughters did. First put a water bowl and a bowl of dried food near momma cat so she won't have to leave the babies to eat. If possible buy her really high quality food. She will need all the calories she can get to make milk. As soon as the babies are weened, spay the mother. There are more cats being born than there are home to take them.
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
31 Aug 10
She should have dry food and water at all times. Wet food goes bad if it sits out to long, so just put out how much she can eat. If you can spoil her with a bit of wet food 20 times a day great, but we all have lives and can't just sit and watch the cat to see when she may choose to want wet food. So 2 times a day, like normal people do is fine. Or just dry is fine too.
Good for you for taking her in. I'm glad she only had 2. We don't need more kittens in this world. Are you going to keep the kittens or find homes for them?
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
30 Aug 10
Yes, I planned on it. she was a stray to begin with, and was pregnant and malnourished when we found her. My daughter nursed her back to health, and the kittens are perfectly healthy. Lucky for her she only had 2!
I do keep her food close to her...should I be keeping her bowl full at all times?
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
30 Aug 10
The umbilical cord will fall off naturally.
There's always plenty you could learn- any information in particular you need?
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
30 Aug 10
Some people say I need to keep them for 8 weeks before giving them away, other say 10, so that they can get through their "comfort suckling stage" but ten weeks is pretty old for a cat isn't it?
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
31 Aug 10
Yes, 8 weeks is the ideal time. the babies however can start eating solid food at about 4 weeks of age.. some may like the idea more then others. But this is good if you have big litters and mom is just being drained. Or if Mom is a little inattentive. I just found one of my females who took off 10 months ago and she had 2 (approx)4 week olds when I found her.. -one of whom LOVES to eat the canned food- the other one -not so much.. and it's been a week since I started putting it down for them.
@kaylachan (57687)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Aug 10
Make sure the Mama cat and kittens have a warm dry spot to go away from any male cats. Mamma cat will feed and take care of them for their first month of life. As they grow they will be weened. Make sure the mamma cat has plenty of food and water too. She is going to need that in order to produce milk for the kittens.
Talk to a vet about more advice. Other then that, there isn't much you can do. For the first month mamma will care for her kittens and produce where they.
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
30 Aug 10
I've been keeping them inside, and in my room...mamma jumps out the window every once in awhile to go potty (I love that ..she won't use the litter box!) I'm sure I will need to get her spayed soon. so far she has always come right back in. She always has food and water right beside her :)
thanks for your response!
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
30 Aug 10
Thank you :) I wish i could have posted more! maybe I will post them in my album. She's been chewing on that cord for awhile, and it just won't come off! lol!
