How long can new born kittens live without their mothers milk?
Omni asked:
My cat,Just gave birth yesterday.I will get her spayed when the kittens are old enough.It’s her first litter and she’s about 9 months old.Im just asking because she sometimes leaves her kittens alone which Me and my sister having to take her and put her back with the kittens just for her to feed them.
And yes,I gave her food,clean water and she gave birth inside the house.(Much to my mother’s dislike XP)
Im currently having a hard time keeping the other cats i got away from her litter.
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My cat,Just gave birth yesterday.I will get her spayed when the kittens are old enough.It’s her first litter and she’s about 9 months old.Im just asking because she sometimes leaves her kittens alone which Me and my sister having to take her and put her back with the kittens just for her to feed them.
And yes,I gave her food,clean water and she gave birth inside the house.(Much to my mother’s dislike XP)
Im currently having a hard time keeping the other cats i got away from her litter.
February 11th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
about 2 days. just keep putting her back with them she’ll probably get the hang of it. they can start eating solids at like 4 or 5 weeks i think.
February 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
most will not leave for very long at all when the kittens are just born make sure the kittens are getting milk and make sure u feed the mother heaps of food and water
February 15th, 2009 at 6:21 am
Kittens usually feed every 2 to 3 hours but will be fine if they are left alone for the day. Your cat knows what she is doing and although the kittens start to cry they aren’t starving so don’t worry
February 16th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
mother cats don’t spend 24 hours a day with their babies. I’m sure that unless she wants nothing to do with them, as sometimes happens, they will all do just fine.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
The kittens should nurse every 2-3 hours, especially in the beginning. Do you have a nice, warm area free of drafts for the kittens. Go to the local feed store, or PetSmart or Wal-Mart and buy supplemental kitten milk, and a few bottles just in case the kittens don’t thrive. Also, maybe the mother is leaving the nest so frequently because she wants to make sure the kittens aren’t threatened so she’s investigating. Move mother’s food and water, and litter box closer to the nest.
February 21st, 2009 at 6:21 am
You need to get her spayed as soon as possible. Cats can get pregnant again the minute they give birth. Keep her indoors until you get her fixed, or else you’ll end up with yet another unwanted litter of kittens. The kittens should be fine as long as she’s not leaving for long periods of time. All cats do it. They need time away from the kittens. Make sure they are being kept in a warm area. Give the mother canned kitten food or cat food for “queens” (mother cats). Have clean water available for her at all times, as too much nursing can leave her dehydrated. If she refuses to feed them, you can buy KMR kitten formula at most pet stores.
February 21st, 2009 at 8:22 am
The momcat just needs some time away from the litter. It’s natural instinct will tell it to go back to the box and feed her litter. I’ve had cats and dogs and it’s an instinct thing.
When you first asked your question I thought maybe the mother had gotten run over or something. In that case you could have fed the kittens yourself. The vet has a milk substitute that they use.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:09 am
Every cat is different….. My cat Morgan….. was a first time mother 2 weeks ago…… she had 5 kittens…….she did use to leave them up to 7-8 hours, to go outside…… also she didnt eat the after birth. i had to pick it up and wipe the babies………. it because it her first set of kittens……..but after a few days of encouragement she began feeding her kittens and cleaning them.
February 25th, 2009 at 3:44 am
Call the vet on Monday, and make her a spay appointment for 8 weeks from yesterday. This way it will be waiting for her when the kittens are weaned, as sometimes vets can get backed up and it can take weeks to get on their surgery schedule. Remember also that cats will come back in to heat, and will get pregnant again even if they are nursing a litter of kittens! Keep her indoors, or you’ll have litter #2 on the way while she’s nursing litter #1. This isn’t healthy for her, or litter #2 as there is only so much nutrition to go around.
Newborns must feed every 2-3 hours. This cat’s very young, still a kitten herself, and she may or may not have a desire to mother her kittens. Keep an eye on her, and if she refuses to care for them properly you’ll need to take over by bottle-feeding them KMR, every 2-3 hours around the clock.
Keep her and the babies in a place that the other cats cannot get to - if mom feels threatened she may abandon her litter, or the other cats may kill them. You are responsible for keeping the babies safe, and while that may be inconvenient, remember that you allowed them to be born, so you need to ensure that they are safe and healthy.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
She needs to be confined to a quiet room with the kittens and away from the other cats. She’s probably leaving to find a “safer” place.