# Kittens and their mum, help please!!



## fluffyfun (Jun 5, 2010)

Hiya guys,

Im new here and im hoping someone may be able to help me. Our cat had kittens 9 days ago, all very healthy, all weighing 8oz at the moment, gaining weight well and feeding well but the problem we now have is the mother was always allowed outside. when we got her we were told she was spayed so thought nothing about letting her out, clearly she wasnt spayed as she has had a litter, anyway, because she was an outdoor cat she has hated being kept in. we have made sure she wasnt allowed out and her and the kittens are living in our upstairs bedroom, the problem is, it was so hot last night i opened the bedroom window and she has escaped, at about midnight last night! i wouldnt have thought she would go out of the upstairs window but she has and now hasnt come back. the kittens are crying for food as obviously its now been 11 hours since she was last in. and i dont know what to do?

We do know how to look after kittens as we ha kittens from our other female who sadly passed away last year, we had to hand rear the litter last year when she died. But we dont want to interfere if we dont need to, yet im feeling that 11 hours is way too long to leave them unfed. should we feed them ourselves and hope the mum comes back soon to continue or do we start hand rearing? 

I just dont want to feed them and get our scent all over them anf then for her to come back and completely reject them, but i also dont want to leave them much longer. ive checked them all over and they are still very active but crying for mum.

What should i do?


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## fluffyfun (Jun 5, 2010)

Anyone?!

Sorry i dont mean to be impatient, im just worrying lol :?


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## Darkcat (May 27, 2010)

Is there no sign of mom? I'd feed them, but I'm not an expert.


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## 9catz (Jun 4, 2010)

If mom is friendly with you, I dont think having your scent will matter. How old are the kittens? I do think you should feed them. KMR is the best thing. Mom is probably out conceiving again, sadly.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

If you haven't fed them or mom hasn't come back, you absolutely need to feed them immediately. They've already gone about 4 times longer than they should have...they need to be fed about every 3 hours.


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## fluffyfun (Jun 5, 2010)

thank you for your replies. i have fed them myself, and mum has just come back, but no on her own accord. i had to catch her when she eventually came into the garden, she didnt want to come inside at all, in fact she was very annoyed at me for bringing her in, growling ect. ive put her back in with the kittens but she doesnt seem bothered with them at the moment so im still not sure whats best to do.

if she doesnt want to be inside, she wont kill her kittens will she? shes very tetchy at the best of times but im worried that she knows she has to be in to look after them and so she may hurt them. i dont know, im just concerned.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

Just a thought, but is Mummy cat producing milk? Mum had a foster cat a while ago that walked away from her kittens and it turned out she has stopped producing milk. We did try bottle feeding the babies but they all died . 

If she keeps walking away from them, perhaps a vet trip is in order for Mum and babies. You might need help with hand rearing the kittens if its necessary.


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## fluffyfun (Jun 5, 2010)

thank you, we have took them all to the vets and he said all of them are fine, mum is producing lots of milk. he just said some mothers get bored unfortunately and to keep an eye on them all. shes well stroppy though, scratching trying to get out. we are managing to keep her in but just going into the room is a risk for us now cos she keeps going for us. but the vet said she seems fine letting us near the kittens so its not her being protective for them its just because she doesnt want to be kept in.


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## fluffyfun (Jun 5, 2010)

the kittens are 14 days old now and 3 are weighing 10 oz, but one is still nine oz and hasnt gained any in two days so im keepin a close eye on them all. the mum done a vanishing act again but i cant see how she got out! so feeding them myself again today!


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## Cosmo-the-cat (Jun 8, 2010)

Still no news? What happened after? I'm going to get mosquito nets for my windows incase Cosmo tries to fly from a top floor.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Hopefully, mother cat will get uncomfortable enough to come back to feed the kittens. How long has she been gone? She will get engorged, but if it has been more than a few days, she will have lost her milk. Unless she had a head injury, she will come back, if for no other reason, to eat. Don't give up hope, but put flyers up, and make the necessary calls! I wish you the best. 

In the meantime, I would feed the small kitten first, and try to get an extra meal in her until she catches up. Are you giving them KMR or home made formula?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Mom is going to be pregnant again before you know it and may already be. Since she's paying no attention to her litter and you're having to hand feed them...I would recommend getting her spayed as soon as she finds her way home. Otherwise you'll be doing this again in another 2 months.


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

doodlebug said:


> Mom is going to be pregnant again before you know it and may already be. Since she's paying no attention to her litter and you're having to hand feed them...I would recommend getting her spayed as soon as she finds her way home. Otherwise you'll be doing this again in another 2 months.


Doodlebug is absolutely correct. Spay her asap or you will have twice as many kittens to hand feed.


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## lgnutah (Aug 7, 2010)

Just came across this thread and am wondering what happened. Did mom cat ever come back? Did the babies make it?


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