# need some experienced help



## spazz (Sep 8, 2014)

Someone locally asked for advice on their momma cat having a odor. I went to check the cat and it seemed normal no hardness. She did end up getting community help to get the cat evaluated and they said she had metritis a infection in her uterus. Someone else in the community offered to help her feed the kittens as she has never had a litter. Now the lady is refusing to return the kittens to the mother for a few weeks. I cant even imagine this situation happening to me, and i am trying to get more education on the diagnoisis and if she has any legal options to get her kittens back. So the dame had a fever of 104, had some vaginal discharge and the vet said that her milk was drying up. But the lady said her nipples are leaking milk and squirted milk. So, is it dangerous for the kittens to be nursing while this is going on and supplementing replacement milk as well? Is it more dangerous to keep them apart for weeks? She had 5 kittens and they are 3 days old.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

It is worse to separate the kittens from their mommacat, It sounds like the fever is under control, dam has milk and the kittens are nursing. As long as the dam continues to produce milk, and isn't sick any more it is very important that the kittens remain with her until they are 3 months old; also supplementing the kittens is OK if dam does not have quite enought milk to feed her 5 kitties. It is during this time _ from birth to 3 mos_. that kittens go thro their most important socialization period. Kittens learn from the mommat cat and their litter mates to control their bite and claws by playing and wrestling together, to read cat body language and sounds, and should be gently handled every day so that they know how to behave with people. Kittens that are taken away too early often end up being biters and scratchers and pugnacious and very difficult for them to learn later.


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