very busy morning....the kittens are here....

[cat 1]

Ah...lovely.What a clever mum knowing what to do straight away.I'd bought Waterstones out when I was having my first[:D]

[Skippy]

Aaaah, they're so cute!

[angela18]

Ah I want one

[emma_t]

Oh I love them all and want them all!![:)]

So cute and lovely mum looks well[:)]

[chris.g]

Can anyone help???
Lexi(mam cat) has become quite stressed since yesterday, she is spending less time with the kittens and when she is with them she is trying to hide them! The thing is the place that she had chosen is underneath the daughters' bed, which is very cramped and crowded. The kittens' seem fine apart from the fact whenever lexi goes near them they become agitated which seems to make lexi more stressed....... I'm becoming quite concerned and now owndering if I should get in some milk and kitty bottles incase she rejects them.
They have been handled since birth and lexi was fine with that. Not quite sure what could be wrong......please any advice or ideas, thanks

[cat 1]

Hi Chris.Do you think the kittens are hungry ? blocked milk ducts? I know it's hard finacially but I would take to vet or possibly phone your animal rescue centre for advice. I would let her take her babies where she wanted to.She obviously doesn't want them on display ( don't tell her they have been photographed for the interenet) Let us know how you go on.Cat

[chris.g]

Hiya Cat and thanks for the quick reply.
I don't think they are hungry, she had feed them this morning. I have two ideas, their nails could be sharp and they might be causing discomfort OR Lexi has lost patience with them as she does seem fine when she's not with them. I hope it's not the last! I'm going to try to trim their nails, even if I just file them blunt!!! I've moved them into daughters room now and they are sleeping, she's in the kitchen, quite calm......

[lily]

Hi Chris

Dont trim the nails, they cant retract the claws and the nail beds are very sensitive, they have a very good blood supply and if they bleed, you will be in trouble as a kittens doesnt have much blood. It could be anything, but more than likely its a problem with the mam rather than the babies. If they are hungry you would know. As I have said, my mommy cat never fed the babies and it was a full 20 hours before they saw the vet, they were trying to suck eath others tails and everything until they got weaker and weaker. It could be a slight infection in the mom or just that she doesnt like where they are. If you can get to a vet then just have her checked out. I wanted to cut my babies nails and I know about nails but I was told under no circumstances.......

If you want to get some milk, just in case you need some cimicat or stuff in a white tin (cant remember the name) not lactol as its only for weaning kittens. You will have to boil everything too. I got cimicat from the vet but the stuff in the white tin is available from good pet stores. Good luck and let us know.

[chris.g]

Thanks lily, I've looked on Lexi and she doesn't have any scratches on her tummy so it most probably isn't the nail thing. Things have settled down now, they are sleeping like logs so I definately don't think they are hungry. It could be that she just doesn't like where they are, they've been in the sitting room where it's warm but it's also busy, especially on a morning. She seemed to be the same yesterday though and settled down as the day went on. Probably just the hustle and bustle of the house on a morning. As I say though, she seems fine and is enjoying her tummy being rubbed so don't think she has a boob infection/blocked duct and there isn't any unpleasant discharge from anywhere.
I will keep an eye on her and if she's still stressed I'll take her to the vets in the morning-no bank holiday charges, and I'll let you know how she is, thanks again

[lily]

Hi Chris

I have phoned my step daughter, in between making pancakes for the kids which I burned. She is a trainee vet. She says that sometimes after a couple of days a womb infection can set in, if there is another one in there or retained products which makes them leave the kittens and lie around, they usually dont want any fuss but can purr from pain. This is the absolute worst case senerio though and quite rare. She said that its most likely she is knackered and they really dont like the babies being handled in the early weeks as they then smell of you and they have to lick them all to get rid of the smell,(to protect them). They will often try to hide them so they dont have to make this extra effort and the fact that they are somewhere busy is probably the cause, although she trusts you, its just an instinct that cats have (apart from mine who didnt give a hoot in hell). So just let her move them if she wants to. I am just trying to email her a picture of them, she is cat mad and has 4 of her own all rescued.

Anyway I hope things are OK, let us know if you have any more problems.

[chris.g]

Thanks Lily, I think it's most probably just too busy. She's settled with them now, in daughter's room where it's nice and quiet. I checked for any signs of an infection but none visable and there is definately not another one in there, she's got her pre-pregnancy figure back, (wish I found it that easy when I had mine!!! lol). I will keep a close eye on her and keep her out of the way, hopefully that will settle her down completely. I think she appreciated the time she had away form them as she seemed to be very content with them after it...Guess they are just like us and need a bit of 'me time' now and again. Thanks for everything and thank your daughter, a vet in the family will be very handy if you find anymore kitty's in distress.
xx