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Mama cat's diarrhea has improved with the rice and pumpkin additives. Am still waiting for the results of the fecal sample. I just have a question re: her random nursing behavior. It would seem there are only four functioning teats, because one kitten always seems left out and fighting for a spot. It isn't the same one, or even the runt. Three times now she has removed one of the kittens from the litter, a different one each time. Today she was trying to drop one in the trash can! When I stopped her and put him back with the group, she took him back and licked him off...but is she showing signs of not being able to handle 5?
Optional Information: Pet's Gender: Female Pet's Age: <1
Hello,I am glad the diarrhea is slowing for you. It is very possible that she knows she does not have enough milk for 5 and is trying to decrease the litter size. This can become a bad situation as you may find a kitten dead somewhere if she carries it off and it gets cold and hungry.You are going to need to start supplement all the kittens to be sure they all get enough and she does not dispose of one. I would go get a bottle ( I really find the human preemie bottle work better then the pet bottles but try the pet one first) and a can of KMR kitten formula.Here is really good information on bottle feeding. Click here I would get this started ASAP. Please let me know how it is going
Thank you for the excellent link. Should I supplement each one , each feeding? Would that possibly make her reject them because they smell different? Would the decreased suckling cause the milk supply to decrease further (as it does in humans when you start supplementing)...
You are very welcome. No she will not reject them do to smell. If she only has 4 teats then take one kitten at a time and supplement while the other 4 are nursing. As long as they continue to nurse the milk production will not decrease , unlike human they have more then one nursing. You can try just giving small amounts like 1/2-1oz then put that kitten on mom and try another. Its not easy but you seem pretty dedicated so I am sure you will do fine. Our goal is to keep all kittens tummys full so mom does not feel the need to push one out. If she still insists on removing one then you may have to take one permanently and in that case I would take the largest and strongest one. Hopefully that will not be necessary
Experience: Practicing Veterinary Technician for 23 years.Former Veterinary Practice Owner, Technician Trainer
Hello again,Update on Momma's diarrhea problem: took them all to the vet on Monday as it seemed she was wiped out, but the vet thought she was hydrated and still producing plenty of milk and babies bellies full. Since the fecal sample was negative and she did not respond from Panacur, she decided to treat her for bacterial diarrhea with Clavamox. We are in day 2, and while some of her stools are more formed and smell better, she now has a little rectal bleeding and mucous with the stool. Should I continue the Clavamaox?Oh, am also using Fortaflora with her wet food...Thanks!Robin
Oh poor girl hopefully the Clavamox will help, but if you do not see any improvement by day 4 or you see more blood and or mucus I would give the vet a call.You may want to ask about trying a medication called Metronidazole if this does not work and I would ask the vet if the fecal sample was tested for coccidia and giardia. The only thing we have to remember is that coccidia and things like whip worms shed intermittently so one test can be neg and the next positive.You can read about Coccidia and Giardia here You can also continue with the pumpkin and rice if that is helpingPlease keep me postedCandy
She did test for Giardia, which the 3 day course of Panacur should have covered anyway (but she was neg). And she said Flagyl was contraindicated for breast feeding. If the Clavamox didn't help, her next step was tapeworm meds. But at the time of her exam, she didn't have blood or mucous in her stools, so my question is could the Clavamox be irritating her GI tract more?Thanks for everything!
Yes the Clavamox can irritate the stomach but will not cause blood in the stool. You also need to know that if giardia and or coccidia I have ever seen a 3 day round of panacure clear the problem 7-10 days at the least would be needed Hopefully you will see some improvement in the next day or two
What is the ideal time to spay a mama cat after delivery? And what is the best time time to spay/neuter the kittens in terms of safety with the procedure and developmental growth?Thanks!Robin
Hello.You can spay mom as soon as she is done nursing , I would highly recommend this or she will be looking to mate again.As for the kitten. They can be spayed and neutered as early as 6-8 weeks but it is recommended to wait until 12-16 weeks when they have been fully vaccinated including Rabies
How many weeks do cats typically nurse?A friend who was fostering a mama cat with 8 week old kittens took her today to be spayed, and she reacted fiercely to being separated from her kittens (wailing, diarrhea, etc). Then she died of cardiac arrest at the vets :(. I just don't want to be the cause of unnecessary pain and languish from the same thing...Robin
Oh no that is horrible and not a typical reaction at all , something else had to be going on with this other cat. In 24 years I have never had one die from heart failure due to stress.'Cats should nurse for 6 weeks at least but the kittens should be able to nurse up to the 8 week mark. At 4 weeks you can start offering canned food or softened dry food. at 6 weeks they can have dry and they will start nursing less once eating food. I would have her spayed at about the 9 weeks mark
Thank you. So, at nine weeks her mammary glands dry up and uterine involution is complete? And mama and babies are emotionally ready to separate? I'm dreading this actually...Robin
Yes they are ready I know this is hard but really by this time most momma cats are over the kittens and looking to have more.It is more upsetting for us then them most of the time. To help ease the transition at about 5-6 weeks separate her for a few minutes several times per day for a few minutes increasing the time by a minute or so each day so they are used to be away from each other
Thanks for the information!
You are very welcome please keep me posted on how things are going