Help the cat I rehomed is pregnant!

merlin68

I rehomed a cat on the 14th jan, took her to the vets to get her done on tues, promptly told she's pregnant.
The vet said to take her back when the kitties are 6 weeks old.
Never having had kittens, what do I need to prepare for.
It was a bit of a shock to say the least. As i haven't let her out at all. She must of already been pregnant.

Kimberley

Did the Vet not give you this advice?

merlin68

No she didn't she just said if one kitten comes out and not any more for an hour to get her to the vets.
But I am clueless as to what to do with the kittens.

slummymummyof3

Where did you get her from originally?

merlin68

An advert in the paper, shes a beautiful cat, really friendly. I don't mind about the kitties, just want to do whats best, already found homes for them.

lolababy

Hi the best thing is to provide a nice warm box in maybe the airing cupboard . Have lots of newspapers at hand to change the bedding when she has given birth. She will need more food before and after giving birth as the kittens will be feeding off her. Have a room that is clear of potential death traps. Kittens once they are able will get into everything. One of ours almost hung themselves on some wire.
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New born kittens

By iLikeCats During the pregnancy period, kittens securely grow and develop in their mother's womb. All the necessary nutrients alongside with oxygen are received from the mother's organism via the placenta. At the moment of birth, a number of changes, especially the ones related to the heart and the respiratory system, take place: the new born kitten for the first time inhales all by itself and its lungs start fully functioning. Newly-born kittens already have a strong sucking reflex and straight away start looking for milk.
For the first several weeks kittens are helpless, blind and absolutely reliant on their mother or on a human (in case the mother is not fulfilling her maternity responsibilities). People should always be ready to take care of the kittens if the need arises, especially if their feline is having its first litter.
Most often if the queen is caring and attentive, if she has enough milk, she can take care of her kittens without humans' aid. Kittens spend a lot of time nursing and sleeping, whereas their mother is trying to keep them warm, feed them, lick them, massage their abdomens thus aiding their urination and defecation, and keeps the nesting environment clean. If the newly-borns are full and satisfied after the nursing they silently fall asleep.
How should you understand that your cat or her kittens need help?
If the kittens are restless, continually mewing and crawling, it can be the case that the queen is short of milk, or that she has mastitis, or that she is not licking her kittens enough and they are suffering from a bloated belly or that they are cold. If it happens that you have to raise the kittens by yourself, the most important things to remember are the following:
Warmth.

During the first weeks, kittens'thermoregulation is not sufficient and they are not capable of maintaining their body temperature. Normally the mother cat and litter mates alongside with a dry and clean nesting environment would provide a good deal of warmth. Kittens always sleep in a clump, because it is warmer that way. If the queen does not provide warmth for the kittens, their body temperature quickly drops thus weakening their suckling reflex. Kittens stop feeding and can, in consequence, develop hypoglycaemia leading to death. Hypoglycaemia can also develop if the kittens are being fed at irregular periods or not frequently enough. In case of hypoglycaemia, it is easy to get trapped in a closed circle: inability to feed kittens in due time causes hypoglycaemia in them, which, in turn, reduces their suckling reflex; in consequence, the kittens will not try to suckle during the next feeding, thus intensifying hypoglycaemia, which in the end will be fatal. Warmth for the kittens can be provided by means of a special warming lamp or by a hot-water bag placed among them.
Feeding.

Without any doubt the best food for the kittens is the queen's milk, especially in the first 24 - 72 hours following birth. Only in this period the kittens are able to get and process the colostrum (the first milk). Colostrum abounds in important and valuable substances and immunoglobulines which secure early protection against viruses and boosts the immune system.
If you must feed kittens yourself before weaning age, choose special feline milk substitutes obtainable from pet shops or veterinary institutions. The composition of cow milk differs significantly from feline milk and is not sufficiently nutritive to the kittens. You can also try to find a foster feline mother, who is having a litter of a similar age. Cats will very often feed kittens other than their own. For the first few days it is best to feed, through the day, every two-three hours with portions of 1-2 ml of milk. After several weeks kittens can sleep all night and do not wake up to feed. For feeding you can use a nipple or the rubber end of a dropper. Be careful not to make a too big hole in the teat, because too much milk running down the throat will cause choking. Milk has to be warmed up to around 37 degrees Celsius.
After feeding, kittens' abdomen and bottom should be gently rubbed with a damp finger. This action stimulates the discharge of waste. In 7 - 10 days, kittens open their eyes and start hearing, and in 3 weeks they start eating by themselves, playing and exploring the environment.
Occasionally, a queen may refuse to care for her kittens because she might not be feeling well, or she has contracted mastitis or postnatal eclampsia, or she has not recovered sufficiently from the Cesarean section. Supposedly, a strong maternal instinct is genetically inherited, since the offsprings of a caring mother feline take care of their kittens equally well.

cyberbob

How pregnant is she?

paddypaws101

Oh...Having kittens really is the most wonderful experience.
Nellie came and fetched me when it was time....and I attended the birth. The second kitten out was obviously malformed and she took a break in birthing while we dashed to the vet to get it checked. The rest of the births went well. I bought a book about it all prior to the birth and it said that although cats do eat the placenta, that too many can make them sick so I removed 2 of them.
Make up a birthing bed in a cardboard box, high enough sides to contain the kittens but so mum can hop in and out.
Oh and watch out for her trying to move or hide the kittens. One of mine was markedly smaller than the other 2 and she kept on trying to dump him to get rid of him! Try finding a black kitten in a coal cellar!
I would advise keeping the kittens with mum for longer than the minimum 8 weeks, up to 10 or 12 if you can as this is the time when she teaches them kitten manners and they will be much better behaved once in their own homes.
Oh....and do consider keeping one for company for the mum.....

missmontana

as paddypaws says it is the most wonderful experience, when my Kiwi had her 2, yes just 2! She did it all by herself and was a great mum, i didn't have to do much at all, she ate one of the placentas, cleaned the kittens up and stayed with them not leaving the box for over 24hrs bless her, i had to spoon feed her!

Here she is with babies...


the babies...


and just before they went off to new homes

lisawood78

When my Salts had her kittens, 17 years ago, she made a nest in a darkened room and wouldn't come out for a couple of days, she was pacing the floor and miaowing a little so we knew it was time.
We mainly left her to it, popped our heads in to see how she was doing here and there.
The first kitten was malformed, its body was fine and it was alive but it had a badly shaped head, like it had fluid in it, Salts cleaned her up, but then put her outside of the nest and left her, the second kitten arrived quickly which she cleaned and began to feed almost right away, she also cleaned up, ate the placentas etc.
The first kitten we named Socks as that is what she looked like lying on the floor, was taken immediately to the vets who said if she can feed she could live, but on further examination her jaw wasn't formed correctly and she was gently pts or she would have starved.
Salts seemed to know this, which is why she discarded her.
The other kitten who we named Shoes grew rapidly and flourished on Mums milk, and seemed to need little help from us to get along, her Mum taught her all the things she seemed to need to know and when she was finally old enough to go outside it was Salts who stood guard while she ventured up the garden path.
Salts herself was killed on the road a year later, but Shoes passed away peacefully in her bed last year, an old lady.
Good luck

paddypaws101

missmontana...I am guessing that is the proud father in the first pic? How sweet is that to see them all together! Beautiful.
lisa wood....Nellie's kitten was deformed like that, a big bubble of fluid on the head and vet said it had a cleft palate so could not survive. We left it at the vet's........
Oh the whole experience is so exciting I am really jealous of you !
Pictures will be required.