My cat's stopped looking after her kittens

Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French

07/04/2011, 01:43

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Evening everyone!

Right, I'm a bit of a worried "grandmother" here. My cat (only just a year old) has just had a litter of four kittens. They’re six days old, very lively, with lovely coats... The thing is, my cat is the type to stay out all night "partying" somewhere with her feline mates from the countryside; she'd stopped since having the kittens, but now, well, she's back at it. She disappeared at 6.30pm and it's nearly 3am now, and she’s still not back. She's left four starving kittens behind.

So, what should I do? How long can kittens go without a feed before it becomes a risk to their health? I can't go and look for the mum as I’ve no idea where she’s off to. Do I need to pick up some kitten milk tomorrow morning if she’s still not back? How can I stop her from pulling stunts like this? I’m really worried about the kittens—they're crying for food and they're clearly cold. My mum, who's seen plenty of litters in her time, isn't worried in the slightest, and it’s really getting on my nerves. Am I overreacting? But more importantly, can I actually get some sleep or am I inevitably going to find dead kittens in the morning? ...

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Reg.

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French

07/04/2011, 05:55

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I’d appreciate it if you’d stop going off-topic, Sevv.

7 am and still no sign of the cat, I’ll be heading out to buy some kitten milk shortly.

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French

07/04/2011, 03:21

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Thanks for your reply @Acxo. I’ve just put some hot water bottles wrapped in clean towels in with them to try and raise the temperature in their box, which is very low. They haven’t eaten for 12 hours and there’s still no sign of the mum; luckily they’re quite hardy, and I’m just hoping they can hold on until she gets back or a chemist opens.... I’m not getting a wink of sleep tonight, needless to say. I really don’t have anything to give them to eat, nothing at all. As for not letting her out, I’m seriously considering it, but since we have several adult cats, we usually leave a door ajar when we go out... (we’re in the countryside surrounded by fields) which is how she managed to slip out. Blasted cat, not looking after her kittens. For now, they seem okay, even if they’re making a bit of a fuss. I hope it lasts. And I hope she comes home! It’s 4:20 am now, and she usually rolls in by 5 am at the latest... I’m hoping.

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French

07/04/2011, 03:09

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PS: I’ve just seen in a cat book I have that a healthy, bottle-fed kitten can manage to go 8 hours through the night without feeding... I’ll let the pros here confirm that, though.

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French

07/04/2011, 03:06

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Evening, erm, @Dellys would probably be the best person to answer this... but at this time of night...

For starters, I’d say you really shouldn't have let her out (I don't think it’s very wise to let a cat go outside when she’s only just given birth anyway...).

Secondly, if they seem cold, you need to get them warmed up. They should huddle together instinctively, but you must make sure they’re well away from any draughts. Try to find a blanket or something to keep them warm.

As for how many meals they can skip... You said they’re six days old; I know those first feeds are vital, so if she’s already sorted that, then that’s something. Usually, if you’re bottle-feeding, it’s every three hours, but unless you’ve got some kitten milk replacer to hand, there’s not much you can do at this time of night. You don't have much choice but to wait until tomorrow morning (and hope your girl comes home soon).

It’s not ideal, obviously, but unless the kittens were a bit weak from birth, I don’t think skipping a meal or two is a total disaster. You will need to sort it first thing tomorrow morning, though.

If I were you, I’d plan on heading to the vet or a chemist as soon as they open tomorrow to get what you need, regardless of whether she’s back (at least then you’ll have the kit ready if it happens again). I’m sure one of the forum’s cat experts will be along to give you better advice by then.

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French

07/04/2011, 03:00

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Thanks, I’ve already had a look online and checked that site, but it doesn't answer my question: how long can a six-day-old kitten go without food? As for the "advice" on neutering, it’s not what we usually do; we give them the pill, which doesn't change their behaviour or mutilate the cat, but she had her very first heat very quietly and caught us off guard. And that’s our business.

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