nixpix5 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We rescued a feral cat who came to us full of babies. Well...I say feral because she is a bit of a crazy pants and not all that affectionate but she isn't completely feral. She is surprisingly social but she doesn't want to be touched. She will lay in the middle of the floor in the living room with young kinetic kids running all over the place. This is her preferred place. I have tried this whole last month to make her a queening box in a quiet, safe area but she wouldn't stand for it. Last night she literally gave birth in thr middle of our living ro floor while kids played around her and we watched Doctor Who. It was late enough that I brought her box to the living room and made her a comfy space. I decided to sleep on the couch to be with her. She is a small mom who had 5 kittens. All night and all morning she was an attentive and nurturing mama. She responded to their cries and only left for mere moments to step a foot away to drink and eat. Then everyone woke up. She was acting more nervous so I decided to move her box and kittens back into a safe room. Worst decision. Ever since she has left them. She has been trying to get outside, won't respond to their cries and won't feed them. To make matters worse I noticed the kittens have fleas already which makes no sense since she was treated with Advantage previously. I have tried helping her lay down and as the babies latch she freaks out and runs off. What would you do? I have considered moving her back out to the living room where she wants to be but I am worried about moving the kittens again. I need to get the fleas off of the kittens. I am going to dose her with advantage again which says it is safe for nursing moms but what about the kittens. They are only 15 hours old. Should I stop panicking and let her do her thing? One thing is for sure. No matter how loud she howls she is staying in until she can be spayed. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Bumping so someone with experience successfully helping new kittens will notice. We've attempted, but the kittens died. If I were in the situation I think I would take them all to the vet, but again, no successful experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Did you take her to a vet at all to see if she needs any vaccinations etc.? My only cat experience is from 20 years ago but the kittens and moms had feline lukemia and were quite sickly. The mothers were only about six months old when they gave birth and few of the kittens survived. Is there a cat rescue place in your area that could help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 I called our vet and they finally called back. They said not to bring them in this young unless absolutely necessary. They told me to move them back to where she was responsive to them (i.e. dead center in our living room floor) and that is what I did. She instantly went back to nursing them happy as can be. My six year olds are sitting right next to her playing Solarquest board game animatedly and she is purring away nursing kittens. Weirdest cat I have ever been around. They said to get a flea comb and pick off the fleas after retreating mama which was my original plan. When I was growing up we had tons of cats that were outdoor and who had quite a number of litters (yep, we were that family but the 80s were different) we neve lost a single kitten or had any issues. We just didn't intervene. Things are really different now. Does it seem like there are more cat illnesses now? I feel so much more nervous about it. If anyone else has any wisdom to bestow on me I would appreciate it. It has been too many years and I am rusty with all of this. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Did you take her to a vet at all to see if she needs any vaccinations etc.? My only cat experience is from 20 years ago but the kittens and moms had feline lukemia and were quite sickly. The mothers were only about six months old when they gave birth and few of the kittens survived. Is there a cat rescue place in your area that could help? This has been my fear. She was already pregnant and we found out by taking her in for vaccines. No, she doesn't have any illnesses. She is thought to be about a year old. We are keeping her. She has a fancy collar and tag now ;) She loves my daughter and when she was having the kittens she wouldn't let my 7 year old DD leave her side. Even though she is persnickety we have grown quite fond of her. My heart just couldn't lose kittens. That would break my heart :( 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 You know you can't have a kitten thread without pictures. It's just cruel. ^_^ 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 You know you can't have a kitten thread without pictures. It's just cruel. ^_^ I only ever post using the non "full version" with my Samsung note. Anyone know how to post pics? Would love to show off the little cuties :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Cats are like humans - sometimes young mothers get overwhelmed. Ideally, they'd have their mama and their female littermates to help, but this one doesn't. If she's nursing them where she is, then you're fine. I'm not happy about the flea situation. Fleas kill kittens. When was Mama last treated? If it was more than two weeks ago, you can treat her again. My vet would say that the Advantage is not as dangerous for the kittens as the fleas are - and I quite agree. Fleas don't live on cats, they live on bedding (and in the great outdoors). Can you commit to changing her bedding twice daily and washing it in hot water? How about vacuuming, can you do that without freaking her out? If you vacuum the carpet and the baseboards, and any upholstered furniture in the room where she mostly stays, that will help a lot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 Cats are like humans - sometimes young mothers get overwhelmed. Ideally, they'd have their mama and their female littermates to help, but this one doesn't. If she's nursing them where she is, then you're fine. I'm not happy about the flea situation. Fleas kill kittens. When was Mama last treated? If it was more than two weeks ago, you can treat her again. My vet would say that the Advantage is not as dangerous for the kittens as the fleas are - and I quite agree. Fleas don't live on cats, they live on bedding (and in the great outdoors). Can you commit to changing her bedding twice daily and washing it in hot water? How about vacuuming, can you do that without freaking her out? If you vacuum the carpet and the baseboards, and any upholstered furniture in the room where she mostly stays, that will help a lot. Great advice. Yes, it had been more than 2 weeks. More on the order of 3ish. One vet said I could get Frontline Spray and soak a cotton ball and lightly rub it on the kittens not getting them wet but just very lightly and then thoroughly dry and return them. This is what I just did. I took 3 kittens and treated them and then combed them with flea combs for good measure but the comb did nothing because they are too small. I returned them and while she nursed them did the other 2. Once everyone has full bellies I will pull her away for a smidgen to treat her. So stressful! The vet said exactly what you said, that the chemicals are lesser of an evil than fleas at this point. It happened so fast. We have always had dogs and treated them year round every 2 months without issue. This is our first time with a cat in years and years. I forgot how fleas could manifest. I will start rotation on her bedding and I cut up a flea collar and stuck it in my vacuum container just for the heck of it since I read that can be helpful. Wish me luck! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Dawn dish soap is a proven way to kill fleas on baby kittens. Fill the sink with warm water first. Use Dawn dish soap, just not on their face. Then, blow dry the kitten with very low heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderchica Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Vacuum every day, for a long long time, assuming it doesn't upset the cat/kittens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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