what to feed a cat after birth

Full Answer

What do you feed a newborn kitten after birth?

Make sure you are feeding her a high-quality canned kitten food, supplemented with KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement). These specially formulated foods ensure that a nursing, postpartum mother cat gets the nutrients she needs. Three days after birth, a kitten's eyes start opening, and the umbilical cord will also fall off.

How do you take care of a nursing mother cat?

Keep the mother cat's litter box, food, and water bowls close by. Make sure you are feeding her a high-quality canned kitten food, supplemented with KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement). These specially formulated foods ensure that a nursing, postpartum mother cat gets the nutrients she needs.

What should I do if my cat gives birth to kittens?

Monitor the birthing process to make sure momma cat licks the kittens as they are born, not just to clean them, but to stimulate breathing as well as elimination. It's also important that the kittens are nursing and being kept warm by the mother as they can't regulate their own body temperature for the first few weeks.

How do you take care of a 3 week old kitten?

For the first three weeks, the mother cat will lick each kitten around the abdomen and anal area after nursing to encourage the elimination of waste. In her absence, you will need to simulate this task with a warm, damp washcloth. By three weeks, the kittens should be walking around and actively playing.

When should I feed my cat after she gives birth?

Feeding. During the birthing process and immediately after, most queens are not interested in eating. However, within 24 hours after the birth of the last kitten she should begin eating again, and most likely will eat a lot.

Can I feed my cat after she gave birth?

Continue to feed a kitten food to the mother until her kittens are weaned. Nursing cats: Leave food available for the mother at all times after the kittens are born. This will ultimately help to wean the kittens to a regular food and provide the mother with high-energy food she will need during this time.

How do I take care of my cat after giving birth?

After your momma cat gives birth, you'll want to keep the space clean, quiet, and free of any other animals. Weigh the kittens as soon as mom will allow and continue weighing them daily. Do not take the kittens away from mom while weighing. Instead, bring your grams scale right next to the nest and weigh them there.

Is milk good for cats?

The truth is that most cats are lactose intolerant so giving them cow's milk can actually cause significant health issues. Milk doesn't part of necessary cat nutrition and many cats suffer stomach upsets or other related problems because their owner thought that they were giving them a treat.

What to feed a postpartum cat?

Keep the mother cat's litter box, food, and water bowls close by. Make sure you are feeding her a high-quality canned kitten food, supplement ed with KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement). These specially formulated foods ensure that a nursing, postpartum mother cat gets the nutrients she needs.

How to keep kittens from defecating?

Use a large enough box to comfortably hold the mother cat and her kittens. Stack clean towels to line it. The towels will become soiled quickly as the kittens defecate. It will be easiest to remove the top towel to reveal a clean layer.

What causes a cat's milk ducts to swell?

Mastitis. Mastitis is a bacterial infection of the milk ducts, which occurs when the mother cat's milk production gets blocked by inflamed mammary glands. The teats become swollen and hot, with apparent "bruising," and the mother cat may refuse to allow the kittens to nurse. Mastitis is a veterinary emergency.

What does it mean when a cat's uterus is smelling?

Metritis is a severe infection of the uterus; it is also a veterinary emergency. 6  The mother cat will usually have normal vaginal drainage after birthing her kittens. But, if you notice a foul-smelling discharge, that is a red flag. Other symptoms include lethargy, fever, and loss of milk production .

How long after a cat is born can you take her kittens to the vet?

If you haven't already done so, after one week, take the mother cat and kittens to your veterinarian for a well-check. If the mother cat was not vaccinated, this would be a good time to do it. Also, she might get treatment for roundworms, to protect both her and her kittens.

How to keep kittens warm?

Chilling is one of the most critical dangers to newborn kittens. 1  Provide blankets, a heat lamp, or a heating pad to ensure the kittens stay warm. Use a large enough box to comfortably hold the mother cat and her kittens. Stack clean towels to line it. The towels will become soiled quickly as the kittens defecate.

How long does it take for a cat to develop a kitten?

The first two to three weeks are the most crucial for a mother cat and her newborn kittens. The kittens should be developing rapidly, and if the mother is going to have any postpartum problems, it will happen during that period.

What should the mother cat eat?

Feed a highly palatable, high-calorie food during this time, your veterinarian can recommend the best product to meet the queen’s needs.

How to clean a cat after birth?

Immediately after the birth: Quickly transfer the mother cat and her kittens to a soft blanket or towel, remove the soiled bedding and replace it with clean. Line the bottom of the nest with newspapers or puppy pads and place soft blankets on top. Kittens eat and sleep for the first two weeks of life and during this early period ...

When do kittens wean?

Kittens will show an interest in solid food from 4-5 weeks of age. Offer them soft and palatable food which can be moistened dry food or canned. They will continue to nurse from their mother until 8-10 weeks.

Why do kittens cry?

An apparently healthy kitten (or kittens) who rapidly deteriorate after birth may have neonatal isoerythrolysis, a serious and life-threatening condition caused when kittens who have type A blood nurse from their mother who has type B blood during the first 24 hours of life.

How many placentas should be in a kitten?

Keep a close eye on the queen and count the number of kittens and placentas. There should be one placenta per kitten. If there are more kittens than placentas, seek veterinary help as a retained placenta can lead to a uterine infection.

What to do with kittens when they are bored?

Playtime. Provide a range of different toys for the kittens to interact with.

When is the best time to socialize a kitten?

Three weeks and older, the critical socialisation period: The key socialisation period begins at three weeks of age and it is important the kittens receive adequate socialisation, if deprived, kittens have a higher risk of developing into adult cats who are fearful and aggressive.

What to feed a nursing mother cat?

A nursing mother needs extra nutrition and calories, so feed your cat a high-quality kitten-formula food. Offer plenty of wet and dry food to the mother, and increase the amount of food that you offer so that she always has access to it. Always have fresh water available, too.

How long does it take for a cat to give birth?

It can take your cat from two to 24 hours to give birth, so you may need to carefully monitor the birth for a while. Keep an eye on the process without disturbing the mother cat, though, by entering the room quietly and staying away as much as possible. While it's best to let your cat handle the birth herself, sometimes you may need to intervene.

How to warm up a kitten's nesting box?

Because kittens can't regulate their body temperature until they're 3 weeks old, you'll need to make the nesting box cozy. You can use water bottles or a heating pad to warm the box, and should line it with towels or blankets. Make sure that the towels and blankets aren't frayed, since a kitten could get caught up in the strings. If towels or blankets get wet, remove them and replace them with dry ones.

How to cut a cat's cord?

If your cat has just given birth and doesn't do this, you should cut the cord using sterilized scissors and tie it off about an inch from the kitten's body. Make sure that the remaining cord attached to the kitten is short so that the mother cat doesn't chew on it.

How to help a nursing mother?

Increase the mother's nutrition. A nursing mother needs extra nutrition and calories, so feed your cat a high-quality kitten-formula food. Offer plenty of wet and dry food to the mother, and increase the amount of food that you offer so that she always has access to it. Always have fresh water available, too.

When can kittens be weaned from their mother?

Once the kittens are 8 weeks old they'll be ready to be weaned from their mother, but until then you can best help your cat by carefully monitoring her and her kittens and providing them with a safe place where they feel secure.

Can a cat handle a kitten's birth?

While it's best to let your cat handle the birth herself, sometimes you may need to intervene. As the kittens are born, they'll be in a thin membrane sac, and your cat should remove this sac immediately. If she doesn't, you'll need to tear it open with your hands so that the kittens can breathe.

What to do when the queen delivers kittens?

Offer the queen a meal once she has delivered her kittens.

How long does it take for a kitten to leave the nest?

General Care. Provide the queen with a quiet, safe comfortable, warm area to care for her kittens. The new mother will rarely leave the nest in the early days. Within 24 hours of the birth, the queen should see a veterinarian for a check-up.

What is the name of the condition in which a lactating cat's mammary gland is inflam?

Mastitis: Mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) occurs when the lactating queen’s mammary gland (s) becomes inflamed, blocked or infected. Symptoms include pain, heat, and swelling of the affected gland (s), fever, milk may be bloody, yellow or thick, the queen may refuse to let her kittens nurse from the affected gland, ...

Can a cat raise a litter without a mother?

Most queens (mother cat) require little or no assistance during the delivery and can successfully raise a litter without our assistance. However, the prudent carer should be aware that there will be some requirements to help the queen stay healthy and well so she can care for her new family.

Can a female cat go into heat?

A female cat can come into heat soon after birth, keep her inside and away from entire male cats to prevent pregnancy.

How Cats Give Birth?

When cats give birth, it is called queening. The queening process looks very similar to birthing in humans.

What do you need to provide a cat with a litter box?

Provide mother cat with a litter box and food and water bowls that are in the same area as the nesting box.

What is it called when a cat has a difficult birth?

A difficult birth is referred to as dystocia and may involve intense straining, excessive bleeding, and more. Most of the time, cat owners should not interfere with a mother cat that is delivering because in most cases, mother cats instinctually know what to do. Provide a quiet, warm, safe place to deliver, and check on her at least once an hour.

How do cats go through labor?

Stages Of Labor In Cats. Cats go through several stages of labor, starting when the uterus starts to contract, the cervix relaxes, and the cat’s water breaks. Just like humans, cats go through several stages of labor when they are about to give birth. The first stage of labor happens when the uterus, the hollow organ inside a cat’s belly where ...

How long does it take for a cat to deliver kittens?

This surgery is done under general anesthesia by a DVM. Normal gestation (the length of a cat’s pregnancy) lasts 63-65 days. Mother cats typically know what to do when it is time ...

How long does it take for a cat to labor?

Stage one lasts anywhere from 6-12 hours on average (up to 36 hours in first time mothers).

How to tell if a cat is pregnant?

Signs of labor in cats include clear or colored vaginal discharge, intense abdominal straining, and the appearance of kittens. A cat that is about to give birth will likely seek and stay in a nesting box where she can safely deliver kittens.

How to care for a postpartum cat queen?

Caring for your postpartum cat queen involves making her as comfortable as possible, while closely monitoring for any health complications that might occur. No two cats are alike. You should learn as much as you can about postpartum care of your cat in advance of her delivery, so you may readily apply your knowledge to your own cat's situation ...

What is the treatment for a kitten with a uterine infection?

Uterine infection, or metritis, signaled by persistent, malodorous discharge, listlessness, lack of appetite, significant change in body temperature, disinterest in caring for kittens; treatment includes administration of fluids, giving antibiotics and/or surgery.

How to check if a kitten is a queen cat?

Palpate your kitten's pelvic area to make sure all kittens have been delivered . Your vet may need to take x-rays of the pelvic area, too. Take your queen cat's temperature, which should fluctuate only moderately in a healthy queen cat. Check your queen cat's vaginal discharge, called lochia. It should be heavy and look dark red to black ...

Why is my cat not giving birth?

Postpartum Complications in Cats. First-time cats or those with underlying health conditions, like nutritional deficiencies, may need medical assistance in giving birth. Poor uterine contractions (inertia) and pelvic deformities are two other reasons your queen cat's delivery may not go as smoothly as it should.

Why does my cat reject kittens?

Be prepared if your queen cat rejects her kittens and abandons maternal duties, which can be due to behavioral or medical conditions, like internal infections. If this is the case, do not scold or punish your queen cat. Her lack of maternal instincts is not her fault. Do ask your veterinarian in advance of her delivery how you will feed and nurture the newborn kittens yourself, if necessary. After delivery, your vet will advise you on whether you should separate an inattentive queen cat from her kittens.

What is the treatment for postpartum hemorrhage?

Postpartum hemorrhage, controlled by administration of oxytocin

How long does it take for a cat to look black after giving birth?

It should be heavy and look dark red to black for a few days after delivery. Also monitor whether your cat takes the following steps after delivery: She removes the placenta and cord of each kitten. She stimulates breathing and movement with initial grooming of each kitten. She promptly begins nursing each kitten.

What happens to a cat after giving birth?

Here you can find a list and brief description of complications that can be seen after a cat has given birth: 1. Retention of Fetal Membranes. Sometimes a queen won’t pass the final set of fetal membranes/tissue after birthing is completed. When this happens, the membranes will begin to break down and rot in her uterus.

How long does it take for a cat to get sick after giving birth?

It usually happens within 3 days of giving birth in cats. Queens will be much sicker than with retention of fetal membranes. Signs include fever, completely ignoring her kittens, refusing food, and not being active. She may also vomit and drink more water than usual.

Why is my cat's nipple swollen?

If the mastitis is due to infection, the gland will be painful, swollen with an abnormally colored discharge from the nipple, and the cat will refuse food, be feverish, and inactive. An abscess can also form, resulting in a purplish area of tissue with thick, foul-smelling discharge.

How long does it take for a kitten's vagina to discharge?

The discharge becomes more red-brown and decreases in amount over 4-6 weeks and up to 12 weeks after giving birth. Sometimes people get concerned because they don’t notice the newborn kittens urinating or having stools.

Why doesn't my cat have a discharge after giving birth?

Most people don’t see post-birthing vaginal discharge in their cats because they're fastidious about grooming themselves and keeping themselves clean. Normal vaginal discharge is greenish-black to brick red with no significant odor. The discharge becomes more red-brown and decreases in amount over 4-6 weeks and up to 12 weeks after giving birth.

How long does it take for a cat to get eclampsia?

Eclampsia, also called milk fever or lactation tetany, can occur 3-5 weeks after giving birth to kittens. This happens due to a sudden drop in the amount of calcium circulating in the nursing queen’s bloodstream, related to the increased demands of milk production. Often, the cat is nursing a large litter of kittens.

Do cats need veterinary care after giving birth?

Continue reading to learn about normal post-birthing signs and which post-birthing complications indicate your cat may need veterinary care .