what to feed a mother cat after she gives birth

Full Answer

What do mother cats eat after giving birth to kittens?

While she is lactating and feeding her kittens with milk, the mother cat will need the protein and nutrients that the kitten food offers her. However, once the kittens have weaned (usually around 6–10 weeks after birth), you can transition the mother cat back to an adult food.

How can I Help my Cat gain weight after giving birth?

Do not overfeed your cat to the point of obesity. Give your cat a food high in calcium. It’s important that your mother cat consumes food containing plenty of calcium shortly after giving birth. Calcium will increase the mother’s milk production, which in turn will encourage bone growth in the developing kittens.

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 can I Feed my Cat to make her lactate?

Feeding a high quality cat food may be sufficient but many veterinarians recommend feeding the new mother kitten food or a specially made nursing (lactation) diet. This will provide extra calories that the cat can use to produce more milk.

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 care for my cat after she gives 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.

What can I give my mother cat to produce more milk?

To boost milk production if she doesn't have an appetite, you may be able to entice her to eat by making some of her own kitten gruel or mixing wet food into her usual dry food. Sometimes the strong smell of moist food encourages felines to eat.

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.

Is tuna good for cats?

Some tuna now and then probably won't hurt. But a steady diet of tuna prepared for humans can lead to malnutrition because it won't have all the nutrients a cat needs. And, too much tuna can cause mercury poisoning.

Can I touch newborn kittens?

Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they're healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact. The kitten's mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies.

What to expect after a cat gives birth?

After giving birth, your cat is likely to be very hungry, tired and need to rest. She will need to stay with her kittens to feed and bond with them. Make sure they are in a quiet space, free from noise and disturbance.

How do I help my mother cat with her newborn kittens?

Mama cares for kittens – you care for mama!Feed mama ample amounts of kitten food. ... Provide a shallow dish of fresh water. ... Monitor mama's teats daily. ... Care for mama's health needs. ... If mama is friendly, give her affection. ... If mama is feral, don't force interaction except when necessary. ... Schedule a spay.

What do I do if my cat doesn't have milk?

The most commonly available type of kitten formula is called KMR, which stands for "kitten milk replacer." KMR comes in cans or cartons and is available to buy in most pet supply stores and on websites that sell pet supplies. There are other brands of kitten formula available as well.

How do I know if my cat has enough milk for her kittens?

The best way to determine if your cat is producing milk is by observing the kittens. Newborns spend long hours nursing - up to 8 hours per day - with sessions lasting up to 45 minutes. When the mother's milk is being let down, the kittens will each latch onto a preferred nipple and stay there.

How long can kittens survive without milk?

Unfortunately, orphaned kittens less than 4 weeks old cannot live without their mother, and must be bottle fed around the clock in order to survive. Thankfully, most discoveries of newborn kittens do not call for human assistance, and in fact, leaving Mom and her family alone is generally the best thing you can do.

Can I touch newborn kittens?

Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they're healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact. The kitten's mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies.

Are cats more hungry after giving birth?

Nursing. Pregnant cats lose weight after giving birth. However, their nutritional needs increase dramatically. Energy needs can be two to three times normal, depending on litter size, in order to produce the milk supply that will support the offspring.

Why is my cat not eating as much after giving birth?

They often lose appetite immediately after the delivery, because they had eaten the placentas, which are high nutritious by themselves.

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.

How to help a pregnant cat?

Switch your cat to a wet kitten food. Towards the midpoint of your cat’s pregnancy, begin switching her onto a high-quality wet kitten food. Kitten food contains higher percentages of nutrients and vitamins than do adult cat foods, and will provide the queen with more of the protein and calories she needs during pregnancy.

What to do if your cat is overweight after giving birth?

If you notice the cat continuing to gain weight after giving birth, you may need to cut back on the food. Do not overfeed your cat to the point of obesity.

How long does it take for a kitten to transition to adult food?

However, once the kittens have weaned (usually around 6–10 weeks after birth), you can transition the mother cat back to an adult food. Do this by mixing a small amount of the adult food in with the kitten food. Increase the percentage of adult food over one week, until the cat has fully transitioned to adult food.

What is a pregnant cat called?

A pregnant cat is referred to as a “queen.”. Thanks! Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Throughout your cat’s pregnancy and nursing, make sure that she always has access to clean, fresh water.

Why is it important for a cat to eat calcium after giving birth?

It’s important that your mother cat consumes food containing plenty of calcium shortly after giving birth. Calci um will increase the mother’s milk production , which in turn will encourage bone growth in the developing kittens. Check the nutritional information on canned cat foods to find one that is high in calcium.

How to help a kitten grow during pregnancy?

During the early and middle stages of pregnancy, your cat can keep primarily eating their typical food. However, you should mix in added protein to help facilitate healthy kitten growth.

What happens if a cat is pregnant?

If your cat is pregnant, she’ll begin to gain weight rapidly. Even an already-overweight cat will put on a noticeable amount of weight if she becomes pregnant. When a female cat becomes pregnant, her nipples will increase in size and become noticeably darker in color.

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 do after a cat gives birth?

After your cat has given birth, she'll usually provide the warmth and nutrition that her kittens need. Keep a careful eye on her, while maintaining a respectable distance, to make sure they are all safe and well. Help! My cat has had kittens during lockdown!

What to do if kittens don't start feeding?

If the kittens don't start feeding, ask your vet for advice. You may need to start giving the kitten a substitute milk - but follow the instructions carefully. Remember, newborn kittens cannot go more than a few hours without milk. If the queen is calm and settled, you may wish to quickly and quietly check each kitten.

How to get kittens to suckle?

Keep the room temperature warm and the bedding clean and dry. Feeding - the kittens should start to suckle from their mother almost immediately. If they haven't started after half an hour, gently guide them towards the teats. If the kittens don't start feeding , ask your vet for advice.

How old should kittens be to be pregnant?

Ensure they stay indoors until they can be neutered by a vet - remember, kittens can get pregnant from four months of age. Don't advertise your kittens on Facebook.

How to keep a newborn kitten warm?

Warmth is important as newborn kittens can lose heat very quickly. If the mother is attentive, she will clean the kittens and use her body heat to keep the kittens warm. If she is tired or disturbed she may ignore them, in which case you will need to provide warmth, either via a heat pad or a covered hot water bottle - no hotter than body temperature - and the kittens should be covered with a light towel or blanket. Keep the room temperature warm and the bedding clean and dry.

What to do if the Queen refuses to give birth to a kitten?

if the queen seems to ignore or reject one of her kittens, putting some of the birthing fluids on the kitten may help her to accept it. if the queen is not comfortable in her environment, she may try to move the kittens in her mouth to a preferred location.

Can you advertise kittens on Facebook?

Don't advertise your kittens on Facebook. You can find out more about how to sell them responsibly here

How to feed a new mom kitten?

Feeding a high quality cat food may be sufficient but many veterinarians recommend feeding the new mother kitten food or a specially made nursing (lactation) diet. This will provide extra calories that the cat can use to produce more milk. Make sure to keep your cat’s food bowl full at all times. Some new moms can eat up to four times their normal amount while they are nursing. After about a month, the queen will begin weaning her brood and the amount of food she is offered can be reduced slowly as you begin to switch her back to her normal adult diet. By about 8 weeks, the kittens should be pretty much weaned and the cat should be back to a normal amount of her maintenance adult cat diet.

When do queen kittens eat?

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.

How long does it take for a cat to wean from a queen?

By about 8 weeks , the kittens should be pretty much weaned and the cat should be back to a normal amount of her maintenance adult cat diet.

How long does it take for a cat to cycle?

After about a week, the mother cat may begin to cycle again. If a male is around, it is possible that the queen will mate and may become pregnant right away.

How many people should check on a queen kitten?

Queens are very protective of their young. It is wise for only one to two people to check on her. Parading various friends and neighbors through the house to handle and play with the new kittens is stressful on the mother and can potentially spread disease to the kittens.

Can a cat have a second litter?

Having a second litter three months after the first litter is not healthy for your cat. It is important to keep her protected from the male. Discharge from the vagina should be minimal.

Do female cats need help?

The answer is you! Fortunately, most queens (female cats) need little help. All they ask for is peace, quiet and privacy as they deliver their new babies and take care of them. But, you should still be there to help if necessary. Queens are very protective of their young.

What happens if a cat is not groomed after birth?

This can lead to poor maternal behavior, meaning that many of the typical behaviors of grooming and nursing that a mother cat does after birth may not happen. If this is the case, you may also see other signs of something being wrong with the mother, such as her acting disoriented, panting, whining, or muscle rigidity.

Why is my cat not showing maternal instincts?

Sometimes, a mother cat will simply not exhibit the maternal care that cats normally do towards their kittens. For instance, a mother cat may refuse to clean or nurse her kittens. One cause of a failure to show maternal instincts may be stress. If the environment the cat is in is excessively loud, active, or seemingly unsafe, ...

Why do cats move their kittens around?

The Kitten Care website says that mother cats will move their kittens if there is too much light where they are located , or if the mother cat does not feel safe for whatever reason.

Why is it important to not hover around kittens?

If you do observe a nest of kittens that seem as if they are abandoned, this website recommends not hovering nearby, because the mother cat will not return to her kittens if there are people present. It is a natural behavior for the mother cat to not want people around her kittens. If she returns to the nest while people are observing, that means she will have given away the location of her kittens.

What does it mean when a cat returns to the nest?

If she returns to the nest while people are observing, that means she will have given away the location of her kittens. If you must watch, observe from a distance and trust that the mother cat instinctively knows what to do.

Why is my mother's milk brown?

A related and similar issue is mastitis, which is an infection of the mammary glands. In this case, the mother's milk may be brown or reddish and you may observe her refusing to nurse. She may also not want to eat and may appear listless as her body is trying to fight off an infection. Advertisement.

Can a cat lick a kitten?

Sometimes, though, this instinctive behavior doesn't happen and you may need to help. If the amniotic sac doesn't come off or the cat is not licking her kitten well enough to remove it, go ahead and intervene. However, Vet Info says it is generally best to let the mother cat do this herself on her own time.