What to Feed Nursing Mother Cats
- Protein Needs of Nursing Mother Cats. Nursing mother cats usually do well on commercial foods made for kittens. Dry and moist foods are both suitable.
- Switch to Regular Cat Food. Mother cats need to continue to eat kitten foods until their kittens are completely weaned and done nursing.
- Water. Ample water is imperative in any feline diet, no exceptions. ...
- Free Choice. The free choice feeding style is a common way to handle a nursing cat's portions. ...
What is the best food for a nursing mother cat?
Protein Needs of Nursing Mother Cats. Nursing mother cats usually do well on commercial foods made for kittens. Dry and moist foods are both suitable.
How can I help my mother cat care for my kittens?
To compensate for this water loss, feed her a high-moisture diet and pair it with an ever-full bowl of fresh water. Mama cats have an increased requirement for calcium and phosphorus to support the kittens’ bone development. What you feed your mother cat will also feed the kittens.
Can I Feed my nursing cat dry food?
Nursing cats need to eat regularly. Because a lactating cat will want to eat throughout the day, it’s common to opt to free-feed her dry food. While dry cat food is calorie-dense and easy to feed, it’s not the ideal source of nutrition for your lactating cat.
What is free choice feeding for cats?
The free choice feeding style is a common way to handle a nursing cat's portions. Nursing asks a lot of a female cat's body, and free choice feeding can help accommodate those needs by allowing mothers to determine their portions by themselves.
How much should I feed a nursing mother cat?
The exact amount of food a nursing cat needs will vary in proportion to its litter size. Cats nursing more than two kittens typically need 2 to 2.5 times more calories than usual. A 10-pound cat nursing 4 kittens needs approximately 603 calories per day.
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.
What do you feed a cat that just had babies?
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 often should I feed my cat after giving birth?
Kittens will nurse every 1-3 hours for the first three weeks. Only when they hit four or five weeks old will they be ready to start weaning off mom and onto wet food.
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.
Can nursing cats have goats milk?
A small dish of goat's milk is often well liked but never give cow's milk which is difficult for cats to digest. Goat's milk yoghurt is very popular with our pregnant and nursing cats, put a couple of spoonfuls on a saucer and watch them lick it up.
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.
How should mother cats act after birth?
You cat's behaviour after birth You might notice your cat: licking her newborn kittens, nuzzling them and purring. moving her kittens. If she feels unsafe for any reason, or if where she currently is isn't warm enough for her, she may choose to move her kittens.
How long after a cat has kittens can you touch them?
The ASPCA also noted you don't want to wait longer than two weeks before starting to handle the kittens. Pick a kitten up, hold him for a minute or two, gently stroking him, and then return him to his mom. It's important not to keep young kittens away from their mom for more than a few minutes at a time.
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.
Should I clean my cat after she gives birth?
I would wait at least 2-3 days before bathing her. At this point, her cervix will be closed. Be sure to rinse her off well to get all the cat shampoo off her for the safety of her kittens. You can use a warm damp washcloth to gently wipe around her vaginal area to get give her a bit of a cleaning.
How to feed a pregnant cat?
How should these foods be fed to pregnant or nursing cats? 1 Pregnant cats: Feed the suggested amount on the packaging. Continue to feed a kitten food to the mother until her kittens are weaned. 2 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 should pregnant cats be fed?
How should these foods be fed to pregnant or nursing cats? Pregnant cats: Feed the suggested amount on the packaging. 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.
Why are kittens high in protein?
Increased protein for growth and development of the kittens. Increased fat to meet the high demand for calories of the mother. Increased calcium and phosphorus for bone growth of kittens and milk production of their mother. High digestibility to provide more calories in a smaller amount of food.
How long does it take for a cat to be pregnant?
Typical gestation (pregnancy) averages 63-65 days. 2 We recommend that you see a veterinarian weekly during pregnancy and nursing to assess weight and food intake. Please speak with your veterinarian to determine how often your cat should be examined during pregnancy and after the birth of her kittens.
What is the most energy-demanding stage of a cat's life?
Nursing is the most energy-demanding stage of a cat’s life. Nursing cats have 2 to 6 times the energy requirements of a healthy adult cat.
Can you feed a pregnant cat Hill's Science Diet?
It is extremely important to feed your pregnant or nursing cat a food that provides the increased nutrition she needs. We recommend feeding Hill’s® Science Diet® Kitten Food formulas as soon as you discover your cat is pregnant. These formulas are rich in essential nutrients and support development of the kittens during pregnancy.
Ingredients
To help you accurately compare the benefits of various foods, it’s a good idea to learn how to read a pet food label and what ingredients are found in pet diets. Americans spent over $100 billion on their pets last year which means the competition for your cat food dollars is fierce.
Bag Size
If your mother cat is eating 2-3 times the amount of food she usually would, you’re going to be buying a lot of food.
Ease of Purchase
If you lead a hectic, over-scheduled life, you may not have time to make a separate trip to your veterinarian or the pet store to buy cat food. Online pet food delivery is an option but if shipments are delayed or damaged you may find yourself needing to pick up an emergency bag of cat food.
When to feed a pregnant cat?
Switch her to a wet kitten food at about the midpoint of her pregnancy, which is around the 5th week. As her kittens grow, your cat will eat smaller portions of food, but she’ll want to eat more frequently, ...
How long does it take for a cat to eat kitten food?
A cat’s pregnancy typically lasts from 58–70 days. Plan to switch your queen to the nutritious kitten food by about the 5th week (35 days).
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.
When can you transition a cat back 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.
How to help a cat gain weight after giving birth?
Give the cat a dish of this food three times daily, spaced at regular intervals . If you notice the cat continuing to gain weight after giving birth, you may need to cut back on the food.
How long does a cat stay in heat?
The cat will remain in heat for about 10 to 14 days. If your female cat is in heat and is allowed to go outside, she’ll attempt to attract and mate with male cats. Naturally, there is a high chance that she’ll become pregnant because cats are spontaneous ovulators.
A Nursing Cats Nutritional Requirements
A nursing cat has some extreme energy demands on her body. Not only does she need to maintain her own internal functions and body condition, but she also needs to produce milk that can support the rapid and healthy growth and development of her kittens.
Kitten Food is Best for Nursing Cats
So, we can see that a nursing mother needs a diet that provides her with much more energy and vitamins and minerals. Her regular diet will not suffice. Fortunately, this diet can be provided for her by simply feeding her kitten formulated food.
How Much Food Does a Nursing Cat Need?
In addition to a higher energy diet, she may need to generally eat more food than she used to. As cat owners, we are all used to setting set schedules and feeding amounts, but for your nursing cat, you should not look to restrict this.
How to keep kittens from getting chilled?
Keep the other animals in the household away from them. Also keep the area warm, as kittens can get chilled easily. If you put mom and her babies open in a spare bedroom, she may move her kittens around the room repeatedly. In the wild, this is how they protect them.
How to get fleas off kittens?
Instead, if you see fleas on the kittens, you can bathe them using Dawn dishwashing liquid and use a small flea comb as needed to get the fleas off. Avoid antibacterial soaps. If you have to bathe kittens, make sure you dry them well and keep them warm as they can get chilled easily.
How old should kittens be to use a litter box?
Initially, mom will be the only one using the litter box. Kittens won’t start using a litter box until about four weeks old. Until them, mom will just lick them to stimulate them to go to the bathroom and then she’ll lick them clean. It’s best to use a non-clumping litter such as Johnny Cat while the kittens are nursing. Clumping litter works by clumping as soon as it gets wet — this can be dangerous to kittens because if they ingest any, it can clump in their intestines. Johnny Cat is a safe, cheap option until the kittens are old enough to know not to eat the litter. Also, keep the litter box away from the food bowls as much as possible (although we know sometime’s it’s tight in a taming cage).
When can you get a kitten spayed?
If mom is feral , when the kittens are 5 weeks old , that is the point when you can get mom spayed and release her right where you trapped her. Kittens can be safely fixed as soon a they hit 2-3 lbs., which is generally between 8-12 weeks.
Can you handle a kitten at any age?
You can safely handle the kittens at any age. Momma cat might get a little panicky, so be considerate of her, but she isn’t going to reject the babies just because you touched them. Handling the kittens will ensure they grow up very tame and social, which will make it easier for you to find great homes for them.
Is Momma Cat a stray?
We then determined that momma cat was a friendly stray, which was the second bit of good news. She was very tame as can be and easy to handle, so the first-time trapper who had brought momma cat in decided to foster the new happy family until the kittens are big enough to wean and adopt out. As a caregiver, if you ever find yourself in this ...
What do mama cats need?
Mama cats have an increased requirement for calcium and phosphorus to support the kittens’ bone development. What you feed your mother cat will also feed the kittens. As kittens grow, they require elevated levels of key minerals and other nutrients to stay healthy.
How many calories should I give my cat?
A 10-lb cat with 4 kittens needs about 600 calories a day. If she weighs 15 lbs, that number would increase to over 800 daily calories. A very large cat weighing 20 lbs might need over 1,000 calories per day. Your cat will almost inevitably lose her kitten weight during this period, and that’s healthy.
What to do if your kitten is skinny?
If the kittens are unusually skinny, vocal, or both, you might need to give them a nutritional boost by giving them kitten milk replacer. Make sure that you use a formula made for kittens.
How often do kittens nurse?
Newborn kittens do two things—nurse and sleep. They nurse every one to two hours, day and night. For the mother providing this nutrition, nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding time. She needs rich, high-calorie food to nourish both herself and the babies.
What are the ingredients in fancy feast?
First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Liver, Meat By-Products, Poultry Broth, Milk. Don’t fall for the idea that only expensive food is good enough for your cat and her kittens. This kitten formula from Fancy Feast is grain-free, emphasizes digestible animal protein, and by almost all accounts, it tastes great.
How much water does a nursing cat need?
The nutritional composition of cat milk is approximately 10.8% fat, 10.6% protein, 3.7% sugar, and 1.0% ash. That means that it’s about 73.9% water. Every time she feeds her kittens, your cat loses water.
Do nursing cats need water?
Nursing cats require plenty of water. Mama cats have an increased requirement for calcium and phosphorus to support the kittens’ bone development. Just like when she was pregnant, kitten food is the best source of calorie-dense, concentrated nutrition for your lactating queen.
Ingredients
The ingredients are always listed from the first to the last, meaning the first ingredient is dominant in the formula. For example, if real chicken is listed first and rosemary extract last, it contains mainly chicken and very little rosemary extract.
Conclusion
For the overall best cat food for nursing mothers, we recommend Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food for its high calorie and protein content, real chicken, and three bag size choices.
When to feed kittens during lactation?
Feeding during lactation is best accomplished using a highly-digestible, high-quality kitten formulation. 6–7 weeks post-partum.". Peak milk production and the queen’s peak energy need occurs at 3–4 weeks of lactation, but the peak food requirement occurs at 6–7 weeks post-partum.
When does a kitten need to eat after lactation?
6–7 weeks post-partum.". Peak milk production and the queen’s peak energy need occurs at 3–4 weeks of lactation, but the peak food requirement occurs at 6–7 weeks post-partum. This is primarily due to the fact that the kittens are also consuming the queen’s food as they approach weaning age.
What are the stages of kitten reproduction?
Thriving kittens both before and after birth. The various stages of reproduction—heat (estrus), pregnancy, lactation, and weaning— provide unique stresses to the body. Each creates specific nutritional concerns that should be addressed to maximize both queen and kitten health. "Each [stage] creates specific nutritional.
How long does it take for a cat to get pregnant?
both queen and kitten health". Cats are pregnant for 63–65 days (58–70 day range), and a healthy, well-fed queen will experience steady weight gain throughout her pregnancy. This weight gain appears to be energy storage to support the upcoming lactation.
Does a cat need energy during lactation?
It is correct that during nursing ( lactation), a cat needs the greatest amount of energy calories of any life stage. Optimal nutrition for reproduction and lactation pursues the following outcomes:
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 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.
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.
How long does it take for a kitten to crawl?
This twitching is entirely normal and indicates the development of their nervous system and muscles. By two weeks, the kittens will start crawling around and will be attempting to stand.
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 are the health problems of kittens?
Intestinal parasites are most common in kittens. 2 Other health problems in young kittens are infectious diseases, such as respiratory infections, and congenital diseases.
Can you keep a stray cat away from you?
A rescued stray or fostered cat may prefer that you stay away. As long as the kittens are nursing frequently and appear to be thriving, they will be OK. Keep the mother cat and her babies in a quiet part of the house; a separate room is ideal. Make sure the room is warm enough as kittens are unable to regulate their body temperature ...
