Fostering Pregnant and nursing mother cats

1. Feeding the mother:
   Pregnant and nursing cats should be feed kitten food, they need the extra nutrition. You should be feeding her both the moist and dry food. The moist food should always be fresh so give this to her in reasonable amount 3 to 4 times a day. Normally the dry food can be left out for her. Pregnant and nursing cats will eat more then one who isn't. Cats vary according to size and weight on how much they need to eat, your mother cat should eat all the moist food put down for her without getting sick and vomiting (a cat that has over eaten will get an upset stomach and may vomit or have diarrhea, however if your cat does have these symptoms you should call and talk to the tech. To make sure she is not ill) If you are unsure how much is enough contact the shelter and they will be able to help you out. Make sure she has plenty of fresh water.
   
   The mother cat should still be on kitten food once the kittens are weaned, if she is thin, she will need this for a few weeks after the babies stop nursing in order to get her weight back to normal.
   
   
2. Kittens starting to eat:
   The kittens start to try the moist food at 4 to 5 weeks old, some start later then others but by 6 weeks they should all be eating. The kittens are too small to eat dry food and it should be eating canned food only till they are 7 weeks old when they should be feed both canned and dry.
   Make sure they have plenty of fresh water. Do not give the kittens milk, they can't properly digest it and it will make them feel sick (can cause vomiting and diarrhea).
   
   If the kittens haven't started to eat on their own they may need to be encouraged, put a small amount of kitten food on your finger, let them smell it, put some on their paw or face to see if they'll clean it off or gently put a small amount in their mouth (once they get a taste normaly they'll eat out of the bowl right away). If this doesn't work a small amount of human baby food (chicken, beef or lamb only) can also be used to start them on food, once they will eat this; slowly start to mix in the kitten food until the kittens are eating regular moist kitten food and no baby food. If this doesn't work or the kitten still are not eating well contact the shelter.
   
   NOTE: baby food often will give the kittens soft stool and should only be used if the kittens need help learning to eat, be sure to slowly change them to the regular kitten food.
   
   
3. Weaning kittens:
   Mother cats sometimes need some extra help weaning the kittens. If you have them isolated together in one room, let mom out to do some exploring, you can put up a babygate or something of this nature so that the mother can come and go as she wishes but babies can't get out (yet, they will when they are older!) Most kittens of 3-5 weeks are eating some on their own, using the litter box and quite active running around and exploring, you should give the mother some time away for the kittens at this point, she will return when it's time to feed them. At 7 weeks the kittens should be able to eat a fair amount of moist kitten food and the mother will be nourishing them only once in a while. By 6-8 weeks kittens should be weaned and eating moist food on their own, most will still try to nurse if given the chance but they no longer need to nurse, it's best to let mother be able to get away from the kittens when she wants too, she'll be ready to return for adoption at this point provided her weight is good (and be spay). Remember Mother cat should still be eating kitten food, if you feel that she is getting to fat call the shelter for advice on feeding.
   
   
4. Kittens and Mother weight:
   
   You should not be able to feel or see the ribs or backbone of the mother or kittens, if you can they are too thin and you should contact the shelter for advice on special feeding and bring in a fecal sample to rule out parasites.
   Kitten also shouldn't have huge bellies, they should be well rounded but should not have a large tummy and thin legs, tail and head. Be sure that the kittens haven't just eaten when looking at the size of the stomach, it's of course much bigger after they eat and before they go to the litter box. If your kittens have big bellies that stay the same then bring them and a fecal sample in for the tech to look at they might need deworming or some other type of medication.
   
   
5. Signs of illness to look for:
   
   Besides the weight of cat and kittens you should contact the shelter if they show these signs;
   
   • - smell a lot , and / or have usually smelly fecal that is soft or diarrhea.
   • - have blood and/or muces in the stool
   • - have poor coats (their fur feels wire like) [check that the kitten haven't recently been de-fleaed]
   • - eat well, but are thin and not gaining any weight.
   • - vomitting; please tell the tech if they vomited food, clear liquid, etc.
   • - seems to have little / less energy
   • - not eating, or eat very little
   • - urinating more then normal
   • - having difficultly going to the bathroom (constipated or straining )
   • - look pale (pink nose look white, etc.)
   • - used to be good with litter box but now are missing (normally goes with soft stool)
   • - dragging / rubbing their bums on the floor / paper
   • - any other abnormal signs
   
   
   
   
6. Litter Box and little kittens:
   
   You should be using the non-scented, non-clumping (clay) litter for little kittens. When they are first learning they will sometimes try to eat it and this can cause serious medical problem which could result in the kittens death. The regular non-clumping litter works perfectly for mom and babies up to 12weeks old. A good suggestion is to put some newspaper under the pan and round the sides little kittens just learning to us the box might miss and go beside it. Don't throw out the dirty paper, put it in the litter box and show the kitten (by gently placing them in the box. DO NOT PUT THERE NOSE IN THE MESS), so they'll get the idea.
   
   Most learn very fast and mother will show them. If you have a kitten that is not using the box and you catch him in the act pick him up and put him in the litter box gently, then clean up the dirty paper outside the box. Normally after a few minor misses every one gets the idea, cats like to be clean! The other thing to look at if kittens have normal stool and are missing the box is that they can get in, sometimes smaller kittens can't climb in and either putting a lower box or a "step" will solve the problem.
   If you have any problems with the kittens and litter box training you can contact the shelter for other suggestions.
   
   
7. Vaccinations
   The mother cat and kittens should return when they are 4 weeks old for a check-up, mother will get her first set of vaccinations and kittens can be dewormed.
   They all should return at 7 weeks of age to get thier frist set of shots.
   The mother cat will get her second set and providing her weight is good she can stay for adoption at this point. HOWEVER, if you are able to isolate her form the babies, she can be refostered till her milk is diried up so that she can be spay before adoption. The kittens will need to be refostered for at least 10 more days before returning for adoption.
   
8. Returning for adoption
   Providing the mother cat is ready, she can return for adoption when the kittens are 7 weeks old. You will be asked to fill out an info. sheet on her to help her get adopted faster. You can also bring in a write-up and/or pictures to go with them as well.
   The kittens will be returning for adoption when they are 8 weeks old.
   
9. Someone wants to adopt one of your fosters
   If you know someone interested in adopting one of the cats or kittens you fostered, when your returning the cat, bring the person in with you (or have them come in the same day), they can start to fill out the adoption questionair while the cat is being booked back in and getting their health check for adoption. Once threw the adoption, the cat will go straight home with thier new owner.
   NOTE: Adoption hours are; MON-FRI: 12pm to 6pm SAT: 10am to 4pm

AFTER HOURS FOR EMERGANCIES ONLY(after 7pm or Holidays and Sundays) call (613)725-1532

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Basic Foster Info.| Caring for fosters|

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