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Cats/My cats has milk but not pregnant

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Expert: - 9/22/2008


Question
QUESTION: Hi! My Queen has been acting strange this morning, she is not eating only drinking, She is also looking for my attention, I'm not sure if she will have her kittens soon. I can still see Her kitten moving, Do kittens move when a queen is in early labor?

ANSWER: Diane,

Human babies have been known to move during labor. Kittens can do so as well, but since you mention the behavioral change has been happening since this morning I really think that it would be wise to take this kitty to the vet to be assessed and make sure that her labor is progressing normally. I would have expected mom to have her little ones by now if she has been in labor since this morning. If you want to take the risk of waiting and seeing what happens during the night my recommendation would be to set mom up in a quiet room, keep it dimly lit and be sure to provide food, water, litter and a comfy place for the new family to sleep in. A cardboard box lined with old towels works well, just be sure to change the bedding when it becomes soiled. If mom hasn't had her litter by tomorrow morning it would be my recommendation to take mom to the vet so that they can find out what's happening with her because it's not normal for a pregnant queen's appetite to drop off.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My queen had her kitten. My question is I thought my other cat was also pregnant, she wasn't getting bigger , she was producing milk is this because my queen was pregnant? Why does she keep trying to nurse my queens babies? Is this ok to let her, she cries to get to them she cleans them she sleeps with my queen. my queen seems ok with this but I just would like to make sure.

Answer
Diane,

Have you had the queen that the kitten belongs to evaluated by your family vet? The reason that I recommend this is because it isn't common for cats to have just one kitten and if there are other kittens live or deceased in mom's reproductive tract this can cause serious problems and there is really only a limited amount of time to deliver any live kittens before they die. As for the other cat in the household producing milk and helping to care for the kittens this isn't uncommon and it's perfectly alright to allow the girls to share in the care of the kitten.

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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