Expert: Jessica - 3/23/2010

Question
my cat gave birth to 4 kittens yesterday afternoon. she let me go into the room, and even touch them. My question is, why does she still keep following me around. the babies are under my bed, and i put a bed in there for them, which they all use, but the mom will only go in the room when im in there. when i leave she leaves...this am i woke up to find her asleep with my daughter in another room. I don't know what to do or how to make her stay. everything i read it says she will stay with them except to eat. Shes only eaten a couple bites on 2 separate occasions and the rest of the time shes with me..

Answer
Hi Brandi.  Many cats are very attached to their owners and feel especially needy for their attention during this time, which can be stressful and filled with uncertainty for them.  While some cats prefer a nesting box to be hidden away in a private corner or in a closet, these clingy kitties may need the box to be located in a more central area such as a living room.  This way, the cat can attend to their babies while still having constant contact with the family.

However, if this still doesn't satisfy her, the babies will need to be bottle fed.  And since kittens of this age will die if they don't eat after just several hours, I would recommend picking up some kitten formula right away so that you'll have it on hand.  The babies need to be fed every 2 hours, day and night, and they need to be kept in an environment that's about 90 degrees for the first week.  If mom isn't staying with them except to eat, you should move them into a box that has a heating pad covered with a towel, set on low heat.  Feed them with an eye dropper for the first week, and then try to transition them onto a pet bottle.  For the first two weeks, meals should be fed every two hours, and then you can drop down to every 3-4.  The kittens also need to be stimulated to move their bladder and bowels after each meal.  This is done by using cotton balls moistened with warm water to massage the genital area in a circular motion.  The kittens should urinate each time and defecate at least once a day.

Best of luck!

Jessica