Expert: Norman Auspitz - 3/1/2011

Question
My kitten had her babies on Friday ... now 3 days later, she's removing them from the box and bringing them to me ... just now she had 2 out of the box and she was laying in the box with the other 3 ... I know she's young but I'm worried about the babies! I've never had a pet that's been pregnant or given birth and I'm not sure what to think ... I'll have to go back to work soon and I'm worried that something bad will happen to these little ones ...

Answer
Dawn,

You may want to consider moving the box to a draft free area where she is by herself, and other pets or small children do not have access, and she is not easily distracted from her motherly duties. On first litters, sometimes the new mama gets distracted and forgets what she is supposed to be doing.  If she moves them out of that box, you may want to crate her for a couple of hours and have to listen to the kittens complain. Oft times, they are so anxious to get back to their kittens, they forget about moving them.

If the kittens are rolly poly and nursing well, it is more important that they are warm then they are getting fed all the time for the first week or two (be wary of heating pads, they tend to be way too hot and the kittens will get overheated!!!!!). By the time they are four weeks of age, they very well may be climbing out of the box themselves. At four weeks you can start the weaning process. Once they are weaned, at 6 weeks, lets say, you can consider separating them from mama and making sure they are socialized to people.

They can get their first shot (panleukopenia, calici, rhinotracheitis) at 8 or 9 weeks of age and a booster 3 to 4 weeks later. Be careful, many veterinarians tend to over vaccinate.  I would wait 3-4 weeks between inoculations and have all inoculations given intramuscularly in a hind thigh muscle.

Rabies depends on your jurisdiction, but I would not have a rabies done before they are 16 weeks. Also, if the cat does not go outside, FeLV/FIV vaccinations are unnecessary.

Please let me know if you have any more questions and how your mama adjusts to things.

Best regards... Norm.