Kitten

[Hanandhen]

Hi after a bit of advice my cat had one kitten today first time she has had kittens, she gave birth in my sons playroom cupboard I have put a blanket in there food, water and a litter tray but she keeps leaving the kitten is this normal ? She keeps coming down stairs for food and I think just to cool down as very hot up stairs, should I move the kitten down stairs where it's cooler, I'm not sure if she had fed the kitten as it's just lying there when she's upstairs with it she just lays by the kitten any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Mayday21]

Hi I’m not experienced with mumma cats & new borns if she’s restless she may have more kittens ... are you able to ring a vet & get advice? I had to take a new mumma & her newly born kitten to Little Paws’ vet. The president put mumma in a carrier but wrapped the newborn in a towel & placed on the seat beside carrier. Apparently mumma’s can accidentally step on them or try to pick them up in a carrier causing damage. The mumma gave birth to 4 more but had to have a Caesarian for the 5th. Alas none of the litter survived & the vet thinks with the birth of the 1st she may have been experiencing a premature abortion. Pretty sure others will post with worthwhile advice.

[Lilith]

Hi and welcome.

I think you need to phone your vet and get expert advice; I have known a cat who left her first kitten just after birth - to run off and play with a friend. Eventually she came back and gave birth to the second but I had to follow her about with those kittens in a basket for weeks otherwise she was quite capable of ignoring them. She did feed them though. Another girl was up and down like yours and, though she'd been a good mother with past litters, didn't seem to know what to do with herself and wasn't feeding the kitten. The problem there was no milk and an injection was needed.

Your vet or staff will be able to ask for details like, are her nipples swollen, is there any unusual discharge from her vulva (there will be some normal discharge of course and she may well wash discharge away before you've managed to see it) have you seen more contractions, and also advise you on how to feed the kitten temporarily if there's a problem with milk/feeding.

Every case is different and it could of course be the result of this extreme heat we've been having, but it isn't usual and I think you do need veterinary help. The vet may well want to examine the mother to make sure there are no retained foetuses - good tip from Mayday re transporting if you need to take the kitten too.

It would be great if she'd settled down with kitten overnight - sorry I didn't see this last night but I kept unplugging my pc due to thunderstorms and I expect everybody else was doing the same ...

All the very best with them - please let us know how they go on.