Immediately after birth
Mother cats tend to look for cozy and quiet places to give birth. But if desired, the owner can create it for her pet. For example, you could line a box with towels and place it all in a quiet, dark room.
After the birth of children, if the cat is unable to do anything, the owner needs to:
- remove amniotic sacs (water membranes) from around their faces and bodies;
- Wipe the mouth and nose with a soft cloth and make sure that the kitten begins to scream or breathe;
- get rid of the remnants of the membrane from the body of newborn kittens;
- cut the umbilical cord. To do this you need a clamp and clean scissors. The distance for cutting is 2 cm from the abdomen.
How do cats take care of their offspring?
Cats are one of the most beloved animals of our time. Well, you can play with them, they can calm you down after a hard day, and they can catch mice. True, not all of them will run after mice; as they say, they are created for beauty and admiration, and not for dirty work. And now it becomes interesting, how do cats take care of their offspring?
It’s curious, but they can have offspring from a very early age until old age. At one time, a female can give birth to about 2-4 kittens. What’s interesting is that at first only the mother looks after the babies, but the father has something to keep himself busy.
In general, they are considered to be very good mothers who devote themselves entirely to their offspring. The first thing the female will do is find a corner where all the kittens will be hidden from the outside world and where they will always be in her field of vision.
If the cat is domestic, then most likely it will not allow humans near its kittens at first. But this depends on the degree of trust between man and animal.
Naturally, the female always feeds her babies and takes care of them. She may forget to eat herself, but her children will always be full. And after eating, the mother always licks the kittens. And she does it for a reason, since such crawling improves the babies’ digestion, and does not just make them clean and silky.
At the same time, the female is constantly close to her children. She will no longer run around the house after a toy mouse, no, now the responsibility has fallen on her shoulders. And she will protect the kittens from anyone who comes close to them, even if it is an animal that is dangerous to her.
Over time, the cat will teach her children how to get food. On the street, she will show you what is edible and what is not, and how to properly sneak up on prey. It is much easier for home representatives in this matter. Since you just need to go to your bowl, which always contains food and clean water.
The mother also teaches the kids to wash themselves. It's actually fun to watch kids while they're washing their faces. They make it so awkward. Either the paw will not reach the ear, or it will not hold on and will fall face down. But no matter what, mom will always help and show by her own example how to do it.
By the way, for disobedience, the mother can lightly spank the fidget on the head or nose with her paw. Mom plays with the children, and when they reach the age of 2.5 months, she gives them some freedom. They can now entertain themselves, go for walks, especially if it’s an apartment, and eat on their own. This short story with photos and drawings will help 3rd graders become familiar with such an important topic while studying the world around them.
First few weeks
The first time after birth, kittens see and hear poorly, so they have to live by their instincts. They smell milk and reach out to their mother to feed on it.
If more kittens were born than the mother has nipples, then the owner needs to swap some of the cubs herself so that everyone can taste the mother’s milk.
As for grooming, mom licks the belly and anus, making them want to go small and big. If the kittens do not have a mother, then the person should take care of this issue on their own by stroking those places with a warm and damp washcloth.
Equipment for a place for newborn kittens
First of all, blind kittens need to build a cozy “nest” in which they will be protected and warm, and, moreover, from which they will not be able to get out on their own, so as not to endanger their lives.
Kittens are cozy in a box
The simplest and most accessible option is a spacious cardboard box. Unlike metal, cardboard is warm, and if it goes bad, you can throw it away without regret and organize a more suitable house for the kids. Alternatively, you can use a plastic container. However, it should be understood that the ventilation in it will be worse, and besides, it must be washed and disinfected periodically.
In any case, having chosen a box, you still need to choose the right bedding for it. The simplest option would be a cotton fabric folded in several layers, on top of which you can lay a disposable absorbent diaper. To make the bed softer, you can lay a fleece blanket or terry towel. These are soft fabrics that are also warm and easy to clean.
Important! It is not recommended to cover a kitten house with woolen fabric. It may look attractive, but newborn kittens have a habit of sucking fur and can ingest it.
First movements
About three weeks after birth, it is time for socialization, when the offspring begins to independently explore the environment. This is when the mother begins to encourage curiosity. However, she still worries, so you can hear a rather strange sound from her when she calls out to those who have wandered too far.
By four weeks, kittens should be fairly stable on their feet. Then their mother begins to wean them off milk. By six weeks they will begin to play, jump and climb.
Many experts recommend exposing kittens to people between four and six weeks. You need to pet them gently and calmly enough so that they get used to your touch.
Care from the first days
The cat begins to care for the offspring immediately after it is born:
- She eats the amniotic sac, freeing the kittens from the membrane.
- Mommy immediately starts licking the babies. Initially, this procedure is aimed at eliminating the remaining amniotic tissue and fluids. It stimulates the breathing reflex, which is triggered after cleaning the nose and mouth.
- Later, the cat massages the babies’ bellies with its tongue, which makes their digestive and excretory systems work.
- On the first day, cleaning up feces also falls on the mother, and she licks off the excretions of her kittens. She usually stops doing this after introducing complementary foods.
Maternal aggression
Don't worry if your cute kitty turns into a snarling tigress after giving birth. This is completely normal behavior, since the reason for this is increased hormonal levels.
If you try to interact with a pet or its litter, you may encounter an unpleasant hiss.
The animals need to be in a protected environment so that the mother cat can do her job of raising the kittens without struggling with feelings of aggression.
Does a cat need to give birth?
If a cat lives in your house and you are not going to breed these animals (and for this you need to have a huge amount of knowledge, skills and abilities, so it is better to leave breeding to specialists), it is worth sterilizing it in order to prevent the appearance of unplanned offspring, which will then have an extremely difficult time will find “good hands”.
Unfortunately, two harmful myths are still extremely persistent among cat lovers and owners:
- Every cat needs to give birth at least once in its life “for its health.”
- Neutered cats are prone to obesity.
This has nothing to do with reality.
In the photo: kittens. Photo: goodfreephotos.com
Wash kittens regularly
After you help the kids relieve themselves, they need to be washed. This is done very simply: take a clean cloth, soak it in water, squeeze it lightly and wipe the kitten's fur on all sides. After washing your baby, do not forget to dry him with a dry towel and place him back in the tray.
If you notice that feces have dried on the kitten’s body, lower the soiled part of the kitten’s body into warm water, and then remove the soaked feces with a damp cloth.
How to help a kitten relieve itself
The cat teaches the kittens to relieve themselves by licking them after each meal. Now taking care of the little ones falls on you. To do this, just after feeding, turn the baby over on his back, take a damp cotton swab and wipe the kitten’s tummy and butt with it. This procedure stimulates the intestines and bladder, so that very soon the fluffy will begin to urinate and poop.
Important! Pay attention to the excrement. Normally, stool should be yellowish-brown and urine should be pale yellow and odorless. Green feces, as well as dark urine with an unpleasant odor, will indicate that the kitten is dehydrated and needs help from a veterinarian.
Keep kittens together or separately
Considering that in the first days of life, mole rats have not yet developed a mechanism for thermoregulation, it is wiser to keep all nursing kittens together, in one tray. Firstly, the babies will cuddle up to each other, sharing warmth and warming each other. And secondly, it’s easier to care for babies and monitor their condition.
However, it is important to monitor newborn babies. The fact is that in the absence of a mother cat and the inability to attach to her breast, mole rats can cling to each other, sucking ears, tails or delicate skin. As a result, they can pump serious hematomas, which, in turn, can cause inflammation.
Important! In kittens that grow up without a mother, the sucking reflex can remain for quite a long time. If from childhood such babies become accustomed to sucking the fingers or earlobes of their owner, this need may remain with them until the end of their lives.
In addition, do not forget that the umbilical cord of newborn kittens has not yet healed, which means that in the process of searching for food or a warm place, the babies can injure each other.
To avoid these troubles, kittens need to be fed more often (so they will not try to suck each other), and also be picked up more often and examined for possible damage.
