HOW TO FIND A “GOOD” VETERINARIAN Choosing a veterinarian is one of the most important decisions you will have to make concerning your cat’s health. Just as in any profession, there are bad veterinarians as well as good ones. There are no specific rules for finding the best one for your cat. However, considering some … Read more
NEONATAL CONJUNCTIVITIS (OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM) Signs of infection of the conjunctiva are often seen about the time kittens begin to open their eyes (around seven to ten days). Sticky yellow discharges are present that often seal the eyelids shut until you or the mother cat cleans them, and soon after being cleaned away they return. In … Read more
UMBILICAL HERNIAS AND OTHER CONGENITAL DEFECTS Serious birth defects are uncommon in mixed breed kittens, but each member of the litter whether purebred or not should be examined soon after birth and watched as he or she develops to detect any which may be present. Problems to look for soon after birth because they may … Read more
WEANING Between the ages of three and four weeks you can start to wean most kittens. Solid foods containing meat should be a part of kittens’ diets as soon as possible to prevent iron deficiency. Place a shallow pan of formula on the floor of their box. Change it as needed to keep the food … Read more
CARE OF NEWBORNS It is a rare queen who needs help caring for her kittens following delivery. The most common problem with kittens following delivery is caused by people who are too anxious to handle the kittens, upsetting the mother and causing her to move them from place to place. Since it is not customary … Read more
CARE OF THE FEMALE FOLLOWING DELIVERY Although for the first two days the queen will stay almost constantly with her kittens, within twenty-four hours of delivery she should leave the nest for short periods of time, move about, and be normally interested in eating and drinking. For cats who do not eat or drink after … Read more
SHAKING NEWBORN KITTEN TO CLEAR FLUIDS FROM MOUTH If the queen doesn’t break the amniotic sac covering the kitten’s head within a minute or two, you should. Then hold the kitten in your hands or wrap in a towel. Support the head so it doesn’t swing freely, then move the whole kitten vigorously in a … Read more
DIFFICULT DELIVERY (DYSTOCIA) Difficult deliveries are usually caused either by obstruction of delivery of the fetus, or by uterine inertia (see below). Dystocia must usually be treated with the help of a veterinarian. If any of the stages of labor seem abnormally long, if large amounts of fresh blood and/or blood clots are expelled from … Read more
DELIVERY A week or two prior to parturition (delivery) some queens may become restless and search for a nesting area. Even if there are no behavioral changes, you will usually be able to detect rapid enlargement of the mammary glands in the week before delivery. Milk (colostrum) can usually be expressed from the nipples within … Read more
CARE DURING PREGNANCY Pregnancy usually lasts sixty-three to sixty-six days, although some normal pregnancies have lasted as long as seventy-one days. Most queens kitten around sixty-six days. If delivery occurs before sixty-three days many kittens are stillborn or die shortly after birth. Pregnancy increases the protein and calorie requirements of the mother, but if you … Read more