Mother cat abandoned four kittens in our attic... does anyone here have any advice?

[Tortoise]

I’d be afraid of kitten claws piercing through the towel and popping the glove.

Yea same I was thinking. No rubber gloves. Not with kittens.

 

[Tortoise]

Just be sure you are getting kitten/cat info. Some things that pertain to dogs does not pertain to kittens/cats. Also a some dog things cannot be used or given to cats.
You can mix some of the kitten milk with can food and make it loose to see if they will eat it. You might need to stick some on their mouths in order to get them to try it. I just went thru this, this past summer with a feral cat that was trapped to be spayed. My kits were the same age you think yours are, likely 4 weeks maybe 5 weeks or rescue would have waited to trap the mother.
Mine all found homes except one kitten that couldn't be caught. Mother and 3 kits got homes.
Good luck with yours and hope they all get homes.

 

[Willowhisp]

Aww, that's awesome you could do that! I've never had to do it with puppies, but when we had a wild dog population (they ended up dying of old age and I tamed the puppies out of it), the puppies all had mothers.

I'm in south-central Arkansas. They aren't a problem, but I can't keep them. I have six left from the 40+ feral cat population I took care of (the ones these kittens are from is another one) and one kitten I rescued from the population in 2018. Her name is Jackie. She is the one I mentioned here before that I didn't socialize. Which is why I can't keep them. Jackie sees them as little rats that she wants to kill. If you're close enough, I'd totally give them to you. Three ate / drank well, the fourth is having issues and we're going to the vet tomorrow.

the pups were difficult but it was well worth it

aw damn, I might be moving to Tennessee soon but that's still probably not close enough, I live in rural boise Idaho. I understand how that can be, I breed rats and sometimes the foster moms don't like certain bebes. I hope you can find somewhere for the babes art

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Yes I found them homes and no it wasn’t easy as I am VERY protective of where they go. I make sure they go to indoor homes and the adopters have to have them spayed or neutered by 6 months old.

That's awesome you could make sure they are well cared for. <3 I hope to do the same for these four.

I to live in the middle of no where and there are lots of Ferals and ass—— who dump their cats.

Oh yes, I've seen it. Once an SUV came and opened the door and let out a bunch of cats into our front yard.

Plus everyone who knows me knows I will rescue anything and everything… lol I can’t say no.

I do that too.

I moved here a few years back and have had to deal with this a lot ever sense. I use to live in Las Vegas so didn’t have this issue to much. Out here in the middle of no where it’s seems like it is constant. New born kittens are the hardest to keep alive (had to learn a lot really fast). I had never delt with new borns before I cam here.

Aww, sorry you have to deal with so many too. We only had one that I remember that we had to bottle feed, one newborn. There were three but only one survived. Had a breathing problem. We had no resources, no knowledge. I'm surprised she survived, but we had her for 11 years.

Keep stimulating their lil bums a few times a day luckily they are about 4-5 weeks so it’s not like when they are new borns when it’s every few hours.

Yeah, that's a lot to handle, every few hours. I'll keep it up.

The safest thing you can probably try is shredded newspaper. Not the adds because of the slick material. I can’t find any information one way or another on sand. If you do use sand I wouldn’t leave it in there when you can’t keep an eye on them. I can’t find any info about whether or not it’s safe for small kitttens but it is safe for adult cats. Someone else might know though.

Good to know, thanks! Actually, that's why I have it to begin with - for the adult cats I care for outside. They use it. Used it for years, and some had babies at the time. I never had any try to eat it, but then again, the mothers may have been teaching them what sand is for.

You have to get little pads of cotton balls and soak them in water, squeeze it out and wipe their genital area. It stimulates the bladder to pee and then they don’t get kidney issues. I’ve done this with all the kittens that have lost their mummy’s. You only have to do this for a couple weeks or less u til they do it naturally. Good luck.

The little black one finally peed, but it was very dark yellow and not much of it. But then, they are very small so I guess I shouldn't expect a lot.

Funny world, isn’t it?

Almost every other critter can handle goat’s milk better than cow’s milk. And most experienced goatherders recommend cow’s milk over commercial goat milk replacer for kids (if you don’t have access to a lactating doe).

Wow.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Just be sure you are getting kitten/cat info. Some things that pertain to dogs does not pertain to kittens/cats. Also a some dog things cannot be used or given to cats.

Gotcha!

You can mix some of the kitten milk with can food and make it loose to see if they will eat it. You might need to stick some on their mouths in order to get them to try it. I just went thru this, this past summer with a feral cat that was trapped to be spayed.

I think three of the four are definitely ready for this.

My kits were the same age you think yours are, likely 4 weeks maybe 5 weeks or rescue would have waited to trap the mother.
Mine all found homes except one kitten that couldn't be caught. Mother and 3 kits got homes.
Good luck with yours and hope they all get homes.

I'm glad you found them homes! <2 Sorry you couldn't catch the one.

Thank you! <3 I'm going to try.

the pups were difficult but it was well worth it

aw damn, I might be moving to Tennessee soon but that's still probably not close enough, I live in rural boise Idaho. I understand how that can be, I breed rats and sometimes the foster moms don't like certain bebes. I hope you can find somewhere for the babes art

<3

Aww, that is a shame.

Oohhh. That's neat. Are the rats pets? Cats might uh... not be a good choice if the rats are pets.

Thank you, I hope so too.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

That's awesome you could make sure they are well cared for. <3 I hope to do the same for these four.


Oh yes, I've seen it. Once an SUV came and opened the door and let out a bunch of cats into our front yard.


I do that too.


Aww, sorry you have to deal with so many too. We only had one that I remember that we had to bottle feed, one newborn. There were three but only one survived. Had a breathing problem. We had no resources, no knowledge. I'm surprised she survived, but we had her for 11 years.


Yeah, that's a lot to handle, every few hours. I'll keep it up.


Good to know, thanks! Actually, that's why I have it to begin with - for the adult cats I care for outside. They use it. Used it for years, and some had babies at the time. I never had any try to eat it, but then again, the mothers may have been teaching them what sand is for.


The little black one finally peed, but it was very dark yellow and not much of it. But then, they are very small so I guess I shouldn't expect a lot.


Wow.

Keep a close eye on the little black one. A small amount of dark urine is a sign that they are dehydrated. It should be about the color of lemonade

 

[NatJ]

The little black one finally peed, but it was very dark yellow and not much of it. But then, they are very small so I guess I shouldn't expect a lot.

Have you offered a dish of just plain water?
They might drink it or not, but I don't think it will do them any harm (as long as they don't inhale it or get too badly wet.)

Sometimes animals will accept something familiar (like water) instead of something unfamiliar (like the milk you offered.) And of course, water is fine for fixing dehydration, even though it's not a good source of nutrients for growth.

 

[Willowhisp]

<3

Aww, that is a shame.

Oohhh. That's neat. Are the rats pets? Cats might uh... not be a good choice if the rats are pets.

Thank you, I hope so too.

the rats are pets and feeders but they are kept in the shed and nothing can get in nor out of where they are

 

[Ginmary]

Have you offered a dish of just plain water?
They might drink it or not, but I don't think it will do them any harm (as long as they don't inhale it or get too badly wet.)

Sometimes animals will accept something familiar (like water) instead of something unfamiliar (like the milk you offered.) And of course, water is fine for fixing dehydration, even though it's not a good source of nutrients for growth.

You can use an eye dropper or syringe to put some drops of water into the side of its mouth to supplement water intake. That way they don't have to purposely suck so it's not their choice to refuse.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Keep a close eye on the little black one. A small amount of dark urine is a sign that they are dehydrated. It should be about the color of lemonade

And she is, I know. It was darker than lemonade. Also she had a poop stuck to the fur on her back end that was so hard, I don't see how she got it out.

She hadn't had much since Monday at the latest. All mom and I could do with the bottle was 5ml per feeding which was way below what she needs. The vet couldn't see her, but the assistant showed us how to use a syringe to feed her without choking her. After a day of that, she sucks the end of the syringe. Or chews it. Almost got 15ml in her today so far. I think it ended up being more like 13. But that's better than 5. Hoping she will get stronger and take more as we go.

Have you offered a dish of just plain water?

No, I haven't.

They might drink it or not, but I don't think it will do them any harm (as long as they don't inhale it or get too badly wet.)

Oh! Well. I'll offer some then. I was going to offer kitten food today. Bought a case of it yesterday.

Sometimes animals will accept something familiar (like water) instead of something unfamiliar (like the milk you offered.) And of course, water is fine for fixing dehydration, even though it's not a good source of nutrients for growth.

Gotcha. Isn't water unfamiliar to a kitten though? I thought milk would be familiar. I'll try and see what they do with it. Today I offered 60ml in a dish and the other three kittens drank almost all of it. And also dunked their faces in it, snorted some of it (sneezed it back out quickly and then didn't dunk their faces anymore. They are learning slowly ), and then stepped in it and tracked it everywhere. Including on each other. Took longer to clean up the mess than anything.

the rats are pets and feeders but they are kept in the shed and nothing can get in nor out of where they are

Ah, gotcha.

Feeders? For snakes?

You can use an eye dropper or syringe to put some drops of water into the side of its mouth to supplement water intake. That way they don't have to purposely suck so it's not their choice to refuse.

We are learning how to do this. Don't want to accidentally send it down the windpipe. The vet assistant made it look so easy. Panther clamps that little mouth shut and the liquid just drips down her chin.