|
Cats are funny creatures. Some days the love you, other days they could care less. What to do though, when you dainty little cat starts to sport a pudge that suggests that parenthood is imminent? Well it happens to the best of us, and what you do is resolve to take care of the kittens, find them good homes, and then schedule your kitty for a little elective surgery.
As soon as you begin to expect that you have a momma cat, you should gradually switch her over from her regular food to a kitten food. Kitten food is richer in nutrients and contains more calcium, both important to a pregnant female. You will also want to provide her with a safe bed, and plenty of clean bedding materials. If she is an inside cat, this should be easy enough. Line a box with clean towels or rags and she will probably make herself right at home. If she is an outside cat, you can attempt to bring her in. If she is resistant and unhappy in the house, you can provide the same type of box for her outside, in a sheltered area.
She will probably be very secretive and want to be alone when she gives birth. The main thing that you can do to help is to provide her access to plenty of quality food and clean water. Once she has delivered the kittens and cleaned them up, you will want to clean out her bed, providing fresh towels for her. Try to do this while disturbing her as little as possible. If any of the kittens seem a bit weak, you can rub them briskly with a towel to warm them up and get their circulation going.
At such a young age, all you really need to do is keep their bed clean and give the mother cat access to as much good quality cat food as she wants. As they get older, at around three weeks or so, they will begin to develop an interest in eating solid food. Start them out with cat food softened with water and milk. As they become more accustomed to the process of eating, you can gradually cut back on the amount of liquid in the food. By the time they are six weeks old, they should be eating dry food. This is also about the time that they will need their first vaccination. This is very important, because cats and kittens can become compromised easily by disease. It is much better to invest the money now than down the road, with expensive vet bills.
By the time they are seven weeks old, they are ready to find new homes. If you have raised them well, with good quality food, and a healthy environment, you should have no trouble finding homes for them. Do not forget to advise the new owners of when the next series of vaccinations are due, and do not forget to take your mommy cat in for her visit to the veterinarian.
|
| |
