What Do Kittens Do After Birth

The care that you give your mother cat after the birth of her kittens is just as important as the care you provided her leading up to the birth.

What do kittens do after birth. However some kittens may open them sooner while others won t open them until a few days later. Most kittens will open their eyes between seven to ten days after birth. This will continue until they gradually transition to solid foods when they are around four weeks old weaning. This twitching is entirely normal and indicates the development of their nervous system and muscles.

Feeding newborn kittens newborn kittens should get all of their nutrition from their mother. Bear in mind that the queen will usually eat the placenta to hide evidence of the birth and protect her kittens. Most kittens suckle within an hour or two of being born. You may notice them twitching during sleep.

This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens which helps protect them against infectious disease. This feed is recommended for the cat to produce a milk that s very rich in the nutrients that the kittens need. Newborn kittens are unable to produce concentrated urine and so have a very high requirement for fluids. Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth.

A red brown vaginal discharge may be seen for up to three weeks after the birth. Their nervous systems are not fully developed. If the mother is attentive she will clean the kittens and use her body heat to keep the kittens warm. If after half an hour the kitten still isn t suckling gently open the kitten s mouth and latch him onto a nipple to suckle.

Cat giving birth problems. It is abnormal if it is green or foul smelling although there may normally be a small amount of greenish discharge after the kitten or placenta. If this doesn t happen gently place the kitten by the mother s teats which helps the kitten get the scent of milk. If she does not do this you will need to gently tear open the sac do not use a sharp object it s fragile so your hands should suffice as soon as possible to allow the kitten to breathe.

Things to do following the birth warmth is important as newborn kittens can lose heat very quickly. At first the retina is poorly developed and vision is poor. All kittens are born in a thin membrane birthing sac which your cat should remove as soon as her baby has arrived. Three days after birth a kitten s eyes start opening and the umbilical cord will also fall off.

When you understand your mother cat s changing care needs you can better support both her and her kittens after the birth. The first milk produced called colostrum is rich in antibodies and will help protect kittens against diseases. The kitten doesn t suckle after one hour.