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Article Category:
Even though she has not given birth to kittens, occasionally a female cat will develop milk production if kittens stimulate her teats by nursing.
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A newborn kitten's first milk provides more than simple nutrition. The first milk contains colostrum which is critical in providing the kitten with passive immunity to disease and infection for the first weeks of its life.
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The Cuddle Curl is an instinctive behavior exhibited by all animals who give birth to litters in a "nest". Every good mother cat will exhibit the Cuddle Curl. This behavior is essential to the well-being of her kittens.
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Should you let two mothers share their kittens between them? Should you give a kitten from a large litter to a mother with a smaller litter to care for? Learn the pros and cons of dual mothering.
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Every breeder should be able to recognize the signs of eclampsia. Your queen's life may depend on it.
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Occasionally, the new mother cat will not lick her kittens' bottoms -- a behavior needed to stimulate her kittens to urinate and defecate, and to keep the birthing box clean. Learn how you can teach the new mother to perform this "chore".
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Mastitis is an infection of the mammary gland of a nursing cat that can be life-threatening. Learn how to check for it and what to do if your queen develops mastitis.
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Follow the symptoms and treatment of a young Exotic Shorthair female who develops mastitis after giving birth to a singleton kitten.
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Follow the case history of an Abyssinian female that developed an unusually fast-acting mastitis infection that required emergency surgery.
The concern with using any commercial flea medication on a nursing cat is that her nursing kittens may be affected by coming in contact with the product as they snuggle up to their momma, or exposure to the medication through their mother's milk.
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It can be confusing and frightening the first time a cat gives birth. She has only her instincts to tell her what to do. Sometimes, instinct is not enough to prevent the new mom from making a fatal mistake.
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Occasionally a mother cat will come into season while she is still caring for a litter of kittens -- and this can affect her milk to the detriment of her nursing babies.
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Most cats are typically excellent mothers, so it can be very disheartening when a queen fails to properly care for her kittens. Evaluate the degree, seriousness and consequences of the individual queen's poor mothering instincts to formulate a plan to encourage her mothering skills.
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Knowing what is 'normal' behavior in a female cat following the delivery of her kittens is critical to determining whether or not to intervene in her care of her newborn litter.
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If a nursing mother cat is sick, has mastitis or is on a medication that is harmful to her kittens, her kittens must not drink her milk. This article shows you how to stop the kits from nursing while still keeping mum and babies together.
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Occasionally two mother cats decide to share their kittens. Or perhaps one female tries to steal one another's kittens. Learn what you should do if this happens.
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While a breeder may need to assume the task of hand-rearing some of the kittens, a surrogate mother cat, if available, is a better solution.
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