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Original poster

Found our cat dead in her bed this morning- kittens 5 weeks

138 replies

diege · 03/10/2019 12:18

Had the awful experience of finding my beloved cat dead on her bed this morning. She was 2, no health issues, and behaving normally yesterday evening. She has 5 kittens, approx 5/6 weeks old. I'm devastated and will have to break the news to my children tonight... She was really my eldest daughter's cat, and got her (daughter) through recent surgery and radiotherapy for an aggressive brain tumour, so it will be exceptionally difficult for her to take in. I'm also worried about the kittens --will they be ok on kitten food/cat milk?They started weaning last week but were still feeding from mum.
Any thoughts/advice very welcome!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
caringcarer · 03/10/2019 23:10

Oh your poor dd and poor little kittens. I bought kitten mouse and then mushed it up with kitten milk until like gruel. Kittens lick at this from 5 weeks but they will still need milk formula and sucking for another 2 weeks. Keep them warm with blankets as looks like we are in for a cooler snap. They should snuggle together for warmth. I would not let them go to other homes until 9 weeks old.

Nettie1964 · 03/10/2019 23:51

The kitten lady on YouTube has loads of brilliant videos on orphaned kittens of all ages.she also answers questions. I am so sorry for you. I have bottle fed rescue kittens but if they have started weaning mixing kitten formula in the food will help. Just don't let them get dehydrated xxx x good luck💕

wendyellie · 04/10/2019 01:39

My mum cat developed mastitis when her 5 kittens were 9 days old and we had to hand rear them from then. I am so sorry that you lost the kittens mum and I know how daunting it is trying to hand rear them .The goid thing is that they have had 5 weeks of their mums milk and she will have taught them how to toilet and groom themselves. I would suggest you continue to bottle feed if any of them want it for a little longer as it is emotionally comforting esoecially as they suddenly lost mum. I used beaphar lactol milk replacement and they love it. Also invaluable to me was the miracle teat which are available on amazon .We used it to feed by syringe first and then managed to fit it onto a bottle. It was the only teat they would feed from. Do not worry about completing weaning too quickly. I bought a blender and blended sachet of kitten wet food with the milk and gave it in a bottle first and once they were used to the taste thickened up the mixture and gradually moved them to eating ftom a dish without the milk formula Meet each kitten where they are they will all get there eventually . My kittens are 8 weeks old now and one of them still has a bottle at night. Hand rearing them was really stressful at times especially when they were very young and we nearly lost two of them when they were 2 weeks old .Thankfully with a hot water bottle and sugar and water we managed to get their temperatures and blood sugar levels up and they are both fine now much to the vets amazement!!!. Their mum had to be kept away at my daughters while she recovered ftom her illness and will be back when they are fully weaned. Dont lose heart they will be fine . Also a life saver for me was the kitten lady website
The lady on it takes on orphaned kittens and has posted helpful videos on weaning etc. I am so sorry for your loss.I would be devastated if we had lost their mum. Good luck x

HelenaDove · 04/10/2019 01:51

Im so sorry for all yiu have been through and the loss of your beautiful cat. Thanks Thanks

kateandme · 04/10/2019 02:10

wow whaat a time youve been through.i know its not really the right thing to say buuuut might it help the kids especially your dd to grieve and keep going knowing they have to help keep your loved cats little babies alive and well.

InTropicalTrumpsLand · 04/10/2019 02:25

I'm so sorry OP. Dcat was found half-dead on the streets when she was 6 weeks and she's now a completely healthy little shit adult, so the kittens should make it.

FurrySlipperBoots · 04/10/2019 02:46

What a shitty time you've had OP, I am sorry. Your poor cat too, and her babies. I agree you need to get them all checked over first thing tomorrow in case it could be a virus or similar. I would suggest a postmortem too.

Perhaps you could ring cats protection and any other rescues in your area, to see if they have any cats who've recently lost their kittens? It's a long shot, and she may not take to yours even if you find one, but if you did it could be therapeutic all round to have her while she raises them. You needn't keep her long term, but look on it as fostering.

If you go on to keep any of the kits, please spay or neuter them, and make sure any homes that take the others on do likewise. It's possible that mum died of something congenital. Either way thousands of kittens are euthanised every year because there just aren't the homes for them, which is a terribly sad thought.

I hope the children aren't too devastated, and the litter have a positive outcome.

MidniteScribbler · 04/10/2019 03:34

Please make sure all the kittens are desexed before going to new homes. The last thing that is needed is more undesexed cats running around getting pregnant.

YobaOljazUwaque · 04/10/2019 04:52

@MidniteScribbler that's completely unrealistic - kittens can't be desexed before they are about 2kg - around 5 months old. These ones need to find their forever homes in about 3 or 4 weeks time. It will be their adopters who are responsible for getting that sorted so make sure you only let them go to people who understand how important it is to get them neutered when the time comes.

However do find them homes where the people want more than one and rehome them as a pair and a trio. Kittens really need each other for play and socialisation. A lone kitten, especially having lost mum so early, will not make a happy or well-balanced cat.

Kitjat · 04/10/2019 05:57

How horrendous for all of you. I had a similar experience except Mummy cat didn't die she just rejected her 1st litter of 3 kittens, 2 seemingly healthy ones died overnight and the runt of the litter survived 6 weeks on kitten formula until we had to put him out of his misery, he couldn't walk. Nothing is going to be easy about telling your daughter, I feel for you, But it wasn't your fault just remember that. Sending you all huge hugs xxx

PrettyPurse · 04/10/2019 06:09

@MidniteScribbler - really don't think that OP's priority right now..... keeping them alive is Hmm

Kiwicoley · 04/10/2019 08:30

Sounds like she got milk fever, it hits hard and fast and animals die within hours if not treated.
The kittens will need to be bottle fed for a while yet, you can pick up formula and bottles from your vet.

Clayplease · 04/10/2019 09:31

This is so sad 😭 feel really awful for you all. Tough for you having to break the news 😟Hope the kitten milk goes down well. Hope your daughter is as ok as she can be. So tragic when a pet dies, much worse when so unexpected. Hope you can look after yourself too. Thanks

SpoonBlender · 04/10/2019 09:42

More reassurance - the kittens are likely to be fine. Our two boisterous girls were orphaned at 5 weeks when mum was killed by a fox. Being farm cats they were raised for a couple of weeks on goat's milk and white fish, they smelt awful from that diet but migrated onto kitten food without any problems. And stopped smelling weird after another couple of weeks.

Bellringer · 04/10/2019 11:45

Op do you know about winstons wish? Brilliant support for bereaved children. Hope you all ok today

SoupDragon · 04/10/2019 11:48

desexed

What a clunky phrase that is!

TheNavigator · 04/10/2019 11:50

I am so sorry. If it is any reassurance, I got my kitty at around 6 weeks old because her mum had collapsed - she was a rescue and the cat home felt she was as well being in her new home. She is now a big, confident, whinging bag of entitlement. She was fine with us, we had kitten milk but she was happy to take hard food and never touched the milk. We let her snuggle in with us if she wanted, but she was a pretty independent little toot from the word go. Kitties are amazing - they are born to survive.

Difficultcustomer · 04/10/2019 12:08
Flowers
Myshitisreal · 04/10/2019 12:15

Very sad to read this 😺 xxx flat you're taking good care of the kittens. More pics please 🙀

princessTiasmum · 04/10/2019 14:03

Midnightscribbler I doubt the op will want to pay for 5 kittens to be neutered, it isn't cheap, butYoba kittens can be neutered at 12 weeks, although it is something i don't agree with and wouldn't doThe kittens need to go to responsible people though who will have them neutered,

PandaTurtle · 04/10/2019 15:02

If you need financial help with vets and / or neutering PDSA and / or Cats Protection may be able to help.

Original poster
diege · 05/10/2019 11:02

To update, all 5 kittens are doing well and guzzling the substitute milk with gusto!
The children are all very sad - and oldest dd hasn't really taken it in yet I don't think 😔 but (the youngest 3 at least) seem to be fine and focusing now on the kittens.
I should add that I am a very experienced cat owner (and former breeder/show-er of cats, albeit 20 years ago) so know all about the need to neuter etc. Matilda (kittens' mum) has been booked in for neutering but the appointment coincided with dd1's diagnosis so slipped to the bottom of the list! We're keeping one of the kittens and all others will go to new homes at 10 weeksSmile.

Thank you so much for all the helpful comments - telling the children separately really worked, and the recommendations for milk very useful!

Found our cat dead in her bed this morning- kittens 5 weeks
OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/10/2019 11:53

They are (like all kittens!) adorable :)

Dollymixture22 · 05/10/2019 13:39

They are gorgeous😻

Which one are you keeping?

FurrySlipperBoots · 05/10/2019 13:45

Aren't they sweet! Maybe you could consider keeping 2? They'd be company for each other, and it would be sort of 'insurance'.

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