Queen not producing milk at 4 weeks

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  • #866392
    Rachael Taylor
    Participant

    I know I just keep asking and not helping others, I apologize.
    I previously posted about my Queen and her 5 kittens.
    She suddenly stopped lactating the last few days. Like no milk at all and zero interest in her kittens unless they’re running around playing.
    I had already been feeding the tiniest KMR from a bottle to help her keep up with growth. I’m now doing so with two more because they haven’t shown any interest in the kitten pate food or kmr on a saucer.
    They’re all still gaining weight everyday but it has drastically dropped since mom has went through this transition.
    Everything I’ve read says that mom will teach them to eat by example, will knock them away at first but will teach them in time. She doesn’t. She physically attacks them if food is present.
    I have been locking her in a training cage over this. They need food and milk.
    I took them all to the vet 4 days ago and all he said was she’s weaning them. Nothing I’ve read online has indicated that she would try to her her own young over food.
    I’m so perplexed over this.

    #866393
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Rachael,

    There’s no guarantee that a Queen will produce milk for 8-10 weeks or that she will teach her kits how to eat solid food. Every fur family is different. There’s a lot of stuff to read but when it comes down to it, the information is advice and not hard facts.

    Mom has indicated she doesn’t have much interest in her kits. It’s time for you step in as full time foster hoomin. They are a bit older so it should be easier. Most kits don’t fully wean until 8-10 weeks. We recommend keeping them on milk until 6 weeks and then start them on a gruel. The gruel consists of milk and wet food. This will transition them to wet food only in a week or so. Do keep feeding the runt extra milk so she can catch up with her siblings.

    Good luck and let us know how you’re doing.

    PG

    #866399
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    So sorry you are experiencing this with the queen. Yes, nothing guarantees that a mom cat will nurse her kittens until they have fully transitioned to eating on their own. I’ve seen a lot of cats put up with them nursing well past the 10 week mark–they are very good and patient mothers and the kittens are way past needing weaned.

    You will need to step in and give them proper nourishment, and there’s no use in punishing her into doing it. If she’s out of milk there is nothing you can really do about it. She may have something else going on…or she could be in heat or even pregnant again if she has gotten out or you have a male cat that hasn’t been neutered.

    Lucky for you, you have only a few more weeks of bottle feeding…and you can try mixing some wet food in with the milk and see if they like the taste. Make sure you use the pate’ style and it’s very fine and add just a little to the formula. Open up the nipple so it can flow through and this will get them used to the taste. This food should also stick with them longer than just plain formula. Eventually you can transition them to a saucer, but most are too young at 4 weeks to be interested.

    If they aren’t taking to it now, then don’t worry about it and try again later. Eventually, you will know when to give them the extra nutrition, because they will act like they are attacking the nipple by grabbing it with their paws and biting and acting like they are starving.

    #866403
    Rachael Taylor
    Participant

    Two of the biggest refuse the pate, milk or even the gruel mix, they prefer the kitten hard food. Not one of them will touch the gruel mix even lol. It’s only the three smallest that I have to bottle feed more than letting them find their way but they all get bottle for now.fe
    Oh my goodness they potty sooo much haha. They go on their own under my bed but I still help after they feed so wow…so much for tiny babes.
    I’m so glad I’m doing right, I thought maybe I was interfering too much with mom

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