# Nursing/weaning/mastitis kitty question



## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

One of our shelter cats, a very young mother, came in several weeks ago with a trio of one week old kittens. The boys are now approaching 10-11 weeks and their cage was getting a bit cramped, so I separated them from mom on Monday or Tuesday. Today her mammaries are huge and full. I'm a little concerned about the potential for mastitis. I won't be here this weekend to check on her, and to be quite frank, I unfortunately can't rely on the part time weekend people. My questions are A) am I right to be concerned or overreacting? B) Should I leave a kitten in with her for the weekend and reevaluate on Monday? He's a tiny little runt and I know he'll still nurse.

Thank you in advance!


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## Jimm (Oct 22, 2011)

She really shouldn't be too swollen after a couple of days without the babies.If she does have mastitis and you put one back with her it will just get poisoned and if there is nothing wrong with her you will just start milk production again.
I take it you didn't feed the mother the day you took the babies away and all that so that milk production would be reduced.
I don't know why they were left with the mom so long as the longer they are nursing the greater the chance of mastitis.
If you think she will have or has mastitis you could always just start her on antibiotics.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

I do not think she has mastitis, I'm worried about it developing since she's still producing milk that isn't going anywhere. 

The kittens were left with her for so long because we're full and have no extra space. I don't find this to be a problem usually, since the mother will naturally discourage nursing on her own accord.


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## Jimm (Oct 22, 2011)

It's not that it will cause it but just makes it more likely.
Only real thing to do is cut food and water immediately after taking babes away and ration for next few days. Only other thing is antibiotics and hot compresses


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## Little Brown Jug (Dec 7, 2010)

The shelter I used to work at would reduce food and water intake and remove the kittens slowly over a span of a few days instead of all at once to help the moms dry up faster and reduce the risk.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

I have reduced her food all week. She's not been caged with them at all since separation, but has had contact with them for about 30 minutes a day when I take them out to clean. Its just tough to make sure things happen the way they should when I'm not around and I'm a little concerned that she's so full on a Friday. I made a note for the weekend staff to only give her a small amount of food this weekend. Not sure what else I can do :-/


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## Jimm (Oct 22, 2011)

Sounds like she is just full of milk because she has been allowed with them every day.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

Well they most definitely aren't nursing in that time! The boys are too busy tackling the crap out of each other and climbing my pant legs and Zsa Zsa is busy trying to tear into every food bag she can find :-/ I hope she dries up quickly because this poor gal needs some nourishment.


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## Jimm (Oct 22, 2011)

Just with seeing them or hearing or smallest touch from them she will continue to produce milk.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

They're caged in the same room :-/ there's no way of getting around that. 

This is the first time in my seven years here that I've ever encountered this.


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## Jimm (Oct 22, 2011)

Hormones will be hormones and do weird shit.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

LOL. Alright, well thanks for the advice! Hopefully things will be back to normal on Monday.


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